PES 2019 Demo: 7 Instant Reactions You Need To Know

2. Still Plays A Better Fundamental Game Than FIFA

That infuriating inconsistency aside, it is true that PES 2019 still plays a bloody good game of football from first minute to last. Fundamentally, it's better than FIFA, if only because there's less of that tiresome scripting (it is possible to enter injury time with a 1-0 lead without the CPU getting one more shot at goal in PES) and the passing is more realistic.

Through balls zip across the turf nicely, have enough of a unique feel compared to standard passes and ones floated through the air will bounce unevenly like a real ball would. This all combines to give the game the kind of simulation feel EA would die to have in their series.

On the park, PES 2019 looks like a FIFA-beater for those who get a lot from stringing together attacking moves or shutting them down.

To that point, midfield appears to be the most crucial area in this year's game. Strikers are perhaps a little quicker to break on defences if those in the middle don't shut their movements down rapid, and wingers will always give midfielders the option of a splitting through ball out wide.