4. Gameplay
It's a pity that gamers don't rank this as their biggest factor when deciding which game to buy each year, as in my opinion, it's the most defining aspect of each title. For all of FIFA 14's incredible depth, it still can't match the simple elegance of PES 2014. The pace and overall feel of PES this year is amazing. It truly is a near perfect replication of the feel of a real football match. While FIFA 14 has improved considerably, even from the previous iteration, it still feels more restrictive than PES 2014. Even with all the new animations and controlled pace and new fancy dribbling, it doesn't feel like real football. Midfield battles are huge in PES 2014, whereas in FIFA, they are non existent. Defending problems aside, PES controls beautifully, especially after the day one patch. FIFA looks and plays beautifully at times, but issues such as overpowered wing play and spammy crosses can sometimes ruin it. The same can be said about the passing, which is still miles behind its rival. PES captures the beautiful game, well, beautifully. Pirlo plays like Pirlo. Ronaldo destroys teams with sheer class, while Neymar has more tricks up his sleeve than Dynamo. Even better, all this happens in an organic, ever-changing way depending on what is happening on the pitch. PES has finally embraced simulation, and while it is still not perfect, it's a massive step up. With the risk of being overly harsh, FIFA is still arcade-like, with its near-automatic shooting and superhuman goalkeepers.
Winner: PES 2014