PES 2014 Review

Soccer moves closer to detailed simulation, exhilarating kick-offs and understated popularity!

It’s one of gaming’s true rivalries. For some it even supersedes the God of War and Halo rivalry. Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA have been battling it out for the top spot in the world of football gaming since the inception of CD-Rom.

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However, PES couldn’t compete with the sponsorship that FIFA had and – without real kits and team names, it was always going to be hard to compete with the stronghold of FIFA on console footballers. Even then, PES always delivered an unadulterated football experience, and this new iteration doesn’t fail on that front either.

Let’s start with the nitty gritty and the core of every football game – the gameplay. PES 2014 does not have as many real world teams, leagues, and stadiums as EA’s game, but it’s also far less cluttered. In addition to just playing a simple pick up match online (the flaw from the initial realease that has now been resolved by Konami) or against your computer, there are just three main modes in the game: Master League, Become a Legend and League. The last of these is the simplest, letting you play through tournaments like the UEFA Champions League. In addition, the “TrueBall Tech” is supposed to give you complete control of the ball in 360-degrees, yet it doesn’t make ball handling precisely tactile, which isn’t a bad thing as it lets you put in more effort in the game unlike the seemingly cakewalk gameplay of FIFA.

Many of the most basic actions in PES are automated and the goal is getting players in perfect positions to execute those automated maneuvers.

Initially, there is a lot of awkwardness in controlling the team, but once you’re acclimatised it truly feels like you’re controlling an entire team working in tandem on the field. What seems complex at first reveals itself to be an elegant way to execute strategy in game.

With the new title, Konami hasn’t made a comeback that will topple EA’s FIFA empire, but it doesn’t need to do that either. Instead, it offers something different and something raw, in an almost unsettling way which will keep soccer aficionados glued to their controllers for weeks.

More football games released in 2013

Real Soccer 2013 (free; Android)

Take part in the most immersive soccer simulation and show that you are the best on the pitch. Reinforce your team by developing your club’s facilities, hiring new staff members, dealing with sponsors and more...

Dream League Soccer (free; iOS)

Recruit new players, upgrade your stadium, and take on the world with online multiplayer as you march towards glory, on your road to super soccer stardom!

Football League Penalty (free; Windows Phone)

Shoot the outstanding goals and lead your country to the victory. Test your manual skills in different challenging modes. Shoot penalties and free kicks in the beautiful 3D environments of soccer stadiums.

FIFA 14 (Xbox, PS and Wii ₹1,800 onwards)

Though available on XBOX/ PS, the Wii U version includes some exclusive touch-based features including the ability to shoot precisely by tapping an image of the goal and managing the match in real-time.

From the November 2013 issue of FHM India.