PES 2021 is a funny old game. Not a proper, brand new PES, but a season update, essentially the same game as last year’s effort but with up to date lineups and a cheaper launch price of £25. Developer Konami had signalled as much, wisely managing fans’ expectations in the same breath it promised to hit the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X hard with a new game engine in 2021. I certainly respect Konami’s decision, and hope FIFA publisher EA takes note. But goodwill notwithstanding, PES 2021 the product is a bit like Spurs: lacking major signings and with no real hope of challenging for the title.
Which means PES 2021’s gameplay is pretty good! Beautiful, at times, even. It’s a slower, more realistic game of virtual football than FIFA, and it looks and feels fantastic when a silky move ends in a goal. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth saying again: PES’ ball is wondrous. It steals the show, coursing through the air like a ballet dancer leaping across the stage. PES’ ball feels grounded in real-world physics, travelling in hypnotic arcs inspired by cosmic orbits. I get more satisfaction from passing in PES than I do shootingBuy the eFootball PES 2021 Season Update Best price online from The Clickstore,Nairobi.
Despite this, frustrations linger on. The referee is just as maddening as he was last year. He’ll blow a foul for nothing, stopping play even when you’ve retained possession and are through on goal, but he seems allergic to his whistle even when carnage is staring him in the face. I’ve smashed into players, fouling so despicably that my opponent – sometimes opponents – fly into the air, their limbs warping to form shapes Cthulhu would be proud of. And the ref jogs happily on, seemingly oblivious to the bloodbath that surrounds him. This issue is especially pronounced in the box. I don’t think I ever won a penalty in PES 2020 and I haven’t won one in PES 2021 so far.
The commentary is terrible. Again. I’ve never turned the sound off a video game quicker than when I started PES 2021. Master League has a handful of new real world managers to pick from but other than that it’s exactly the same as last year, and so we must skip all those pointless cutscenes with dialogue choices once again. MyClub is essentially the same as before: a budget FIFA Ultimate Team with horrible loot boxes. And, like last year, players already have stunning teams made up of incredible players just a day into the game’s life.