Hey all,
This is a fairly lengthy post but should satisfy a few people.
I have had FIFA since the day it came out, and have played it quite a lot. Haven't played PES yet because it isn't out in Australia yet. The more I play FIFA now, the more I hate it. It is the same boring thing and the exploits in the game are as obvious as a 5 star hotel in Baghdad.
Anyway, I am on the FIFA forums and have been having a debate about the things FIFA lacks in gameplay. The points myself and others have come up with have certainly shut up a few people.
I will give you a basic idea of where FIFA is still behind in terms of gameplay.
Off the ball movement
In FIFA, you can trigger player runs with the L1 button. But, it is a pretty bad feature. The only direction players run is forward, forward, and forward. Only 1 player will make a run, causing you to press the button numerous times, sending the same 2 players on a running fit. There is no way to really keep the ball and play passes, because the AI is too stupid, and thinks it HAS to stay in it's designated position for the whole game, even if you have the ball with a striker and can't run forward because of the defence, you try to pass it back but there is never a supporting midfielder.
If you have a shot on goal, it hits the post and goes behind your strikers, in real life, there would be a midfielder charging in for the rebound.
This brings me to think about PES. The one thing PES has always dominated FIFA with is the movement off the ball. There is always 3/4/5 players running into open space to provide an option, no matter what position they are playing. If you are a midfielder, you generally get strikers checking in, wing backs opening up and the other midfielder dropping into space. There is so much variety in the way you can build up with the ball. It is exactly like real life in that aspect, something FIFA really lacks.
If you have the ball in FIFA, the rest of your team falls asleep until they get the ball, which they then take a few seconds to realise the ball is at their feet, alas, it is too late and the striker has nipped in and taken the ball.
This brings me to my next point, responsiveness.
Responsiveness
I remember reading someones post a few months back on the FIFA forums. They said: "The one thing that ruins PES is they fact that you can shoot and pass whenever you want, instead of waiting until you are at the ball."
This made no sense to me, at all.
In real life, if you want to unleash a shot, you're brain tells your body to strike the ball. Same goes in video games, you tell a striker to shoot, they should shoot, no matter where the ball currently is, they should make the effort to get the shot away as soon as you press the button.
In FIFA, on numerous occasions, they real scripted gameplay shows its true colours.
You tell a player to shoot, but he won't, he will decide to touch the ball once more, so the ball is perfectly positioned, and then shoot. Sorry, this just isn't football.
In PES, if you want to shoot, the player will shoot, thats all there is too it.
How Predictable?
The next point is how predictable FIFA is. There is generally always one way to score, in every FIFA game. Unfortunately, this year is no different. All you have to do is knock a through ball ahead of a zippy attacker and behind the defence, you break away 1v1 and slot it past the keeper. Last year, it was the almighty cutback.
PES, gives you different ways to score. You might score a breakaway once, but you won't be able to do the same thing again. This forces the user into playing a unique style of football. Meaning you have to keep the ball and play triangle passes to make your way in and around defenders. This is something that isn't possible with FIFA, whenever I try to knock the ball around near the box like PES, my players are either ball watching, or the defenders get the ball. So Arsenal style goals aren't possible at all really, especially on the harder difficulties.
Summary
If you didn't read any of that, here is a little summary.
FIFA lacks depth in off the ball movement forcing you to play a one dimensional kick and chase style of football. The responsiveness of players is appauling and mostly frustrating at best. It is far too predictable to score in FIFA, there is the same way of scoring every goal, and the same sweet spots to shoot from.
At first, FIFA seems great with the flashy graphics and animations, but once you scratch this paint off, everything beneath the surface is horrifying.
They need to improve those things to be close to the uniqueness and longevity of PES.
Looking forward to the release of PES in Australia, hopefully it lasts me longer than 1 month.
Addi.
This is a fairly lengthy post but should satisfy a few people.
I have had FIFA since the day it came out, and have played it quite a lot. Haven't played PES yet because it isn't out in Australia yet. The more I play FIFA now, the more I hate it. It is the same boring thing and the exploits in the game are as obvious as a 5 star hotel in Baghdad.
Anyway, I am on the FIFA forums and have been having a debate about the things FIFA lacks in gameplay. The points myself and others have come up with have certainly shut up a few people.
I will give you a basic idea of where FIFA is still behind in terms of gameplay.
Off the ball movement
In FIFA, you can trigger player runs with the L1 button. But, it is a pretty bad feature. The only direction players run is forward, forward, and forward. Only 1 player will make a run, causing you to press the button numerous times, sending the same 2 players on a running fit. There is no way to really keep the ball and play passes, because the AI is too stupid, and thinks it HAS to stay in it's designated position for the whole game, even if you have the ball with a striker and can't run forward because of the defence, you try to pass it back but there is never a supporting midfielder.
If you have a shot on goal, it hits the post and goes behind your strikers, in real life, there would be a midfielder charging in for the rebound.
This brings me to think about PES. The one thing PES has always dominated FIFA with is the movement off the ball. There is always 3/4/5 players running into open space to provide an option, no matter what position they are playing. If you are a midfielder, you generally get strikers checking in, wing backs opening up and the other midfielder dropping into space. There is so much variety in the way you can build up with the ball. It is exactly like real life in that aspect, something FIFA really lacks.
If you have the ball in FIFA, the rest of your team falls asleep until they get the ball, which they then take a few seconds to realise the ball is at their feet, alas, it is too late and the striker has nipped in and taken the ball.
This brings me to my next point, responsiveness.
Responsiveness
I remember reading someones post a few months back on the FIFA forums. They said: "The one thing that ruins PES is they fact that you can shoot and pass whenever you want, instead of waiting until you are at the ball."
This made no sense to me, at all.
In real life, if you want to unleash a shot, you're brain tells your body to strike the ball. Same goes in video games, you tell a striker to shoot, they should shoot, no matter where the ball currently is, they should make the effort to get the shot away as soon as you press the button.
In FIFA, on numerous occasions, they real scripted gameplay shows its true colours.
You tell a player to shoot, but he won't, he will decide to touch the ball once more, so the ball is perfectly positioned, and then shoot. Sorry, this just isn't football.
In PES, if you want to shoot, the player will shoot, thats all there is too it.
How Predictable?
The next point is how predictable FIFA is. There is generally always one way to score, in every FIFA game. Unfortunately, this year is no different. All you have to do is knock a through ball ahead of a zippy attacker and behind the defence, you break away 1v1 and slot it past the keeper. Last year, it was the almighty cutback.
PES, gives you different ways to score. You might score a breakaway once, but you won't be able to do the same thing again. This forces the user into playing a unique style of football. Meaning you have to keep the ball and play triangle passes to make your way in and around defenders. This is something that isn't possible with FIFA, whenever I try to knock the ball around near the box like PES, my players are either ball watching, or the defenders get the ball. So Arsenal style goals aren't possible at all really, especially on the harder difficulties.
Summary
If you didn't read any of that, here is a little summary.
FIFA lacks depth in off the ball movement forcing you to play a one dimensional kick and chase style of football. The responsiveness of players is appauling and mostly frustrating at best. It is far too predictable to score in FIFA, there is the same way of scoring every goal, and the same sweet spots to shoot from.
At first, FIFA seems great with the flashy graphics and animations, but once you scratch this paint off, everything beneath the surface is horrifying.
They need to improve those things to be close to the uniqueness and longevity of PES.
Looking forward to the release of PES in Australia, hopefully it lasts me longer than 1 month.
Addi.
