For Better or For Worse?

OK I admit it I committed the cardinal sin in the world of football I switched allegiances, last year I turned my back on PES for the first time since the great war started.

Now I've always dabbled with both games throughout their history but I would often not buy FIFA, however you could guarantee I would buy every PES or International Superstar Soccer (as it was once affectionately known) released.

Last year however I didn't buy PES not even on budget! I got hold of the PES demo and quite frankly I was disappointed, now it's very shallow to judge a game on a demo alone but with PES 2009 it was difficult not to. Some might say it's even harsh to judge a game on it's presentation and for the most part I agree.

I just felt that after so many years of putting up with the cheesy front-end and woeful commentary, I thought I deserved more, yeah the game-play has always been the jewel in PES's crown. But I've been playing this game since I was a teenager, PES has little to prove here. That aside I did think the demo felt a little unresponsive, but I think you always feel a little like that when the annual update comes along.

The one thing that FIFA does well time and time again is the presentation. You have great music playing throughout the menu system and everything looks very slick and polished.

PES on the other hand looks like a mid nineties Sky Sports broadcast, whilst great back in the 95 /96 season, these days it's simply lost it's edge and isn't good enough.

The debate has been raging for over a decade now and I think we can all agree that as a games player you takes your choices. I mentioned I switched to FIFA I think it was more in protest than anything else, as I don't enjoy FIFA 09 as much as I enjoyed PES 6 or PES 2008 on the PS2 or 360 (yeah I even had both versions of PES 6!). Yeah I know, cutting your nose off to spite your face is not big or clever.

That said I firmly believe you have to give credit where credit is due. And EA to their credit have clearly pushed and pushed to bring FIFA in line with PES and in all fairness they are about there.

I bring this up because it's nearing that time of year where once again the great debate will crack open. In my opinion PES needs to do only a few minor things to get itself back in shape and I will be a loyal follower all over again. But it looks like FIFA has some great ideas up it's sleeve such as the 360 degree control of the players.

It will be interesting to see how they fare this autumn.