FIFA 18 Demo Review (PLUS PES 2018)

So a couple of days ago I downloaded the PES 2018 Demo from the Xbox Store. I used to play PES back when I had PS2. I did download the PES 2017 Demo last year, but since I've been playing Fifa for 7-8 years, I found it quite hard to tackle, shoot and sprint, as many people who have played both would understand.

One thing I found surprising is the level of play in that game. Even though the squads are outdated, they are so life-like in the way every player reacts. I somehow managed to get my head around the opposite buttons, and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

But before going on to FIFA 18, let's talk about FIFA 17. I play FIFA 16, and of course that was made solely by EA Sports. So when I heard about a partnership with Frostbite Games (yes, the guys behind Need For Speed The Run), I knew that this would bring FIFA to a whole new level. When I played that demo, I realised just how different it was to my 16 version. But I just didn't think I should upgrade to 17, because of such few changes to line-ups.

Now, I'm a Barca fan. And when I heard about the arrival of Valverde and the departure of Neymar, I knew FIFA 18 could be the one to get. And after playing the demo for just about an hour, I can definitely say I'm excited for this game.

The biggest change I've noticed is the differentiation in the way every team plays. It's way more advanced compared to FIFA 16, where most teams play pretty much the same. I picked Manchester City as my first team, since FC Barcelona isn't included in the demo (come on EA, seriously?). The first team I played against was Bayern Munich. I really appreciated the fact that you can keep possession for much longer compared to 16, where it's mostly end to end stuff, and your rivals press too high at times. In FIFA 18-at least in the demo-you are able to pass the ball around, like MCFC do in real-life.

And much like in reality, Bayern are much more focused in attack. As a result, I lost 4-0. Now, if you've stopped laughing, let's get back to the point. When I picked Juventus, their superiority in defence was clearly evident. Playing against Atletico Madrid I noticed just how hard Atletico work whether they're on the ball or not. Went on to draw 1-1 and won on penalties.

Then I went on to pick PSG and played against Real Madrid. Now we all know both teams have very strong attacking line-ups. Now while PSG don't have a particularly good defence, Real Madrid are somewhat good at defending. Despite those facts, I had more confidence in PSG and therefore won 2-1.

In the end I decided to play the Manchester Derby. I picked City again, but this time, won 2-0. I didn't even lower the game difficulty, I just played pretty much like City do these days.

One new feature in FIFA 18 is the introduction of Quick Sub. During the stop in play, the game suggests 3 subs that it thinks are good for your team. Sometimes you are asked to take a player off who isn't playing well, or if someone's too tired. I used it a couple of times and I absolutely loved it. Might not work with it every time, but it's a really good addition to the game, and makes you feel like you're actually playing something new, not just the same game with some line-up changes.

Another thing I really appreciate about this game is the fact that like the teams, every player has his own character and his own strengths and weaknesses. It's what makes this game much better than FIFA 17 and puts it in another league when compared to FIFA 16.

Overall, I'm really impressed by FIFA 18 and if the demo is anything to go by, the complete game will be the one to beat. As I mentioned in the beginning, PES 2018 is good, but this is much, much better.

Look out for FIFA 18 to hit stores starting September 29, 2017.

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