Gaming
Games
How to achieve success in FIFA 19’s The Journey
Guide Alex Hunter, Kim Hunter and Danny Williams to victory in FIFA's story mode.
Alex Hunter’s story comes to an end in FIFA 19 with The Journey: Champions – the third and final part of story mode series that was first introduced in FIFA 17. Now a top international superstar, Alex’s primary target in FIFA 19 is the UEFA Champions League trophy.
This time, however, The Journey: Champions sees the characters of Alex Hunter, Kim Hunter and Gareth Williams all receiving equal attention, with each of them on a quest for specific trophies and personal achievements. To help you prove successful in all of the necessary tasks, here are some top tips
Follow the set path
For the first time in The Journey’s history, Champions allows you to take full control of all three characters’ stories. You don’t have to do this – each player’s narrative can be completed separately – but we suggest following the recommended story path for the best experience.
Never simulate training
Perform well in training to earn maximum benefits
© EA Sports
It can be tempting to skip training sessions given how often they occur, but they’re crucial for a variety of reasons. You’ll increase each of your players’ skills by completing training drills to a high level, and they’ll also have an effect on whether you’re selected for the starting XI, dropped to the bench, or embarrassingly left out of the team.
Complete your objectives
Each of the four chapters in The Journey: Champions assign a set of objectives to Alex, Kim and Danny. And while some of them aren’t essential to the story, completing them will reward your players with everything from social media followers to player traits.
Develop a balanced personality
There are many multiple-choice situations in The Journey: Champions
© EA Sports
You’ll encounter various multiple-choice scenarios throughout the story. Giving a 'cool', 'swagger' or 'nerdy' response will increase your game time, while ‘fiery’, ‘showman’ and ‘brash’ responses boost your social media followers. Alternatively, you can opt for a balanced approach.
Although these decisions have little effect on the story itself, we suggest prioritising a cool head to keep the manager happy and boost your time on the pitch.
Take advantage of Mentor Groups
As the story progresses, you’ll be required to choose a Mentor Group for Alex Hunter. Both options at your disposal focus on improving different areas of his game, so pick wisely based on your position and intended playing style (eg. an ‘attacking’ focus if he’s a striker).
Make use of AI assistance
If you choose to solely control your player as opposed to the entire team, you’ll need to lean on your teammates for assistance. On PS4, you can call for a pass with the X button, call for a cross with the Square button, and encourage players to shoot with the Circle button. Be sure to check the in-game menus for the full, exhaustive list of commands.
How to play as Alex Hunter
If you’ve played The Journey before, we highly suggest importing Alex’s stats (and story progress) to The Journey: Champions, allowing him to benefit from an improved set of attributes. If you’re new to the series, you’ll be required to select a starting club for Alex (Atletico Madrid, FC Bayern or PSG), and while it’s mostly a matter of personal preference, we suggest opting for the latter.
Alex Hunter is a highly impressive and well-rounded talent, allowing him to benefit from fast build-ups and lethal through balls, or simply dribble his way around opposition defenders. His strength is somewhat mediocre, however, so he occasionally struggles when jostling for the ball.
You can expect spoilers from here on. If you don't want to know anything about the story, be warned!
Chapter 1: How to make the starting XI
Get off to a good start by performing well in pre-season
© EA Sports
The main task in the first chapter of The Journey: Champions is to make the starting XI in each of your players’ respective teams. The best way to do this is by excelling in training sessions, helping to boost Alex, Kim and Danny’s manager ratings in the process.
You’ll then take part in a pre-season tour with both Alex and Danny, marking a great opportunity to cement their places in the team. Focus on meeting your performance targets on the pitch, and you'll be all set for the long season ahead.
How to play as Danny Williams
Danny isn't just good in the air – he's a decent dribbler, too
© EA Sports
The Journey: Champions delves further into the story of Danny Williams than ever before, following the Premier League jokester as he battles tough brotherly relations, dodgy business arrangements, and a dwindling football career.
Danny’s story is arguably the highlight of this year’s game, offering an engaging insight into the character’s personal life. He’s less impressive than Alex Hunter on the pitch, however, so keep in mind that you’ll need to work even harder to achieve success with him.
The big upside to Williams is his height – he stands at 6ft 4, and boasts good heading and strength abilities as a result. If you're not a fan of the crossing game, Danny is also surprisingly agile when dribbling with the ball in attacking positions.
Chapter 2: How to unlock special traits
Think carefully about the Mentor Group you want to use
© EA Sports
The second chapter sees you embarking on the regular season and 2019 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. It’s also where you’ll be introduced to Mentor Groups – handpicked sets of players that can help Alex Hunter improve certain attributes going forward.
You can subsequently earn player traits by completing 1v1 challenges versus your mentors. These special training tasks can only be attempted a handful of times, so give them your all, or you’ll miss out on some useful benefits.
Chapter 3: How to play as Kim Hunter
Kim was first introduced in FIFA 18’s The Journey: Hunter Returns
© EA Sports
Alex Hunter’s half-sister Kim plays a big role in The Journey: Champions as she seeks to guide the USA squad to the final of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. You'll spend part of the third chapter in pursuit of this goal with the teenager.
The main focus here is creating a prolific partnership with USA star Alex Morgan, who Kim develops a close friendship with throughout the story. We suggest playing as the entire team to take full advantage of USA’s star power all over the pitch.
Ideally, you’ll want to assist Kim with as many through balls as possible, helping to take advantage of her notable pace. Her skills unsurprisingly pale in comparison to Morgan, particularly in the early stages of the story, so be sure to utilise the Orlando Pride striker effectively.
Chapter 4: How to win the UEFA Champions League
Help Alex Hunter lead Real Madrid to Champions League glory
© EA Sports
The final part of The Journey: Champions is all about striving for silverware. While Kim Hunter continues in her pursuit of World Cup success, both Alex Hunter and Danny Williams are left battling it out for the Champions League title.
It's up to you whether you play as Alex or Danny in the latter, so you can’t really lose with this one. There are multiple endings based on who you choose and the eventual result, so pick your favourite of the two and go for glory in this final showdown!
