Football is defined by its intense rivalries. The Merseyside derby, El Classico, England v Germany, Messi v Ronaldo, Pele v Best and of course FIFA v PES.
Every year Ea Sports and Konami release their showpiece products to the mass market and hope they’ve done enough to make you think it’s a different game from last years effort. FIFA16 will sell in excess of 150m copies, with PES languishing behind on a mere 60M. Every year grown up men who really should know better gobble them up alongside the kids with time to throw away. The genre has come a long way since Emlyn Hughes International Soccer on the C64 – nowadays gaming is big business, and no business is bigger than football. FIFA has the licenses and the glitz but PES has always tried to be one for the connoisseur, the discerning man who knows his hype from the real deal.
It could be argued that more is written about the PES v FIFA battle than most of your Premier League match ups in the year. Whenever one hits the shelf the other is soon to follow meaning the run up to Christmas is dominated by arguments about which is best. You couldn’t pick up a glossy gaming magazine this Christmas without seeing it somewhere on the cover. In years gone by I’ve bought the magazines, read the reviews and made my purchase accordingly. Last year I bought both, played both and made my choice. This year I’ve done the same, but I’m going to talk you through my choice. Aren’t you lucky?
Firstly though let me tell you a bit about my football gaming background. I don’t want you to think I’m some Johnny-come-lately to football games who doesn’t know what he’s talking about…. I’ve played them all and I mean ALL. I started way back on a VIC20 with a game simply called Soccer, and from there I’ve witnessed the best and worst that computer football has to offer. Some held my attention for a short while (such as Microprose Soccer) and some held it for a very short while (I Play 3D Soccer). I remember when Gazza 2 introduced us to individual player stats, and I remember when Kick Off 2 brought us fully functioning kit design. Every time there was a leap forward I was there at the forefront passing judgement. However my breakdown of games gone by will shortly be available for you to read elsewhere. The point here is that I know my football games. First and foremost I own a console to play football games, and in the market place today there are two. I don’t think I need to remind you which two they are.
Throughout my younger years I was a Pro Evo, or an International Superstar Soccer fan as it was called. It always had the realism and the feel of proper football, rather than the arcade experience that FIFA offered. As consoles developed it seemed to me ISS, ISS Pro, ISS Pro Evolution, whatever you call it would have the upper hand. It was the first to introduce identifiable player back in the mid nineties with Gazza, Lombardo, Baggio and Valderamma all recognisable. The Master League was compelling and dragged you in to a world as close to realism as you could get. FIFA brought 10-8 score lines and wildly unrealistic game play.
All this change with the Xbox360 / PS3 generation. Pro Evo lost its way at precisely the same time FIFA found its niche. Real licenses dragged you into FIFA and as it’s game play developed, PES seemed to slip into arcade fantasy world. In 2009 I picked up FIFA 10 instead of PES 10 and as yet I haven’t gone back. FIFA developed into a clever simulation with the fancy skills blending into some effortless game play. Since then I’ve evolved as a FIFA player, relishing their online content and huge roster. PES hasn’t come close.
This year the general consensus from the gaming review world was that PES had finally upped its game enough to be regarded as the very best. David had slain Goliath and regained their crown as the worlds best football simulation.
Last year I purchased both, more out of a faint longing for those days gone by when PES reigned supreme. I wanted the little man to triumph, I wanted it’s blistering game play to battle through its lack of licenses and slay the behemoth of FIFA 15. It didn’t. I’m not going to talk about why it didn’t, that would be a blog I should have written 12 months ago.
So that brings you up to the present day. I harbour a yearning for PES to become the king of the consoles once again, but in truth it’ll have to fight long and hard to bring down the mighty institution that is FIFA. However 2015 was the year the actual FIFA and Sepp Blatter got caught out, would it be the same with the console games?
Released first this year was FIFA 16 which meant it was bought first. I opted for day one content to which I’ll talk about later for the less polished gamer amongst us. So in late September I rushed home from work one day to find the spanking new FIFA 16 on my doorstep. Close the curtains, turn the phones off and stock up on the microwave meals, here I go.
I was expecting something that could lift the general malaise I felt at the release of FIFA 15. The exclusion of the creation centre in the last release had irked me somewhat, as had the option to change the menu music to your own playlist. I know this may seem petty, but I had great fun creating my own team on FIFA 13 and then putting my music albums as my playlists. The menu tunes are soon tiresome and if you’re into things like seasons or ultimate team then you spend a lot of time listening to music someone else has chosen – like going on a long car journey with your Mum.
There’s no denying the menus and interface on FIFA are very slick indeed, albeit the same as last year in essence. The license is there, you pick your favourite team from the roster and you can access all their latest news and gossip in real time. It’s a nice touch, unless you don’t support one of the teams on the roster. I must be the only Englishman who can tell you how Bari are doing in Serie B this season.
One new addition that arrived in a fanfare was the women’s game. A full line up of women’s teams and tournaments… sorry tournament for you to get your teeth into. Whilst I applaud their attempt to represent the women’s game, I can’t help but think it feels a little tacked on to the side of the actual game, much like the five a side mode did many years ago. It’s a bold step but one that needs to be developed before it can really claim to represent Ladies’ football properly.
Graphically it hits the mark again. With the power of machines these days I expect player likeness for all the top flight players and good kits. Again you can’t go wrong with FIFA. The roster is huge and all of it licensed for your loving enjoyment. If you choose the Premier League every ground is represented and it’s unique stats and in game graphics. It does look like it has money spent on it.
I have a gripe with the game play though. It does seem much more of a slog this year, with the beautiful game being reduced to midfield battles and missed passes. Even on semi-pro it can be very difficult to actually get the ball. Of course once you do the world is your oyster with great on the ball controls and a much more real feel than years gone by. Goal mouth scrambles feel different every time and it’s possible that a scrappy goal will win the day rather than a screamer. Of course FIFA wouldn’t do its job if you couldn’t come up with the spectacular, and there’s plenty of incredible goals to be had as well.
Where I struggle with FIFA is its online content. I really enjoyed Ultimate Team last year, but only because I bough coins from less than reputable websites and amassed a powerful squad. My reward for all last year’s investment? Danny Welbeck and a couple of contract cards. Nothing more. It’s a bit like building a mansion one year, and then given a tent to replace it after a year. Off you go again, spending money.
Only I wouldn’t need to, because I’d got day one content. The box said that there was special stuff waiting for me upon purchase, and it came in the form of card sets. For those who don’t know in Ultimate Team you build your side by getting packs of cards, similar to Panini stickers. You get players, contracts, managers and other perks in these. It’s meant to be a thrill to open them.
Sadly the thrill is diminished when after opening 50 packs the best player in your squad is still Ashley Young. I’m not condoning the pay to win philosophy, but a little more reward for actual pound notes would be nice.
People who never want to grow up, like me will be interested in the season mode as well. There’s several things they could do to improve the season mode, and adding training sessions for your players is one thing. It works very well too, with players who show potential benefitting from your training. No longer does a 70 rated youth have to feature in all of your games just to go up a point or two, it can happen on the training ground. Being able to develop your squad in ways other than massive transfer fees is nice. However in the main it does feel very similar to last years, almost like I’ve had some DLC instead. I’d expect more DLC for £45.
I actually put FIFA down for a couple of months and played other games, PES being among them. However recently after believing it to be too similar to last year I decided to give it another chance. I was aggrieved at the poor Ultimate Team mode and even more so at the impossible midfield battles that often had me spectating for minutes at a time, but I yearned for that big team roster and accurate kits and stadia. I gave it another go, and this time I persevered. I changed my game plan from the tried and tested breaks down the wing, and chose to knock the ball sideways, patiently waiting for an opening. I found myself trying to beat the game, trying to figure out how to break sides down. I was doing it playing a full premier league season as Stoke City. In avoiding the online mode I’d finally found a way to play the game and enjoy it.
So all in I have to say I’m impressed after I stuck with it. It does seem harder and there’s always that nagging doubt about actual value for money, but overall it does win through for me. It’s not the best FIFA game, but it’s the only one that features Bournemouth’s home stadium and for that accuracy it doesn’t have to be great.
Later in the week I’ll review PES 16 and let you know which I feel is the stronger of the two titles.
