Pes — 15

Was it better than FIFA 15 ? In terms of pure simulation of football ? Absolutely. FIFA 15 was a hyper-speed, 5-4 highlight reel. PES 2015 was a tactical chess match.

Putting a creative player in the "hole" behind two strikers allowed you to control the entire flow of the match. It is arguably the last time a football game truly rewarded intelligent passing over pace abuse.

Looking back almost a decade later, stands as one of the most important titles in the series' history. It didn't just fix the mistakes of its predecessor; it reminded the world why PES used to be king.

You will understand what we old heads miss:

The engine sang. Player movement became fluid again. More importantly, the weight of the ball was perfect. In FIFA , the ball often feels like a beach ball or a pinball. In PES 2015 , it felt like a real object . You could feel the difference between a driven pass and a delicate chip.

If you played PES 2015 , you remember the joy of using a Classic No. 10. Players like Wesley Sneijder , Juan Mata , or Totti were gods in this system. You didn't need pace. You needed vision.

If you are a younger player who only knows the "eFootball" era of microtransactions and lag, go find a copy of PES 2015 for the PS4 or PC. Play a Master League season with a mid-table team like Fiorentina or Everton.

Did you play PES 2015? Who was your go-to striker? Let me know in the comments below!