What if PES 2010 is miles beyond, and Fifa 2010 is a mess? Let's not jump to conclusions just yet...
I'm talking about buying one or the other on release day. I (for the most part) ignore reviews and will buy a game based on the merit (decided by myself) of the previous title(s) in the series. On that merit EA have made more effort in developing, improving, and evolving their game over the past two versions, where as Konami have been lazy, and have somehow managed to see their game regress, not evolve, but regress in certain areas, which is absolutely not acceptable.
If PES 2010 happens to be amazing, and FIFA 2010 a load of nonsense, then great, fantastic. But it still doesn't change the fact that Konami have, in my view, done PES fans a huge disservice with their two most recent releases, to such an extent that they deserve to take a hit for it, regardless of how good the next game is, so that they understand that standards must be maintained, and that the game must evolve, not every three releases, but every single release.
Konami made more money than they deserved to on PES 2008 (PS3), and PES 2009, with a lot of gamers buying both, although subsequently less for 2009, only to see the title then gather dust as those same gamers either reverted back to PES 6, or forked out further cash for FIFA.
BTW - BAL takes time, and loads of patience, but it eventually pays off. Eventually, the level of difficulty which some people find to be "bad AI" is what puts PES above Fifa in my books. Sure there are problems, but the majority of it is intentional and creates for a unique take on the game. It can only get better, and I'm willing to wait at least five more years for it to get there before I start getting frustrated. Why? Because every year what they put out has been imperfect, but it's always enough to keep me playing all year, even the last three versions. Plus, I'll play J-League on PS2 when it arrives. I'm not unhappy, so there's no worries (and I do own Fifa, but never play it).
I played four, maybe five seasons into my main BAL. I had two previous BAL games before that, both of which made it into the second season. That is a lot of time, and a lot of patience.
The AI in BAL is flawed. There is no doubt about it, no way, no how, it simply is. What happens is some stick at it and learn how to manipulate that flawed AI, and become accustomed to playing around the bothersome errors. That doesn't make it a good feature. It makes those who stick it out to meet those ends patient and determined, but to the degree of missing the point of enjoyment in relation to a simulation game. If it lacks realism, has scripted moments, and hinders the players control to "make it more difficult", it is not a simulation at all, and that makes it flawed as a realistic football game.
In BAL it is not realistic for centre backs to lose all knowledge of how to play a simple short pass to each other, nor all knowledge that dribbling directly into an unrushing centre forward is bad, when the human controlled player, who is a centre forward, or a winger, is not right there to hold their hand and offer an out. When Rio Ferdinand, and Nemanja Vidic, forget how to play 5 yard passes to each other, nevermind defend, coincidentally at the same time Danny Wellbeck starts to play games, then it can be said BAL is realistic. When John Terry starts to attempt dribbling past opposition centre forwards at the same time Scott Sinclair is introduced to the team, then it can be said BAL is realistic. This would not happen because the introduction of a CF, or RMF, no matter how good, bad, or indifferent, would not 'cause other players, especially not defenders who are poles apart on the field, to turn into fumbling idiots!
It is not realistic for the team to lose all ability to score even one goal, when before the arrival of the human controlled player they were scoring bucket loads every game, from all over the park, and for this to continue even when the human controlled character is on the bench, or on the field and performing out of their skin. Konami perhaps made it as such on purpose, to make it feel like the human controlled player really is the be all, and end all of their team(s), being at the forefront of everything good, as well as everything bad, but it is not reaistic, not in the slightest. If real football was as it is in BAL then Liverpool would've won the league years ago because of Steven Gerrard, and Stoke would be getting a Champions League spot with the sole introduction of Lionel Messi.
Eventually the human controlled player (after enough time) will become so accustomed to what takes place with the AI they learn how to play around it, even if it is unrealistic for them to be required to perform certain jobs their position does not entail, and go on to be successful more often than not.
Also, the sales may be mostly a reflection of the online problem - that's my guess anyway. That, and the massive Fifa hype in the community.
You are most likely correct. The online problem is what I would say has caused the biggest loss in sales, but the other problems will have contributed after that fact. Many are more bothered by the awful, awful antics of the goal keepers in the game. Spilling easy drives directly into the path of the one oppostition player who has the chance of scoring. More bothered by the fact that even without pressure being applied when defending team-mates pull out of position to run at the opposition player in possession, leaving gaping holes in the midfield or defence which are then exploited. More bothered by the fact the computer decides to put in tackles without being asked to do so, resulting in penalties, free-kicks, yellow cards, and even red cards. More bothered by the fact that the opposition can make up impossible distances in record time to get in that last ditch tackle. This can often be seen by going into a replay and watching the computer controlled opponent skip annimations when sprinting, to glide across the pitch, thus making up those all important extra yards. More bothered by the fact that for no apparent reason your control over your players suddenly seems restricted, or delayed, when the opposition are pressing for that much needed goal.
All of the above can be played around, but it shouldn't have to be as none of it should be in the game. It makes it difficult, but for all the wrong reasons. This is the only game in the PES series that I've had these complaint about, because now I'm conceeding goals, and having attacks broken down, that are simply outside of my control. I can nulify the latter by playing a dull, backwards thinking style when I know the opposition are about to defy the odds and stop my attack, even though in real life it would not be possible unless my player in possession fell over the ball, but the former (conceeding goals) can not always be stopped due to CPU controlled players running too far out of position, putting in stupid challenges, and then when I am in control, being restricted, or delayed, in their movement. Having a secondary defensive minded formation on Strategy A does help, though, by simply flooding your defensive third.
Every title in the series has had its "flaws", so to speak. And in every title they appear to disolve from the game the more time is invested in playing, but this is simply the necessary choices becoming second nature to our playing style, we start to do them without thinking, and it will become the same in PES 2009, and seemingly already has for many. But this time it's too much. I'm living with the flaws, and playing around them, and still getting some enjoyment (albeit only in the Mastler League) from the game, but I will not stick this out in another title, no way. It should be realistic with the player having complete control over his own team, nothing less. Although given Konami's recent track record, I'd be chuffed if they simply give us realistic goal keepers, and improved AI for BAL, in PES 2010, at the very least, should FIFA 2010 fail to do the business.
here come the petty insults
