Another year, another FIFA. So are the changes made here any different from last time? Well, if you’re asking about extreme gameplay changes, then maybe not. But FIFA 20 does include one new mode- VOLTA Football. This new game mode is a throwback to the older FIFA Street title that came out on the PS2. Remember that? Liked that? Well, EA might have you in for a good time here.
VOLTA Football is EA’s (refreshed) take on street football. Or futsal to be more accurate. Considering how their last game in the category was widely well-received, it seems fair to be optimistic about it, right? Well, if there’s anything in FIFA 20 that I’m having fun with, it’s VOLTA. In fact, when you boot up the game for the first time, the game starts up a match of the mode right away. Well, after the insanely long intro cinematic anyway.
So What’s New (Or Old) in FIFA’s VOLTA Mode?
VOLTA Football is essentially a mix of FIFA Street and regular FIFA. It’s got new, smaller maps with lesser no. of players & a smaller match time. Sure, you can change some of the settings in there, but the core gameplay and feel are very different from a regular FIFA match. With the ground being smaller the pace of the game ramps up quickly. You can even bounce balls off the walls! However, if you were looking forward to pulling off insane moves here just like in Street, then prepare to get disappointed.
With that said, it is more, let’s say, stylish in its presentation than the main game itself. You can still learn new skill moves and use an attribute menu to allot different skills. From there, you can go on to try those moves out in the training ground. The feeling of successfully pulling off these moves in a match itself is extremely satisfying. All of this adds up to make sure you feel like your character really is progressing in any of the game modes. Namely, the 3 main game modes inside VOLTA are:
- Story
- Volta League
- Volta Tour
Let’s start with the story mode. To be honest, it’s nothing to write home about. It’s almost a football equivalent of the story present in Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. And while that’s not a compliment, it’s also not a jab at it. If you’re a hardcore FIFA player, you know you don’t play the games for the story, be it in My Career or any other mode.
Volta League essentially handles the multiplayer component of the game, where you can play and compete against your friends. Couch multiplayer is present (phew), but online multiplayer is not. However, that is subject to change if EA decides to go that route.
The third mode, Volta Tour, is a more casual approach to the game. In it, you’ll be touring across the world to play on unique playing fields and honing your skills. As written above, VOLTA does include a Skill tree which you’ll need to fill out if you want to be the best street-smart player there is.
FIFA Needs Some Changes and VOLTA Delivers
…Sort Of
Customization is a pretty big aspect here, as the mode just like the main game includes a lot of options to mix things up. You can change the gear of everyone in your team to make yours look more personal. Along with that, you can give your team a name and emblem, though I do wish there was a custom emblem-designer in the game. How cool would that be?
And when it comes to customization, there’s the online store. Yes, we don’t exactly like it, but it’s here to stay. You can use ‘VOLTA Points’ to buy more skins, although I’ve never been a fan of microtransactions in the first place. But then again, considering the vast number of players that buy FIFA every year, it’s safe to assume that EA’s going to keep pushing the in-game store hard.
With all that said, VOLTA Football is an immensely fun game mode that elevates FIFA to a new height. With yearly franchises like these rarely ever getting a meaningful or discernible update, I like that we got something new this time. I’d love to see VOLTA return next year, with even more innovation and a touch closer to the glory days of Street.