Best game of football
Most important part, the game plays a good game of football resembling more the premier league which leads people to calling the game arcadey. Difficulty for me is just right as in it is quite difficult to score vs the computer at TOP LEVEL.
Features
The become a legend mode is very good. You need to persevere as you will eventually be selected to go on the bench, then be given a full game.
Doesn't have all the offical club badges and kits but that is easily sorted out with an option file update you can download off of the net.
If you don't like the music, which is pretty lame, you can create a playlist from the MP3s on your HD that will play YOUR music whilst in the menus.
Online
From the few games I've played it has been laggy which is quite frustrating as taking it round your opponent becomes tricky and defending difficult.
It has the same lobby system as before, quick match options.
Aesthetics
Graphically much better than last year in terms of framerate and crispness although I only played the demo from 2008.
The players up close look a bit plasticy but they all do on football games. Not important to me as I rather PLAY the game as opposed to admire the faces of professional players.
Vs FIFA
No contest, PES is more fun and if you have a few mates around the faster paced game and responsive nature of the controls means that you have only yourself to blame if you lose.
I have only played the FIFA demo however it was enough to still come to the conclusion that FIFA still hasn't quite got it. For me game modes and fancy licences are like make up on an ugly bird.
Overall
It's limitations are stated above and that's why it gets an 8.5. If the online was perfect then it would have got a 9 and Konami need to do something radical next year to get a 9.5 or 10. The way we play football on a PC/console has to go beyond what we currenly do.