FIFA 18 REVIEW: THE WORLD'S BEST FOOTBALL GAME IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER

An improved Career Mode, offline and online enhancements for Ultimate Team, and the return of the Journey make FIFA even better than last year When you first launch FIFA 18, the game opens with Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann exchanging goals to level the Madrid derby at the Santiago Bernabeu. Shots of the strikes immerse you in the action as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are deadlocked. Suddenly, Madrid win a free-kick on the edge of the area and Ronaldo lines up to take one of his trademark set-pieces. Then you are given control. FIFA 18 begins by placing you in the centre of the action, providing a television-quality match experience better than any video game ever has before. The presentation has been improved once again this year to make the matches feel even more realistic than in previous versions. Broadcast packages and lineup graphics help add to the realism and depth, moving the video game closer to real life. FIFA 18 feels like real football. It feels like real football not just because of the graphical improvements, but the gameplay is more like a real match. Defending is no longer automatic. Players need to time their tackles to win back the ball before holding up the ball and shielding opponents before finding a team-mate with a properly weighted pass. It is here that FIFA 18 has progressed. The midfield battles are tougher and require more patience. You can no longer just sprint around and get past your opponents. Winning matches requires you to play well.