Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Reviewed By Ivanross Gomez

Rating: 85% (Ratings Key/Explanation)

Another year, another debate, as the biggest rivalry in sports gaming goes head to head.

Coming from a loyal fan of the FIFA franchise, it is both hard not to be biased or overcritical of the ever battling contender, ProEvolotion Soccer. This year however, I am greatly fascinated by the various improvements and unique features they have added to the game. This aroused my curiosity and drove me to question, “Could my lazy and blind loyalty to FIFA franchise truly deter me from realising that there is in fact a better soccer sim game out there?”

To put it to the test, I had a casual kick about with PES2013.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, commonly known as PES13 is a soccer simulation sports game published and developed by the Japanese gaming company, Konami Corporation.

As you begin the game and enter the starting screen, it is obvious the developers did not focus their efforts towards an attractive welcoming for the player. The title screen resembles an arcade like format with little animations, lack of gloss and dull simplicity which although may be a put off for the casual or new player, we veterans of the game all know that “personality triumphs over beauty”.

For those new to the PES franchise, it should be known that Konami has longed battled licensing issues of the teams, leagues and players. This has been said to be the major influence on consumers upon deciding to purchase FIFA or PES. The only leagues that are fully licensed in PES13 are the French Ligue 1, Dutch Eredisie, Spanish Liga BBVA and Japan’s League division.

On the bright side however, PES owns the licensing rights of the biggest league tournament, the UEFA Champions League! Even featuring the original anthem played at the start of every game which never fails to give me chills of excitement.

Now we look at the all important, and what PES is renowned for; Gameplay.

This year with the introduction of PES FullControl, players will feel more comfortable with the ball in smoother 360-degree directional changes and dribbling. This new concept of freedom of movement aids in superb ball control. The speed of which the player moves with the ball has also been slowed greatly compared to the previous release to be in line similar to real matches. FullControll also allows delicate controlled touches with the ball. If timed well, the player can knock the ball through the defenders legs and nutmeg them!

The next feature, also my favourite bit of this game- the Player ID.

The player ID is a massive game changer introduced in PES13. It is a new feature that individually scrutinizers and represents some of the top players in the world of football. This ensures that players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be instantly recognisable from their likeness, attributes and signature tricks, bringing them to life and reflecting authenticity and individuality of the stars that they are. Or in other words they will run, shoot and dribble JUST LIKE IN REAL LIFE! Very cool.

Finally, the last major improvement made by PES is in its ProActive AI. The artificial intelligence has grown better by the year and according to PES, this is due to the development team working closely with the fan base and feedback focusing to eradicate any illogical elements to the way players move and run.

For those that had issues with the clucky goalkeeper AI in PES12, this problem has been fixed with improvements in an enhanced goalkeeper AI. Keepers now respond with better and more realistic reactions as well as pushing the ball safely out of play rather than into obvious dangerous areas, e.g.; perfectly right onto the opponent’s feet.

PES13 also features the usual array of game modes in a single player or multiplayer experience. If you are ready for a long term relationship with PES13, the Football Life section is the place to go. This mode allows the selection between the popular "Master League" (online + offline) or "Become A Legend mode", where you lead a team or a rookie player from nothing to one of the greatest. 

The game also considers players new to the series with a helpful Performance training mode, when you can master controls and follow step by step precise instructions and guides for various game situations and off the ball controls.

Over the years, market competition sports games such as NBA live, NHL2k have been hit out of the park by their undisputed superior sales holders but not PES13. The developers at Konami know where their strengths are and continue to address and build on them - a rich and authentic gameplay.

So did I make the right choice this year?

Yes, and I encourage all FIFA fanatics to give it a try as I did. It will take time to get comfortable at the start. PES has always known to have a tough but rewarding learning curve. A guaranteed refreshing change, and an experience which would definitely be enjoyed by those who appreciate and love to play the "beautiful game".

Check out our review of FIFA 13.