All the single player modes that have been staple for the last few years once again make a return. With the main single player focus once again being the master league. Unfortunately these are nearly identical to last year's versions with no apparent changes.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 seems like a much needed improvement for the franchise, but the lack of licenses and visual improvement still gives FIFA the edge, but only just. The controls for PES have evolved greatly this year and it has a great career mode.

You know football season has started when it is raining outside, kids are back at school, and the press is full of news about the stars and fans of the beautiful game causing uproar one way or another.

Many fans of this popular gaming series know how stale the PES (Winning Eleven in some countries) franchise has become. Many have persistently bemoaned the spiral downwards after changes came after Pro Evolution Soccer 6 - arguably the best PES by far. That is, until now.

The PES series has been making steady progress since the serious dip in quality of PES 2008, 2009, 2010. With PES 2013, Konami has finally pulled off the excellent game it's been threatening to release for the last couple of years.

, please do be aware that there's still plenty of work to be done here in terms of physical interactivity, heading and a fair few basic animations...

Positive tweaks all-round; Ball physics finally straightened out; Tactical defending is brilliant; Immersive gameplay

AI defenders stray too frequently; Some bizarre animations; Online modes still lacking

Is that pal

In its heyday, the Pro Evolution Soccer / Winning Eleven series was the best in the genre because it had the best gameplay, not because it had the most licenses or longest feature list.

Mark Walton discovers PES 2013 plays a mean game of football in this video review.

Slower pace gives you more control; Much improved ball physics; New defending system is more natural to use; Plays a great; classically scrappy game of football

New moves are tricky to master; Untouched single- and multiplayer modes beginning to show their age; Dreary and dated presentation; Terrible commentary

At first glance the changes made to Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 might seem like a bunch of slight, almost superficial tweaks; you'd be hard pressed to find one standout feature from its long list of AI improvements, new tactical moves, or graphical revamps.

Slower pace gives you more control; Much improved ball physics; New defending system is more natural to use; Plays a great; classically scrappy game of football

New moves are tricky to master; Untouched single- and multiplayer modes beginning to show their age; Dreary and dated presentation; Terrible commentary