Gooning for Glory

The approach of October is a major event in a football-lovers calendar. Not simply because they now know that Owen has survived the first couple of months of the season hence actually becoming a viable option in their fantasy team, no, it's the arrival of the newest football games.

FIFA versus Pro Evolution Soccer has been a battle that has raged long and hard for more years than it takes for Cherie Blair to take a 'good' photo.

As a staunch PES fan since ISS Pro Evolution 2 on PS1, I have now become totally disillusioned by the startling lack of the same charm on PS3.

I have played roughly 10 games of the newest demo. My thoughts? Well, firstly my thoughts are to challenge the validity of my own thoughts, 10 games is not a significant number and the completed version will hold a lot more depth than a demo. However, the demo does contain an insight into what is most important in these games, the gameplay.

True, it is distinctly slower than both PES 08 and 09, possibly too much, to the point that star players feel quite manouverable, whilst any other player feels like they're wading in treacle. This may have validity in that it emphasises the star players of your team. But what of your reliable players? Your players that don't grab all the headlines but whom you couldn't function without? What of your Essien's? Your Alonso's? Your Flamini's? (yes I still reminisce about those days) Your Vidic's?

Another major concern for me, is the difficulty level. I often play my games on 10 minutes length, the demo makes you play games at 5 minute length. On my VERY FIRST play, on Regular, I beat Barcelona 5-0 as Liverpool. On Professional, I beat them 3-0. On Top Player, I beat them 2-0. You notice the difference but the CPU still seems much too weak. Goals are still too easy to come by with woeful goalkeeping and inconsistent defending.

The major plus for this game is the visuals, which are stunning beyond belief. The best visuals I've ever seen in a football game. Fact.


Look at Torres' freckles. Just look!!

But despite these mouth-wateringly luscious graphics, what do I do when I want an incredibly exciting football game, with balance, wit, precision, and most of all, a thrill that makes me punch the air everytime I score? Well it's simple, I don't go to FIFA, that doesn't excite me, I don't think next gen has any exciting football games, all I do is simply, go to the other room, switch on the PS2, and load up PES 5.