In the last years, Electronic Arts had neglected the career gameplay of the FIFA games. This year, however, the developers have listened to the long-lasting demand for innovation in its popular career mode. New features provide even more depth and authenticity to the soccer simulation in FIFA 20, while Volta football lets the hearts of street players beat higher.
At the top of the list of improvements, is the new dynamic player potential. As in real life, players are now influenced by factors that can affect their development. Not only young players can increase their potential through good games, but also old stars ready for retirement. As a result, matured players will be able to stay at their optimum performance levels for a longer time, before their attributes weaken.
Good games are the keyword: the performance on the pitch is the decisive factor. If it was excellent during a season, a player's potential increases; if it was weak, it decreases. One of the disadvantages of the system: The potential of a player is only calculated at the beginning of a season, not in the half-time break, weekly or quarterly.
Pick your career path. Are you the manager or player type? Or maybe both?
Image: Electronic Arts
A dynamic gaming experience
While dynamic difficulty adjustments are an integral part of FIFA's career mode, the functionality now also extends to events off the pitch. According to the Pitch Notes, the studio has packed an enormous variety of storylines into FIFA 20, which are triggered according to the coach's decisions and performance. Unlike in the past, press conferences will feel more dynamic, and virtual journalists will always react differently to upcoming or past games. Your answers then influence the career, and above all, the morale of the players and the team. Individual discussions with players also play an essential part. You can communicate with each of your players, choose between different answers, motivate them, or deal with their problems.
Everything discussed in conferences, and one-on-one conversations now influences the morale of the players. In previous FIFA games, this was indicated by an arrow behind a player's name: Good morale was shown with an arrow pointing up, homesickness or bad performances by an arrow pointing downwards. The morale will now be affected by a myriad of factors: Playtime, salary expectations, performance on the field, and how well your team did in competitions. Good morale is hugely desirable, as it directly influences the attributes of a player in upcoming matches.
Pick from a list of pre-created coaches, or create your own.
Image: Electronic Arts
Customization is key
FIFA wouldn't be FIFA, if it weren't for a few cosmetic revisions. Instead of playing one of the pre-created coaches, you can now customize your avatar. For the very first time in FIFA history, you can also play a female character. Besides, the career mode offers more visual customization options: From face and skin colour to clothing and headgear. You can determine what your trainer looks like more precisely than before. Special moments of your career are now also shown in the video tile, including gameplay screenshots, rounded off by unique user interfaces for the five leagues: Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, LaLiga, and MLS.
