Having been a fifa fan for many years, I thought I'd try what PES has to offer.
Yes, the graphics are great and players and stadiums look very realistic. 30 min on the web, I found an option file to change all the names of unlicensed teams to the real thing so that is no problem either. What I firstly found frustrating is that the shooting system is simply weird. Perhaps it's my fifa style of play, but when you tap the shoot button right in front of goal, it's not supposed to kick it to row z in the stands. On all to many occasions I find simple kicks going sky high over the bar. Ok, maybe I need more practise. The most annoying thing ingame would be the ref. Any slight tackle and it's free kick (by sods law always to the opposition, never to me). Free kicks if you are blessed with one are impossible to get on goal, nevermind score. You must press too many buttons in little time and in that department, fifa is better.
The dribbling is great, really good fun making long runs. One thing that fifa got right was the first touch and sadly this not in PES and makes it a bit random to control the ball. Sadly there is a set way of scoring (look away now), taking the ball to the corner flags and crossing high ball is usually one. From the right/left edge of the penalty spot, a low pass and tap in also works well, finally running just outside the box and shooting for the corner works very well.
Difficulty level is a bit odd, there's quite a big gap between amateur and regular level. However the most annoying thing in the game has to be the commentry. It might be my installed option file causing grief, but the talk is completely random. Firstly the guys can't seem to be able to tell the time at all, at 75 min play, they say crap like: "and there's 5 min left of the game" at the end of the game get more crap: "and with that win they win Seria A" erm, odd since I thought I was playing Brazil vs England in the 'world cup' and follow up with a great line: "but it's not enough to keep them out of relegation..." what the???. Score is also impossible at 2-0, I get told the score is 2-1, etc,etc. The ingame music is soooooooo screaming of arcade machines it's stupid. More like something from the old gameboy sound of Super Mario.
The leagues provide a great variety, and master league is good fun. Overall, it's a game worth playing. But I must say, it's not all so different to Fifa and the gap between the games is not really that great. Yes, elements of PES are more realistic, but I do miss all the leagues and cups licensed in Fifa (even with moded option file) and the first touch control. In all, there are two great football games out there, so snubbing one for the other is a bit silly.