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Review Roundup: PES 2014

When it comes to video game rivalries, some still hark back to the glory days before Sonic and Mario became Olympic buddies, while others count pixels and engage in bloody wars of words over the relative merits of Call of Duty or Battlefield.

One of the fiercest battles, however, is on the pitch between EA Sports' FIFA series and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer. FIFA has had the upper hand for years, but with each new iteration, there are fans who hope this will be the time that PES steals the winning goal.

Will it happen with PES 2014? Quite possibly, according to the reviews. Eurogamer has dished out a 9/10 score, praising the game for its focus on deep gameplay systems and methodical strategy, rather than the razzle dazzle of the highlights reel. "It's never going to beat FIFA for glitz and polish," concludes the review, "but PES has the potential to become a very deep obsession, where even a 4-0 drubbing has meaning."

Videogamer agrees, also delivering a 9/10 verdict. "That intangible PES magic remains," says the review, "and expands with the potential of the new engine; matches take on their own personalities... and you'll discuss great goals for years, especially now that shooting and heading are weightier, more natural feeling."

CVG is more measured in its praise, offering an 8/10 score, but it has plenty of good things to say about the decision to develop the game from scratch on Hideo Kojima's new Fox Engine, created for Metal Gear Solid. "The move to new technology has allowed Konami to deliverer a strong and slick simulation, arguably its best on current consoles," is the conclusion. "This is a valiant first effort of what can be done with the Fox Engine, but the series has even brighter days ahead."

What of FIFA 14? Reviews for that will start appearing next week, so those who have yet to pick a side will have to wait. For Pro Evo fans, however, it's time to start chanting from the terraces.

PES 2014 is out on September 19th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.