Metascore
82 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 37
  2. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Sep 29, 2012
    91
    Tweaked in all the right places, 2013 is the finest PES of the PS3 generation, delightfully recreating the ebb and flow of the modern game. [Nov 2012, p.102]
  2. 90
    PES 2013 gives fans what they want. More control over the ball, more autonomy in the pass and shot, and more power and more characterization in well-known defensive players.
  3. 90
    Konami's back in the game, and they are fielding all their starters.
  4. Sep 18, 2012
    90
    Wake up, everyone! With PES 2013, Konami has finally pulled off the excellent game it's been threatening to release for the last couple of years. On the scale of dramatic football comebacks it's not quite up there with That Night in Barcelona (© Clive Tyldesley) or The Miracle of Istanbul, but it surely comes close.
  5. Sep 17, 2012
    90
    PES 2013 has made huge strides forward in how it plays over last year's game.
  6. Sep 16, 2012
    90
    PES is back with the best episode of the HD era. It's still one step behind FIFA when we talk about technical aspects, but it brings back that little 'something' we loved on PS2 that made it special. The new additions to the control system and the detail put into every match to make them different are some of the key elements we feel are worth mentioning. PES 2013 is finally able to fight the supremacy FIFA has this generation.
  7. Oct 2, 2012
    88
    The PES game we've been waiting for since 2007. [Issue#223, p.82]
  8. Sep 25, 2012
    88
    In the great football war, Pro Evo may come up short to rival FIFA when it comes to an across-the-board feature set, but I think the gameplay is better in Konami's title. With this iteration Konami is inching the franchise forward by both refining its product while not being afraid to try new things.
  9. Sep 21, 2012
    87
    You will need training. You need skills and lightning fast reactions. But in return you'll get magical moments that only Pro Evolution Soccer can deliver – even though the engine and overall presentation need an overhaul.
  10. Sep 17, 2012
    86
    Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is the best game so far in Konami's soccer franchise. Despite some graphical shortcomings and missing licenses, PES 2013 captures the heart and soul of football and delivers a great gameplay experience.
  11. Sep 19, 2012
    85
    Pro Evolution Soccer goes deeper than ever. Thanks to some well thought out additions, the gameplay can be altered more to the players wishes. Newcomers might have some trouble climbing the metaphorical ladder in the arena's (which are still devoid of any atmosphere), but PES-purists can go nuts. Is PES 2013 the ultimate soccer game? It's not, as long as its budget doesn't get a decent boost. It, for instance, lacks licenses and other decorations, but impresses with attractive, unpredictable and assertive soccer.
  12. Sep 17, 2012
    85
    A great soccer game, even though keepers still insist on doing strange things and your fellow players obviously don't know what offside means. On top of that, the graphics are mediocre at best and PES still hasn't gotten all the proper licensing. These complaints don't do much in comparison with the fun you'll have playing this game, though.
  13. 85
    It's on the pitch that really matters and PES 2013 delivers an exciting, fluid game of football that finally takes it to the next level.
  14. Sep 17, 2012
    85
    With good new gameplay features, goalkeeper adjustments and a more tactical gameplay: PES is finally back!
  15. Sep 17, 2012
    85
    It offers a unique and challenging take on the beautiful game that's distinctly different from its competition. After years of heartache for PES fans, it's great to see Konami's footy game finally beginning to step out from EA's gargantuan shadow.
  16. In FIFA you can just as well give up when you're two goals behind. 0-2 means nothing in PES. In the majority of the games we played, Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 offered more spectacle than FIFA 13. Which could be a big advantage for PES. [October 2012, p.70]
  17. Dec 17, 2012
    80
    With an improved player AI, you'll be able to pull off some great attacking raids. [Jan 2013, p.77]
  18. Nov 15, 2012
    80
    A mixed bag: mostly entertaining, yet still a bit frustrating experience. Slowed down tempo, refined attacking AI and new defending controls are welcomed additions. However, Konami should forget the dribbling controls and keep on improving passing, AI and physics engine. [Nov 2012]
  19. Nov 6, 2012
    80
    PES 2013 is a very respectable soccer game that maintains its excellence on the field but unfortunately fall further behind in the bells and whistles department making it a distant runner-up in this year's battle for soccer supremacy.
  20. The presentation still bites. Players and stadiums look drab, and PES 2013's overall physics can't compete with EA's replication of momentum, but at least Konami's offering is doing some things differently than FIFA, and doing them bloody well. [November 2012, p72]
  21. Oct 8, 2012
    80
    The problem with PES is in the movement of the players, as it feels quite stiff and somewhat robotic.
  22. 80
    Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is tactical arcade sports action at its finest, and an easy way to lose far too many hours maneuvering a bouncy black and white ball into a net at the end of a grassy field.
  23. The action's effective and fluid, and the animation is at times as beautiful as the sport demands. [Nov 2012, p.81]
  24. Sep 20, 2012
    80
    Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 embraces the series' past to create a wonderfully technical and supremely satisfying game of football.
  25. Sep 20, 2012
    80
    Is this the Pro Evo to convince Fifa fans to switch? No. Is it an improvement on the last couple of years' PES incarnations? Yes. Will I be loving it and hating it and still playing it until PES 2014 comes out? Absolutely.
  26. Sep 18, 2012
    80
    Let's get straight to the point: PES 2013 is better and, at last in this generation, a good football game.
  27. Sep 17, 2012
    80
    Better than ever on the pitch with a lot of new controls, better AI and more freedom of movement. But a lot in this year's PES feels forgotten by Konami and some functions are even missing completely.
  28. Sep 17, 2012
    80
    PES 2013 fixes many problems of the previous game, but Konami's football needs a new engine to compete with FIFA 13. An old animation system and a lazy physics are problems that all the good ideas in this edition of the game couldn't overwhelm. PES 2013 is the best old-school football game to date.
  29. While familiar faults persist, PES 2013 marks the biggest step forward for the series on PS3. FIFA 13's liquid animations and peerless physics system still give it the trophy-hoisting edge, but now PES' unique strengths are refined enough to make it a genuinely worthwhile alternative.
  30. Sep 17, 2012
    80
    When the whistle blows and the action is go, PES 2013 is easily a match for FIFA, coming closer than ever to wining back its crown.
  31. Oct 15, 2012
    78
    Although I don't keep up with either of the leading soccer games, PES 2013 seems competent and capable of challenging FIFA 13 for a spot in your collection.
  32. Sep 21, 2012
    75
    Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 really wants to be a FIFA game, but lacks the same quality and tempo of gameplay. That is why it really became quite a disappointment. The game is still fine, but if you are looking for something more realistic, you should go for FIFA.
  33. Oct 3, 2012
    70
    A fall forward as Konami introduces a new indicator for manual passing and shooting. Long distance screamers in the top corner are a bit easy to pull off and slide tackles are too often penalized. Pro Evolution isn't bad, it's just second best.
  34. Oct 1, 2012
    70
    If Konami still needs to learn some things from FIFA, PES 2013 is clearly heading the right way. However, at this time, PES 2013 doesn't have the necessary keys to offer a gaming experience as complete as Electronic Arts' IP, especially regarding the graphic aspects. The next title, coming to the next-gen consoles, should be able to counter FIFA success, if Konami remains hardworking.
  35. Sep 25, 2012
    70
    It's a tougher recommendation if you're not into online play, since the other elements of the game are in sore need of a refresher. That aside, it's undoubtedly the most fun PES to play against friends in some time, and that's the reason you'll want to play it.
  36. Sep 17, 2012
    70
    Once again, it's in small touches by small touches that PES makes progress, enhancing some things (a more fluid gamaeplay, more identifiable signature moves from great players), and losing others in the process (the impractical training mode, faces that are less well-modeled than before). Another episode of transition before the the complete overhaul that may induce the use of a new engine for PES 2014, PES 2013 is a good soccer game and a nice enough PES, but one that, this year again, can't measure up to the competition, namely FIFA 13.
  37. Oct 15, 2012
    65
    Whether you into soccer all year round or dust off your Australian jersey every 4 years for the world cup, PES 13 is a must have title for any fan.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 82 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 27
  2. Negative: 9 out of 27
  1. Much better teamwork, better online play, best of the PS3 generation.... Then Konami decide to remove the league option stopping you from playing with friends in 1 location unless you want to go back to the days of writing a league table on some paper. For the simple fact they removed a core mechanic behind playing with friends and organised tournaments PES 2013 gets a 1 as it is simply unplayable and has 50 of us involved in North East England PES tournaments and buy our own copies for practice during the week are now having to look at the enemy in FIFA which would still allow us to play in the manner we have been accustomed to. Whoever made that decision at Konami should be sacked and never work in gaming again as they quite simply have zero grasp of the games target market. Full Review »
  2. It seems that Konami had finally able to put a title Pro Evolution Soccer franchise on top as the most beloved by most players. If that does not happen with version 2013, which still suffers from distrust of those who "migrated" to FIFA, upcoming releases should heat up this dispute - in which the winner is the gamer. If you missed the news for game modes, technical improvements have created a fun environment and refers to the history of PES, joining new details, but without losing the essence that established the franchise. The retouched graphics, the highlight even higher for Brazil and complete control over their actions in the field ensure three points for Pro Evolution Soccer. Full Review »
  3. Finally Konami have something to cheer about, they have made a decent game (although let's be honest it has taken a while). I am a long time fan of the PES series, since the ps1 and ps2 days. I always purchased PES above Fifa due to more depth on the pitch, which overall is what matters in a football game - the gameplay. Between Fifa 09 and Fifa 12, I think Fifa was undoubtedly the better game and I did get some enjoyment from Fifa, without ever being fully satisfied. Fifa is a decent game but it has always been a generic game. There is very little player or team individuality in Fifa. So when I tried both demos this year I decided that Fifa 13 was probably worse than Fifa 12 (I especially dislike the defending system) and that PES 2013 was decent. So ahead I went and purchased the full version of PES 2013 and not bothering with Fifa. Every year I have tried PES but have been disappointed - until this version. Every year some one has said "PES is back" and then when I tried it I questioned who was saying this, was it the same people who enjoyed the game on the ps1 and ps2? However this year, on the pitch PES 2013 is a very good game, no doubt about it. As ever, the game can still be improved. I would say that in terms of the gameplay a few tweaks could be made. Long shots seem slightly too easy (only slightly) and as ever things like animations could still be improved. Perhaps on the harder difficulty settings the CPU should be more aggressive and not let you pass it around as easy. Also, I would prefer refs to be more lenient only in terms of slide tackles. Many times you can do a hard but fair slide tackle where you get the ball and a foul is given. One of my complaints is atmosphere, this could drastically be improved. Konami have designed nice looking stadiums but why are they always empty? Fair enough for friendlies but for league games etc it should be full and the game could create a better atmosphere. I have noticed that in Champions League mode the stadiums are full but this should also be the case in Master League. I have to admit I only really play offline Master League, I don't particularly play football games online much and I have never really enjoyed playing as just one player. I have tried playing online and it is better than it was, but as with all football games it is a totally different game when you go online. I am not too convinced by the online but that is just me, I get more enjoyment from football games playing against the CPU. I enjoy the ML and by the way licenses are never a problem I downloaded an option file to get the Championship teams and it is easy to do. The best thing about the game is on the pitch, it has more depth than Fifa, goals are rewarding and different, you can really tell a players stats out on the pitch. Overall rating for players are a bit deceiving, you should look at the individual ratings themselves. For example with the default players (or duds as I call them) there is a player call Rustwyth who is a striker, his overall rating is poor but he has a good shooting accuracy stat (whatever it is called). You can really see this on the pitch. As with all the duds he is not an amazing player overall, he is quite poor but give him a chance and you can see his finishing is better than other players. The same goes with other stats, you can see these have an effect on the pitch. On Fifa it has always been a generic game, they have tried to introduce individuality but, for example a CPU League 2 team would be able to pass the ball around like Man Utd or another Premiership outfit. It is generic. Fifa will always appeal to the younger generation but if you want a more in depth game on the pitch then go with PES this year. I did find PES unplayable until 2013 version so for me, PES 2013 is a huge step in the right direction. I always knew that when Konami got it right, I would prefer PES again above Fifa. Lets just hope that they can keep making progress with the game now. And next gen they need to get it right from the start. I am quite happy with PES this year and it the first time since PES6 that I have enjoyed the series. Finally PES is back as the number 1 choice for football purists. Fifa will always have some things over PES and vice versa. For example I am a Sheff Utd fan and currently they are in League 1. On Fifa Manager Mode I can play as Sheff Utd and try and get them to the Premier League etc. Whereas PES does not have all the lower league teams either in England or other nations. However, a better game on the pitch is what counts most of all. And Konami have done a good job with PES this year. I have only give 7/10 as there are always things that can be improved. In terms of on the pitch a few things I would suggest - less fouls for clean fair slide tackles, harder long range shooting, a new dink shot or improved chip shot to allow easier little lobs over the keeper when 1 on 1 etc. Overall this years PES is a significant step in the right direction. Full Review »