1. Best thing in the demo?

TD St. Matthew-Daniel - The player models, hands down. PES 2011 probably has the best depiction of real-life athletes I've seen in a video game. The faces are well crafted and jerseys wrinkle and reshape naturally depending on the player's movement.

Christian McLeod - I completely agree with TD in that the player models in PES 2011 are simply outstanding. For as impressive as that "other soccer game" demo was, the player models always seemed a bit on the malnourished side. Just as TD said, based on the demo, PES 2011 looks to feature some of the most realistic player models to ever be included in a sports video game.

2. Biggest Disappointment?

TD St. Matthew-Daniel - Presentation is still behind every other major sports game on the market. Konami's infamous funky background music and sub-par on-screen graphics still lack the hi-tech look that's expected in today's world of gaming. Back in the day, when FIFA gameplay lagged behind that of the PES series, this could be forgiven -- not anymore.

Christian McLeod - Again, I agree with TD on this one. Presentation has always been a big achilles heel for the PES series, and based on the demo, the 2011 version of the game looks no different. Based on presentation alone, I feel like I'm playing a Nintendo 64 game.

3. The gameplay is _______ (fill in the blank).

TD St. Matthew-Daniel - Both authentic and tedious at the same time. It's free flowing, there's more variety and a lot more user skill is required. But with this added control comes quite a steep learning curve both for newcomers and PES veterans alike. The new passing system requires that you both direct and give your passes the right amount of power to get the ball to your target. In other words, be prepared to miss quite a few passes a game, especially through balls, if you're not focused on each attempt.

Christian McLeod - HARDCORE! I'll admit it, I'm a casual soccer gaming fan. Because I am sort of on the casual side of things, I am completely overwhelmed by the depth and control scheme featured in the demo. I can see hardcore soccer junkies absolutely eating this up, but if you are more of a "pick up and play" type of soccer gamer, get ready for an exercise in frustration unless you dedicate the time to master the controls. I applaud Konami for catering more towards the fanatics, but I think the company is going to end up hurting its own overall sales by intimidating soccer gamers like myself..

4. Any other things catch your eye?

TD St. Matthew-Daniel - Penalties are taken in the same "telecast" view you play with in the outfield. Hopefully the camera angle isn't the same in the full version because it totally takes away from the one-on-one feeling between the penalty-taker and the goalie. Also, ball physics are erratic sometimes. An over-hit pass that at first glance seems to be pushed too far ahead of your target will all of a sudden slow down just before it crosses the sideline.

Christian McLeod - As impressed as I am with the player models in the demo, the animations seem to be severely lacking in my opinion. Player movement seems stiff and robotic, and I don't get the sense that my CPU teammates are organically interacting with the pitch. I just don't get the sense that "anything can happen" with regards to my CPU AI teammates, and I am frequently seeing the same patterns being run by them. I know every game contains predetermined AI teammate programming, but other games seem to cover this up in such a manner that the action feels more fluid.

5. Overall, is PES' stock up or down?

TD St. Matthew-Daniel - I honestly believe PES 2011 does a better job portraying the game of soccer and how it is played than the FIFA series. However, all the manual control gamers are given might prove to be excessive for the non-hardcore soccer fans and difficult to learn for the regulars. Konami's latest effort might be more rewarding once you become familiar with the gameplay, but at the moment, PES 2011 won't be stealing any fans from the more fun soccer gaming experience known as FIFA 11.

Christian McLeod - Neither. It's holding steady. Look for PES 2011's stock to rise amongst the soccer elite of the world and drop amongst the casual crowd. TD may be right when he says that PES 2011 does a better job portraying how the game is played on the field, but in my opinion, FIFA does a much better job portraying the game of soccer that I watch on TV. If you can't get enough soccer and understand everything there is to know about the sport, this is your game. If you are looking for a soccer fix post World Cup 2010, look elsewhere.