The brutal truth behind FL and PES 2021- an long, honest review from a sim-fan.
As a hardcore sim-gamer, I've been choosing PES over FIFA since 2013, chasing the EXACT sensation of what I saw on TV, and when I say that I mean GAMEPLAY and TACTICS, not graphics, presentation and licenses, those don't matter to me. Ironically, after I played vanilla PES 2020 and 21, I began playing FIFA predominantly. Here's why..
Let's be real. Underneath the AMAZING work Smokepatch, UML and many other immersion/presentation modders do for us, the base gameplay is an absolute mess. I understand the new engine, but please, PES 2014, it was absolutely cooked by the public upon release for it's many issues because it's engine was completely new, but after a year of official patches and DLCs, it's gameplay is 10x what PES2020/21 is. All the hype is cope because besides the horrendous FC26 and UFL. there's nothing else for us, let me explain.
1.) I will again emphasize. Smokepatch and the rest of the modding community do marvelous work to keep PES relevant and running, much respect. I use FL26 with UML 2026, and have tried SO many different gameplay EXEs and DTs, so don't give suggestions, Medical school is robbing me of that kind of time.
2.) PES 2021/FL is NOT a simulation football game. The football we watch on TV is not what this gameplay offers. The CPU might be the worst I've seen in a football game in my life, seriously. They have 0 intelligence, KONAMI coded it really poorly. Once again, let me cook.
3.) Firstly, ALL teams, 0 to 5 stars, play the EXACT same football. Possession football is not a feature in this game. CPU/AI lack build up play ability. This will always go two ways: 1.) The CPU exchanges 3 to 4 passes at the backline, with the occasional pass to a CMF who immediately passes back, then the CB or FB will under 0 genuine pressure sky a long ball across the field to the invincible CF 2.) The CPU under Master League scripting turns into a mixture of 2010 World Cup Spain (without the IQ) and the Justice League, pinballing one touch passes forward, while shielding like Gods while your players hopelessly flail around like Grimbsy Town academy tryouts. This makes the game lack replay value. Klashman's Tactics really tried well, but its like throwing a bucket of water into hell.
4.) There is NO frontline press in the game at all. It simply wasn't coded into the game engine by KONAMI, why? Kindly read point number 3 again, it would expose the lack of CPU/AI depth and skill. ALL teams 0 to 5 stars, losing or drawing, will never deploy a full 3 to 4 man frontline press heavily popularized by the Cruyffs and Guardiolas, it's just the strikers, who press brainlessly, the wingers only if the ball is genuinely in front of them on a silver platter AND if they're WFs not MFs on top of that. Regardless of settings the frontline and team will patiently wait at the half line. EVEN when losing. This makes user build up play feel unrewarding and boring, and goals undeserved and easy.
5.) Attacking CPU doesn't take on defenders one on one. Plain and simple. Vini Jr, Yamal, Saka, Cherki, Ngumoha are LITERALLY the same wingers as all Russian League wingers, they just uncomfortably dribble alone in circles then cross, or do the Justice League shield animation, then cross, all this after a straight line blind sprint down the whole field if there's no defender. ZERO excitement. This is a true immersion killer. PES 2021 has no wing play.
6.) Strikers on the high enough difficulties are worse for your mental health than Arsenal. They do one combo and do it well. Receive a pass, back to defender, shield like The Incredible Hulk, turn, boot it into top bins. Zero variety just like the wingers.
7.) This is difficult to explain, but play and you'll definitely see. There's no midfield battle in all games. Full 90 min, period. Ball goes from one end to the other. Even FC26 is more immersive in this aspect.
8.) Do I even start with master league scripting? Every DT18 modder's worst enemy? It's simply another mechanism to hide the horrendous CPU/AI's lack of intellectual play, games turn into arcade slop. Turns CPU into The Avengers x 2010 Barca without the IQ, BUT you know what? that's ok. Wait... scripting ALSO turns the USER's team into coughing infants and well fed sloths who've never seen a soccer ball in their life? Get this virus off my hard drive right now.
9.) Master League has the worst youth system in sports gaming. But hey, cloning technology will never be uncool. 3 years into your ML save and you have teenagers who look like they breathe steroids like oxygen and have every illegal substance in the FBI registry in their blood.
10.) Due to all these above issues, there is 0 excitement or anticipation in BAL or ML saves when facing huge teams like Arsenal, PSG, Man City, because 1.) They'll tactically play the same as all other 800 teams in the database 2.) You will beat them comfortably, then proceed to get absolutely lil bro'd by Preston North End 5 days later because the script mechanism kinda activates randomly. Seriously KONAMI, you can't even script properly?
No explanation on the internet can make me understand why KONAMI coded Cup games the way they are, horrible. 1.) for some reason the stadium fills 50/50, half away fans half home fans, what on earth were they thinking? The horrid sound of the opposing chants merging is an epilepsy easter egg, thanks KONAMI 2.) CPU is programmed NO MATTER WHAT to use the attacking mentality option from 0th minute, then go ALL OUT attack mentality option in the second half, which ruins the whole match.
Going back to team identity, in ALL teams, NO CB will ever cross the half line on the attack, ever. Barca, Man City, or Sheffield Wednesday. Regardless of settings (theres no setting anyway), further eliminating the existence of possession football in this game.
13.) This one bugs me a lot. GKs don't leave their box, it's extremely rare they do. Similarly, they just refuse to rush attackers clearly about to shoot who beat the defence
14.) Set Piece dominance is non existent. Corners are plain and lack depth, even with that 14 year old "set piece strategies" option. GKs are flawless and always perfectly judge the ball's trajectory. On long free kicks, CPU is horrid at delivering quality crosses, when in doubt, and not right outside the box, just foul the CPU
I'm sure there's many other things I've not spoken of here. I just wanted to drop a review before I sleep, seeing how overrated this game is in the internet, it's amazing. We need to be honest with ourselves and treat KONAMI with the same scrutiny as we do to the big bad boss EA. Both went downhill in simulation value after 2018, while EA maintained it's actual quality, simply just appealing to the casual crowd. It's games are good but not for us, but people just seeking a vibe. PES? it simply just dropped in quality, then gave up and entered the mobile market, that eFootball series is a joke on PC/Consoles. PES 2021 is all we have left, so it is understandable why it is held to such high regards.