Last week, our own Michael Atkinson provided his own insight into this year’s round of the football feud to end them all, confirming that he thinks Pro Evo 2013 will emerge victorious this year as a better game than EA Sport’s FIFA 13. Like him, I’ve played both demos, and though the PES team have made some major strides this season, they are still playing catch-up and the developed features come at a cost and I can’t look beyond EA Sport’s latest addition to the genre.
For the first time in a long while though, the battle for supremacy this year has been a lot closer than some fans might have expected, and this decision was far from as easy as it has been in the past few years. Last year both games had their problems, with PES attracting a lot of criticism and FIFA 12 attracting specific criticism relating to the new defensive system, and FIFA 12 ultimately emerged as the champion once more. That seemed to prompt Konami into making more wholesale changes, rebuilding their game’s engine from the foundations with the bias on gameplay and the development of balance between the old arcade sensibilities of ISS and the modern fascination with realistic sim-like play.
And PES 2013 is a triumph of a game in comparison with the last few games of the series – Konami have really thought about their fans, and what it takes to keep a player engaged on the pitch, though there have been some compromises elsewhere unfortunately. And that’s where FIFA 13 has the room to beat this years PES – taking advantage of the areas that Konami can’t compete in to once again capture the crown of the best football video game of the year.
It’s those areas we’re going to focus on here, exploring every major aspect of FIFA 13 to confirm exactly why EA Sports’ release will be better than PES 2013 for both fans and critics alike. And it has nothing to do with how many copies will be sold.
Click next to reveal the nine reasons football gaming fans can expect FIFA 13 to be the victor once again this year…
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42 Comments
This review is all about consoles edition as on PC Fifa really sucks and feels like kids game with all the players made in windows paintbrush ..
They are actually the same?? What are you on about? The graphics on PC is actually better if you have extreme settings
This was a biased review you have written. FIFA is a easier game to master and its easier to score goals in FIFA, I dont know how can somebody play the game whole year? PES gameplay has been great this year with manual passing and great Al in both attack and defense. FIFA makes generic faces and that too of very limited players which spoils the whole mood, I have to see the back of the shirts to recognize because FIFA does not care about too many players. PES sure lacks official teams but they are easily getable through patches but FIFA cant create UEFA Champions league and Europa league. Although you are right about FIFA’s great presentation but player ID is better in PES this year. After a gap of 3 years this year PES is better
Biased in what way? I have played both games and preferred one, so my opinion is that that game is better. That isn’t bias, it’s opinion.
This article is full of biased points towards FIFA. It spends most of the time glossing over FIFA’s strength even while covering the PES side while FIFA’s flaws are conveniently left out. Yes your opinions are valid but it has no place in the article when reviewing both games until drawing a conclusion.
I’ve pretty much bought every FIFA since 08 on the PS3 and let me tell you the game is fun but it is far from realistic. The graphic update is so minute you will mistaken 2013 for 2012. The AI intelligence is also vastly improve but I’m still left wondering when will EA add more tactical options for more tactical players like me. In short the game feels even more geared towards attacking oriented players than other iterations.
To call this a war also sets the impression the writer must somehow be a pubescent teen.
Josh, this isn’t a balance look at both games – look at the title. It’s a look at why FIFA is the better game. Therefore of course it’s going to be written in praise of the game – that’s exactly why the article was written in the first place.
At no point did I suggest I was reviewing both games. It’s a follow-up article to one that said PES would be the better game, as I said in the first line of the article.
And why would calling it a war suggest anything like that? Surely relying on name calling is more indicative of being a child?
biased in what way?
gawd.
if you can’t see it theres no hope left for you.
as good old josh points out, you seem to pick 9 things that you like about fifa and dont even really seem to do any kind of comparison with the competition.
‘fifaz great cuz you can make the shots and the goals, who cares about passing, just gets in the way of the goalz. and look its all shiny’
If someone told me the boys at ea changed the sliders on fifa 12 – repackaged the game and stuck fifa 13 on the front of it i wouldn’t be a bit surprised.
I wont say this article’s biased buh Pes 2013 is actually better. FIfa still has more features, databases, licensing and even superior commentary. Pes tho, has better ball physics, better gameplay, better graphics, and very realistic too. Pes Rules
One of the worst reviews ive read, it seems to bypass the fact that pes are better defesively and better through referring. What makes me annoyed though is the arrogance of it, LEGACY?? The only reason it will have legacy is because of licensing, and i belueve that no one should really wrute a review on Pes untill they understand the problems with licensing, because, if you think about it pes probably would be closer if not better with licensing, because thats the main reason why people dont like pes. Not only thay, but people dont even try it before critcism. I would only agree with Physics, and onkine team, the whole review makes it look like pes is a blank disk. Awful.
jjjj – “people don’t even try it before criticism”? I played and reviewed PES 2013 for this very site. It was great, I gave it 4.5 stars. This is not that review, it’s an article on why FIFA 13 is still better.
And your opinion is very welcome. Shame you don’t seem particularly tolerant of anyone else’s. What exactly makes the review bad, other than being counter to your own opinions?
Cool story bro.
Go ask “Real Soccer Gamers” to help you write articles like this next time…
Like someone who has played football games since Top Striker on the NES in 1992 you mean? No need to consult when that’s already me.
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Interesting read….Even though PES is more fun to play, FIFA is genuinely trying to push the gaming frontiers. Honestly, I always felt that the fullbacks/wingbacks on PES seem to provide a gaping hole for steroid-pumped wingers to run forward. The passing and ‘through ball’, while being excessively fun, did not quite feel right. Anyway, interesting points in the article and even though I don’t quite agree with all the points mentioned here, I do think its a good reflection of both games (the other article included). Thanks!
Glad that you kept the part about licensing brief. I think a lot of people have a big issue with it even though some keen gamers always make option files and patches (PC). With USB connection on PS3, it takes 2 minutes to copy over. While slightly annoying, it’s not as big a deal. While PES looks visually poor compared to FIFA, the gameplay is awesome and I think it comes down to personal preference. I do like the ‘pretty’ side of passing and dribbling and this year, a good build up is so hard that the goals are actually very satisfying to pull off, even if the shot itself is not spectacular. Maybe PES is like Arsenal, trophyless and unwilling to invest in big flashy options the last few years, but still playing attractive football.
Giuseppe, perfect way to sum up.
Whilst I do agree, that you can edit the kits and it’s the same as FIFA
BUT, people do not pay £40 to download licenses as that is why you pay £40 (to cover costs) and what about the offline gamers? They can’t download the kits, FIFA ftw!
I hope FIFA can get the UEFA CL and Europa League licenses!
this review is a load of crap PES 2013 VS FIFA 2013 THEY both ok but PES 2013 win in my book solely because of UCL AN when fifa lets PES get the licence to players and the league by by fifa
Actually I quite enjoyed the read, along with all previous articles. So thanks for putting in the effort.
Not sure if I agree but as the author implies he isn’t seeking agreement, just giving an opinion.
both games have their own flaws, i’m not pleased that the ai in fifa tends to dribble too much while in pes the slightest leg movement could produce a really powerful shot and goalkeepers need to have their actions improved.
Lol the people calling it biased are missing the point so bad. It’s like going to the Democratic National Convention and being like “HEY, WELL WHY DON’T YOU TELL US THE RIGHT WING’S SIDE OF THE STORY?”
worst review ever, if you can even call this a review. Fifa realistic?????
Make your own review!!
can’t stand these ‘click to continue reading after one paragraph’ sites. I know you guys need to monetize, but… keep some decency, I mean, give me more than 200 words per click and I may even come back to this site at some point in my life.
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Absоlutely no Dollarѕ lol=)
fifa 13 is better than pes 2013 because it has more features. it has better garcias than pes 2013.fifa 13 has online tournament if we win the tournament we can meet FCB in spin or MAN U in englend
Pes 2013 is better simple because its more realistic and the gameplay is much better, players move around like they do in real life and you can do more stuff in pes but you have to learn it. but i bet fifa is better for players that arent football fans. its simpler and easier to score goals.
and pes have more realistic player looks. if you want some good arcade style football then get fifa, if you want a true football experience get Pes.
Easier to score goals, its obvious youve never played fifa…the countless times ive played Pes ive been able to give goals from the most impossible of positions…30 metres..50 metres.. bicycle kicks. Defenders let through balls through like they havent been paid for months…please. Much harder to score in Fifa on legendary
Let’s be honest here.
FIFA is an arcade game (for amateurs and those rubbish at playing this game in real life).
PES is and always has been a simulation and the satisfaction gained from mastering the game is second to none.
To me PES is more fun and real. I played FIFA one time long time ago, and it didn’t impress me much and that was it, the last time I played; I have been playing Konami soccer games since Nintendo64 called International Star Super Soccer also myself knows how to play soccer in real life too so I feel PES is more enjoying.
realistic? since when do first touches end up with the ball near one’s head. Scoring is so easy. everything about fifa is better than pes, except gameplay, the thing that really matters.
Pes is better than fifa.sockers can play pes and say which is best
Sigh.. Just what is wrong with you people? What’s the point to insult each others? I read the PES and now FIFA thread and saw how dangerous fanboys could be :P
I used to be a PES fan, and only played FIFA 2005 once cause it got positive reviews. But after PES 2011 I don’t play PES anymore because of new direct control system. Now it’s FIFA all the way for me, miss many PES features like the old master league but the new choice are not that bad for me :)
Yeah, many of you guys love the new PES controls but I’m not a hardcore e-sport gamer. That doesn’t make me an amateur or rubbish either. I love RPGs and TBSs ; I’ve been grinding Dark Souls for over 100 hours too. I don’t hate difficult game. But for me sport games are for passion and not to exhaust my neurons. And I really love soccer, but e-sport is a different thing you know :|
You guys said that EA is playing gambles, but isn’t KONAMI on the same boat? They push their franchise to a more unfriendly path, different from most sport games’ purposes – a more risky bet I think. PES is step by step putting too much realism into games. And KONAMI is trying to break the fourth wall, which is not good.. It should be made less visible, not forcefully remove cause it’s an unchanging fact between games and real life. For me, FIFA handle this problem better in many aspects :)
Pes better because it has champions leauge
pes for football players fifa for soccer players
STILL WHAT THE HELL DO U MEAN????????????? TOTO
I remember when EA had the Champions League license and released it as a separate game entirely. I wonder why they did that *ka-ching*
FIFA 13 is clearly the winner for me in everything except gameplay and AI. I have both games and although FIFA has a plethora of features, I prefer PES for just one reason – somehow crafting my way through PES’s defense AI and score that late equalizer to get a late point (not to get all three, mind you). I’ve never felt relief like that in FIFA, even if the margin’s the same.
I’m a PES player scence they ever started and the game year after year is becoming worse , players are over rated and some others are down graded , worse referre’s of all time ! And their update is not fast how ever scoring is really easy and goal keepers are really bad , alot of teams not included as usual , if I can meet the guys who made this game and finalized it I would fart on them and shiit on the cd.
I played both games and am a bit dissappointed that some of us here seem to have missed what the article was about. It’s far too easy see faults in either game when you don’t particularly like that specific title. Both companies released wares of high quality ( and I played both of them ). This review is accurate. Let’s stop being blind followers. I like Pes too – but this year EA really came to play, especially on PC – the game simply shows its prowess both graphically and gameplay is a marvel. We are all gamers and as such quite opinionated. This was my opinion – if it’s still ok to have one.
TOTO WHAT THE HELL DO U MEAN????????????????????????
I prefer pes. it just feels good to get angry sometimes when you lose to weaker team and stop playing for an hour. but then you come back… everytime you comeback. and scoring late equalizer after sweating your forehead so much…. priceless. i am more pleased to get that 1 point than making 100 goals in fifa. sorry if i offended fifa fan, but i just feel the FOOTBALL from pes only