Round Two: Graphics
FIFA 13 A key factor for many who praise FIFA's virtues in the great debate, and something that detractors often point at as an indication that FIFA prefers to just dress up the same game with some nicer looking graphics and slightly better player likenesses, rather than concentrating on the engine of the game. But this year, with the engine under-going some very tangible changes, the aesthetic qualities of the game are free to shine again for what they really are - a secondary, but still very important concern. Players look more like their real life counter-parts much more than they ever have before (though there is still some distance to go until they have that unquantifiable life-likeness to match their likenesses), and animations are slick and nice-looking. The one problem I have is with the lighting contrast, which looks nice on screen, but which is plainly too defined between light and shadow, as it was in EA Sports' Madden 13. It's by no means a fatal fault, but it's annoying having to adjust your eyes to a game like that.
PES 2013 Again, the likenesses have enjoyed an increase in quality, and this version of the game is bost themost realistic and best looking of the Pro Evo's released to date, unsurprisingly. The fact that the game doesn't have any visual issues like the lighting issue for FIFA means that Pro Evo closes the gap considerably on the still slicker FIFA, and indeed Konami can have a lot to be proud of this year. The uplift in visual quality isn't quite the same as it was between 2011 and 2012's versions, but that is perhaps down to Konami's obvious decision to go back to fusing simulation and arcade thrills, rather than simply trying to go for FIFA's crown as the best football simulation title on the market. In-play animations and likenesses look good, but in celebration animations, the slickness levels drop quite markedly and players tend to lose their spark of liveliness, which is a shame. But that's what happens when you're faced with an all-powerful opponent, and it's better that Konami ploughed their focus into the on-pitch experience, rather than on making the frilly bits more pretty. For now that shows, but spend enough time in the game and it won't matter as much when you realise how much better the game plays.