FIFA 12 News Post

How FIFA Can Extend Its Lead Over PES

03:20 PM - December 29, 2011 by DustinT

While PES is busy playing catch up, this would be a good time for FIFA to extend its dominance in the virtual football world. It really is amazing how much the game has improved, starting from FIFA 08. Steady slews of improvements year after year, and boom, all of a sudden the title has become the juggernaut that it is today.

Read More - How FIFA Can Extend Its Lead Over PES

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Member Comments

# 1 Steven547 @ 12/29/11 03:30 PM

I haven't played a FIFA Console game in about 3 years. But if they follow the concept of FIFA Manager, they'll have a sure winner. When doing "manager" mode, I expect to be just "manager", not player as well. Defeats the purpose if you know how to "beat" the game by doing certain moves the CPU can't pick up. Or at least have that as an option to "manage only" or "manager - player".

FIFA Manager allows you to manage the team and build stadiums, etc. (This is PC only). Add the graphics from the FIFA console to FIFA Manager with ability to 'manage only' or be player-manager and you have a winner.

# 2 Benicio10 @ 12/29/11 03:59 PM

FIFA is a great game - well constructed, well produced. My issue is that I can't tell the difference between star players and average players. In PES, you can, from the moment they touch the ball, if just FEELS different when you control them.

I often find myself looking at the display to see who the player is. I should be able to instantly tell by appearance and play style.

# 3 Steven547 @ 12/29/11 06:13 PM

The lack of distinction (or separation) between All Star players and mediocre players, seems to be a characteristic of EA. Even in NHL12, the differences are very minimal at best. EA preaches "sim", yet the gameplay is far from it. This is another area they need to improve upon if they wish to widen the lead over PES. Otherwise, that gap will close real quick, especially if PES gets the rights to more players and teams.

And with people releasing option files WITH those extra teams, that gap is already shrinking.

# 4 milin @ 12/29/11 06:57 PM

For me to like the game they just have to fix the AI and the lack of fouls against the CPU. They need the CPU to make human like mistakes and stop being too perfect when executing tackles so there can be more fouls.

# 5 spit_bubble @ 12/29/11 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peigone


	...They had a chance to catch up this year after an improved PES 2011, but then screwed the pooch by releasing a shoddy and borderline broken PES 2012...

This is just a flat out lie. You need to stop with that nonsense.

As for FIFA, if they put even just an ounce of effort towards the AI they would have the best sports game on the market. Until that time FIFA will always just seem like a showcase for their latest tech.

# 6 tril @ 12/29/11 09:06 PM

Dont rest on Your laurels.
thats what PES did.
PES use to be the premiere soccer title, and out of no where FIFA took the crown away.
cosign what ihslancers said about PES.

# 7 tril @ 12/29/11 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profit89


	PES is the better game this year. Licenses aside, it's all about the gameplay. And pes wins in that department. Plus, you can update the game via patches or option file, so the lack of licenses is a non-issue. Actutally, I prefer customization over licenses. The more you can customize, the easier it is to keep the game updated.

in what way is PES better than FIFA?
I used to like the PES title better, but the past couple of years I went with popular opinion, in deciding what soccer game to buy.

# 8 karavalvin @ 12/29/11 10:35 PM

I don't get it either why PES is considered so good this year. After reading reviews about the excellent gameplay I went and bought it. The reason I was eager to purchase it was because as the article stated FIFA unfortunately tends to get a little repetitive. Have you noticed that the computer AI rarely uses the long ball. There is a lack of spontaneity with the game. So I went and bought PES (especially since I really do not care about official licenses) and to be honest I was disappointed. While I LOVE the fact that the AI makes great runs and the opposition attacks in various ways I didn't like the feel of the game. The passes didn't seem to have weight, through balls were entirely too successful, crosses were too easy. When your dribbling with the ball it didn't feel right, again there seemed a lack of weight to the player. I don't know how to describe it exactly. I know I keep saying weight, but that is only way I can express it. With FIFA when your dribbling with the ball or passing or jostling for position it seems solid whereas with PES I never got that feeling. Anyway it is probably just all in my head but in my opinion if FIFA fixes the AI this wouldn't even be a discussion for me.

# 9 nvinceable1 @ 12/30/11 02:07 AM

Even though I have many gripes about the scripted repetitive nature of FIFA's gameplay I can honestly say that if they did nothing other than overhaul career mode & clubs for FIFA13 it would be a huge winner in my book. The game is still a long way from a sim, the closest I can get is playing with full manual controls against other full manual players. Nevertheless, when we take our full manual clubs online we get matched against assisted teams 99% of the time and it's always a lobbed through ball finesse shot fest, nothing even remotely resembling football. Regardless we've learned to make the best of it and we can hold our own. If they could just update the club mode that hasn't changed in a few years and at least make it somewhat stable I would be happy. Career mode speaks for itself, people want a deep and engrossing experience and FIFA career mode doesn't even scratch the surface. While NBA 2k12's MyPlayer & Association modes aren't perfect they would be a good place for FIFA to steal some inspiration from. FIFA needs something other than bland mindless kickball. I'm not even gonna touch on the AI...

# 10 newtonfb @ 12/30/11 11:55 AM

WTF OS, Its these kinds of articles that will turn the soccer games into the football games now. PES makes Fifa better and Fifa makes PES better. If we dont have competition we'll end up with Madden and NCAA types games who are way behind the other sports games. Certain people like PES, certain people like Fifa and certain people like both. Let it be and most importantly you should love that fact we have 2 soccer games to play for everyones sake.

# 11 JimmyDeicide @ 12/31/11 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvinceable1


	Even though I have many gripes about the scripted repetitive nature of FIFA's gameplay I can honestly say that if they did nothing other than overhaul career mode & clubs for FIFA13 it would be a huge winner in my book. The game is still a long way from a sim, the closest I can get is playing with full manual controls against other full manual players. Nevertheless, when we take our full manual clubs online we get matched against assisted teams 99% of the time and it's always a lobbed through ball finesse shot fest, nothing even remotely resembling football. Regardless we've learned to make the best of it and we can hold our own. If they could just update the club mode that hasn't changed in a few years and at least make it somewhat stable I would be happy. Career mode speaks for itself, people want a deep and engrossing experience and FIFA career mode doesn't even scratch the surface. While NBA 2k12's MyPlayer & Association modes aren't perfect they would be a good place for FIFA to steal some inspiration from. FIFA needs something other than bland mindless kickball. I'm not even gonna touch on the AI...

I cant agree less with these opinions any more this is why the games get stale.
Fifa 11 was one of my all time fave footy games. No other game ive played gave you the control that that game did.
Fifa 12 refined things from 11 but how i say.
This trinity of gameplay jargen didnt do hardly a thing.

They just put a fancy name on what was already there in place.

The only real change was in the defending which was drastic but how many of us were already defending that way. Now the defenders dont defend whatsoever give me the overly aggressive tackling and having to fight for space 11 over the gaping no tackling defence of 12.
Sure it makes for a better game online but thats it.

The ai prances around now like they are on springs the same player jumps back and forth on the wing looking like a greedy idiot instead of making a 3 yard pass and getting out of trouble , god forbid he would look up and switch the play.
The more pressure you apply on the ai the more they prance about, seems everyone is just too agile.
The new contact looks great but thats it, there is no reason for it the foul system isnt tied into thats for sure.

I hate the way EA programs there ai it gets boosts or whatever you call it at so called critical junctures in games, end of half end of match, end of period , last minute of 3rd period.
It reacts to the control input of the human player instead of having a real intelligence.

Ive gone back to pes again its just a better single player game.
Sure the freedom has gone the control is neutered not having Fifas manual passing freedom is the only thing other than licensing that is holding it back, even though Fifa have taken just enough out of their manual passing this year to annoy me it still is miles better than pes's passing system.

So just refining career mode will not help it in my book, career mode is laughable as it is with the transfers but even if you can live with that the game on the pitch has taken a step back and until they open up the play with some intelligence it will always be behind Pes on the pitch.

Just like their NHL game people are growing bored because they spend zero time on the ai or single player.

The difference in Pes and Fifa is online offline. Pes does it the old school way Single player first online tacked on. Fifa is the exact opposite.

Take your pick .

# 12 KG @ 12/31/11 09:04 PM

If FIFA wants to finish PES they should buy the UEFA CL license.

I really liked the improvements they made to Career Mode in terms of off-the-pitch activities but the gameplay vs the CPU made me quit after ~10 matches.

It seems like a lot of the new features EA puts out are never finished. Personality + is a great idea in concept but didn't do enough to distinguish individual player skills IMO. The impact engine is a fantastic innovation (although Backbreaker did it first) but the implementation is poor. Obvious fouls aren't called leading to people playing exactly the same as before. Heat-seeking defenders knocking you off the ball because the refereeing logic isn't synced is a problem. Tactical defending attempted to lessen this but FIFA went too extreme with it to the point that your backline is passive and often invites attackers to get into the box. They give us sliders but they are more tactical/strategical in nature. Why there is no foul/ref strictness slider still baffles me.

If they just work on "refining" their game and stop worrying about back-of-the-box features they will win a lot of the sim crowd over. They already have the casual fan.

# 13 pendo @ 01/01/12 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtonfb


	WTF OS, Its these kinds of articles that will turn the soccer games into the football games now. PES makes Fifa better and Fifa makes PES better. If we dont have competition we'll end up with Madden and NCAA types games who are way behind the other sports games. Certain people like PES, certain people like Fifa and certain people like both. Let it be and most importantly you should love that fact we have 2 soccer games to play for everyones sake.

Exactly my feeling as well. Competition breeds success.

# 14 jb12780 @ 01/01/12 11:46 PM

Post-release support would be a start.

# 15 fearwhatnow @ 01/02/12 05:34 AM

I just don't get it.This year PES is way better than FIFA in almost all areas (except animations).Very good AI (compared to Fifa's one is 10x times better imo), great defending mechanics with teammates involved and don't just standing watching the cpu attackers (fifa?), improved BAL (BaP is stale and the lack of teammates support make the mode a joke), Master League has again more depth than Manager/Career Mode, game speed is spot on at -1 or -2 (fifa's slow option is fast), PES has passes that result on dead play, players have different abilities (where is the personality+ feature in fifa?Another poor implementation by EA), refs and fouls are spot on also on PES,build-up play is almost perfect.
So, why the hate for PES?Fifa can be good online with manual settings and that's it.
Let's hope both games will keep improving but I'm afraid EA chose the wrong way.They're killing offline/sp features for casual/online.That's how I see it.

# 16 JimmyDeicide @ 01/02/12 03:39 PM

I would say fifa is a brilliant game it just breaks down around the penalty box,
both on offense and defense that is an area which could get some love and it comes down to ai again.

I dont see anything wrong with Pes's animations if you play a few games you'll see the same and more and sometimes better animations ,player reactions than fifa. They are both top notch in that regard all be it with a few warts in each.

# 17 eyeamg0dly @ 01/02/12 07:46 PM

cant believe you think the show has gotten stale ;(. its light years better then any other sports title because of the dedication that team puts into that game. ive yet to get into nhl, but every ea game has some sort of predictability to it.

i think it comes down to the game not being hard enough in some aspects. when i say that i mean that the game should shape you the player into becoming a better player. its simple, whenever i make a mistake, i should be punished for making said mistake, the higher the difficulty the less lenient the cpu should be. instead we have a psychic like ai that goes into overdrive when it has to stay within the status quo when it comes to stats. that results in "scripted" parts of the game that cpu has to do to make it "realistic".

instead do like mlb the show has done and make the game hard, make the game shape you the user. when i throw the wrong pitch in that game, i get blasted, it makes me think twice about it before i throw that pitch in that situation again. same can be done in this game, if im constantly playing unrealistic arcade soccer, then i should have my *** handed to me by the cpu on any difficulty level. if im playing the game the way it should be played, then i shouldnt get blasted.

# 18 Super Glock @ 01/04/12 01:20 PM

PES 12 was just flat out awful this year. FIFA 12 is just head and shoulders above it and that is an amazing feat considering how much PES dominated back in the day. Now saying that there is no doubt that if the the FIFA team does not focus and gets lazy it could change once again very quickly.

# 19 carnalnirvana @ 01/10/12 10:21 AM

if they want to take a lead over PES they need to fix the AI in this game...

i believe both games are even:

fifa has horrible defensive AI and no attacking AI....

PES has bad player models and weak animations

each has what the other game needs for greatness

in terms of career modes pes leads imo and online goes to fifa.... its a tie all the way

if fifa ever got any AI upgrades it could be a great game

# 20 ronaldo9 @ 01/11/12 01:08 AM

I was really disappointed by PES this year, and encouraged by FIFA (and I'm a loooong time PES player). I think the competition is great and will get us better games, but to me PES has a long way to go catching up to FIFA - the control is just so much smoother and that goes a long way. PES feels so...clunky. It could be really great, but for some reason every 2 weeks I talk myself into giving it another go, then 10 minutes in I'm cursing the game and shelve it.

Really, all FIFA needs is a more dynamic gameplay AI and some fine-tuning. I feel like EA Sports games really messes up the ratings so that there's no real difference b/w players. Messi is a 99 dribbler, understandably. But the difference between him and the average player is enormous - but not really reflected in the ratings. I'd rather see 'average' dribblers be in the 50s and 60s, so the ratings would actually differentiate the players in gameplay. I never understood why Madden/NHL/FIFA have speed ratings of 95, 94, 92, 89 when those ratings are too close to feel the actual differences in the game.

I wonder if part of the reason for that is political - pro athletes probably wouldn't appreciate being a 50 speed, even if it is accurate for the video game and gameplay

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