FIFA 2013 or PES 2013?

[K_Mosley]

Trying decide which one to get for Christmas...  Any thoughts/suggestions?

I'm most interested in FIFA's Manager Mode versus PES's Master League.  I've read up a little about both, but I haven't decided yet which one I might like better.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Jason]

Welcome back stranger!!! Hope you've been doing well.

[K_Mosley]

Yeah...  Been busy.  My son is just about ready to test for his license!  He played HS soccer this fall, so we were on the go just about every day. I l also got my badge, and refereed 43 soccer games this fall.  My daughter tests for her 2nd degree blackbelt (Tae Kwon Do) shortly, too, so we've been hoppin' the last few months.  Not too much time for gaming...

Got your Christmas card - the kids are beautiful, and growing right up!  I'm sure you're a proud papa...

Now, you didn't answer my question!  :-)

Kevin

[Jason]

We got your card too - thank you.

I'd answer your question, but I haven't played either game  . I'm sure someone else, like Adam, would be able to give you a much better answer anyway.

[Ted]

Kevin,

Nice to hear from you again.  I haven't played either, but I do play PES12 on the PC and think its great.  The master league is really different now and there is a lot of interaction with the players.  At times it is a bit stiff, but it is so much more than it used to be.  On the field I think it plays easier than it used to, but there is still plenty of challenge there.

[K_Mosley]

I'm concerned about the "upgrades" in the ML that I've read about.  e.g. you get new boots, and the player's speed increases, etc.  I don't want some RPG gimmick; I want "realism."

[GB_Simo]

We got your card too - thank you.

I'd answer your question, but I haven't played either game  . I'm sure someone else, like Adam, would be able to give you a much better answer anyway.

Probably not me, Jason, since I've only played the demos of both games and a very, very quick blast of FIFA in a store somewhere.  However...

...based purely on how they both played, I'd have had PES.  FIFA 13 is riddled with the usual annoyances - every team playing an identical style of football, the lack of differentiation between star players and journeyman cloggers, the relative ease with which Hartlepool United can beat all comers (which is more of a joke this season than ever before - look up the League One table and you'll understand why) - and, I'm reliably informed, has a generous helping of bugs, including one that prevents your Manager Mode from progressing past the end of season 1 in some circumstances.

PES is not perfect either.  I think the user-controlled team sees too much possession, for starters, and I'm not sure I ever wrapped my head around the shooting system.  It does, however, have that quality not seen in the series for some years now, where every goal is a cause for celebration of a job well done.  I even scored from a long throw-in once, flicked on at the near post for my onrushing winger to poke home unopposed at the back stick.  I've never scored a goal like that in a video game before.

Unfortunately, though, I have no first-hand experience of Master League or Manager Mode this year, so I'm completely unable to address your main question, Kevin.  I do so much less gaming these days and neither of the footy titles were enough to shake me into investing some extra hours.

[K_Mosley]

Hey Adam!  Thanks for chiming in...

I might just end up picking up the cheapest one, since they both seem to have their problems.   

Kevin

[K_Mosley]

Ended up with FIFA... mostly because they didn't have PES avaiable, LOL.  And, FIFA was onsale for 39.99, as was Madden, which I also picked up (this was at Gamestop).

Hopefully, I won't have any of the lockup issues.  Looking forward to playing both on Christmas morning!

Kevin