FIFA 11 vs PES 2011 (Demos)

It's nearly that time of year again. The time of year when all those many many football fans out there have to decide between the two big football simulation games (or, if you're a rich bastard, just get both) and stick with it 'til the end of the season (and a bit beyond). It's recently become a much easier decision than it used to be though. It once was the big licensing muscle of FIFA, versus the more refined gameplay of PES. Electronic Arts' FIFA always seemed to do better commercially, but critically, time and time again, Konami knew how to win. Me personally? I never really bought into PES, but I do see the points for against both sides. For the past few years though, FIFA has advanced well, making useful refinements and additions, and crucially making it a very playable series by revamping the engine itself. PES however, hasn't fared so well. The package has seemed to stay the same for a few years, leaving a rather stale taste in the mouth. You can't always just stick to your laurels. So, in the season of 2010/11, has anything changed? Not really, no. But it's interesting, for sure. Having played both of the demos a fair bit now (we're told they're not fully representative of the final product, but they never change significantly prior to release), I can make a reasonable comparison between the two.

Graphics: As you'd expect, they're both very solid looking games, but there's something more realistic about FIFA's portrayal of the football universe. The player models in PES still scream (though much quieter than before) 'robotic'. Let's call it a whisper, in fact, because they've still done a decent job. Player faces vary from player to player in both games, with Pro Evolution seeming to have the best and the worst attempts. It's tight, but FIFA wins this one - it's just smoother and cleaner.

Gameplay: This is where it gets interesting. First of all, FIFA 11 feels very different to its predecessor. It's harder. Passing isn't so simple any more, thanks to the generically named 'Pro-Passing' feature, and the shooting seems to have been modified to make it harder to score. Penalties have been given a major facelift, and without a tutorial, I found it impossible to get into any kind of groove. Let's just say many spot kicks were  smashed over the bar. I found myself marvelling at how smoothly FIFA played, but also getting frustrated with a distinct lack of bite, or weight. I find this hard to explain. It just feels a bit floaty. PES on the other hand, plays like cack - all over the pitch. First touches are horrendous, the passing and the shooting feel horrible, the default control system is very awkward indeed, and the game almost feels as though it's playing itself out. You never quite feel in control of your actions. It's a rather surreal experience, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it. Then there's the fact that you can instruct your player on the ball to 'dive' or 'simulate'. What. The. Hell. Encouraging cheating? Good one Konami...there's not a hope in hell that you'd see this kind of feature in FIFA, because (rightly) they're too sensible. Or should I say, not Japanese enough to implement something so pointless and against the spirit of the bootiful game. Oh, and finally. Remember how I just criticised the penalty system in FIFA? PES has something laughable to show you. The camera perspective when shooting is mind boggling, and ultimately, experience hindering.

Presentation: Here's where FIFA sticks to its guns and does a competent job, and it all goes tits up for PES. Both games are serious football simulations, supposedly, so you've got to keep it all authentic to a reasonable degree. FIFA does this perfectly, with a licensed soundtrack, crisp menus, decent commentary (though the voices of Clive Tyldesley and Andy Gray were already starting to grate a couple of years ago), and more official licenses than you can shake a stick at. PES on the other hand, seems to stick to its guns too...which isn't a good thing. The menus are absolutely archaic, and you'll find yourself wrestling with them at every opportunity. It's just such a hassle. All the while you're being forced to listen to some recycled J-Pop tosh that wouldn't find its way into even the shittiest of nightclubs in the rough suburbs of Tokyo. It's nearly vomit inducing. There was no commentary at all in the demo by the way, so I found myself playing to Biffy Clyro (which is perhaps why I got a little bit of enjoyment out of my playthrough). Also, Konami are boasting the ability to completely screw up the dynamics of the visual aspect of the game, and customise everything - eg, players can wear ridiculous helmets, wigs, and the like. Only the Japanese...

Features: Can't tell, from the demos. Much the same as the previous year, with one or two interesting quirks, we can safely assume.

So there we have it. My unnecessarily drawn out opinion on this year's shot at the football simulation genre. It's looking pretty bleak, actually. I'm just not too convinced that either of them play too well (PES more so than FIFA), so I may find myself playing my choice this year (FIFA, by the way), and just wishing that it was more like the previous year's version. PES 2011 though, has definitely reinforced the fact that the Japanese gaming industry is in urgent need of modernising. PS1 style menus and music were fine on the PS1, but not on the xBox 360 or PS3. Get it right people. It seems that only Nintendo know what they're doing in the land of the rising sun.