Features

Usability

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 offers manual passing, and manual shooting is introduced to the game for the first time, allowing you to modify the height and power of each. FullControl also improves dribbling, slowing down player speeds and allowing players to add various styles to their close control using the R2 button.

The manual control tweaks delivered by the FullControl system in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 definitely makes for an improved gameplay experience, which will delight experienced PES fans. However, novices will still be able to pick up and play the game without a problem.

The tactics screen from the previous version hasn't been added too - and it still feels a little puny. Having said that, the in-game strategy changes have been made a lot cooler by the fact that the coach appears in a little box in the corner of the screen to shout instructions when you summon him.

There are still some plays in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 that make it very easy to score. For example, you can still get behind a defense effortlessly with a long through-ball/chip combo.

Quality

In terms of player likenesses, PES 2013 is the closest to reality we've seen from a soccer game - better even than FIFA 12. The graphics as a whole in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 are fantastic, from the slick team entrances to the detail of the kits and footwear.

Unfortunately, player animation in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is patchy in places. The way players turn feels clunky and unrealistic and goalkeeper throw-outs are laughably exaggerated and jerky. In fact, the supposed improvements to the goalkeepers from the previous version seem to have not worked at all - actually goalies seem more calamitous than ever!

The Player Impact engine in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is quite impressive; you notice how players hang into each other and how that influences your (freedom of) movement. However, it still lags behind FIFA's engine in terms of the extent of the collision animations.

Conclusion

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is a good quality soccer sim which looks great and now gives you more control than ever over the gameplay.

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First touch control

The new first touch control system will revolutionize the way you receive the ball. Control will become a matter of skill rather than something automatic. In FIFA 13, trapping and controlling the ball are influenced by variables such as positioning, responsiveness and the attributes of the player receiving the pass. Improper control of the ball could let your opponent in or cause the ball to run out of play.

This change is similar to when tactical defending was introduced into FIFA 12. Even experienced FIFA gamers were annoyed at first by the switch but mastering it felt oh-so satisfying. It’s likely to be the same with first touch control in FIFA 13, and hopefully, like tactical defending, there will be an option to turn it off, if you need time to get used to it.

Attacking AI

The lack of options and opportunities when attacking was one of my main problems with FIFA 12. The AI (artificial intelligence) of the attackers has been improved in FIFA 13, and players will now move around intelligently depending on their location, what’s happening in the build-up and where the spaces are.

In addition, some attackers will be better than others at avoiding being caught offside, while others can perform smart tactical movements to punch holes through for the wingers or fullbacks to run onto.

Impact engine

The impact engine is the technology that’s designed to make collisions between players more realistic. This engine has been enhanced in FIFA 13 to remove bugs. It includes a new series of animations to enhance the realism even further.

There will be better jostling between players, who can now use their shoulders and arms to help shield the ball or to tackle an opponent. Physical challenges affect speed too in FIFA 13, with attackers being slowed or thrown off balance slightly if they get knocked while in possession.

Dribbling

In FIFA 13, the ability to go past an opponent with a simple change of direction disappears. New moves and refined touches are introduced that allow you to select to use the inside or outside of the foot. This will be a real delight for technically-savvy FIFA players, and will bring more skill into beating your man.

Tactical free kicks

With free kicks in FIFA 13 you can have to three players around the ball. You can now create new patterns and unpredictable kicks, fake shots, and drag players out of the wall.

From a defensive perspective you can add players to the wall, or instruct one of them to come off to intercept a rebound. You can also sneakily move the wall forward a by a few inches. However, if the referee notices this, you risk getting a yellow card.

Graphics, career mode and multiplayer

FIFA 13 brings some tweaks to 3D modeling of players’ faces through the use of Dimensional Imaging. The resemblance to the computer characters’ real-life counterparts is therefore even more accurate than ever.

FIFA 13 boasts an extensive career mode, in which you assume the role of coach, player and manager of your team. In terms of online multiplayer, EA has promised – without yet revealing details – an important update to the Head to Head season.

Overall, FIFA 13 promises to be one of the most comprehensive, realistic soccer games we've seen.

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It's not as fully fledged as the latest full incarnation, FIFA 12, and graphically FIFA Online 2 is more similar to FIFA 07. Not that we're complaining though, because being able to play FIFA for free online is great.

Even if the graphics are slightly outdated, the officially licensed player and team database in FIFA Online 2 is pretty up-to-date (currently with 2010/11 season data). FIFA Online 2 gives you the ability to play in almost all of the top leagues around the world, as well as playing in practice matches and in online play.

Just look the full FIFA game, FIFA Online 2 is packed with options for the serious soccer fan. You can tinker with formations and strategies, plunge into the transfer market, and view stats on thousands of players, so there's plenty of depth here.

FIFA Online 2 allows you to buy add-ons in-game that expand the game or help you in some way. For example, you can purchase an energy drink to help players recover from injury quicker, or a tool that reconfigures player attributes.

If you're looking for a free alternative to FIFA 12, then you'll find an enjoyable, in-depth alternative in the shape of FIFA Online 2.

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Like all the FIFA games, FIFA 07 is about as realistic as it gets for soccer sims since it has the licensing to use the names of real players unlike its closest rival Pro Evolution Soccer. FIFA 07 was something of a watershed for the franchise however because it involved a complete overhaul of the game engine meaning you need to employ real world tactics and think like a real player and manager in order to win matches.

The sound effects were significantly improved with realistic chanting and fan songs plus for the first time, FIFA 07 featured a new online mode that enables you to play against real-life supporters of other teams in the EA Sports Interactive Leagues. The realism even extends to a real-world schedule i.e. when they play, you play. The graphics meanwhile were good for the time but they now look rather dated.

The gameplay in FIFA 07 was improved with more intelligent AI that make your players play and act more realistically on the pitch, the way they find space and the way they pass and shoot the ball. If playing isn't enough, then you can take on the challenge of Manager Mode where you can buy and sell players, set wage thresholds and make important tactical decisions. However, this is relatively limited especially when you compare it with FIFA Manager 2012.

With over 10,000 players in 27 leagues around the World, FIFA 07 set the standards that we see today in FIFA 12.

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In FIFA Manager 12 you are responsible for all aspects of the evolution of your team. As coach, you need to take care of the players, organize training, and prepare strategies to help win all the competitions you're entering.

In addition to the tactical functions of a football coach in FIFA Manager 12 you must attend to other important matters, such as finance, new contracts, transfers, budget, management of image rights of the club, official communications with the press, etc. You don't have to run everything yourself though, and there are assistants available to automate some of these tasks.

There aren't many significant improvements to report in FIFA Manager 12 from the previous version, other than updated teams and player data, and graphical improvements to the 3D match view.

On the subject of the 3D match view, the graphics engine in FIFA Manager 12 is a long way short of FIFA 12. Animation can be choppy and up close the players are quite hideous, even bearing a resemblance to zombies with their strange red and green eyes! Bizarrely, there's no in-game sounds in FIFA Manager 12, which leaves matches feeling a bit flat.

Still, watching matches in FIFA Manager 12 is arguably more entertaining than in Football Manager 2012, and we were very impressed with the in-game interface, which allows you to change tactics and strategy, and shout instructions to the team and individual players without leaving the match.

The also program contains hundreds of clubs, with more than 41,000 players and the top leagues in the world to choose from.

The complexity of FIFA Manager 12 is a bit daunting at first but luckily it doesn't take long to find your way around the game.

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What's changed in PES 2012?

Changes in PES 2012 are largely centered around gameplay and team play, allowing players to make the most of tactical opportunities. Among the changes in PES 2012 are:

- New AI engine for a more realistic team play experience
- Attackers and defenders move as a more cohesive unit, allowing players to force mistakes
- New cursor-switching system allows players to pick a team mate anywhere on the pitch
- Improved jostling system and more realistic player collisions
- Other changes including improved animation, more player styles, enhanced lighting effects, improved dead ball system, and more

How does the new AI system work?

Always known for putting gameplay first, many of the changes in PES 2012 are to the game's artificial intelligence. Teammates and opponents are designed to act in a more authentic way and be tougher to beat. Five key areas have been focused on - overlapping runs, diagonal runs, dummy runs, zonal defense, and zonal marking.

A new off-the-ball running system in PES 2012 opens up new opportunities and gives you greater control of your team. Using the right analog stick you can select an off-the-ball player and make him run while still retaining control of the player with the ball. The controls for this are fiddly and hard to get used to but well worth persevering with because it allows you to find openings or drag defenders out of position to create space.

The defensive improvements in PES 2012 are impressive too, with teams now holding formation much better when under attack. Defending feels more intelligent. It's no longer enough just to hold a button down to apply pressure to an attacker and rob the ball. With PES 2012 you need to make sure you position the defender in the right place first then time your lunge with precision.

The combination of improved AI of the attacking unit and the susceptibility of defenders in one-on-ones seems to make it easier to create chances in PES 2012 than previous versions, meaning less low-scoring games than before.

What else is new in Pro Evo 2012?

As is the norm with ever Pro Evolution Soccer update, graphics in PES 2012 have been enhanced and the player likenesses are very authentic in some cases. Animations are slicker and the game has a very rounded feel which seems smoother than FIFA.

This second demo of PES 2012 isn't representative of the final version of Konami's soccer sim, but it does give you a good feel for the new gameplay aspects. You can play a ten minute match, choosing Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, Rangers, Club América or Internacional. You should check out the challenge-based Training section of the demo to get hands-on coaching on the new controls within PES 2012.

The setup screens and tactics configuration menus in PES 2012 seem more streamlined than the previous version, which would be a good thing because setting up your team in Pro Evo can be a notoriously laborious process. We'll have to wait and see in the final version if these straightforward tactics menus are retained.

Conclusion

Some people will say that Pro Evolution has lost ground to FIFA over the last three or four versions. PES 2012 certainly closes the gap on FIFA, though, adding some intelligence to Pro Evo's trademark arcade gameplay.

With a raft of gameplay and AI improvements, PES 2012 is shaping up to be an excellent entry in the long running series.

If you want a trip back down memory lane and to see how Pro Evolution Soccer has evolved over the years, you can download demos of most of the old versions of PES on Softonic. Check them out here:

- Pro Evolution Soccer 4
- Pro Evolution Soccer 5
- Pro Evolution Soccer 6
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
- Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 (purchase only)

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In recent years, the FIFA series has developed into a worthy rival to Pro Evolution Soccer, and in fact many will argue that FIFA 12 is a more complete soccer experience than PES 2012.

What's new in FIFA 12?

Building on the success of recent years, FIFA 12 introduces three main developments: precision dribbling, tactical defending and the player impact engine. These all - and especially the latter of the three - have a major impact on the gaming experience.

What does this mean?

The impact engine has arguably the greatest impact on gameplay, and it really changes the dynamics of tackling and contact in the game. FIFA 12's impact engine makes tackles look and feel much more realistic, and will no doubt result in more player injuries! When two players jump for a ball in the air in FIFA 12, they will no longer always land together perfectly, but may fall depending on the contact made with the other player.

Defending in general has been refined, and it's not longer possible to just hold down the 'pressure' button and expect the nearest defender to squeeze up and snatch the ball from the attacker. In fact, do that in FIFA 12 and you can seriously mistime the challenge and allow the player through. Timing is everything in this new tactical defending system, and while it's frustrating it's ultimately more rewarding when you start getting it right.

When dribbling in FIFA 12, you do feel in much more control than previous versions. Getting past defenders is more enjoyable as a result, and neat tricks seem easier to pull off.

How realistic is FIFA 12?

Very. As always, FIFA 12 is fully licensed so you'll be able to play with your favorite players and clubs, and the game will follow the summer and winter transfer windows, so teams will mirror their real life counterparts.

Graphics have had an incremental improvement, and animation is also better than last year's game. The full version of FIFA 12 will also have a big online component, with a much greater social element. Support Your Club League Tables will exist, allowing your performances with your favorite teams to contribute to their community standings overall. EA is also promising to keep FIFA 12 fresh with real-world soccer news.

What's in the demo?

The FIFA 12 demo gives you access to Manchester City, AC Milan, Olympic Marseille, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and Arsenal. The options are fairly limited, and settings such as choice of ball, weather and length of the halves are not incorporated in this demo. All other aspects of the game are also missing, so you play just one practice game, but it still gives you a good impression of FIFA 12.

FIFA 12 is an incredible soccer gaming experience which is as close you can get to playing a real game of soccer on your PC.

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*Automatic place calculation even in the least probable situations (compliant with FIFA 2006 regulations). *5 languages (Spanish, English, French, German, Dutch).

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The game sees you assume the role of a single player, who must help your team of five human or computer-controlled players (or a mixture) defeat the opposition. The game controls are something of a breath of fresh air compared to the fiddly keyboard command systems employed by some of the bigger games like FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer. Instead, United Football adopts a method similar to first person shooters, whereby you use the mouse to direct the player, pass and shoot and just rely on four keyboard buttons for moving forwards and backwards and strafing left and right.

Once you've mastered this fluid control mechanism using the helpful in-game tutorial it's time to battle it out against your pals, or friends from across the World. United Football is solely an online game, but it's fast enough to be as enjoyable as any offline soccer sim. You can choose to join a game, create your own, or text chat with the rest of the community to arrange your own matches. Unfortunately, the United Football community is still a little small so you'll struggle to find a game where both teams will feature just human players.

Graphically, United Football adopts a cartoony approach rather than going for realism. This works well though, the animation is smooth and the customizable characters look great.

If you're fed up with the clumsy controls and graphic-intensive demands of the big name PC soccer sims, then Ultimate Football makes for an immensely playable alternative.

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Having been blown away by the previous version of FIFA, we found it hard to imagine how EA could possibly improve its slick soccer sim. However, after a few matches of this demo version it’s clear that the changes aren’t merely cosmetic.

Refined gameplay

The enhancements to the gameplay in FIFA 11 make it feel a lot more like real football. The new Personality+ system means that players move and act as they do in real life. This means, for example, that Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney will charge around after the ball when he’s not in possession; while his strike partner Dimitar Berbatov is more content to stand around waiting for something to happen!

Other tweaks to the AI help to make FIFA 11 the most enjoyable version to-date. For instance, on crosses, it’s now normal to see more than one player coming up for the ball. You’ll also notice that the players are a bit faster than they were in FIFA 10.

Another important change in FIFA 11 is the ability to control the goalkeeper, which feels very natural and adds an extra element to the gameplay.

Handballs are introduced for the first time in FIFA 11. When a defender is positioned in the line of a shot he may stick out his hand to block it. The frequency of handballs is a little higher than it would be in real life, but you can disable them, or define that they don’t occur in penalty situations.

FIFA 11 also features a more refined passing system, giving you more control over ball distribution. The Pro Passing feature lets you measure passes more precisely by weighting them. The repertoire of passes has been beefed up too, and you can now perform swerve passes, flicks, driven lobs and apply backspin to balls.

One of the changes we didn’t like is the new penalty kick system, which is based around a power-bar. Stopping the pointer in the right place is very difficult because it takes a while to respond to your button press. This makes scoring penalties in FIFA 11 a difficult thing to do.

Graphical tweaks

At first glance, FIFA 11’s graphics don’t look that different to the ones in the last version. Once you start seeing replays or close-ups, however, you realize that player likenesses are now more realistic. EA modeled player faces using photographs, and facial expressions are now more varied and change according to the player.

Another neat addition to FIFA 11 is the ability to upload your own audio for use within the game. You can record your own chants, add audio files of actual team chants, and define the music that a team runs out to.

Game modes
FIFA 11 is still stacked with lots of game modes, including officially licensed leagues, exhibitions, training and Be a Pro. The one significant change this time out is the rehashing of the Manager mode, which is now known as Career mode, and integrates with Be a Pro. This is now more involved in that you start out as a player before becoming a player coach and eventually a fully-fledged manager.

These interesting new features, combined with super intelligent gameplay, make FIFA 11 the quintessential soccer sim.

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The game features a series of significant, much-needed improvements to PES 2010. Gameplay has been tweaked to improve control, more game modes have been added, and the graphics and overall presentation of Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 are breathtaking.

Enhanced gameplay

The biggest changes in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 are to be found in its gameplay. The last couple of PES releases were panned for not innovating on the game mechanics, and for making silly little changes that only served to hamper playability. This time, developer Konami has essentially ripped out the game engine and fashioned a new way to play Pro Evolution.

Passing is one of the most immediately obvious improvements in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011. In previous versions, passing the ball to a team-mate was quite a rigid experience, with the ball being drawn automatically to the receiver’s feet. Now when you make a short or a long pass, you need to be much more aware of where you want the ball to go, directing the ball precisely with the d-pad as you hit it. Use of the new power meter that appears under the player is crucial for weighting passes. With the right combination of direction and power Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 lets you play satisfying balls into space for a player to run on to.

Defensive controls have also been tweaked in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 so they rely less on AI. Previously, defenders would automatically hone in on attackers (even when not highlighted), whereas now it’s up to you to bring them out, apply pressure or let them hang back to hold up play.

Attacking is made more exciting in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 with the inclusion of assignable feints. There are lots of new flicks, tricks and moves to try out, and you can pre-select which ones you want to use, assigning them to a particular analog stick gesture.

More power to you

Make no mistake, Pro Evoltuion Soccer 2011’s new gameplay system is tricky to master and requires lots of sharpness and concentration. But this is very refreshing given the last few iterations have felt sluggish and automated. One of our favorite improvements was the way the system no longer remembers button presses for so long when the ball is about to be received by a player you’re controlling. This makes it easier to pull out of a tackle or change the direction of a pass before you make it.

The tactics system in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 has been revamped as well. The confusing card-based player profile system from PES 2010 has gone. It has been replaced by a more intelligent, less confusing interface, where formations and player roles can be set by dragging and dropping their icons around the pitch board.

Graphical improvements

Out on the pitch, Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is, for us, the most realistic looking football game to date. Player movements are slick and feel natural, and the flight of the ball is much more authentic than the dead-weighted pig bladder of previous versions. Up close, player likenesses are accurate, although Konami still seems to have a problem with mouths, and everyone looks like they’ve got a mouthful of stones.

There are several new games modes in Pro Evolution Soccer 2011, including new competitions such as the Copa Libertadores and UEFA Super Cup. Interestingly, there’s now also the option to play Master League online.

Presumably an effort to keep up with FIFA 10’s expandable content, Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 includes a range of fun extras to play with. There’s a stadium editor and league editor, as well as more comical stuff like the ability to turn the ball into a piece of candy, or deck your players out in cowboy hats and other accessories.

Licensing is one area where Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is still lagging behind FIFA. Sure, it now has the UEFA and CONMEBIOL tie-ins, but the major leagues of Europe are still not fully licensed, meaning more fake names and made-up leagues for PES fans. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is a game that deserves to have the full rights afforded to FIFA.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is a true return to form for Konami, offering an authentic football experience that FIFA 11 will find it hard to match.

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EA Sports World Cup is a Windows 7 theme with which you can easily customize the appearance of your operating system, while showing off your support for your favorite football team in the South Africa World Cup.

Being sponsored by the popular game developers, the EA Sports World Cup theme features images from their latest title 2010 FIFA World Cup – instead of real pictures, which some users might have preferred.

EA Sports World Cup includes 10 images with different football-related scenes, including the trophy that all the teams are dreaming about.

Decorate your Windows 7 computer with the EA Sports World Cup theme and enjoy the competition!

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Heavily influenced by the classic Sensible Soccer of the 90s, Sensational World Soccer requires only directional controls and one action button. This serves for passing, shooting and tackling, depending where your player is on the pitch.

The player you control is chosen by the computer - when you're not on the ball, you get the nearest player to it. Sensational World Soccer can take a bit of getting used to, as if you keep your fingers on the controls and the player changes, you can find your new player running in the wrong direction! Passing and shooting power depends on how long you hold the action button.

Sensational World Soccer's simplicity couldn't be further away from modern games like FIFA, but it's still a fun game. As well as choosing your tea, you can alter formation to suit your playing style. Match length can be three, five or seven minutes, and the game speed has three levels. Two players can play comfortably on the same keyboard.

Sensational World Soccer is a fun two player game, and a pretty tough single player retro challenge.

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