Introduction

Every year, Electronic Arts finds a way to squeeze our wallets and mimic the behavior of footballers during transfer season. Enter "FIFA 18," where the only thing more inflated than player valuations is the marketing hype. Featuring an array of shiny new features and enough microtransactions to keep your bank account on life support, this game is the quintessential soccer experience for anyone who can't be bothered to actually watch a match.

Gameplay

FIFA 18 introduces the Real Player Motion Technology, which is a fancy way of saying players sometimes actually move like human beings and not like robots programmed by a five-year-old. Dribbling has seen an overhaul, which means you might stand a chance of taking a defender on without looking like a toddler trying to walk on stilts. The game also presents a buffet of modes: Career Mode, Ultimate Team, and an entire storyline mode featuring the adventures of Alex Hunter, which is like watching a soap opera, but with more goals and fewer love triangles (well, most of the time). There’s enough content here to drown in, especially if you enjoy the pristine joy of spending real money to acquire packs filled with players you’ll ultimately never use.

Graphics

The graphics in FIFA 18 are as shiny as a newly polished football. You might even think they're trying to distract you from the fact that every year it's pretty much the same game with slight modifications. Players look lifelike most of the time, unless they're in one of the awkward animations that remind you that you’re still playing a video game, not living a football dream. The crowds are slightly less robotic than before, bringing the stadium atmosphere to another level, attempting to portray a semblance of excitement. EA might as well have employed actors to cheer on your every touch of the ball.

Conclusion

In the end, FIFA 18 is like that dependable friend who shows up year after year looking slightly different but fundamentally unchanged. It has enough bells and whistles to keep you entertained and the sheer volume of options provides something for everyone. Sure, it's a glorified roster update with microtransactions shoved in, but with its fun gameplay and sweeping visuals, it's still a grand slam in the world of digital football. Just remember to take breaks in between sessions or risk forgetting what sunlight looks like. After all, it’s still just a game, no matter how much you might find yourself shouting at the TV out of sheer frustration—just ask my friends about my 20th attempt at beating a single player game on Legendary. Spoiler: I still have not emerged victorious.

See Latest Prices for FIFA 18 on PS4 on Amazon