We’ve played FIFA 18 and PES 2018 – but which one’s better?
We go through key areas to see how FIFA 18 compares to PES 2018.
It’s worth mentioning that all opinions are based on beta and preview builds of the game – meaning both are still some time away from being finished.
Let’s kick off with how they look.
Graphics
PES 2018: Fox Engine
PES 2018 is powered by Konami’s in-house Fox Engine, the same powerhouse behind the recent Metal Gear Solid games.
It was used in the last game but has had a number of overhauls to make players and environments look more realistic.
Players look decent overall – especially during replays. However, they all have an unrealistic ‘shine’ about their skin.
Facial expressions are quite convincing, but the default camera is so far away it’s often hard to notice them.
Core animations such as walking, turning, and posture have also been reworked, all the way down to the way that kits fit differing physiques.
Perhaps the best thing about the Fox Engine is how well it works on older hardware. So, Xbox 360 and Ps3 owners will still get a decent experience.
All in all, it’s vastly improved on the last game.
FIFA 18: Frostbite
FIFA 18 is once again powered by Frostbite – but it’s also had significant tweaks.
The big improvements are lighting and animation – with players looking and moving in a more realistic way.
In fact, FIFA 18 just about has the edge on PES when it comes to player models and movement – with far more realistic skin tone and lighting.
Other peripheral graphical tweaks such as improved crowd detail also help FIFA 18 look vastly more impressive than FIFA 17, too.
PS4 Pro, Xbox One X owners and PC gamers will receive the best-looking versions of the game.
The former will once again capitalise on ‘Pro Mode’ – allowing for increased detail and a more stable framerate.
Sadly Xbox 360 and Ps3 gamers will be stuck with the Ignite engine, which was used in FIFA 16.
It’ll be a ‘Gold’ edition of the game, meaning The Journey: Hunter Returns won’t be on there, either.
It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth as EA drives fans to expensive current-gen hardware.
Winner: FIFA 18
Based on what we’ve seen and played so far, FIFA 18 wins when it comes to visuals.
There’s still time for PES to catch up, but with launch just a couple of months away, Konami needs to act fast.
Gameplay
PES 2018
PES 2018 has a revised control system will be revised to add more fluidity to the game, while a new user interface makes navigating menus and modes easier.
In short, gameplay works well – but for those used to FIFA, you’re going to struggle to get used to it.
Strategic dribbling, for example, sees your players tire the more they run with the ball – so you can say goodbye to long runs down the wings.
Gameplay is much like a game of cat and mouse – you stand back and wait for an opponent to make a mistake, before pouncing.
It’s incredibly easy to close down the opposition – which can make scoring goals very difficult.
Passing, too, has been tweaked – with more control than ever over the weight of pass. A slight miscalculation will see the ball roll limply to the opposition, which takes some getting used to.
The ball physics are impressive, though – with realistic curve and spin changing the direction of the ball mid-flight.
All set-piece routines have also been totally reworked, notably the way penalty kicks are taken and a one-player kick off routine as well.
It’s remarkably easy to miss, though – so make sure to put the practice in.
FIFA 18
FIFA 18 feels extremely different to the last game – and worlds away from PES.
Players look and feel heavier and the game has slowed down a touch, but it’s still relatively easy to beat players on the outside and wrong foot defenders.
Passing is quicker than PES and slightly more ‘arcade’ like – resulting in faster paced matches.
One of the major overhauls is the introduction of ‘quick subs’, a nifty way of making a rapid-fire substitution in the game without having to go back to through the menu screen.
In FIFA 17, players have to pause the game, select the changes to the team they want, before returning to the game.
Players will now be offered the chance to make a ‘quick sub’ in the bottom corner of the screen when the ball goes out of play, with the computer giving you the most appropriate substitution for players who are either flagging or injured, or simply underperforming.
You can make a substitution by holding down the right trigger on the controller – so R2 on PlayStation and RT on Xbox.
Elsewhere, there’s also a new method of tackling that promises to vastly improve how you approach defending in the game.
The new ‘hard tackle’ will be a halfway house between the traditional conservative standing tackle, and a full-blown sliding challenge.
One thing to note is that on the preview build we played, it’s much easier to score from outside the box – so prepare to net some worldies.
Winner: FIFA 18
It’s too close to call, but based on what we’ve seen, PES seems to have gone down the pure simulation route – losing an element of fun in the process.
FIFA 18 meanwhile, has tweaked an existing recipe to deliver a realistic football game with an slightly arcade feel. Everything just feels quicker.
For us right now, there’s a clear winner – but it’s still all to play for.
Multiplayer
PES 2018
In terms of multiplayer, full 11-Vs-11 online options and myClub challenge, where players build a team from scratch, both return.
They are joined by a co-operative 2-Vs-2 and 3-Vs-3 modes with support for local guests.
The ‘Random Selection’ match also returns with all-new content, while the Master League implements pre-season tournaments, a new transfer system and pre-match interviews.
Sadly, there’s no mode to rival FIFA 18’s The Journey – plus there’s no Nintendo Switch version, either.
The past game was also plagued with server issues – making online gaming unstable and, ultimately, not as fun as it could have been.
Let’s hope Konami sorts this out.
FIFA 18
FIFA 18 offers quite the package when it comes to multiplayer.
Ultimate Team is back in full force and Xbox exclusive Legends have been ditched in favour of cross-platform Icons.
The biggest multiplayer news is that The Journey: Hunter Returns can now be played with a friend via local co-op.
This means you can blame your fried if Hunter fails to secure a goal and that much-needed 7.0 rating.
Another big coup is FIFA on the Nintendo Switch – which will be the only new football game available for Nintendo gamers (PES is skipping it this year).
It may not use the latest Frostbite technology but gameplay is sleek, responsive and runs at 60FPS.
Plus, you can play Ultimate Team on the go. How great is that?
Winner: FIFA 18
We’re yet to play The Journey in co-op but it sounds great fun.
Plus, if EA gets the Switch offering right, it’ll make things very difficult for PES.
Special features and considerations
PES 2018: Usain Bolt
Weird one this, but Jamaican speedster Usain Bolt is a playable character on the game.
The 30-year-old Olympic champion comes bundled with pre-orders of the game and will feature in MyClub mode.
He’ll be the fastest player ever to feature – we can’t wait to take him for a spin.
FIFA 18 – The Journey: Hunter Returns
After its vastly popular release in last year’s game, the game’s ‘story driven’ mode will once again return.
Called Hunter Returns, it’ll give gamers the chance to act, play and make all the decisions for Hunter over the course of the season, with the ending still anyone’s guess.
Last season’s game mode saw the storyline quite narrow, with limited decision making.
It was the first time EA Sports had entered in a story mode like this, so we can forgive them, but this time round the storyline is much, much broader, and the decisions you make will make a much greater difference.
Whereas most of us ended up winning the FA Cup with our Hunters in FIFA 17, it’ll be interesting to see where our character can end up once we’ve taken different decisions from our mates.
You’ll also be able to change the look of your Alex Hunter to have a vast array of different hairstyles, tattoos, tracksuits and so on.
Winner: FIFA 18
The Journey is a huge advantage for EA SPORTS’ offering – and while Bolt is certainly a fun addition, we’re hoping Konami reveals other incentives to help PES really stand out.
PES 2018 arrives on September 14, while FIFA launches on September 29.
Game on.
WE WILL CERTAINLY MISS THESE BONE-CRUNCHING FIFA 17 TACKLES.