FIFA 20 is a great game. There’s no question about that. But is it better than last year? Or has eFootball PES 2020 overtaken it as the king of soccer video games? Let’s take a look.
First and foremost, Volta Football is a tremendous addition to FIFA 20. While it could easily have been a standalone game like FIFA Street, EA decided to include it as part of FIFA 20. This is a great addition and gives the game that much more value. Playing street football is fun, but this takes it to a whole new level. Volta Football brings personality, style, and a hipster quality to every game. You’ll definitely want to check it out.
EA continues to win the licensing war, but has been losing some ground to Konami in recent years. While Konami grabbed the likes of the 2020 Euros and Juventus, EA claimed the ultimate prize in the UEFA Champions League. Having the UCL is reason enough to buy the game as it is the world’s best club competition. Losing exclusive rights to some of the big clubs hurts, but there’s no question that EA still holds the edge when it comes to licensing.
Gameplay seems to be on par with last year’s edition. When compared to PES, the FIFA series still has a robotic quality when it comes to gameplay, especially passing. Yet FIFA 20 is wildly approachable and is almost plug and play, making it a great choice for casual fans.
FIFA Ultimate Team, what gamers lovingly call FUT, is another great part of FIFA 20. Just like Volta Football, it could exist on its own. Previous versions of FUT were praised for their depth, but it has gotten better (and deeper) in 2020.
While we love online modes, we are old school when it comes to Career Mode. Reminiscent of EA’s Dynasty Mode that made the NCAA Football series famous, Career Mode also improved. The result is almost endless playability, giving you hours upon hours of enjoyment…enough to keep you happy and busy until FIFA 21 comes out. Customization, press conferences, morale, and dynamic player potential are all areas of improvement when it comes to Career Mode. And that is why Career Mode is still our favorite part of FIFA.
In an ideal world, you could purchase both FIFA 20 and eFootball PES 2020. Both games have major positives and some minor weaknesses, but both would be solid purchases. Those who enjoy authentic, organic football that feels like football should lean towards Konami, while casual gamers and fans would probably enjoy EA’s offering more. It’s all about perspective and from our perspective, EA has done brilliant work on FIFA 20.
