Fall of 2012 Football Video Game Review/Comparison

FIFA 12

Pro Evolution Soccer 12

The summer is winding down, the days get shorter, the leaves turn, and this means that football season is upon us. For the virtual footballer the wait is almost over for the two football games available: Pro Evolution Soccer 12 (Rel. Date September 29 in North America) & FIFA 12 (Rel. Date September 27 in North America). Now instead of just watching games on the weekends we can take over clubs, mold them into perennial world-beaters, score ridiculous goals, and compete against players in every corner of the globe! The following will attempt to make your decision easier if you're undecided or give you a different perspective if you think you're mind is already made up.

First up is Pro Evolution Soccer 12 or PES 12. Made by Konami this game's demo states that this is not the finished product, that the finished product may be different, etc. After downloading and installing the demo you are made to watch (for a video game) an incredibly long introductory video.  That said, the graphics were ok in the video, but some of the players looked downright creepy. Seriously, Gerrard Pique's jaw looked like it was going to disconnect when he was "yelling". Other such facial animations looked equally as bad. They were not all bad, just average to bad in my opinion.

After the intro. you start out at the main menu and can choose to play an exhibition with a few teams. The teams were Man Utd, A.C. Milan, F.C. Porto, and Napoli. Not exactly the largest clubs in the world, but variety is the spice of life. The rankings they give for team speed, defense, etc. are nice, but no overall ranking present is a rather odd exclusion. Add to that the fact that Manchester United only had one A ranking, the rest B's, and A.C. Milan had all A's and also Chicharito was ranked as a 72 overall. I'm not a Man U supporter, but I had hair missing from scratching my head so much.

Once the clubs are chosen, there are several pre-match options. I liked the fact that I could enter one menu and totally adjust my entire squad, from personnel to strategy to formation and everything else. Unfortunately they give you a mouse button that you actually have to scroll over options which seemed odd and made switching players clunky. One thing that was nice was that you can move a player around on the pitch from within the same menu to allow custom variations of formations. I did not like the fact that, while you can choose pre-set tactics such as quick counter or long-ball, you cannot customize the tactics.

Once actually playing the game there were some issues, as well. The basic controls are easy enough, but the more advanced controls were a bit confusing to implement. The menu explanations were not very clear and mainly just too many as there were six pages of control lists. There was no goalie kick meter, so I had to guess how hard I was kicking the ball. The controls are sticky, and by that I mean once I send a player in a direction he is dead set on that direction and difficult to change around. The commands carry over similar to FIFA World Cup 2010 where if I go for a tackle and steal the ball quickly, the same command I just pressed will still be active and the player kicks the ball out of bounds.

While PES 12 has its issues, and there are many, it is not all bad. The game is best when it is going full speed. If you like to play a fast-paced up-beat style then this game might fit you more. The other thing to mention is that the aforementioned lengthy list of commands might suit someone who wants to take the time to learn them. Just as in a deep fighting game, taking the time to learn all of the many combos in this game could be really rewarding. PES 12 seems to focus on the individual far more than the collective. It's focus is on creating highlight reel moments on the pitch and little else. An entertaining game for a fast paced style of play, but sub-par in too many other areas of the beautiful game to matter to this footballing fan.

Stars: 2.5 / 5

Now for FIFA 12. The demo starts off with a tutorial which shows off the new defensive features. All of the new features are nice, but take a while to get used to (you can exit the tutorial at any time by pressing the start button). Overall, the new presentation is very appealing visually, while having this year's music already included was a nice touch. 

Martin Tyler and newcomer Alan Smith

The only available mode is exhibition unsurprisingly since it's only the demo, but you can choose between Arsenal, Manchester City, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Marseille, and, again, A.C. Milan. From there, once you've chosen you're side, you take the pitch and will notice something surprising and stunning to some and unfortunate as far as I'm concerned. Andy Gray will no longer be involved with FIFA, being replaced by Alan Smith.  I'm aware that Andy Gray has his out-of-the-booth issues, but frankly, I'll miss his style of announcing. 

Once the match starts, you'll notice that the new features are as billed. Precision Dribbling is a very nice addition and really does allow you more time on the ball in order to execute your game-plan. The Player Impact Engine does a nice job of simulating big tackles and slightly bumping someone will just make them lose a step. It makes it much more realistic. The other new feature is Tactical Defending which I found to be a little hard to get used to at first. After some time toying with it, it becomes a welcome addition to your defensive repertoire, as you can tug at opponents with the ball or just reach in with a foot without going for the tackle. Players each have their own weight and feel effortless to move around the pitch, very few times did I have trouble switching directions. The only negative that I can come up with is the menus are a bit tedious and sometimes the rankings can be a bit off. I constantly have to switch around when altering my club before a match. The graphics are by and large solid and the improved shadows and lighting are a huge difference visually. Overall I feel that the game excels in several areas, a superior title in several ways, and a delightful way to experience virtual football.

Stars: 4 / 5

Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Panorama of the City of Manchester

Manchester United. Manchester City. They both bring varying degrees of positive and negative thoughts and/or emotions, depending on your perspective. The only thing the same is the name of the city before them. They are as different in approach and history as two clubs can be. One is one of the most storied clubs in English football history. The other, well, they've had ups and downs to say the least. Before the advent of the English Premier League, Manchester United won the domestic title in English football seven times. Once the EPL was established the number swelled to nineteen, adding twelve in the nineteen seasons of the EPL's existence. Manchester City, on the other hand has won top honours in English football only twice and never in the Premier League. The year's were 1936-37 and 1967-68. Following the '36-'37 season the Blues were relegated despite being the league's top goal-scorers, a story that typifies the up and down, topsy turvy nature of the club's history.

MC's Y. Toure (L) Battles MU's Anderson (R) 

for a ball during the 2011 FA Community Shield.

It was a warm and sunny afternoon in August. The grass green, Wembley Stadium filled to the brim. Manchester supporters of both versions, as well as general football fans, had a sense of anticipation. That atmosphere permeated throughout the nation's football temple, and thus throughout the football world. The rivalry that is the Manchester derby was back in full effect. City started out well and carried their early momentum throughout most of the match. United, though, never seemed to sweat it. On that day they possessed a calm and confident demeanor, an attitude that comes from being there, doing that, and this not just from veterans, but also from players who just joined up. United kept pushing forward, kept on pushing themselves, as they always do, until City's defense broke down. Towards the end of the match Nani broke free on a cross, sprinted past Joleon Lescott and then pushed the ball past Joe Hart for a 3-2 victory for United. The Blues looked very solid for most of that game, but briefly lost their focus and determination. Communication broke down between Lescott and new player, Gael Clichy, when they both went for the ball and United pounced at their chance and that's the match. Granted that it was only one match, an exhibition at that, but it is a microcosm of both teams.

Roberto Mancini at MC's first
UEFA Champions League Press Conference

Manchester City has made great strides in the past year. At the end of the 2010-11 season they qualified for the UEFA Champions League, an objective they've targeted for some time. They've added several top-notch players into an already impressive squad. Sergio Aguero has already made a huge impact this year and should continue to do so for years to come. Aguero also seems to make Edin Dzeko a better player, making them a lethal attacking duo and they still have Carlos Tevez to mix in where needed. They also added Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy from Arsenal, both very solid players. Nasri, being one who is world-class on his day. They've been buying for a few years now and finally seem to be fielding a complete squad. Top to bottom, front to back they look very solid, but do they have the character to get it done? That seems to be the question that only time can answer. They are better this year than they have ever been. They will win a trophy or two this year, but I highly doubt that they will hoist the EPL trophy come the spring of 2012. They have depth at all areas of the pitch, something imperative in modern EPL football, yet I do not believe they can leap-frog their closest rivals. It will still be players wearing red and gold badges who will hoist the trophy if either of the Manchester clubs are destined to celebrate an EPL title this season. The gulf between the two is closing fast, but I believe United still holds the slightest edge.

Rooney & Co. training

The edge that I believe United holds comes down to one thing. That thing is culture. The actions and effort that are put forth everyday in training, the demeanor of the staff, how each player works and carries himself, all of this goes into their culture and, ultimately, their success. United's whole mentality is to work hard, to fight for every ball, to battle for the entire match, no matter how long it takes or what needs to be done. City's culture is surrounded by wealth, it's a lot about money, a lot about new signings, although they have gelled some now that most of them have been together for a couple years now. City has been trying to build through buying, so there are constantly a slew of new players. City buys and buys and if a player doesn't fit they get sold, whereas United targets specific players that fit their mold, players who usually stay on and grow in their system. City's new additions get surrounded with money, new players, and talent. United surrounds their new players with a blanket of success, experience, and trophies. Two teams, two very different philosophies regarding the building of a championship team, with one city divided, and a world watching to see the outcome. Grab some snacks and a beer, it's going to be a long, exciting season.