It’s that time of year again – the time when EA and Konami push out their latest signings in the hope of scoring a pre-Christmas victory and lifting the illustrious soccer simulation trophy. With FIFA 14 offering a very similar experience to last year, it’s down to Pro Evolution Soccer – also known as PES – to steal the ball and score that decisive winner. Does it have the fitness and talent to pull it off? Let’s find out.
The good
PES 2014 has seen a pretty extensive visual upgrade this year, thanks to Konami’s use of the Fox Engine – the same game engine which is powering its next Metal Gear Solid release. This lends the game improved animation and some impressively accurate player faces, and generally makes things look a lot better than they did 12 months ago.
Of course, graphics are only one part of the equation in football titles – a game isn’t worth anything if it looks realistic but plays badly. Thankfully, PES has skills to back up its shiny appearance, offering a staggering amount of tactical depth and a control system which makes use of all the buttons on your PS3 or 360 pad. Wily players can utilise feints to fool opponents and get a clear shot on goal, while defensive masters can pull their keepers into play or make their rear guard hold firm in the face of attacks.
All of these situations are enriched by an improved physics engine, which not only impacts the flight of the ball but also ensures there is more robust contact between players – you can’t dance through opponents like before and consequently have to plan your dashes to avoid clattering into the last defender en route to goal.
Add in the famous Master League mode and extensive solo and multiplayer options, and you’ve got a very attractive package for soccer lovers.
The bad
PES 2014 may have worked hard in training, but it’s still a bit flabby in places. When compared to FIFA it feels slightly less appealing; while the enhanced realism is wonderful, the lack of high-scoring action can sometimes dent your enjoyment. This is almost inevitable as developers strive to replicate the sport as closely as possible – not every game can have a score in double figures – but by limiting the number of 30-yard screamers and making attacks harder to pull off, Konami has made PES 2014 a difficult game to shine with unless you’re an incredibly skilled player.
Another annoyance is the fact that many of the stats in the game are out of date, but this has more to do with the fact that EA locks down many of the licences long before Konami – and shouldn’t be too much of an issue unless you’re incredibly pedantic about the right player playing for the correct team.
The bottom line
The constant battle between PES and FIFA has been raging for years, with each contestant exchanging control on a regular basis. However, recently EA’s thoroughbred has dominated Konami’s plucky challenger, and that situation remains in place for 2014’s entries. PES 2014is much improved over last year’s version but FIFA’s lead is so impressive that even with a fairly static instalment – as FIFA 2014 certainly is – Konami can’t quite catch up. Still, it’s a fantastic simulation of the world’s most beloved sport that is well worth picking up if EA’s brand of footy doesn’t quite meet your expectations.
