One of FIFA 19’s new features is Timed Finishing, and it has had the player base split since the game launched in September.
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For those that don’t know: Timed Finishing allows players to command more power and control over their shorts, or as I wrote in my review, basically sprinkle magical goal dust on their shot by timing a second tap of the shoot button to perfection. At the time of my aforementioned review, I had the following to say about the feature:
“Timed Finishing is a simple, but impactful addition. With it, you can generate more power, command more control, but ultimately sprinkle some magic goal dust on your shot by timing a second tap of the shoot button to perfection. Previously it felt utterly random when a wondergoal would manifest. Now, it feels like you earned it. Though a wondergoal isn’t the result every time, your shot is always at least improved. And it’s not always straightforward and mindless to do, because the motion for each shot is different, so as the name suggests, you have to actually pay attention and time it.”
For the most part, I still feel this way about Timed Finishing. However, having played/watched more online play, I have noticed a bit of a problem with the feature: it’s exploited a little too often, and its exploit is perhaps too effective. In other words, I’m torn on its inclusion.
But a sizable, if not majority, of the game’s players are not torn: they hate it. Of these players are many prominent pros who have been taking to Twitter alongside your average player to share their take on the feature.
Had the displeasure to watch FIFA 19 at LAN today, the only thing that will save this FIFA is taking out timed finishing & GK movement – terrible features that have broken FIFA at the highest level (nothing will change) but it’s what needs to be changed
— Tass (@FaZeTass) December 9, 2018
I really hope timed finishing is removed in FIFA 20.
— JukeZ (@HekTic_JukeZ) December 13, 2018
for the love of god please dont not put timed finishing and goalkeeper movement in FIFA 20. If this was Fortnite they would have sorted this out by now! but baby steps hopefully we can get to a place like that game and their community! #FIFA19
— Mavric (@MWMavric) December 15, 2018
Timed finishing and moving the keeepr has turned Fifa in to one big penalty shootout. Gone are the days of build up play and defending , may as well have silver cards from holding mid backwards. #fifa19
— Sargent (@SargentPhilip) December 13, 2018
While their are many more tweets like the above ones lambasting Timed Finishing, there are some players who have suggested that the issues can’t be solely blamed on Timed Finishing, while others don’t see any problem at all.
Timed finishing in FIFA 19 isn’t the issue, it’s the finesse shots being too overpowered
(Especially from the unrealistic angles)
Also, it’s worth mentioning every year i. FIFA we will always have new meta & different ways to finish that as a player you look to abuse
— Mike LaBelle (@MikeLaBelle) December 12, 2018
Yeah this is what confuses me: what’s a skill exactly? Isn’t perfecting your timing perfectly every time a skill?
Average players can’t do it. Didn’t we want more things to separate average players from really good ones?
— The Boi (@ChuBoi) December 12, 2018
Each year there is something that divides the FIFA community. In previous years, much of back and forth had been about pace and how over-powered it was. This year, EA fixed that — perhaps a little too much — but now there’s something new dividing players.
Whether Timed Finishing will be a feature going forward, who knows. Probably. But it sounds like EA needs to re-balance it before the next game releases in 2019.
