The new clean-looking menus and the exhaustive management selection options are an immediate improvement a far cry from the garish screens from last year. PES 2011 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, cert: 3, out Friday) feels like a long lost friend: familiar, but different – eager to win back fans. But no reason to write off Konami just yet … To the football gaming veteran, these improvements are both important and successful it's undoubtedly the best Fifa to date. To which has been added the chance to play in goal – an engaging role requiring quick reactions and an eye for the flow of the game. EA's global enterprise is showcased by the stability of its online network, which rarely falters when playing one-on-one or, during the new 11-a-side matches, as your chosen player. In multiplayer mode the football comes to life. This makes scoring more satisfying and goal celebrations all the more acrobatic. Shooting is also more realistic with drives from outside the area harder to keep down while retaining power and placement – emphasising skill, timing and precision. Heading, a skill never quite mastered in previous versions, is more controllable, making tall and powerful players essential. The play is more balanced, sending crisp passes across the turf feels more deliberate, allowing you to build up moves before delivering through balls. It also moves away from summer's World Cup edition, which made it far too easy to score. With Fifa 11 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, cert: 3, out now), the adjustments have become more subtle, fine-tuning the gameplay to feel substantially more physical, both when fending off defenders or competing for the ball. We got exquisite ball control, realistic player movements and challenging, but convincing, computer opposition – a deadly combination with its licence from the organising body, which gives it all the rights to real player names, tournaments and stadiums. So, as the two face off once again, which has the edge this year?Īfter years of lacklustre Fifa releases, EA rediscovered its form two seasons ago with a new look and feel. Each, appropriately for the genre, generates fierce rivalry among fans dedicated to supporting their chosen title. T he two biggest football franchises in gaming – EA'S Fifa and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) – have been going head-to head for more than a decade.

Fifa pes 2011