Fifa 17 PS4

The result? FIFA 17 comes storming back with a new graphics engine, revised gameplay and a brand new take on a single-player career mode – aka FIFA Story Mode – all looking very determined to stay top of the league above PES.

The switch from the EA Sports' in-house Ignite engine to DICE's Frostbite engine might not result in the huge visual difference you'd expect. From the distant default perspective most of us play in, you might just about notice the improved lighting, along with a more natural, less saturated colour balance, but the effects are surprisingly subtle.

It's when you get in close, however, for a scene-setting close-up or a replay, that the change of engine becomes worthwhile. Look at the way skin is rendered and light bounces off the players' shirts, the material rippling and shifting over their frames, and the difference is night and day.

The volumetric lighting and focus blur effects are spectacularly convincing. There's still the odd touch of uncanny valley in the eyes, but it's pretty damn close to photorealism – even closer than Konami's astonishingly good work in PES 2017.

You'll get plenty of opportunity to appreciate this in FIFA's new single-player career mode, dubbed The Journey. It follows a hungry young contender, Alex Hunter, as he begins a premiership career, with the matches and training punctuated by sometimes lengthy cut-scenes, complete with Mass Effect-style dialogue options.

The Journey scores as an enjoyable way to play FIFA 17 solo, its story told with grit and a degree of authenticity as Hunter rises from the subs bench to the starting line-up and learns to deal with disappointment and opportunity alike. Play well and you'll have built a reputation and a solid position in your team. Play less well and you'll be loaned out to a Championship club, though even this is presented as a way to grow your game.

Friends will become rivals and rivals become friends, and even if the drama can get cheesy it's still pretty compelling. Playing matches as the whole team (you have the option of only controlling Hunter), you'll find yourself pushing your protagonist forward, rooting for him when he gets a chance to shine and going a little bit mental every time he scores. By comparison, the standard Player Career mode (still here) feels a little dry and anodyne.

You're left wondering if a player should really be focussing on his Twitter following over his ability to score goals on the pitch, and you'll be baffled why a mediocre performance in training will see you relegated to the subs bench when you scored two of the three goals in the last big match. All the same, The Journey is off to a good start. We'd happily see it bought back for FIFA 18.

From early impressions the basic gameplay hasn't moved on massively from last year's version, while the tutorials aren't quite so comprehensive or so clear. Returning fans won't be bothered about the last point, however, while the lure of the new FUT Champions weekend leagues and monthly leaderboards should make EA's fiendish time sink even more addictive (and help swell EA's coffers even more).

In terms of the core gameplay, though, it's a different story. Let's be clear: FIFA 17 still plays brilliantly. There's a good flow to the action on the pitch and the player controls are tight and responsive. The range of buttons, multiple presses and modifiers available can make things challenging, but they're part and parcel of FIFA being an authentic football game.

What's more, FIFA hasn't returned to the stodgy, midfield-focused play of FIFA 16 and FIFA 14. There's plenty of action at both ends of the pitch. In fact, it sometimes gets a little crazy, with a tendency to reward fast solo runs with easy goals providing you can flummox the keeper (and the keepers are generally pretty good).

We're not 100% keen on all the changes, particularly changes to the set-pieces that seem to add complexity rather than control, though the new reticule makes it a little easier to set-up a successful play. It also must be said that your AI team-mates don't always do the best job of reacting when you break towards goal, often lagging behind so that there's nobody to cross to when you need to. All the same, if you like how FIFA plays then you'll think this is a good year, if not a vintage one.

Of course, FIFA has other advantages. It has all the licenses, official teams and kits, the TV-style presentation is better and the commentary, from Martin Tyler and Alan Smith, is streets ahead, both in the established game modes and The Journey. PES still can't match FIFA for its game modes and for many players Ultimate Team will be enough to convince them to come back to FIFA once again.

The good news? It's a fine year for FIFA. With the Frostbite engine in action it's looking good and playing even better than before. The Journey is an enjoyable new take on the solo career mode, and in its wealth of other modes and excellent presentation, it's still the strongest all-round package out there.