With Konamis PES 2013 heralding a return to form for the series, the gap between it and EA Sports juggernaut is now, more than ever, at its smallest. FIFA 2013 is by no means a gigantic leap forward from last years iteration, but it does just enough to pip PES to the post once more.
Glossier than ever, the career mode delves a little deeper and the crack-like addiction of the superb Ultimate Team mode has reached new heights of brilliance, but what FIFA 13 lacks is a truly killer addition to its roster that confirms its undisputed heavyweight championship clout in the genre. That said, defensive systems and attacking AI have been finely tuned, commentary continues to enhance its connection with the real thing, and multiplayer has had a sufficient nip/tuck, ensuring that FIFA will sate the appetite of footie fans until the curtain is pulled back on next years entry.
However, you cant help but feel that lack of a killer feature is an intentional move on behalf of the development team, who have subtly carried on with the series of alterations it made to last years edition. FIFA, after all, is a franchise that for the moment appears to consistently pride itself on evolution rather than revolution. And that, by no means, is a bad thing: for now.