eFootball PES 2020, (which is the last time I’ll be using that title) is a brilliant, frustrating, wonderful annoying football title. (Somehow I don’t think that will ever end up being quoted).
The first thing you’ll notice as you kick off your first match is the fact that Konami have opted for a stadium view camera as a default, at first I thought it was an odd decision but after a few matches it turns out it’s a great decision. It does take a bit of getting used to but as you are almost playing the game at an angle but for some reason it works.
What doesn’t work however is the defending. For some reason defenders just seems to want to the key the ball pass them by, especially if you are playing a curved through ball. I’ve used it to my advantage but also suffered terribly because of it. The AI just seems to want to be a bit like Arsenal at the moment and I really hope it gets sorted out because it’s ruining the game.
Another frustration is the new dribbling system, it’s been designed to give you new ways to get past your opponent, but it’s just a frustrating mess, resulting in me losing the ball or looking to pass my way around players instead.
I’ve let my football mad 8-Year old loose on the game and after about 5 games confidently told me he was done with PES 2020. When I pushed him as to why he response was quick:
“The Referee is REALLY strict!”
Turns out he is, in fact, it’s worse than that, he is inconsistent. I’ve clattered into some strikers and got away with it, yet an innocent trip in midfield sees the ref come charging over waving his yellow card around like it was a winning lottery ticket.
Graphically, the game is looking better than ever, player models and animation are improving all the time with even more licensed teams added this year, including Juventus. The Audio for the most part is fine but the commentary yet again is a massive let down. It gets over excited about shots that are nowhere near close to going in, remarks are delayed on certain occasions and the general conversation between the two is dull.
In terms of game modes, Master League has been ‘Remastered’ which is really just some improvements. Transfer values are finally accurate while there is a new dialogue system that see you interact with players, at first it seems like a good idea but after going through it a few times you wonder why they bothered.
MyClub, the PES version of FIFA’s Ultimate team isn’t really any different, except for the first time in my life I got a super rare player in Ronaldo. I didn’t notice any significant improvements in this game mode.
Online modes really haven’t changed very much, waiting for opponents still takes an age but thankfully the gameplay seems to be lag free which is a bonus.
There is lots to like about eFootball PES 2020. It looks better than ever and the gameplay improvements on the whole are a change for good but still after years of reviewing this game the same old problems still seems to exist. It won’t stop me playing though.
eFootball 2020
0.00
Pros
- Good improvements to gameplay
- Looks better than ever
- Online modes work well
Cons
- Referee’s are still too strict
- Commentary is awful
