Are people really saying...

[18 eighty 5]

if PES had all the club licenses like FIFA does, it would make this series the best football video game experience going or at least bring it up to parity? I dont get it about the lack of love for PES. Is the gameplay that inferior or is it the lack of features and licenses that hinders it? How does the latter continue to be a blight on this series in professional reviews?

Why is professional licensing considered essential to quality sports gaming?

Furthermore, to toss a potential barb out into the virtual ether, I dont think sports gaming needs to be tethered to commercial leagues to legitimate themselves. The leagues dont own the sport, they just represent it to a high standard.

To me it stinks a bit too much of consumer dependence upon a product. Are we interested in the sport itself or the officially licensed professional expression of it?

To knock a game because it doesn't have all the licensing and likenesses seems absurd and narrow minded.

I know it is just my opinion but I think gameplay is essential in sports gaming. If you dont have that, cut scenes and intros and name brands and stars and online this and that cant carry the experience far enough.

[dubcity]

I hear ya. I think a brilliant football game is brilliant regardless of star power, but all the teams and players really can put the package over the top. FIFA is really pushing style over substance, particularly in the past two FIFAs. They are the arcade game that PES used to be, and now PES is shooting for the other side of the coin. I think the difference between the two games has never been quite as stark this gen as PES 13 and FIFA 13.

Unfortunately, I fear that these last FIFAs have made the franchise an unstoppable monster. Ultimate Team is just too dominant. Depending on what PES 2014 looks like, things may tilt slightly in the other direction, but the FIFA brand is just too ingrained in the culture at this point. I fear we'll just have to settle for being the cool oldschool kids who still enjoy one-player games.

[18 eighty 5]

What are the stark differences you notice Dubcity?

[dubcity]

Quote: Originally Posted by 18 eighty 5

What are the stark differences you notice Dubcity?

FIFA 13 is a sprint fest. Single-player mode is broken, and sliders are a weak band-aid. Once you get to a certain skill level (world class), the game is just unplayable. The teams play spread out, with no real realistic sense of structure on either offense or defense. PES is slower, with much more randomness and character. I used to play both games pretty much every day until I got rid of FIFA 13. Just could not deal with the "physics" engine anymore. Granted, you can tweak both games to make them slightly more arcade-y or simulation-y, but they really are two completely different beasts.

[cubsball899]

i bought both PES and FIFA 13, and liked them both. fifa, with the right sliders i am currently having a blast playing. i love that i can edit team tactics of the opposing team (cannot do during a master league).

as far as licenses, i don't need licenses, what i need is enough leagues and enough teams to populate them. they can be fake for all i care but how can i play a champions league when it's not populated correctly? i love that i can have to play champion's league qualifiers in fifa, against some very obscure teams sometimes

both are good games (in fact, when i was playing PES everyday i would have argued that the gameplay is better) but for me i need to see full leagues in countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium etc etc etc

whether they are fully licensed or completely fictional i could care less.

i always see the argument about just using an option file to solve it. well it doesn't. i can add, what, two leagues at a time which is hardly enough

[Baile]

Quote: Originally Posted by dubcity

FIFA 13 is a sprint fest. Single-player mode is broken, and sliders are a weak band-aid. Once you get to a certain skill level (world class), the game is just unplayable.

Only as true as it applies to PES. Without massive edits to player ratings and tactics, both games are very poor this year from a sim game perspective. I've been able to get FIFA to play a terrific and fair game (CPU cheats removed) on Legendary after hours of edits and I'm happy with it. Regardless, the game itself is like all EA games: essentially designed and programmed for fun, arcade, online gameplay.

Konami on the other hand appears to be trying to get back to PES' simulation-game roots. The problem is they keep on coming up short in several areas that today's gamers expect and demand: animations, presentation and licences for example. It's a shallow reason yes, but PES will continue to lag behind FIFA unless they do something to improve in those areas.

[Baile]

Quote: Originally Posted by 18 eighty 5

Are we interested in the sport itself or the officially licensed professional expression of it?

Who is we? I can only speak for myself. I buy games to have a offline simulation sports experience vs the CPU. Whereas the vast majority of gamers these days seem to prefer online, arcade-like competition against human opponents. EA recognized several years that's where the money is, which explains the development direction they took with all their sports franchises. Fortunately there are still companies like Konami and SCEA who seem more dedicated in putting out a simulation representation of these sports. Nothing anyone can do to change that except perhaps to support companies like Konami, to ensure they continue putting out games for those of us who are wanting that sim experience.