What’s the story?
FIFA 18 is set to hit the stands later this year and with mounting excitement, fans are surely looking forward to another season of fast-paced, riveting football action. Into its second edition on the Frostbite engine, FIFA promises to be smoother and more entertaining in almost every section of the game as can be seen in FIFA 17 too. A lot had changed in the previous edition of the game and positive fan reaction would certainly have boosted spirits around the developers’ offices. But with the success of the game, also came some gaping loopholes.
Commentary has been a big feature in FIFA games since its inception in the 20th century. Having evolved over the years, we now have our favourite real-life commentators lending their voices to the gaming world. The process is a long drawn out one and has often been highly prone to glitches and mistakes. Even today, commentary struggles to keep up with fast-paced action and the computerised system is all too obvious to see. FIFA 18 surely needs to get the commentary part sorted out.
In case you didn’t know…
The default setting for English commentary in FIFA video games is the team of Martin Tyler and Alan Smith. The iconic duo has written themselves into FIFA folklore following Andy Gray’s departure from the commentary circuit and in Smith, the FA found a capable replacement. But even though there is obvious consistency, there is a tinge of staleness that has crept into the system which definitely needs a refreshing change. While it could be argued that fans want this duo to continue how they are, a tweak in the working never hurt anybody and could help take FIFA to the next level if performed properly.
The heart of the matter
Spanish commentary has continued its legacy of the high pitched form of commentary which has become iconic in its own right with the regular “GOLAZO” creeping in every now and then, taking fan excitement to the next level, but with no such catchphrase in English, change is pretty much the norm.
This was apparent after a fan on Reddit raised opinions on the inclusion of well-known commentator Ray Hudson to lend his voice to FIFA gaming. The response was positive and with fans wanting more options in commentary, FIFA should surely take it into consideration. Clyde Tyldesley and Andy Townsend are currently the replacements available in the game, but with options such as Jon Champion, Peter Drury, Rob Hawthorne and others, FIFA could really turn up the heat. Games such PES have taken this route and fans have found the commentary a welcome change which makes playing the game more realistic and fun altogether.commentary, FIFA should surely take it into consideration. Clyde Tyldesley and Andy Townsend are currently the replacements available in the game, but with options such as Jon Champion, Peter Drury, Rob Hawthorne and others, FIFA could really turn up the heat. Games such PES have taken this route and fans have found the commentary a welcome change which makes playing the game more realistic and fun altogether.
The problem of glitches unfortunately still exists as well and as is the case every year around this time, we can only hope that game developer have made that extra bit of effort to ensure that commentators don’t look stupid shouting after the ball is a few seconds out of play.
What’s next?
With FIFA 18 all ready to hit the markets, it is unlikely that any changes in the game would be entertained this year, but with commentary being a talking point all through the discussions, it is possible that necessary steps have already been taken to improve this particular facet of the game. Introducing new levels of commentary and toggling between various commentary options would certainly have been on the agenda for developers and with features such as The Journey and other modes specific to the game filtering in, more work is bound to have gone into the commentary. The extent of this work is something we will all just have to wait and see.
Author’s take
In a video game that has become a tradition, FIFA is always striving to achieve more and more. With enhanced commentary and a new commentary panel at least in English, FIFA will be able to hit the next level and attain heights it could never have imagined. With the impending release of FIFA 18, let’s hope fan prayers are answered and our favourite television commentators make their way onto the elite gaming circuit.
