14 DAY TRIAL // 
The latest entry in the PES (Pro Evolution) franchise, the uninspiredly- named eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020, is one of the best releases so far, offering a lesson in how sports sims should feel and play.
Why Konami and the developers from PES Productions chose to name the latest entry in the series eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 will forever remain a mystery. After so many years of building up a name, choosing to put an eFootball in front of the actual title seems to be a SEO measure, more than anything else.
It’s impossible to talk about PES without putting it in the same context as FIFA, and there are numerous reasons for that. Many of the improvements in the two titles are driven by the competition between them, which is always a good thing for the players.
Of course, the same competition between the companies making the games, reflect in the communities as well. An age-old argument of what game’s the best one has sparked serious conversations. There were times when one or the other was in front, with no side willing to admit it.
In the past few years, both titles have improved tremendously, although it looks like PES is taking a slight advantage. FIFA has been focusing heavily on micro-transactions, a practice despised by the gaming community. PES, on the other hand, looks to be more focused on the gameplay, and that practice seems to be rewarding.
Gameplay
PES 2020 or eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020, whichever you want to call it, might seem to be similar to FIFA, at a glance, but the gameplay is drastically different. For one, the speed is much slower, with less arcadish approach. The passes have to be more precise, the build-up takes longer, and the goals are rewarding.
You won’t be able to go across the field with ease, even if you have a really good player, as the AI governing the other participants in the team are covering all the angles. The main philosophy of PES 2020 is that goals have to be earned. Scoring an easy one might be fun, but it’s not going to provide the right feeling.
This means that games tend to be more similar to what is happening in real life, which is commendable, of course. But it’s important to mention the realism doesn’t come with all the baggage you would expect.
For example, racing sims that are very close to a real driving experience are extremely difficult to play. And, to be fair, they don’t sell all that well either, no matter how great they are. The same can be said about other sims. Basically, developers need to hit that sweet spot between realism and fun, and eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 (damn it, Konami) sits right in the middle.
As usual, the ball physics is at the center of the game. If you think about it, you’re not really controlling the players in PES; the main character of the game is the ball (cue Keanu Reeves woah moment.)
This year’s edition also features improved animations, which is always the case with each new PES iteration. Somehow, PES games manage to improve technology regularly, and it really shows. The choppy animations of days past are long gone, and the gameplay is fluent and beautifully represented.
After all of this praise, I have to consider some of the problems as well. PES’ Achille’s heel was always the AI, which never felt like much of a challenge. When playing offline, the AI went from a total nincompoop to world-class Messi impersonator, with little room to spare in between. Even the great PES 2020 edition has some issues, this time with defenders, which seem to be glued to their positions during attacks.
Most of the problems can be fixed with patches, including the defenders which always seem to be willing to finish a smoke before intercepting an attacker. Also, the wings are way too effective, and I find myself scoring with headers a lot.
As usual, the MyClub mode seems to be the most interesting, except for the multiplayer. The ability to build your own team, sending out scouts in the world, and finding the right players is almost addictive. People will likely find their own thing to like, but there’s enough for everyone.
Licensing
eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 is the only game for which this category is necessary. Electronic Arts and its FIFA franchise-owned most of the rights, which meant that PES fans have to settle for replacement player names and teams.
Starting with PES 2020 (god damn it, Konami,) the licensing model has changed at least in part. Konami managed to grad the right to Serie A (Italy) and Ligue 1 (Frace.) The game also managed to snatch the right to EURO 2020, which all the national team and players. It stands to reason that Electronic Arts is a little bit worried.
To make things even worse, PES 2020 (Konami, seriously?) snagged the full rights for Juventus, which mean that FIFA has to contend with fake names, just like Konami had to for so many years. It’s a complicated situation that won’t be solved too soon, but we may see even more official licenses being split between the two major publishers.
There’s even more good news for PES fans, as the latest edition comes with some more relevant names for teams. Since PES doesn’t have all the licenses, they used to replace the name of the teams with something that would indicate the real one, but it was a hit and miss process. Now, the names are a little bit closer to reality, allowing players to determine visually which is which.
The Good
- Great gameplay
- Slow pace for strategy build-up
- Almost perfect ball physics
- New licenses
The Bad
- The menus are terrible
- The defenders could use some mild steroids
Conclusion
As for the gameplay itself, PES manages to improve with each new generation, and somehow not destroy what was already built, only to fix it later with patches. The ball control and physics are top-notch, and the animations are finally looking as they should, although they weren’t all that bad before.
When all is said and done, we can only marvel at what Konami is doing with PES, despite being the underdog. The latest eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 is fun and great to play, and that’s always what people truly want.
