The PES gameplay experience is still there, and still great for those who love football.

What do you think of this year's PES demo?

The new visuals are much better than previous versions thanks to the Fox engine.

Heck, If PES 2014 and FIFA 14 were competing in a beauty pageant, FIFA would be the Victoria Beckham to PES' Abby Wambach. But when evaluating how these two products perform on the pitch, PES 2014 remains the clear winner when it comes to replicating the intricacies of the sport.

Playing as Germany against Spain on professional difficulty, I was barely able to switch defenders fast enough to keep pace with Spain's artful passing. This directly contrasts FIFA 14's rendition of FC Barcelona, whose AI tends to blindly stumble around, dribbling its way in and out of trouble. PES 2014's defensive AI also outsmarts FIFA 14's, with computer players using their bodies to clog passing lanes, even lashing out with their legs to deflect balls just out of reach.

Offsides, fouls and free kicks -- all rarities in FIFA 14 -- occur more regularly in PES 2014, giving matches a more realistic pace and game flow. While PES 2014's player collisions and jostling animations aren't up to the quality of FIFA's 14 Impact Engine, I still had great success using Germany's size to bully smaller Spanish players off the ball and win possession with brute force. Even among similarly sized players, such as Philipp Lahm and Xavi, there's a noticeable difference in the AI's playing style, with computer Xavi using all sorts of fancy flicks and dribbling tricks, whereas computer Lahm plays the ball with a much simpler chip and run style.

On offense, your teammates are constantly moving to get open, rewarding creative passing over flashy dribbling. Rather than the one-on-eleven, end-to-end gameplay that FIFA 14 encourages, PES 14 remains a series that rewards possession and patient build-ups. Attempting to spam through balls past a wall of defenders will lead to nothing but turnovers on Konami's pitch. The ball itself also feels more like an independent object in PES 2014, whereas in FIFA 14, it sometimes seems like the ball is made of metal and the players all have magnets in their cleats.

Apart from some occasional goaltender goofs and the expected audiovisual shortcomings, the only foul I can call on PES 2014 is that it's still holding onto the same ancient control scheme as FIFA 14. While other sports franchises like EA NHL, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Fight Night and NBA 2K have evolved this generation, embracing the simplicity and responsiveness of dual analog controls, soccer games stubbornly insist that four buttons and a meter mini game are necessary to simply kick a ball.

The presentation, unfortunately, does lag behind the competition.

Glenn Wigmore: PES 2014 certainly doesn't show a lot of flash when you're paging through its simplistic menus. Just the same, a lot of the options and depth are actually kind inaccessible at first, since nothing is really presented or outlined in a very user-friendly way. I'm kind of PES newbie, so that informs my perspective a bit.

When you get on the pitch, though, it's easy to see why PES has a dedicated following just because of its gameplay, and it's an area that this series easily matches -- and in some cases, exceeds -- what's offered from EA. The most obvious trait is the dynamism present in the passing and shooting. There's a lot of variety in how the ball can ricochet off of defenders and the goalie, and it's present in a lot of goal-scoring situations. The release and whip of the shots, especially from elite-level players, has a feel that's unlike the more straightforward kicks found in FIFA 14.

The amount of control options for stepping in on attackers is also welcome, as you're able to position your body more effectively without feeling too out of control. It's also great to have full manual control for passes, if you feel so inclined, which is refreshing compared to the slightly more confined FIFA passing and dribbling. I'd say the collision and tackle scenarios in PES aren't as complex as FIFA 14, but it allows the game to have a bit more of a natural flow, and there are still plenty of opportunities for momentum to carry you away.

The way plays develop in PES 2014 are also a nice change of pace, and you'll see both attacking and defending AI respond a lot more immediately when they're faced with a problem. Defenders are less likely to let offenders just streak into through scenarios, and cross plays are covered off more thoroughly than in the FIFA 14. As I noticed at E3, too, there are more plays that develop out of the center of the field rather than down the wing or off cuts to the inside.

This isn't to say that PES necessarily hangs with FIFA in other areas, though. The presentation found in this year's game doesn't really match up to the slick package of the EA product, nor does the feature set, licensing or overall accessibility. Even still, as someone who doesn't normally dabble in PES, I can certainly see why it's got an appeal all its own.

For fans of soccer, this is a hard game to not recommend.

Robert Kollars: So the PES series may be lagging behind the FIFA series in licensing and popularity now, but that doesn't mean it's not a quality product. PES is quality, and this year's demo is proof this series is heading in the right direction.

With the implementation of the Fox Engine, there seems to be high hopes for the series this year, and you can count me in as one who is impressed. While graphically PES may be a bit bland at times, that doesn't mean it's a bad looking game by any stretch. I do have to commend Konami on the stadiums and the sound, because both areas seem to be done very welll.

On the field, while the AI may seem to be a bit aggressive at times, I actually found myself enjoying that aspect immensely. The AI forces one to utilize the deep control systemPES offers. It may be a bit difficult to pick up for the newcomers, but it truly is a system that pays off if you take the time to learn it. There also seems to be an issue with lack of penalties from the AI, and some interesting goalie play at times. Overall it feels like PES 14 should be a solid purchase for footballers.

The biggest compliment I can give the game right now, is that because of it's movement and tempo, it feels closer to what I watch on TV than its counterpart. I can't wait to get my hands on the full version of the game to see how it shapes up.

What do you think of the PES 2014 demo?