eFootball (All Platforms)

[VierGraustufen]

I understand your point of view, and it’s certainly understandable. Unfortunately, I think gambling and scams have become so entrenched that we’re unlikely to get a decent football simulation. I keep checking the ‘Football’, ‘Soccer’ and ‘Manager’ tags on Steam, but all I find are poor products from developers who think too highly of themselves. (They really shouldn’t even be allowed to call themselves that.)

Of course, I hope that in future we’ll get games again that we can take seriously; until then, we’ll have to play the old games, and perhaps that’s for the best, because FIFA 15 or Championship Manager were developed by passionate football fans for fans.

 

[Bravez]

I understand your point of view, and it’s certainly understandable. Unfortunately, I think gambling and scams have become so entrenched that we’re unlikely to get a decent football simulation. I keep checking the ‘Football’, ‘Soccer’ and ‘Manager’ tags on Steam, but all I find are poor products from developers who think too highly of themselves. (They really shouldn’t even be allowed to call themselves that.)

Of course, I hope that in future we’ll get games again that we can take seriously; until then, we’ll have to play the old games, and perhaps that’s for the best, because FIFA 15 or Championship Manager were developed by passionate football fans for fans.

You say this but everyone is sick of it and they can exist alongside a product people want. Battle passes, extra content, a mode with all of this still included can still be there. In fact, they will be even more lucrative in a game which people love. It doesn't have to be one or the other but the fatigue is real imo and someone will capitalise on that, whether it's now or in the future, or EA, Konami or somebody else.

 

[PSMember79]

These things always go in cycles and it isn't just gaming. FIFA changed the game when they introduced FUT, players loved it (me included for a couple of years) and the publishers eyes lit up. The issue is, it's the same with everything, companies see what's working and then totally oversaturate and milk it until either A. people get totally sick of it and stop buying/playing or B. people find an alternative which suddenly gains massive popularity and forces their hands to change.

Unfortunately at the moment, all alternatives are just a play on the FUT model. Battle Royale games are going through a similar patch too. It always used to be arena shooters, then the BR boom, now everyone's trying to be the next BR when actually people are just bored of BRs and need the "next BR" whatever that looks like. The thing is, a lot of the time people don't realise they want an alternative until it arrives, or they do but there isn't one (like now).

Other games or competitors in these markets kind have to follow the trend for fear of being left behind. Remember when FIFA had to adapt to master league, start focusing more on small details like sock tape and low socks because that's what made PES so immersive? However, I'm pretty confident the first game that decides to go back to finding the balance between realism and simulation, rather than tiktok brained madness, will quickly become the blueprint.

Maybe it's my echo chamber but broadly, the sentiment for football game seems as bad as it's ever been. Whatever I watch or read, people are unhappy so it's ripe for a change.

Edit: I actually think smaller, more niche games, are probably more popular than ever. These smaller, alternative games get such huge numbers if and when they blow up. With the sentiment for football games being on the floor I don't think there's ever been a better time for someone to step in. With the foundation eFootball has, a rebrand back to PES, keeping their shitty card system as a separate (maybe even f2p mode like warzone is) would absolutely bang if they got it right. Nostalgia is big business generally right now, unfortunately Konami can't be trusted to do what they need to and polish the game the way they'd need to get it done.

Really agree with everything you said.

The only thing I’ll add is that I’m so grateful we have an incredible PES 2021 editing scene. I made the commitment to purchase a powerful PC, and I am so happy I did, as the experience is probably far beyond any product a company could potentially release.

I still hope efootball gets to a place where we are all happy, but there probably more chance that EA get there first, I do think they made huge strides for offline play with FC26.

 

[FC Bayern]

eFootball and Konami lose another license... And it's one close to home
I am noting a lack of Japan on there however. Hoping just a marketing thing, and it'll be like the World Cup license was where they still appear

 

[VierGraustufen]

Either way, EA will soon have the FIFA licence back thanks to the PIF deal. As far as I’m concerned, it’s only a matter of time.

 

[Bravez]

Really agree with everything you said.

The only thing I’ll add is that I’m so grateful we have an incredible PES 2021 editing scene. I made the commitment to purchase a powerful PC, and I am so happy I did, as the experience is probably far beyond any product a company could potentially release.

I still hope efootball gets to a place where we are all happy, but there probably more chance that EA get there first, I do think they made huge strides for offline play with FC26.

Interesting last line, I think EAFC26 is one of the worst I've ever played and the game is going backwards. I'm going to try it again given it's free with PS plus but I popped my head into the slider forum today in prep and even just watching the videos I know immediately i'm going to hate it still.

If Konami went big on master league, edit mode and graphics/presentational polish on top of what's already there, rebranded and marketed as "pes is back" it would do NUMBERS. I am convinced.

Anyone I've played efootball with who hasn't played it since the old days is pleasantly surprised but nobody bothers to try it because it looks so bad and the modes are shocking which also means they don't bother coming back.

Again though, it just ain't happening.

 

[PSMember79]

Interesting last line, I think EAFC26 is one of the worst I've ever played and the game is going backwards. I'm going to try it again given it's free with PS plus but I popped my head into the slider forum today in prep and even just watching the videos I know immediately i'm going to hate it still.

If Konami went big on master league, edit mode and graphics/presentational polish on top of what's already there, rebranded and marketed as "pes is back" it would do NUMBERS. I am convinced.

Anyone I've played efootball with who hasn't played it since the old days is pleasantly surprised but nobody bothers to try it because it looks so bad and the modes are shocking which also means they don't bother coming back.

Again though, it just ain't happening.

I think that if you play authentic gameplay, you can see elements that are starting to work. I found authentic gameplay unplayable due to many issues previously, but I can actually have a match where I can see how the physics are working more realistically.

However, watching a video won't help, visually not great, especially the foot sliding etc.

 

[Bravez]

I realise i sound like a broken record so feel free to ignore this but...I played a couple of games of EAFC because it's free on PS+ and it just made me appreciate efootball even more. The changes to the chop command makes that so much more responsive and useable now too which is lovely.

I say this purely to say it is just so frustrating I don't have a football game i can enjoy for an extended period. EAFC imo is probably the worst iteration of that series I've ever played. The game genuinely moves like sensible soccer the way the ball and players are connected during dribbling. There is no inertia, not even a semblance of physics when dribbling, just a complete focus "responsiveness" and direction with animations and the ball facilitating that however it looks. I'll stop there because this is the efootball thread.

efootball on the other hand, the pacing of the game, the way players move, control the ball, the balance of the game is so far ahead as a representation of football than EAFC. I love the first touch mechanics on efootball too, the way I can create space or moments using a quick tap of R1, or using a feint as i receive the ball, just makes it feel so organic. There are also so many unique contextual animations that you see when playing for a while that add loads to the game for me.

It makes it even more frustrating because I just can't play the game for any more than 2 games in a row as an offline player. If they left the game totally as is but improved GK animations, shooting ball physics and overall presentation/graphical detail and added ML with edit i would play this game for hours.

I'm so sick of the state of football games. They have been my go to gaming experience since i was a kid and now i play them once a month for a couple of games.

 

[Sany023]

efootball on the other hand, the pacing of the game, the way players move, control the ball, the balance of the game is so far ahead as a representation of football than EAFC. I love the first touch mechanics on efootball too, the way I can create space or moments using a quick tap of R1, or using a feint as i receive the ball, just makes it feel so organic. There are also so many unique contextual animations that you see when playing for a while that add loads to the game for me.

ePokemonBall - is literally just a "fanfic with soccer theme", there is no any "beauty of soccer", there are "weirdennes of script" only.
Just some game moments can cause nice feelings inside, but mostly you are excluded from gameplay process.

It is words about "so-called game", not a wish to private attack during discussing opinions or something like this similar.

If you are know good soccer games with all proper-made things inside, you can't see here something, that can be described as "create space or moments", "it feel so organic", "unique contextual animations". You are feeling myself fooled by algorithms ... That's a real only feeling during gameplay.

 

[Bravez]

ePokemonBall - is literally just a "fanfic with soccer theme", there is no any "beautifullness of soccer", there are only "weirdennes of script" only.
Just some game moments can cause nice feelings inside, but mostly you are excluded from gameplay process.

It is words about "so-called game", not a wish to private attack during "discussing opinions" or something like this similar.

If you are know good soccer games with all proper-made things inside, you can't see here something, that can be described as "create space or moments", "it feel so organic", "unique contextual animations". You are feeling myself fooled by algorithms ... That's a real only feeling during gameplay.

Completely disagree with this. Maybe if you're playing online or using smart assist but offline I feel completely in control of what is happening on the pitch.

I should say I play on professional, I've never played football games on high difficulties because it just becomes a case of pattern recognition and then exploiting that.

I like to try and create cool moments, use players like they would play in real life and create goals how i've imagines them. eFootball allows me to do that. This is an old video that i've posted a few times but these are the sort of things I'm talking about. It's not like I'm making it up 😂. And whilst this is form an older build, all these things are still possible and still happen.

 

[Sany023]

Completely disagree with this. Maybe if you're playing online or using smart assist but offline I feel completely in control of what is happening on the pitch.

I should say I play on professional, I've never played football games on high difficulties because it just becomes a case of pattern recognition and then exploiting that.

I like to try and create cool moments, use players like they would play in real life and create goals how i've imagines them. eFootball allows me to do that. This is an old video that i've posted a few times but these are the sort of things I'm talking about. It's not like I'm making it up 😂. And whilst this is form an older build, all these things are still possible and still happen.

So, mate, share, please, all your settings, that you are using in game right now ...
Level of support, some changeable parameters (that changing whole gameplay as you think) and etc ...
It is will be very interesting, at least, try to check them while playing in offline League mode.

 

[VierGraustufen]

it’s really quite simple: if you’re ‘just’ playing on the professional setting, you hardly notice the script at all. (FIFA and PES)
Unfortunately, it’s usually far too easy as well.

 

[Bravez]

it’s really quite simple: if you’re ‘just’ playing on the professional setting, you hardly notice the script at all. (FIFA and PES)
Unfortunately, it’s usually far too easy as well.

And this is fine, like i said, that's how i enjoy playing the game. I'm not playing for difficulty, i'm playing to immerse myself and create moments.

@Sany023 I'm not here to argue bro, you're talking as if you think I have some special sauce for the game. I just posted a video so you can see what I'm talking about. We probably don't play the same way or want the same from the game, that's fine. I play on the lowest PA, manual skills and that video was on slow speed although I've gone back to normal speed recently. I'm not a huge fan of manual, used to play Fifa FUMA but for me it takes away from what I mentioned earlier regarding playing like the real players would. I can't pick a pass like Bruno most of the time on manual, I want him to be able to connect with a pass which others couldn't.

When I talk about creating space etc with first touch, I'm talking about tapping R1 for a big touch or double tapping it for a bigger one, or using the right stick to fake one way and go the other when receiving the ball. I feel like the AI defenders act realistically enough that when i do that, they will react accordingly and allow be that little bit of space.

 

[VierGraustufen]

@Bravez
I agree with you – everyone should play however they like; after all, everyone just wants a game that’s fun and a good time.

 

[Bravez]

Another thing I'll say on the controls and the first touches, skills etc. I think konami do a far better job providing depth without over complicating the button presses. I'm sure on EAFC you can do a lot of those things but it's always multiple button presses, holding multiple buttons to do a simple move. For me, eFootball has plenty of dribbling options, control options, skills etc but all of them are logical and can easily be used. I also love that if a pass is coming too quickly or the player has too low stats, they will fuck the touch up.

Anyway, like i said, it just makes me super frustrated because there's no depth whatsoever with the lack of offline modes.

 

[Sany023]

Anyway, like i said, it just makes me super frustrated because there's no depth whatsoever with the lack of offline modes.

As for me and my own experience - I am see very clearly very visible "script cheating" in all game modes, even in offline.
When you are simple do not allowed to score goal (by script actions) even sometimes 4-5 times in row from 100% scoring positions.

That's my experience; in older and raw iterations of eFootball there are really was some moments and updates, after that playing was, at least, something interesting stuff:
- from tactical point
- from some physics
- from moves of ball
- from some unique situations during match
- from moments, when you can win powerful team by more wicker team
- from ability to use correctly points in development of players and etc ...

But now - when online mostly playing with "golden and platinum cards" of 103-107 level players - it's fully weird ScriptFest as is.

 

[PSMember79]

I realise i sound like a broken record so feel free to ignore this but...I played a couple of games of EAFC because it's free on PS+ and it just made me appreciate efootball even more. The changes to the chop command makes that so much more responsive and useable now too which is lovely.

I say this purely to say it is just so frustrating I don't have a football game i can enjoy for an extended period. EAFC imo is probably the worst iteration of that series I've ever played. The game genuinely moves like sensible soccer the way the ball and players are connected during dribbling. There is no inertia, not even a semblance of physics when dribbling, just a complete focus "responsiveness" and direction with animations and the ball facilitating that however it looks. I'll stop there because this is the efootball thread.

efootball on the other hand, the pacing of the game, the way players move, control the ball, the balance of the game is so far ahead as a representation of football than EAFC. I love the first touch mechanics on efootball too, the way I can create space or moments using a quick tap of R1, or using a feint as i receive the ball, just makes it feel so organic. There are also so many unique contextual animations that you see when playing for a while that add loads to the game for me.

It makes it even more frustrating because I just can't play the game for any more than 2 games in a row as an offline player. If they left the game totally as is but improved GK animations, shooting ball physics and overall presentation/graphical detail and added ML with edit i would play this game for hours.

I'm so sick of the state of football games. They have been my go to gaming experience since i was a kid and now i play them once a month for a couple of games.

I was like that too, until I found gameplay mods that really made me enjoy football games again. I hope you manage to find something.

 

[Bravez]

I was like that too, until I found gameplay mods that really made me enjoy football games again. I hope you manage to find something.

Unfortunately I'm just PS5. I did play PES2021 with an updated option file for a while but altough it was decent, there were things in efootball which i really missed.

Just seen Chris' post in the EAFC thread, I pray Konami shock us by releasing a full game for '27. Probably a 1% chance 😒

 

[PSMember79]

Unfortunately I'm just PS5. I did play PES2021 with an updated option file for a while but altough it was decent, there were things in efootball which i really missed.

Just seen Chris' post in the EAFC thread, I pray Konami shock us by releasing a full game for '27. Probably a 1% chance 😒

I plunged for a high-end PC/Laptop few months ago, after basically knowing consoles wouldn't deliver what I wanted. Not cheap, but the best £1500 I've spent. I know it's not an easy option, but I can't recommend it enough, and wish I did it sooner.

Regarding the FC27 playtest info, I'd hold fire until the beta honestly when it comes to gameplay, or some official previews. For me, as my next hope, I'm intrigued to see what people think of eFootball on Switch 2. Will be interesting as it's offline focused, if it does well then might be good for us PS5/PC users.

 

[Bravez]

I plunged for a high-end PC/Laptop few months ago, after basically knowing consoles wouldn't deliver what I wanted. Not cheap, but the best £1500 I've spent. I know it's not an easy option, but I can't recommend it enough, and wish I did it sooner.

Regarding the FC27 playtest info, I'd hold fire until the beta honestly when it comes to gameplay, or some official previews. For me, as my next hope, I'm intrigued to see what people think of eFootball on Switch 2. Will be interesting as it's offline focused, if it does well then might be good for us PS5/PC users.

Issue for me is I'd probably only play PES on it. I've considered it so many times but just isn't worth it for me. I only really play COD and PES regularly and obv GTA when it comes out.

Yeah the switch 2 stuff is interesting, be weird for them to only have that on the switch platform. Maybe that's just me hoping 😂😂

 

[PSMember79]

Issue for me is I'd probably only play PES on it. I've considered it so many times but just isn't worth it for me. I only really play COD and PES regularly and obv GTA when it comes out.

Yeah the switch 2 stuff is interesting, be weird for them to only have that on the switch platform. Maybe that's just me hoping 😂😂

100%, but it won't be just one (i.e. I frequently put on a wonderful PES 13 patch). And tbf, the FIFA 16 patches are decent, and I'm pretty close now to downloading a FC26 patch, the videos show a clear difference (this first 30s of this video shows you the crazy difference). PC is a big investment, but will pay back over time.

Regarding Switch 2 version, I agree, those modes should be coming to other consoles. Maybe they will for eFootball 27, but lets see if they're good first

 

[gabe.paul.logan]

This is almost THAT time of the year when some leaks started to come out and you could hear the hypetrain chew chew in the the distance with the E3 closing in.

 

[Chilleverest]

Am i seeing a sudden resurgence of efootball by some fifa youtubers ? i also feel like the view counts of efootball youtubers have gone up a notch.

 

[gabe.paul.logan]

Am i seeing a sudden resurgence of efootball by some fifa youtubers ? i also feel like the view counts of efootball youtubers have gone up a notch.

Yes, efootball or PES 21 shouldnt be in my feed, or any footy games as i never searched for any content in the past 4 years or so. But even with this that game overhaul patch of PES 21 (i dont know the name of the top of my head) is really trending right now even if you dont search for it. Its like all social media algo and people think its a hot new game.

 

[Dragovic]

Wait what ?

 

[Jay-Jay 10]

Wait what ?

I think it is only for the eWorldCup

 

[tikijaka]

I'm intrigued to see what people think of eFootball on Switch 2. Will be interesting as it's offline focused, if it does well then might be good for us PS5/PC users.

This could be absolute nonsense but I found this from Italian forum, Spazio Games:

A friend who reviews a site is playing it. Here's what he says

No, it doesn't go to 60 or 4k

Shoot? Absolutely not (except in the cut scenes before the game LOL) and indeed the feeling is very fluid

Does it hurt your eyes? Absolutely not, at least on a laptop and on 1080p TV (I haven't tried it on 4k monitors yet)

Does it have a thousand modes? No

But this is what is available:

Single

Multi-player [up to 4]

Online [fast game, ranked or friend]

Local gameshare (I think also towards old Switch)

Local game (for the multi with multiple copies and consoles)

The nice thing is that in the single there is

Fast game

World tour

International Cup

Three modes all offline and single player, including the world tour proposes our dear friends Castolo and Miranda & Co. to start along a tournament on various continents, where to face various local teams of increasing value/difficulty in a real championship where, by winning the games, you get coins, with which to hire real players, and the possibility of hiring a player of the beaten team. It's not a master league, but it looks interesting and it's good, I tripped into it

On the field it's a good PES, the feeling is that of the series in the control of players, contrasts, team, shots

They should also add another mode later but I don't know how it differs from the International Cup
———————————————
More news

So many options in the commands

The simplified ones

Normal ones with varying degrees of service:

Kickoff (all softer and accompanied)

Normal assisted for passing and shooting

Normal medium or low assistance

Normal manuals

Also for the change of course re same thing

In my opinion it's more efootball than PES on the field but at least being able to play everything in single player the feeling is to have a new PES in your hands

The game is quite rhythmic but it penetrates all too easily, so the veticalizations are the masters, but the game from this point of view is much more PES than Fifa; it is not a pinball machine and the game is reasoned

The game offers simplified controls and 6 vs 6 modes but you can absolutely play in a normal way: 11 vs 11 and with very normal controls and there are the classic levels of difficulty (6 I think?)
—————————

 

[PSMember79]

This could be absolute nonsense but I found this from Italian forum, Spazio Games:

A friend who reviews a site is playing it. Here's what he says

No, it doesn't go to 60 or 4k

Shoot? Absolutely not (except in the cut scenes before the game LOL) and indeed the feeling is very fluid

Does it hurt your eyes? Absolutely not, at least on a laptop and on 1080p TV (I haven't tried it on 4k monitors yet)

Does it have a thousand modes? No

But this is what is available:

Single

Multi-player [up to 4]

Online [fast game, ranked or friend]

Local gameshare (I think also towards old Switch)

Local game (for the multi with multiple copies and consoles)

The nice thing is that in the single there is

Fast game

World tour

International Cup

Three modes all offline and single player, including the world tour proposes our dear friends Castolo and Miranda & Co. to start along a tournament on various continents, where to face various local teams of increasing value/difficulty in a real championship where, by winning the games, you get coins, with which to hire real players, and the possibility of hiring a player of the beaten team. It's not a master league, but it looks interesting and it's good, I tripped into it

On the field it's a good PES, the feeling is that of the series in the control of players, contrasts, team, shots

They should also add another mode later but I don't know how it differs from the International Cup
———————————————
More news

So many options in the commands

The simplified ones

Normal ones with varying degrees of service:

Kickoff (all softer and accompanied)

Normal assisted for passing and shooting

Normal medium or low assistance

Normal manuals

Also for the change of course re same thing

In my opinion it's more efootball than PES on the field but at least being able to play everything in single player the feeling is to have a new PES in your hands

The game is quite rhythmic but it penetrates all too easily, so the veticalizations are the masters, but the game from this point of view is much more PES than Fifa; it is not a pinball machine and the game is reasoned

The game offers simplified controls and 6 vs 6 modes but you can absolutely play in a normal way: 11 vs 11 and with very normal controls and there are the classic levels of difficulty (6 I think?)
—————————

Appreciate the info!

 

[Sany023]

Three modes all offline and single player, including the world tour proposes our dear friends Castolo and Miranda & Co. to start along a tournament on various continents, where to face various local teams of increasing value/difficulty in a real championship where, by winning the games, you get coins, with which to hire real players, and the possibility of hiring a player of the beaten team. It's not a master league, but it looks interesting and it's good, I tripped into it

Appreciate the info!

Appreciate the more detailed information too, for more understanding "what it is look like now", but still "invloving coins in whole gameplay is doing this eCoinsBall far far from PES we are knowed before and PES, that we are liked too much and very special kind (amongst other soccer games)".
Certainly, I am understand, that you are share review with us and talking "what's kind of eFootball on Switch 2 game it is now".
Thank you, mate.

 

[Bravez]

Yes, efootball or PES 21 shouldnt be in my feed, or any footy games as i never searched for any content in the past 4 years or so. But even with this that game overhaul patch of PES 21 (i dont know the name of the top of my head) is really trending right now even if you dont search for it. Its like all social media algo and people think its a hot new game.

I'm seeing more and more of this. It's nice to see quite a few of them showing off progression without paying too. Even though I'm not into the FUT style modes, there's actually a lot more to the game than I realised if you do like that sort of thing. Hopefully the current PR will push them to make some meaningful updates.