Konami has made some iconic games over the years. Metal Gear, Contra, Castlevania, and Silent Hill are a few that instantly come to mind. When it comes to soccer, they are best known for the Winning Eleven and Pro Evolution Soccer series. These two series are responsible for some of the greatest sports titles ever created. But this year’s eFootball PES 2020 may be the best sports game ever produced by Konami and the best soccer game of the modern era.
Why do we love this game so much? It feels like real soccer, easily the most authentic game out there. It is challenging yet accessible and overall you won’t have find a better game elsewhere.
Konami upped its branding game this year with partnerships galore when it comes to the world’s biggest brands. Juventus, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, and FC Bayern (and its players) are super visible on the cover, menus, and throughout the game. It adds loads of credibility to the game and series.
Yes, there are still licensing issues when it comes to some leagues and teams. You won’t enjoy playing in Konami Stadium quite so much and your dreams of the English Premier League will come in the form of the English League.
eFootball PES 2020 looks absolutely amazing when played on the Xbox One X in 4K Ultra HD; you’re transported to some of the most iconic locations in world sport. Celtic Park, home to our favorite team, looked absolutely gorgeous. The breathtaking views nailed all of the details: TV cameras, police, photographers, message boards, and of course the fans. The crowd noise was palpable and even the match ball (the Mitre Delta) was also accurate. Graphically it is a great portrayal of the beautiful game.
The game modes are plentiful with Become A Legend, Master League, myClub, and eFootball all proving to be pure gold.
Become a Legend was a fun experience with a bit of challenge too. You take control of a player and lead them through their career on and off the field. Being able to control a single player on the pitch was a special thing, but honestly it took a bit of adjustment. We earned a 5.0 grade in our debut and were subbed out after 65 minutes, but things got better from there. We chose U.S. Men’s National Team starlet Timothy Weah, but things got a little weird when a national team call-up came about. Weah joined a U.S. team with some licensed players like Tim Ream and Weston McKennie, but the captain was some guy named Shamrock. The gameplay was still out of this world so it really wasn’t much of a bother.
Master League was equally amazing. We took over as Diego Maradona at Celtic (yes there is a Celtic pattern here) and enjoyed every minute. The cut-scenes were great as Maradona was shown around the facility, met players, and took part in meetings. The press conference that followed was interactive and looked brilliant; every detail, including sponsor logos, was taken into account.
The game’s tag line, “Playing is Believing,” is 100% true and we are believers and have been for the past 10 years. eFootball PES 2020 is the best soccer game available in 2019, setting the standard for all future games. Yes, it’s that good.
The gameplay delivers and proves a rich experience for hardcore soccer fans and gamers. Fans of the FIFA series should give this a shot as it has become just too good to ignore.
