Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 Review: 6 Ups & 4 Downs

2. Master League Offers What FIFA's Career Mode Can't

Players after an authentic managerial simulator that isn't Football Manager have found themselves constantly shortchanged when it comes to consoles. FIFA's Career Mode, while adequate, fails to innovate year after year and is constantly overlooked in favour of FIFA Ultimate Team - the main source of EA's income with that series.

PES, on the other hand, has had its Master League feature for a good few entries now. It receives another upgrade in 2020, bringing together new managers and cutscenes to ensure the managerial role extends beyond just the surface level. It's not simply a case that you just have pre-determined targets to meet, players to identify and academies to grow; you have to set your own goals, and that can inform how successful your season ends up being.

As previously mentioned the UI can get a little messy, but it's only representative of the greater level of effort put into Konami's Career Mode equivalent. Minor additions and little touches help your manager feel more connected with the club, and once you've gotten a handle on where everything is in the menu and what to keep on top of, you start to yield enjoyable results.

One thing that also bears mentioning is how the world progresses over the course of a given save. Ostentatious and frankly ridiculous transfers are less commonplace, while the ability to break down budgets and salaries is a major asset too.