The rating is based mainly on the impressions of the story mode (Journey)
The story of Alex Hunter is quite trivial and canonical for the plots of the sports genre. It's nice to see good characters and attempts at small elections in the course of history. However, in my opinion, the main problem with this mode is that it is completely linear and does not respond to the player's actions. In the middle of the story, there is one mandatory segment with a loan, and it will happen even if you get the highest score in every match. The choices in the dialogues and the character system are practically useless, and there are no important decisions at all. Well, perhaps the hero is given everything too easily, even with obligatory loan. There is definitely not enough variety in the way the story is told, as the entire third act is essentially a match-practice mode, which is boring. Well, the far from ideal gameplay of the matches themselves also contributes to this, of course.
Overall, this mode, and all of FIFA 17, is a pretty average product in a mid-range product line that can grow in breadth but will always ignore forward development in favor of an annual release model.
The story of Alex Hunter is quite trivial and canonical for the plots of the sports genre. It's nice to see good characters and attempts at small elections in the course of history. However, in my opinion, the main problem with this mode is that it is completely linear and does not respond to the player's actions. In the middle of the story, there is one mandatory segment with a loan, and it will happen even if you get the highest score in every match. The choices in the dialogues and the character system are practically useless, and there are no important decisions at all. Well, perhaps the hero is given everything too easily, even with obligatory loan. There is definitely not enough variety in the way the story is told, as the entire third act is essentially a match-practice mode, which is boring. Well, the far from ideal gameplay of the matches themselves also contributes to this, of course.
Overall, this mode, and all of FIFA 17, is a pretty average product in a mid-range product line that can grow in breadth but will always ignore forward development in favor of an annual release model.
No FIFA part will ever have a better cover than this one because Marco Reus is one of my favourite players of all time.
The fact that this is the first FIFA with the FUT Champions modes poses quite a few problems: The number of needed wins for each ranks were very inaccurate in the beginning because there was no way to test this out in advance. The time you had to play those 40 matches was also way too close, having only 48 hours. The fact that you saw the chosen kit of your opponent made a lot of people quit in the lobby already because kits like FC Schalke 04 could hint that you'd play against a pro.
Gameplaywise there was nothing to complain.
The fact that this is the first FIFA with the FUT Champions modes poses quite a few problems: The number of needed wins for each ranks were very inaccurate in the beginning because there was no way to test this out in advance. The time you had to play those 40 matches was also way too close, having only 48 hours. The fact that you saw the chosen kit of your opponent made a lot of people quit in the lobby already because kits like FC Schalke 04 could hint that you'd play against a pro.
Gameplaywise there was nothing to complain.