Hi Guys,
Here we are, another year another release. It's that time of the year again.
Firstly why do I think I am an expert on the subject? Well I am a lawyer but I don't call myself an expert on law. However, I have played, I would dare say, every soccer game that has come out dating back to 1988. After 20 years of following and playing soccer simulations I think I have a right to call myself an expert on the subject. If you dont agree, you better have played every dame since 1988, otherwise please keep your opinions to yourself. And no you don;t have to be a programmer to be an expert, jsut love the game and be a fan of the genre.
In playing for so many years, I have continuously found myself wishing for added features and certain intricacies which have slowly been implemented. THe days of When Fifa International Soccer hit the shelves and the installment of the first Pro Evolution Soccer (or its cousin ISS) were major milestones for fans around the world.
But every year we visit the same question. How does PES and FIFA compare? And I am one who is very critical and take the question very seriously. Although the lines have become grey in certain aspects there is one aspect upon which these two titles can be contrasted.
Graphics, sound and animations of the crows and players aside, The distinction is on how the game 'feels' or plays out in your control. If you have paid close attention over the years, what makes a game seem more real is how smoothly and realistic the physics is perceived by your mind. Ever held your breath for a second as you shot the ball from a long distance, or slowly guided it past the keeper? And while it was travelling did you wonder if it was going to go in? And did it make you extra excited to see it hit the back of the net?
Did you say NO!? Then you must be generally a FIFA player. Now don't get mad at me, I love certain things about FIFA as well but those aspects are what we now expect in a soccer game, they should be standard, but not aspects of its realism. You see in FIFA the ball seems to behave like the game plays in two dimensions. It floats rather than flying and projecting. The gravity has very little impact on the flight of the ball. A quick tap and if you have not chosen a predefined path by using the analogue quickly as you shoot and the ball saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiils over the bar as if you shot it out of a cannon rather then kicked it with a foot.
If FIFA is ever to take the crown from PES then it needs to work on teh ball physics. The realism that is felt when playing PES is due to the ball physics and the variations of power and control that can be achieved through the use of the various control methods. FIFA 09 is once again lagging behind from this perspective. Having said that, there is another aspect to realism.
Do you really feel part of the game in PES? Do you really feel like you are a player in the middle of stadium and the crowd are with or against you? Can you guess if its a final or a regular game? Maybe. This is the realism aspect which FIFA has concentrated on and left PES behind. The crowd and the camera angles that make you feel part of the action are more alive in FIFA.
Then a question occured to me. If we could take one aspect from either game and swap it with the other to make it perfect for the current series, what would it be? Take the ball physics of PES and place it into FIFA and you will almost have a perfect game. That's my personal view of course, but I think a valid one. Why did I not choose an aspect of FIFA and mend it with PES? PES has unfortuantely for me fallen behind in debth of game. Thus more than one feature would need to be imported from FIFA to make it Perfect.
Thats my two cents for another October fever. Till next time. Support both games if you want to see them improve.
Talaash
Here we are, another year another release. It's that time of the year again.
Firstly why do I think I am an expert on the subject? Well I am a lawyer but I don't call myself an expert on law. However, I have played, I would dare say, every soccer game that has come out dating back to 1988. After 20 years of following and playing soccer simulations I think I have a right to call myself an expert on the subject. If you dont agree, you better have played every dame since 1988, otherwise please keep your opinions to yourself. And no you don;t have to be a programmer to be an expert, jsut love the game and be a fan of the genre.
In playing for so many years, I have continuously found myself wishing for added features and certain intricacies which have slowly been implemented. THe days of When Fifa International Soccer hit the shelves and the installment of the first Pro Evolution Soccer (or its cousin ISS) were major milestones for fans around the world.
But every year we visit the same question. How does PES and FIFA compare? And I am one who is very critical and take the question very seriously. Although the lines have become grey in certain aspects there is one aspect upon which these two titles can be contrasted.
Graphics, sound and animations of the crows and players aside, The distinction is on how the game 'feels' or plays out in your control. If you have paid close attention over the years, what makes a game seem more real is how smoothly and realistic the physics is perceived by your mind. Ever held your breath for a second as you shot the ball from a long distance, or slowly guided it past the keeper? And while it was travelling did you wonder if it was going to go in? And did it make you extra excited to see it hit the back of the net?
Did you say NO!? Then you must be generally a FIFA player. Now don't get mad at me, I love certain things about FIFA as well but those aspects are what we now expect in a soccer game, they should be standard, but not aspects of its realism. You see in FIFA the ball seems to behave like the game plays in two dimensions. It floats rather than flying and projecting. The gravity has very little impact on the flight of the ball. A quick tap and if you have not chosen a predefined path by using the analogue quickly as you shoot and the ball saiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiils over the bar as if you shot it out of a cannon rather then kicked it with a foot.
If FIFA is ever to take the crown from PES then it needs to work on teh ball physics. The realism that is felt when playing PES is due to the ball physics and the variations of power and control that can be achieved through the use of the various control methods. FIFA 09 is once again lagging behind from this perspective. Having said that, there is another aspect to realism.
Do you really feel part of the game in PES? Do you really feel like you are a player in the middle of stadium and the crowd are with or against you? Can you guess if its a final or a regular game? Maybe. This is the realism aspect which FIFA has concentrated on and left PES behind. The crowd and the camera angles that make you feel part of the action are more alive in FIFA.
Then a question occured to me. If we could take one aspect from either game and swap it with the other to make it perfect for the current series, what would it be? Take the ball physics of PES and place it into FIFA and you will almost have a perfect game. That's my personal view of course, but I think a valid one. Why did I not choose an aspect of FIFA and mend it with PES? PES has unfortuantely for me fallen behind in debth of game. Thus more than one feature would need to be imported from FIFA to make it Perfect.
Thats my two cents for another October fever. Till next time. Support both games if you want to see them improve.
Talaash