You won’t be able to pick up and play, especially if you’re new to the series, but if you spend some time to learn the mechanics, you’ll be a deserving league winner in the end. If you hold down the pass button for too long too close to a teammate, it won’t come off. Even your simple short passing is, while very loose, fluid and fair.
Long passing feels glorious when achieved. Shooting is fair depending on who has the ball at their feet. As previously mentioned in the demo reaction a few weeks back, it plays like real football. Ignoring FIFA for a minute, PES has always done its talking where it should always matter when it comes to football – on the pitch, and this year it is again superb. PES 2019 is very good, but it definitely has some flaws.
So have they done it this year? Well, yes and no. Year on year, it seems they’re getting better at finally marrying great gameplay and great looks, recalling those glory years on the PS2. Pro Evolution Soccer has always been the ugly sister to FIFA’s annual juggernaut, but regularly had far more substance underneath.
