Konami’s been trying to bring PES back to the stable position it was a few years ago, but it seems FIFA has just taken off and whatever they do, they still fall short. With this new iteration running on an upgraded engine, they clearly mean business.

It hasn’t been easy for Konami trying to compete with FIFA which has become a juggernaut at this stage almost rivaling Call of Duty in sales. There was a lot of potential to PES a few years ago, and it looks like they don’t want to concede defeat to FIFA so soon based on the radical changes this year’s version brings.

Thus we have Pro Evolution Soccer 2013; a game that has been vastly improved over the past iterations in the franchise, and is something one could entirely survive on for a year because it delivers everything a football fan would want–well almost. PES fans will tell you that it’s all about gameplay, and I agree with them. There’s a unique feeling to PES gameplay that one can’t find in other football games. It’s quite different when it comes to physics simulation, and is one of the reasons why the franchise hasn’t become irrelevant yet.

Konami has improved almost everything here, from the visuals to animations, and it really does enhance the entire experience. We reviewed the Xbox 360 version of the game earlier, and when it comes to in-depth analysis, that review pretty much explained everything. In this review I’m going to tell you why you can just survive on PES without buying FIFA.

People who want a lot of licenses will not find it here, but this year’s iteration does have two major acquisitions in the Champions League and UEFA Europa League. They have also extended the club licenses to over 150, which should satisfy a lot of players; if not, there’s always FIFA.

I have always been someone who has preferred PES gameplay over FIFA, and it’s not because I’m biased or something, it just suits me better. And let me tell you, there are plenty of people who feel the same way. PES also has a terrific career mode (Master League) and if you’re into that – like me – then the choice is pretty much clear. You do have to tolerate some annoying cutscenes though.

The visuals looks spectacular with game showing how good it can be on current gen consoles. Some of the players model are incredibly accurate and all that helps in immersing the player into the game. Of course, it’s a massive improvement over the last year’s version but there’s still a lot of inconsistency here. The major improvement here is how Konami has changed the controls, and have made it very responsive and accessible. FIFA players will take some getting used to, but the basic ball controls are similar. If you want to go in-depth with skill moves and all, there’s a slight learning curve.

I see this version of PES simply as something Konami can build on and create a truly world beating football game next time. PES 2013 offers almost everything to football fans, including an online with a fairly decent netcode. It’s not something worth praising but it’s functional, and if you’ve played the previous PES games online, it can be considered as a great improvement. Konami is heading in the right direction with this game and let’s hope they don’t stray away from it.

Check out our Xbox 360 review here to know more about the game in detail.

This game was reviewed on the PS3.