In 2019, football fans and gaming fans worldwide witnessed the best installment to the PES franchise. Konami delivered a game that won the e3 2019 award for best sports game of the year through its unyielding adaptability and constant evolution. Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 was indeed a mind-blowing gaming experience. 

So, imagine the joy in our hearts when Konami announced that the PES 2021 would be season update.  But I bring with me good news and bad news. The good news is that the PES 2021 is exactly like the PES 2020, and the bad news is that the PES 2021 is exactly like the PES 2020. 

According to Konami, the reason for this was because the majority of its development efforts have been channeled towards the much-anticipated PES 2022. While we cannot but applaud the sincerity of Konami in this situation, I believe this to be a great gamble on the part of Konami.  Konami may just have handed FIFA 21 an easy win this year. For players who have played the PES 2020, the price incentive on the 2021 PES may not be enough to sway players away from FIFA 2021. 

PES 21 is indeed a difficult game to review, as there is very little else to say that hasn’t been saying. Many critics have described it as “the same, but different”; with that in mind, we would be looking at what it does differently and where it falls short.

Improved Gameplay 

In terms of gameplay, PES 21 takes very much after its predecessor. Admittedly PES 21 feels like a reskinned version of PES 20, yet this is not a downside, especially since it copies directly from the sports game of 2019. PES 21 corrects a few of the quirks, which made the 2020 edition a little frustrating. The AI has been improved and is more intelligent and realistic. Realistic in that the AI defense is more susceptible to falling for feints and tricks. It also means that skillful players are more expressive now than ever before. 

It is easier to use Messi or Neymar to maneuver tight corners and cause problems in the wings. Advanced Dribbling and shooting are very close to perfect; it requires a bit of a learning curve, but once it’s been mastered, you’d be grateful with a better-improved collision model, which means that tackles are more realistic. The authenticity is further heightened with how players behave on the pitch. For instance, David de Gea is more likely to make saves using his feet. Also, your strikers have an increased sense of urgency when you’re racing against time.

PES is all about following soccer’s evolution, and that is one major feature that sets it apart from its competition. PES 21 incorporates the passing build-up play style that is rive in real football today. While pace and strength are very important in PES 21, the gameplay’s focus revolves around building your attack from the back forward. It’s less pace and strength and more of passing, dribbling, and sometimes long through balls, if you have forwards like Ibrahimović. Granted, the pace is slower, yet it is more responsive, so it feels less of a game and more like watching a real football game.  

Sadly, ball watching is still very prevalent from the AI, both from your unhighlighted players and the computer. It is not uncommon to find players standing around, literally staring at the ball until the highlighted player gets hold of the ball. It can be such a buzz-kill and sometimes can cost you some clear chances at goal. 

Game Modes

Apart from these on-field improvements, there is little other difference between the PES 2021 and PES 2020. Not only do they both look alike, once you’re seated behind your screen console in hand, it feels pretty much the same.  The modes are also pretty much the same with little improvements – the Master league, myClub, Become a legend, and the eFootball mode. The Master League, a rival to FIFA’s famous Manager Mode, comes with an updated list of managers while still maintaining the same cutscenes. 

The Become a Legend, which rivals FIFA’s Career Mode, does a great job at taking the player through the rigors of establishing a footballing career. myClub, a friendlier version of FIFA’s Ultimate Team, gives you an excuse to build a team of legends. However, the most iconic mode was the center of last year’s release – the eFootball mode.  PES has taken on to online gaming now more than ever before, and that is what the eFootball mode does- it allows you to take on other teams online. While online divisions and co-op remain the same, additional filters have been included when matchmaking. 

The menu backgrounds are sufficiently aesthetic for a sports game, and the typesets used to look like something off the early years of PES. Konami needs to pay attention to this, especially since its biggest rival is churning out elegant menu displays. PES cannot continue to hang on to the excuse of concentrating solely on bringing its fans good football. Sadly, sometimes the press conferences in the Master League mode contain some slurpy finishes. 

Still, on the topic of slurpy finishes, I can but wonder why PES 21’s commentary and crowd-noise are so horrible. The commentary is so outdated and rye; it is full of repetitive lines and needless talk that does little justice to what’s happening on the field. There are moments of dead silence altogether. The crowd noise is even more rye and ancient most times; I prefer to turn the sound off entirely. PES 21’s shortcoming in this area is disappointing, especially when other sport games like the 2K offer dynamic commentary. 

Finally, the PES franchise has always suffered from licensing issues. The game looks cool with licensed teams; partner clubs reaped the face scans’ benefits and authentic builds. This year Konami was able to secure exclusivity with Roma and Juventus and additional licenses for more stadiums. Sadly, FIFA already signed A.C Milan and Inter Milan. 

The Big Question

As far as football video games go, it doesn’t get bigger than FIFA and PES. Once again, the question is asked: PES or FIFA? Sadly, as far as 2021 editions are concerned, more points would go to FIFA. I would not advise you to get PES 21 if you already have PES 20, but if you’ve never played either, I suggest taking advantage of the competitive price PES 21 is being offered for.