Within the video games market, football games are improving as well as increasing in popularity with many consumers buying them. In recent years the two main head to head titles have been EA Sports FIFA and Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer. These two games are developing with the visual appearance of football players, the football jerseys and the actual gameplay of playing the football game to its perfection of realism. Both these games are available on Playstation3 format to which I aim to compare the two games FIFA 10 and PES 2010 in certain categories.
Presentation
FIFA10 8/10
It is very clear to function through the menu of the game with different modes to access (Manager Mode, Virtual Pro and Online Play). Each of the teams kits are licensed by FIFA to bring the best to reality. Team Management is simple to use as it is just like FIFA09.
PES2010 8/10
Quite similar to FIFA10, the menu is easy to access even with the Team Strategy being well organised to change settings. Can go straight into Be A Legend mode to start from beginner to champion.
Graphics
FIFA10 9/10
What EA Sports have done with FIFA 10 this year is having all the players looking to the nearest of reality. Details from hair movement to the skin tone. Smooth graphics make the game more realistic to play as it makes you feel like you are playing with the professionals. Every teams kits from first to third kit are licensed.
PES2010 8/10
A big improvement from PES2009 but still some changes need to be improved. Not all players are as clear to reality. Some look oversized in many places and only few players are chosen to look real maybe it could be because of the license issue.
Sounds
FIFA10 9/10
One thing that makes me want to play FIFA is that they have the best commentators in the game of Andy Gray and Martin Tyler, both are very pleasing to the ears. Even the music they have chosen makes going through the menu’s satisfying. Now that you can hear the players calls to one another allows you to act quickly in passing the ball around.
PES2010 7/10
At times the commentary stops or pauses when the playing the game which makes the game seem slow but it is not. The two commentators are Mark Lawrenson and Jon Champion. It can be monotone at times when you are playing well.
Gameplay
FIFA10 9/10
The gameplay is immense with the passing techniques as well as the new 360 degrees dribbling, it can confuse you at first but soon after playing couple more games, it is appealing. Keepers are at their best within this game with the rebounds and reflexes they pull off. Strikers and Defenders shoulder-to-shoulder battles show incredible skill and ability. The Midfield players dominate the centre of the pitch with their strength and pace. It is difficult to beat the average teams on higher playing level.
PES2010 8/10
Somehow I think Konami have not changed the gameplay as the previous instalment. It is all about passing and running in this game as you can change the level of Pressure on attacking players. Passing is assisted which can stop you from attacking at times but tackling star players is tricky.
Longevity
FIFA10 10/10
This game will be stuck inside the PlayStation, waiting to be played when switched on. Manager Mode is 15 years of managing as many clubs as you can in your career. Virtual Pro allows the gamer to create a player to play for clubs to be the best player around. Online Play is where the game unfolds, growing up to 40million games played so far shows how many people have played it online.
PES2010 7/10
Having introduced Champions League mode last year, Konami have got it again this year. Not many changes from PES2009 but Online Play have made it much better to play as there are not as many shutters in the game. Be A Legend is like the FIFA10 version of Virtual Pro, create a player and see which club wants your talent created.
Overall Rating
FIFA10 44/50
PES2010 38/50
Thanks, will be writing more soon.
I agree with you about the comparison of the two games, Fifa is much more free flowing game, in terms of the teams they have obviously studied several players on how they move around the pitch; different styles of runs, tricks and mannerisms, and they have replicated them to perfection. Also the goals you can score now are much more varied in options, the old Fifas used to have about 4 or 5 standard shots, so after a while it became predictable. It’s also just a really enjoyable game, you can build up plays and moves that you can be proud of, and the passing is unbelievable.
PES 2010 is frustrating; it has all the looks, Konami have obviously invested a lot into the graphics; player’s faces and the pitches. But in doing so, the game play has suffered greatly, the shooting is unrealistic; a player can shoot and score from crazy angles, and also it doesn’t seem like there are as many shots to choose from as there used to be. Also I wish that PES could get the license and proper names and kits for the Premier League teams, I’m sick of playing with West Midlands Village!
The thing that stands out to me the most is how they have almost swapped status over the past two years, Fifa used to be the game with great graphics but constricted and predictable play, but Fifa 2009 showed how much EA sports had invested into the game play, while at the same time keeping fairly good graphics, now Fifa 10 has the perfect balance of the two, in my opinion. Pro Evo used to have the most enjoyable and authentic game play, every pass, shot and goal was different. But now Konami are getting too caught up in quality graphics, and in my opinion have forgotten the key ingredient; the enjoyment of the consumer.
While I will agree that some of your reviewing of the different aspects of the football games is correct, I still feel that you have given a biased view. It looks like to me that you are a fan of FIFA seeing as you gave a better rating to FIFA in almost every category. I own a copy of PES2010 while I decided not to buy FIFA after borrowing it off a friend as PES2010 was the better choice. After reading your post, I will now give you my point of view.
Presentation
This is where they are a match so I cannot argue with your review.
Graphics
I disagree with your review here, PES has produced the best graphics for the past 2 years and while FIFA may look pretty from far, when it gets close to players, PES has lifelike features that blow away any competition.
Sound
I agree that FIFA has better commentators but PES deserved more than a 7 in this category.
Gameplay
I disagree with you here because even though FIFA has come a long way to becoming a better game, it still does not match PES with gameplay. They both deserve an 8 due to FIFA2010 having bad response and PES2010 having bad referee’s.
Longevity
Once again I will have to disagree. I chose not to buy FIFA because even when I got into it and tried to play with bad response, I found that the goals would always be scored the same way. It became repetitive and boring, there is no sense of fun and they seem to have taken out dribbling, even Cristiano Ronaldo cannot dribble!
Sahf – I used to play PES when it was on Playstation2, I have to admit, it was good back in the day but now on PS3, FIFA is big! As for the C.Ronaldo dribbling, you have to know what you are doing first!
Patrick – I like how you mentioned the shooting in the both games, PES is too simple and Fifa is now difficult even playing with teams from Championship makes it difficult to score pass on Professional Mode!