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Nobody wants to be the punchline at the end of someone’s joke. A lot of us have been there, great or small the tease may be. It goes without saying that it’s embarrassing, and sometimes demoralizing. However, this sentiment is not just shared by individuals; it can extend toward companies. Take the PES vs. FIFA conversation in soccer video games.
Konami has been the butt of several jokes for its Pro Evolution Soccer video game franchise, which is now in its fifteenth year. It has consistently been overshadowed by EA Sports’ widely acclaimed FIFA series, a franchise that has garnered more accolades over the years than one can reasonably count.
Similarly, there are several reasons PES has failed to perform. Most notably, there are a plethora of glitches and bugs that have plagued previous installments. Additionally, some of the players hardly resemble their real-life counterparts.
Not exactly what Kolo Toure looks like, PES 14. Better luck next time. Photo: @FootyHumour | Twitter
FIFA, meanwhile — while certainly not perfect — have maintained a steady product throughout the years, with minor tweaks each year to improve future editions.
But Konami has not taken this lying down, and have quietly become a genuine competitor to the FIFA series. So much so, that PES 16 is unequivocally the better soccer video game this year, when viewed through the lens of the prominent video game journalists reviewing the games.
When their ratings are compared on IGN.com — one of the biggest entertainment media companies covering the industry — FIFA holds a respectable 7.8 (on a scale of 10). However, by comparison PES 16 sits at a wholly impressive 9.5. The way PES 16 has demonstrated its effectiveness is perfectly summarized by IGN freelance writer Chris Schilling in this review.
“I’m always a little reluctant to make direct comparisons to FIFA — not least as I’ve only played the demo version of EA Sports’ game — because the two handle in such distinctly different ways. For my money, while FIFA more accurately recreates the look of the sport, PES is the game that most closely captures the feel,” Schilling wrote.
He added that it could potentially go down as the best soccer game made to date, given its initial ability to amaze with the gameplay. And it’s hard to argue with Schilling.
The game itself feels more fluid, and more often than not you have a great amount of control in what your players are doing. It may sound simple, but it’s an issue that can occasionally plague a player in FIFA, particularly when on defense.
That’s not to say that FIFA 16 doesn’t have its positives, but EA Sports seems more content with gradual improvements rather than game-changing, unique new features. In fact, the only noteworthy change for FIFA 16 is the addition of 12 women’s national soccer teams. It’s a commendable move by EA Sports, and one that certainly feels long overdue.
However, a similar amount of effort could’ve been used to affect the actual gameplay. For example, crosses are woefully underpowered and it’s rare to score goals to that effect.
This isn’t to suggest that PES is now an outright better game without flaws. There’s still one huge factor that will bog down Konami’s dominance: licensing.
Photo: @BookieBashers | Twitter
While FIFA has a plethora of leagues and international teams to choose from, PES still falls victim to a lack of exclusive licensing rights. As such, several leagues and teams have intentionally inaccurate names, and several leagues aren’t even featured.
That provides FIFA an inherent advantage in that department, with its sheer flexibility. While some gamers might not mind a lack of teams in PES, it’s fun to be given the option to mix and match with various leagues. There might be one or two people clamoring for a Derby County-Olympiacos exhibition. Or maybe not. But it’s an option, at least.
For PES, that’s certainly fixable with online downloads, but this year’s game also dealt with a fair share of criticism over its online roster updates, or lack thereof. Per Owen S. Good of Polygon, gamers criticized Konami for its painfully slow updates to their rosters for teams. For example, PES’ October 29 update missed Anthony Martial’s transfer to Manchester United. At the time, in the game he was still on AS Monaco.
After its initial release, it hurt the franchise in many ways.
“Sports gamers will root for a series just like they root for a team in real life. They adore comeback stories. They love head-to-head rivalries and crave a strong competition. They roar when the action delights. Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 fulfilled all of that. But fans also scream at the manager when he doesn't put the proper players on the field,” Good wrote.
If Konami can put the same effort in updating its rosters as it does with each year’s improved product, PES could very well end up usurping FIFA as the consensus soccer video game to own, even with licensing limitations.
And EA Sports simply can’t take this lying down. It wasn’t long ago that the NBA Live series was the king of basketball simulations. No, really. It was through a consistent, steadfast annual improvement that the NBA 2K series surpassed them. It was such a gap in quality that the NBA Live franchise took a four-year hiatus.
It was a humbling moment for the company, and one that may never be remedied, given the continued success of the NBA 2K games.
EA Sports now has an opportunity to avoid a similar fate. If PES continues to surpass FIFA in every aspect of its gameplay, it won’t be long before they become the punchline.
