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The never-ending uphill battle that Konami keeps playing with EA on the virtual pitch will continue on into 2013, but as we come closer to saying goodbye to 2012, those who are still on the fence about which soccer game is worth their hard-earned money should give careful consideration to what Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 offers. Off the bat, it's entirely evident that EA's FIFA 13 wins top honours for visual presentation and depth in features, but the two are more closely matched when it comes to playing the game. PES 2013 applied little to the graphics and overall visuals, seemingly focusing more on what the players were actually doing on the pitch. You'll notice this painfully if you jump into a match right after popping in the game into your PS3 (or Xbox 360). The defensive system has been changed in a way that is efficient, but only if you get the handle of what to do. You can control AI teammates to pressure oncoming opponents, but the true test comes when you try to do it yourself. Run toward an opposing player with the ball for a quick tackle to dispossess him will likely end up with your man out of position. Holding him up and pouncing for a timely tackle is preferred, but PES makes it clear that your timing better be good. Trust me, this will undoubtedly lead to frustration when it comes to defending attacks. As Bayern Munich, I had built a 2-0 lead in a Champions League match against Juventus, only to ultimately lose 4-2 because of defensive miscues and kicking the ball too hard on the offensive end. I was angry, but after thinking about it, I realized it was a more realistic way of losing. Had I timed a tackle better or positioned players better, I probably wouldn't have conceded so many goals. The same goes for the other end of the pitch. New tricky moves and feints require precise timing that can be tough to master during a match, but when you do, it usually leads to satisfying results. Running, dribbling and kicking are all deliberate and methodical in their own way. Possession matters here because you can actually create chances with a mix of dribbling, sprinting, through balls, lobs and crosses. No two attacks have to be the same, and counterattacks can turn a game on a dime. That's the way soccer is played in real life, and the way it shows here isn't far off. The overhauled training mode is a must to go through, even if you've played previous iterations of PES. Deep and even a little uncompromising, it's the best way to understand why this version of the game plays a little differently. Player and ball physics were given an upgrade here, and AI responsiveness equally so. Teammates moved at the right times, making through balls so gratifying to connect on. Indeed, PES is more forgiving of through balls than FIFA is. As long as you time it right and put the right amount of force into the pass, you will have a great chance of connecting. Part of the reason for this is the pace. PES has a slightly slower tempo than FIFA does, and the result is gameplay that feels less frantic and more calculating. Even the AI seems to have been programmed along these lines. They move when they should, not when something triggers them to. It's hard to truly describe it, but you notice the little nuances when you play it. Of course, as good as the gameplay is, PES 2013's weaknesses continue to be almost everything else. The dated presentation wasn't lifted at all by the uninspired audio commentary. PES has the Champions League and Copa Libertadores licenses, but there are still a lot of teams that don't have their proper names. This is purely a licensing issue, and some gamers have been generous enough to create and upload roster and team updates to add some relief from having to manually make those changes yourself. There's not much to say about the single-player modes and multiplayer because they've barely been touched. One tweak to note is that playing online now lets you use items you earn in the offline Master League and Become a Legend. Other than that, you probably won't recognize much else that's different here from last year, or even years past. That may not matter as much to you if the gameplay is what you care about the most. PES 2013 lacks the flash and depth FIFA 13 has, but it is arguably closer to a simulation than FIFA is. Playing match after match in PES made me think more like a real player would, rather than an armchair coach moving pieces around a chessboard. Konami should keep this going, but to truly offer gamers a full package, they need to overhaul the presentation and game modes to heights never seen before for the franchise.   Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Format: PS3 Publisher: Konami Developer: PES Productions ESRB Rating: Everyone Official Site: https://www.konami-pes2013.com Rating: 7.5 / 10

 

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