I love soccer/football.. Probably will pick up a game after work today but can't choose. Played both demos and leaning towards PES because I liked the gameplay better, but heard the online support sucks for PES and I heard they are missing alot of leagues/teams. Which would you choose?
First let me say I didn't buy any soccer game this year(played PES, then FIFA 08-11) because I don't feel satisfied with either game. Skyrim, NBA 2k12 and Saint's Row III are everything I'll play this fall&winter. PES is way better in terms of gameplay and is the most accurate soccer simulation. It's really beautiful to see tons of situations and different goals that feel natural and have great variation. As you mentioned, the lack of licenses can be a huge down factor. Same with the stiffy animations. FIFA has every license you want and the graphics and animations are superb, but the gameplay just doesn't feel realistic, everything is monotonous and you only score in the same fashion, way too predictable. It really goes down to the license package and presentation, you have to decide what's more important to you. I think PES is the better game to recreate the feeling you get when playing soccer, FIFA is all about flashy graphics and animations that hide the fact that the gameplay is somewhat uninspired and monotonous.
Sales sadly support this, FIFA has created so much hype with commercials, graphics and physics system it's not even funny, the people and reviewers not even mentioning all the flaws and monotonous gameplay. What's the deal about the best graphics, licenses, physics and animations when you never see realistic matches and situations? It's like these old sports games where you'd figure a way to score every time and 95% play that way. The spacing in FIFA is a complete mess, watch soccer and then compare it to FIFA and PES, every true fan should see what game is the best simulation. PES may lack presentation, but the gameplay is finally back to the good ol'd PES days, incredible variety and you'll see new ways to score every time.
Lots more online opponents, much more popular, lasting legacy... too bad you can't play with people from other versions of the game... FIFA is my choice. Who mentioned "PEZ"??? FAIL.
PES>FIFA for the past 7 years or so, the game play is much more realistic and the graphics look better. I haven't touched FIFA in a couple of years so maybe they have stepped it up. PES is lacking licenses but they have all the big dogs of Europe. FIFA is like arcade soccer too me, you can rack up 7 to 8 goals on the best of players and teams.
I miss the old winning eleven times..they used to trump Fifa at every aspect, but Fifa's been catching up lately..
I like this year's FIFA fine... I can't get over PES's lack of licenses and stiff-looking animations. I don't understand some of the complaints about FIFA this year. The "too many goals" criticism, for one. Defense is MUCH more involved this year than it ever was, so a lot of games will be very high-scoring simply because a lot of people haven't learned yet how to play defense. But play against the computer on Legendary or a really good player online, and you'll find that you're not gonna score all that much. And I mean that in a good way. And the whole "every goal looks the same" thing that everyone is saying... where is that coming from? I pretty much score every way I can think of that you can score in a real game. Headers off corners, volleys, through balls, shaking defenders to get into the box, blasts from outside the box, off rebounds when the goalie mishandles a scorcher, free kicks. If I've seen it in real life I've seen it happen in Fifa.
