August 23, 2018, 7:45 am | Read time: 4 minutes

Opinions are also mixed in the TECHBOOK editorial team: While Andreas Filbig has been relying on Electronic Arts’ “FIFA” for six years, Steven Plöger has been playing Konami’s “Pro Evolution Soccer” (PES) since version 5 from 2005, back when John Terry and Thierry Henry were on the cover. Over the years, both versions have changed significantly, and now the annual updates are on the horizon: “PES 2019” is coming on August 20, and “FIFA 19” follows on September 25. Who will come out on top this year? Here are our first impressions from the Gamescom trade fair, where we played a few multiplayer matches of each game.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2019

By Steven Plöger

As with “FIFA,” the annual “PES” update is all about the details. In 2014, Konami completely changed the graphics engine to make stadiums and player faces look even more realistic. The entire game system was radically overhauled, and it took several versions for the gameplay to feel smooth again.

Even though some fans suffered from the overhaul and switched to “FIFA,” the 2019 version of “PES” shows that the switch to Konami’s Fox Engine was worth it: The ball physics are excellent, the animations are buttery smooth, and the stadiums with their lighting effects and shadows are a feast for the eyes. I can already hear my colleague Andreas Filbig complaining during the test play that the game is too slow. Nope–it’s just more realistic, and “FIFA” is too fast in my eyes, compared to a real soccer game. Realism looks different. I also only partially accept the criticism that many situations in “PES” are too dependent on chance: Yes, there are often bizarre situations in the penalty area–but those happen in real soccer too. There’s also an increase in realism with the now much more visible exhaustion of players towards the end of a match. Simple passes may not be as accurate, or shots on goal from good positions might still miss the target.

There is understandable criticism of the defense system: With the press of a button, you can quickly snatch the ball from the opponent, similar to earlier “FIFA” versions. Here, the EA competitor shows that it can be more challenging. And in terms of licenses, “PES” is slowly sinking into third-class status: The Bundesliga is still not available, and from the English Premier League, only a few teams like Liverpool or Arsenal are fully equipped. Additionally, the licenses for the Champions and Europa League are now missing, and instead of Ronaldo, Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho or alternatively soccer retiree David Beckham is on the cover.

FIFA 19

By Andreas Filbig

Despite sunny temperatures, “PES 2019” should brace itself! There’s already a finished version of “FIFA 19” at Gamescom, offering much of the familiar but also new tactical settings that leave the competition from Konami in awe. The matches played are regular games with all playable teams and current rosters. After my away game at “PES 2019,” it’s finally back to familiar game mechanics and ALL licenses.

As usual, the “FIFA” series doesn’t reinvent the wheel or the ball in the 19th version. That’s not a problem, as the “FIFA” gameplay has been superior to “PES” for years–more direct, faster, and smoother! Even if my colleague and “PES” fan Steven would rather douse himself in gasoline and run through a dynamite factory than admit it. For example, it’s now a bit easier to snatch the ball from the opponent with “Tactical Defending.” Simply mashing the X button like in “PES 2019” won’t cut it here. Another minor innovation is shown when switching between players: In “FIFA 19,” it already indicates which defending player you will switch to. This prevents misunderstandings when changing your players.

Despite all the excitement for the new installment, I again view the lack of innovations in a full-price title critically: “FIFA 19” feels like just an update and not a new game. However, this will likely not bother most fans of the series.