Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 Review: 6 Ups & 4 Downs

3. Each Team Genuinely Plays Differently

One of the things you'll notice immediately when you load up PES 2020 is that each team never feels the same. Like in real life, these teams all have their own footballing philosophies and styles that manifest on the pitch.

Play Barcelona, and the club's trademark style of tiki-taka is evident right from the off. Play as Liverpool Red, and you'll notice that Jurgen Klopp's trademark gegenpress has also been implicated - but there's also more to it than just that.

As in real life, when you play as Liverpool in PES, you'll notice that the fullbacks (Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold) both push high up onto the pitch. To account for that space, the centre-backs - in this case Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip - both stretch out wide, allowing the midfield anchor, Fabinho, to drop deep in between them. You'll find you'll get most of your chances coming from the wings, while Firmino himself allows Sadio Mané and Mohammed Salah to act as inside forwards and plunder goals from inside the box.

That's just one team as well. Dozens of others also play as they do in real life, and it's up to the player to change that if they so desire. Either way it's a fascinating touch, and one that, again, helps PES stand out over its most obvious competitor.