Every year around October time, 2 rival sets of fans join together in one of the most hotly contested competitions in the world.
What is the years best football game? Fifa, or PES.
This year however, its less of a contest than last year – which was, by no means, a close run thing. Whilst not everyone will always agree on any verdict, even some of the original die hard fan boys have swapped over to the “dark side” in recent years, and this year some people seem to be flocking 1 particular way faster than speedy Gonzalez going downhill, with roller blades on and a rocket attached to his back.
Like all runner up medallists, I shall drag the game up who have underperformed and left their fans unsatisfied (again) up first.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
In short; Underwhelming. Extremely underwhelming. Even more underwhelming than last year.
The AI again is non existent, oppositions make robotic runs, and defenders go to block you the same way, every single time. You feel like your playing a game, not playing a game of football. There is no desire to play past a few games, especially in single player, and this is compounded by the frustration of inconsistent ball pace, apparent inconsistent gravity and player animations about as realistic as a Manchester United shirt in Cyprus.
The game play is marginally better than 2008’s offering, but this is nothing to shout about. Konami have simply failed to bring the PES series into next gen gaming, and in such, are losing a huge market. There is a lack of substantial improvement in both graphics and game play though, and especially after last year, most expected a much stronger performance than this. The same little niggly problems are back from last year too – unrealistic kick action, late ball movement, lack of AI intelligence – but they have managed to fix the frame rate issue that annoyed everyone so much for so long.
However, this may be the kick up the ass Konami needs to knuckle down and try to recreate the Pro Evo game that we all loved so much from around Pro Evo 4 times. I hope so anyway, when Fifa and PES were close, it was a lot more fun to have banter with your mates. Now the only ones who stick up for PRO are shareholders or deluded..
Anyway though, onto..
Fifa 09.
Quite simply.. The best football game since Sensible Soccer on the MegaDrive. By a considerable margin too. Since playing this game far too much since release day, I am yet to find any part of the actual game that I can heavily criticise. (I never thought that I would ever say that a few years ago when I was a PES-head). The game is ridiculously realistic, and the sheer amount of attention the developers have put into it have not been missed. Teams play the way they do in real life, not just have the same players.. Individual players are so similar to real life – for example.
Run with Ronaldo - you will either get past your man or get a foul about 9 times out of 10.
Stand their with Vidic – someone will run into you and die.
Torres – Always in the right place for a shot, silky running
Adebayor – Powerful shots, not a lot else.
Lampard – Shoot at the corner flag, get a deflection off of 14 players, and watch the ball trickle past the keeper whilst Andy Gray sings what a marvellous and talented player he really is and how he meant to do that.
Robinho – Constantly sigh and have a go at his team mates for not being good enough.
Terry – Cries whenever he treads on a daisy on the pitch.
There are hundreds of little things that make this game so brilliant, not to mention the highly addictive “Be A Pro” mode, where you take control of a single player for the path of a few seasons, and work your way from Reserves to Club Hero. Plus, there is a 10 vs 10 mode, where you are a single player in a team made up of 9 other people playing as a single players, against another team of 10 doing the same thing. I apologise if that’s as clear as a Stokies STD test, but hopefully you get the picture.
In all serious though, the game is a must buy. Whether you have any friends, or find them all online, the game is a real gem and I cannot recommend it enough.
Final Score
Fifa 09 9(.5) -- 6 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.
