There's no denying the immense worldwide appeal of soccer. The final of the 2018 World Cup, for instance, . Some of that popularity carries over to the video game world in the form of FIFA and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pro Evolution Soccer (aka PES).
These two franchises are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:among t෴he most impressive in s🌠ports gaming history. And they've been embroiled in a budding rivalry since PES's debut in 2001. FIFA has generally reigned supreme from a commercial standpoint, but critically it's been a lot more even. In fact, people have long debated which series releases better games. Here's what Metacritic considers the best efforts of both series.
Updated August 3rd, 2021 By Ben Jessey: The perpetual footballing battle between FIFA and PES is about to change forever as the latter is set to become free-to-play and change its name to eFootball. Konami's title will also be scrapping the annual releases. So, the yearly tradition of comparing the latest entries in the FIFA and PES franchises will be no more. While it's likely fans of both series will still pit the two against one another, it won't feel the same unless EA changes to a similar freemium model. Therefore, now is a good time to look back at the rivalry between the two sporting heavyweights to see which has been the victor thus far. We've even added a few extra entries to our list.
15 FI⛦FA Soccer 2004 – 84
FIFA 2004's predecessor made significant changes to the series, particularly in terms of gameplay. So, it's no surprise that for the 2004 game, EA made minimal alterations. But that doesn't mean the title is completely the same as FIFA 2003, as there are notable differences. For instance, FIFA 2004 gives you a greater control of players who don't have the ball at their feet, which gives your team more cohesion when in possession.
The instalment also added lower leagues, meaning you're no longer required to play as the biggest teams in the world. Altogether, it makes for a solid, albeit unspectacular, entry in the series.
14 Pro Ev🍃olution Soccer 2009 – 84
An area PES tends to excel in is its AI, and much of that started in Pro Evolution Soccer 2009. In the game, your opponents recognize your patterns and make adjustments, meaning you have to vary up your attacking play. PES 09 also makes several other improvements to the core football꧙, from tactical changes to alterations to ball 🌳physics.
It's the first entry to include the Become a Legend mode, allowing you to create a player and embark on a career in the popular sport. Overall, it's not the best PES game ever, but it's not bad either.
13 🐷 FIFA 17 – 85 🐎
FIFA 17 was all about The Journey, which was the first time the series included a story mode. While it's not the deepest video game tale ever told, Alex Hunter's story of becoming a Premier League footballer is a compelling one.
The single-player campaign is what this entry is most known for, but it has 🅘other things going for it. For example, it was the first FIFA game to use the Frostbite 3 engine, which improved the overall presentation of the series.
12 ꦓ FIFA 2001 Major League Soccer – 8🌞5
Despite releasing many years ago, FIFA 2001 contains things 🦂that fans of the recent FIFA titles would recognize, such as certain camera angles and pre-match cutscenes. But the core gameplay is unsurprisingly very di🌠fferent from the modern instalments.
Instead of being a somewhat realistic simulation of the beautiful game, the title has a more arcade feel. Matches play out at a quick pace, and every player's touch is perfect. It's unclear if the lack of realism was intentional or due to the technology of the time. Regardless, the game is fun to play.
11 FIFA𒈔 07 Soccer – 85 ෴
While the series truly hit its stride a few years after FIFA 07, this title deser𒉰ves some credit for putting things into place. For one, it brought the franchise to the next-gen (of the time) as it was the first entry in the main series to be released on the Xbox 360.
As a result, the animations and visuals took a giant leap forward in this one. In-game physics 🦂became more realistic, too, particularly when it came to collisions and ball movement. The arena was also introduced in this title, which would later transform into the skill games mode.
10 Pro Evolution Soccer 🌞2017 - 87
The FIFA series entered a slump in the late 2010s; whereas, PES started to get back to its best. In fact, some entries in the Konami franchise were among 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the best sports games of that period.
The 2017 edition - by name, not release date - is a prime example of PES's quality. The soundtrack is strong, the presentation is beautiful, and the game's advanced AI makes each match exciting. It didn't particularly reinvent the series as fans know it, but it is still among the best PES games nevertheless.
9 Pro Evolution So🧸ccer 2016 - 87
PES 2016 felt like the moment where Konami really perfected their signature style of football. Matches are played at a decent pace while still being realistic, and actions like passing, shooting, and dribbling, all feel satisfying. Plus, the referees' incredible leniency in regards to fouls helps everything flow nicely.
Some of the game's modes could've done with as much of a revamp as the gameplay. But still, the title provides a very enjoyable soccer experience.
8 FIFA Soccer 09 -ဣ 87
Ultimate Team is FIFA's most significant game mode, and it all started in FIFA 09, albeit in the form of DLC. The mode has since gained infamy, particularly due to its heavy use of microtransactions. At the time, though, it was a very original and interesting concept.
Elsewhere, the gameplay sees improvements from its predecessor, primarily due to its new collision system allowing for more realistic-looking jostles and tackles. Overall, it's a strong instalment.
7 FIFA 14 - ๊88 ෴
The final quarter of 2013 saw the release of both the Xbox One and the PS4 andܫ FIFA 14 was a launch title for both consoles. So naturally, the presentation improved as EA made use of the powerful new hardware. Players looked more life-like, stadiums were more impressive, and the crowd included more detail.
From a visual standpoint, it rivals the 168澳洲幸运♍5开奖网:best sport simulation games of the 2010s. Other areas of the game didn't change as much. In this case, though, it wasn't entirely a bad thing as in the early 2010s FIFA was at it's best. Therefore the lack of originality didn't get in the way of the fun of the game.
6 🐷 FIFA Soccer 2003 - 88
People often accuse the FIFA series of not changing enough between years, but the same can't be said of FIFA 2003. This game completely revamped both the gameplay and presentation of the series, making the whole thing look and play more like the real thing.
Compared to today's titles, the instalment might look a little cartoony, but at the time, its player likenesses and animations were impressive. Plus, the game boasts one of the best soundtracks in the series history.