First, let me start by providing my experiences with FIFA 2011. After reading rave reviews on FIFA 2011, I decided to give it a try after skipping FIFA 2010 (also had glaring reviews) and going with PES 2010. You can read my review on FIFA 2011, but bottom line is I ended up selling it mainly due to unrealistic and indistinguishable gameplay despite FIFA touting the "realistic" gameplay.
Unrealistic because you can never execute a deadly thru-pass with a top player with just one lowly defender who stood between you and the forwards running/waiting for that thru-pass. A defender would always intercept the pass unless you direct the pass to a completely open area which defeats the purpose. In real life, playmakers like Gerrard, Iniesta, Xavi, etc provide deadly thru-passes toward inside the box past 2-3 top defenders.
Indistinguishable because no matter which team you play or who you're controlling, they all have the same characteristics and speed. Messi or Ronaldo can't out run a lowly defender. The game was boring and tedious. I loved FIFA's clean presentation, soundtracks, editing capabilities, even down to customizing the chants, but it failed to deliver in gameplay and fun factor which is the core of any video games.
So I went back to PES series and my experiences have been mostly positive. PES 2011 have a much more streamlined and clean interface. You still don't have all the licenses or real stadiums but the game play is so much better and exciting compared to FIFA. First and foremost, you can forget about all your previous skills that you may have acquired from previous PES series. The new gameplay takes some getting used to, especially the new camera angle. There is no tele angle which showed most of the playing field panning side to side following the controlling player/ball. It is now been replaced with "wide" angle with options to follow the ball or the players. When you're deep inside the opponent's half trying to provide crosses, the angle is skewed much like the "broadcast" angle that you really can't see your players waiting inside the box with a quick glance, so you really have to rely on radar. However, with practice and some getting used to, it quickly became a non-issue. The gameplay is much more realistic and fluid with no "ball sticking" that plagued previous PES series. Passing now requires well timed direction and control with power gauge indicator. But most importantly, thru-passes work in PES unlike FIFA. I can pin point and execute thru passes between defenders and experience the gratification of forwards receiving them leading to a potential goal. There are definite differences on players' mobility and skills when you're controlling a top player as opposed to other players. Messi can out run and execute some deadly feints to get past a defender, Drogba can bully couple of defenders with his size and strength, and other players' real life skills are accurately portrayed in PES 2011.
Online play is more accessible now with instant game matching within Exhibition menu as opposed to drilling down inside Online menu. I did not experience any noticeable lags even with subpar network connections. The new game plan (tactics/strategy) with drag-and-drop interface is so easy and intuitive that I find myself tinkering with different settings - something that I haven't done often in previous PES. Feint settings where you can combo series of feint moves with the right stick is also a welcome addition and fun to watch.
Sadly, this game isn't perfect. There are some glitches or short-comings:
- I lost control of my players when I accidentally pressed series of buttons on my controller. CPU took over and was controlling both teams as if the game is running in demo mode. I regained full control after a dead ball. Fortunately, I've only experienced this once.
- There are some graphic "tearing" when players are near or inside the goal. They go through the goal net with some eerie effects.
- Penalty kick system should be completely gutted and reworked. I really liked FIFA's "metered" or "gauged" controlled penalty kick system.
Minor issues aside, I'm enjoying PES 2011 more than FIFA 2011 and I think it's unfortunate that PES 2011 don't get the credit or fair reviews that it deserves from the game review community. You could find a number of high reviews for FIFA but only a handful of lukewarm reviews on PES. Not that I rely on these so called professional game reviewers' verdicts dictate my purchasing decisions but still, I think it's a shame.
Pros:
1. Realistic gameplay and physics without sacrificing fun factor in soccer simulation game
2. Ease of menu navigation and game plan (tactics) settings
3. Reliable, quick and fun online gameplay
4. Does not require online access code you have to enter like FIFA
Cons:
1. The new gameplay and camera angles take some time getting used to
2. Some graphic glitches but this could be ironed out on future updates
3. Bad, inconsistent penalty shootout system
Overall, PES 2011 is a step in right direction and despite some minor issues, it's still a fun game that you should definitely experience. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
I just got the game yesterday and only played one game under Professional difficulty with RM vs Milan. I won 4-2. I felt the control is much different from the previous versions, which need some time to get used to. The only complain that I have is the camera angle, which, sometimes, is hard to identify the right direction to pass and shoot, especially under the new passing system. Also, the strategy setting is a little to complicated to me. End of the day, we are just trying to play some soccer, not trying to play the Football Manager game. Other than that, the game looks great to me.
PS. I have been a PES and WE fan for over 10 years. No matter how good people say FIFA is, I aint to touch it. PES is for hardcore soccer fans. - Soccer - Pes - Playstation 3 - Kickass Games'
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