Exciting times for soccer gamers! The new demos for Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA are both out and available for download. 

Before talking about my thoughts of each demo, I want to say that these are two completely different games. I'm not going to bash one game over the other, because I don't think one is better than the other.

If you want to play FIFA, play FIFA and enjoy it! If you want to play PES, play PES and enjoy it! Heck, play both if you want, but don't come on here bashing one game over the other because frankly, I don't care. They are two separate games, and should be treated as such.

Also, my opinions are only based on the demos, which are subject to change (just like the little reminder at the beginning of each), so take it for what it's worth.

Now let's get to the demos!

PES 2010

I'll start with PES first since it's been a couple seasons since Pro Evo has been worth talking about (in my opinion). I buy sports games for online play mainly, and every PES game since 2007 has had a terrible online experience. Now I have read that Konami has ditched their servers and moved their hosting to the Microsoft online servers, which should fix the online problems that were present in that past two games. 

Onto the actual gameplay of the demo (I'll talk about the main features of what I think is important in a soccer game):

Graphics: Graphically, this game is one of the best sports games I have ever played. Very detailed player models. The whole presentation of the game is very good. 

Gameplay Speed: Slow this year. I can't compare it to last season since I only played a couple games of 2009, but I'm sure some guys could add more to this point. It certainly gives you time to have a look around the field before deciding what to do, but I think it's a touch too slow for my liking. 

Passing: I am not sure if the passing mechanism has ever been changed in a Pro Evo game, I have no complaints with this year's version, it feels the same to me. The ball feels heavy, which makes it harder to put the right weight on a pass.

Shooting: Shooting is pretty much the same as it always was (or seems that way). Still hard to score from distance (which is good). It's definitely rewarding when you score a goal. The ball still seems a bit too heavy though when striking it. 

Player Movement: It seems a bit quirky to me (probably just not used to it), but the players seem to not be as responsive as in previous versions. The cutting and wide turns are annoying, but then again, you can't just run around with the turbo button held down. I think it will take some time to get accustomed to.

AI (Defensive, Opponent, Teammate): This is where PES/WE used to have the market cornered, but with the past few versions of FIFA, they have caught up. The defense doesn't feel like they have a sense of urgency when getting back to defend (especially on counters). The opponent AI is still strong, The opponent AI seems smart enough to provide a challenge. Teammates don't make enough runs for my liking, but I have not tweaked my tactics, which would surely change this.    

Goalkeepers: Sometimes they make great saves (even double saves), and sometimes they just leave you scratching your head as to why they didn't make a save. It looks like they have their feet in a sand pit when they dive, they don't get any lateral distance on dives, which is disappointing. 

Overall: Like I said earlier, I buy sports games for the online play, and if that facet is improved, I will be getting this game. There is no such thing as a perfect soccer game (or any game for that matter), but it seems like after a couple of down years, Konami is back on track. 

FIFA 10

Graphics: They look the same to me for the most part. They have added some more player faces for this game, but everything else looks the same. 

Gameplay Speed: A feature that I liked about FIFAs past, but they took it away for a few seasons, was the game speed option. You can choose between Slow, Normal, and Fast. Normal is about the same speed as FIFA 09, maybe just a touch slower, if at all. 

Passing: The passing is improved from last season, but it still has its flaws. The ball still doesn't always go to the guy you want it to, but it's accurate more often than not. Curved crossing is a new addition, which is neat to see when a cross swings in on a bend.

Shooting: Another improved area. The ball is a bit heavier, which keeps shots (especially those from distance) from taking off straight up into the air. Still a challenge to score from outside the box, but feels rewarding when it happens.  

Player Movement: This was EAs big selling point about the new game, the addition of 360 degree dribbling. Instead of being able to only move in 8 directions (think of a compass and its points), you can now move in any direction. It's not groundbreaking, but you can tell a difference when you just run without turbo, players are much more responsive. This also affects the aiming of shots and passes, so requires more precision when kicking. Player switching is still a pain.

AI (Defensive, Opponent, Teammate): The opponent AI still plays a strong possession game, so not much has changed on that front. Defenders have improved, with new animations to clear the ball or intercept passes. Teammates make more runs also.  

Goalkeepers: They still don't like to catch the ball on here. A lot of punches and parries, but the reactions have improved. Double saves are more common.  

Overall: Instead of the big change from FIFA 08 to FIFA 09, this is more of a polishing of FIFA 09, rather than a new game. They made good strides in some departments, but still have some work to do. 

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about the demos, and hope to see some of you join our FIFA and PES leagues for the upcoming seasons!