FIFA 20 Vs PES 2020: Do The Reviews Show Which Is Best?

The battle between FIFA and PES rages on, and this year the race to become the best footballing simulator of the year is closer than ever. FIFA 20 looks destined to sell the most copies as per usual, but is it really a better game than eFootball PES 2020? Press copies have already been sent out, so reviews are coming in thick and fast. Here's what professional reviewers have had to say so far about the two title challengers.

FIFA 20

Eurogamer dubbed the most famous football sim 'fun football foiled by a stubborn refusal to read the room'. Due to an improvement in gameplay, but an insistence of trying to drain every last penny out of their player's bank accounts.

Deputy Editor, Wesley Yin-Poole said: "I find myself quite cross with FIFA 20. This is a game with meaningful, welcome changes on the pitch. This is a fun football video game made by developers who clearly love football and are well aware of community feedback.

"But FIFA 20 is also a video game made by a publisher that's seemingly incapable of changing some of the problematic stuff that comes with each and every FIFA game - at a time when the conversation has most certainly changed."

He sums up the improvements in gameplay and negatives off the pitch by saying: "Overall, though, FIFA 20 plays a fun game of football. Fast players are fast, crafting goals is more realistic than it was in FIFA 19, and the shooting is more reliable.

"20 plays a better game than 19. Is it the best football video game ever? No. But it's a good laugh. I enjoy playing it.

"Unfortunately, off the pitch, FIFA 20 has made no concession to the current concern around loot boxes, and that worries me."

eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020

Again, we looked what Eurogamer had to say about Konami's 2020 offering. Their review was mixed too. Yin-Poole said: "PES 2020 is a patch or three away from being a very good game. As it stands, it's a weird mix of brilliant and broken."

He was, however, more impressed with the gameplay animations: "The animations... PES 2020's player animations are a joy to behold. Outside of the boot flicked through balls to overlapping full-backs, no-look crosses, deft chips, and, when players collide, realistic scraps for possession.

"The fluidity of motion in this game is something else. It's rare that you'll see a player do that jarring sports video game thing of sliding into place to force an animation to meet the ball, or jerk unnaturally as he realises his atoms should be in one position over another."

He sums up his experience by saying: "There's greatness here. Gorgeous goals are possible, and they get you off your seat. In one match I played a volleyed through ball from Ronaldinho and it shot through the air, between two players and onto the sprinting Antoine Griezmann, who slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal. I leapt out of my chair and cheered.

"This is PES at its best - the beautiful game as a video game. Oh, and headed goals are back, thankfully.

"And then your defender does his best Phil Jones impression and you concede a goal that makes you want to chuck your controller into your telly. PES 2020 is brilliant and broken, satisfying and stupid - all on the same pitch at the same time."

Gamesradar's verdict is: "For the most part, eFootball PES 2020 offers up a faithful replication of the beautiful game. It's easily the most realistic and immersive PES to date, at least offline, with new features such as the 'Stadium' camera and various gameplay enhancements proving key additions."

So which is Best? FIFA 20 or PES 2020?

Without a doubt, FIFA 20 will sell more copies than PES 2020, however this is the closest PES has come so far to convincing people to jump ship. If you love Ultimate Team and the arcade feel of FIFA then you don't have any reason to switch, as it'll be vastly superior online.

But if you want a chance of pace however and want to enjoy a more tactical experience, then PES is more than worth a look in.

Will these reviews be enough to make people swap teams in 2020? It's going to be close.

Featured Image Credit: Konami / EA Sports

Topics: Xbox, FIFA 20, GAMING, Football, Technology, PS4

Mark Cunliffe

Mark is a writer at LADbible with a creative writing background and a history working at some of Manchester's biggest agencies. He loves football and music that screams a lot.

@mark_cunliffe