Pro Evo and Fifa; you just can't talk about one without mentioning the other. For anyone with even a passing interest in the beautiful game, this rivalry is as big as anything that the videogame industry has to offer. From Pro Evo's halcyon years on the PS2 through to the phoenix like comeback from EA's Fifa franchise on the current generation; the battle for critical acclaim between Pro Evo and Fifa has certainly had its fair share of ups and downs (Fifa always wins financially, regardless of what goes on the shelf).

The thing is though, for all the talk of dominance, of who offers up the best game of virtual football, at the end of the day, it still comes down to a matter of taste and with 2010 being arguably the first year that both parties have brought their A games to the table, the only winner in this battle is likely to be the gamers.

Take a look over at James' review of Fifa 10 on this very site and you will see a glowing review, one that confidently claims it to be the greatest game of football ever committed to consoles and y'know what, a lot of people will agree with him. A lot of people..............I just happen to not be one of those people.

Fifa 10 is a great game. As a simulation of the sport, it's very hard to fault. It has great online options, the animations are first class and the overall presentation is glossy and professional. Still, give me the choice and I would take Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 over Fifa 10 every time. Why? It's just more fun.

Even at its weakest (arguably last year), Pro Evo has always done one thing right - excitement. For all the missing licenses, clunky front end and last generation animations, Pro Evo has always provided an end to end, breathless take on the sport, one that fits perfectly into the 10 minute time frame that your average game of videogame football has to offer.

Some would tell you that Pro Evo has become more 'arcadey' in recent years, but honestly, that just isn't true. So intertwined are the Pro Evo and Fifa franchises, that by Fifa going 100% simulation in recent years, gamers perception of the Pro Evo franchise have changed as a result. You see, unlike the majority of games out there, rather than being primarily compared with their own predecessor, each title is judged first and foremost upon the terms of a direct comparison with the competition.

Pro Evo never attempted to simulate the game in the same way that EA Canada are doing now with the Fifa franchise, it just seemed so 'back in the day' because Fifa was taking the more arcade style approach to the game. Now that Fifa is producing a more simulated take on the sport, Pro Evo looks fast and arcadey in comparison. The fact of the matter is, with the exception of a few minor changes to the speed and balance of the game, Pro Evo hasn't changed a great deal over the past decade.

Pro Evo 2010 is actually one of the slowest, most deliberately paced titles in the franchise's history, but play it after a few hours with Fifa 10 and the pace still feels electric. Don't get me wrong, the hero runs that have marred the last few releases are largely gone from 2010, the game is more balanced than ever and you are still going to have to work hard for your openings, it's just that, like every game in the Pro Evo franchise, that balance between tactical nous and thrilling on the field action is still there in abundance - if anything, that balance has arguably been perfected for Pro Evo 2010.

Although unlikely to win over the Fifa die-hards, Pro Evo 2010 brings more than enough to the table to interest those sitting on the fence and certainly enough to potentially win back any ex Pro Evo players that finally gave into the allure of the Fifa franchise after the disappointment of 2009.

Sure, the animations are still dated and the game engine is definitely starting to show its age, but ask the majority of Pro Evo fans what they wanted from a next generation Pro Evo title and a graphical overhaul and progressive evolution of the already standard game modes would probably be top of their list. In these respects at least, Konami have finally delivered.

Pro Evo 2010 is undoubtedly the best looking game in the franchise's history, and when everyone is standing still, the best looking football game full stop. The lighting effects have been improved immeasurably, the stadiums look fantastic, especially in the warm glow of sunny late afternoon kick offs and the crowds finally look like more than just cardboard cut-outs. The biggest improvement however has to be the new and improved player likenesses. To say that many offer up an almost uncanny resemblance to their real world counterparts would not be exaggerating by any means. Poster boys Torres and Messi look especially detailed, with even Fifa's own poster boy, Wayne Rooney looking markedly better in Pro Evo 2010. It's not just the top players either, fringe players also look fantastic (you know when players like Darren Fletcher look absolutely spot on that a lot of effort has been made across the board).

For all the graphical improvements though, they have still been built on that same old creaking game engine. Even with the implementation of 360 control and a host of new animations; up and running, Pro Evo 2010 just can't compare with the extremely impressive animations found on Fifa 10. Still, the new animation and 360 control do contribute to a Pro Evo title that feels more fluid than ever before.

Of course, animations aside, Pro Evo 2010's gameplay is still imbued with the kind of connection that is sometimes lacking in even the most recent Fifa titles. Be it making a simple pass, unleashing a thunderbolt from 30 yards or simply seeing your player running across the screen; everything feels perfectly weighted. Add to that a host of minor changes to the AI and a complete overhaul of the presentation and what you are left with is easily the best game of Pro Evo since PES5.

Presentation is something that Seabass and co have never quite got to grips with. From the ugly menus, the often shockingly bad soundtrack and awkward looking hexagonal player stats, the team at Konami have always struggled to make the game palatable for the newcomer. Thankfully, a lot of these problems have finally been addressed in 2010. The front end is a lot more inviting and easily navigable for the most part while the soundtrack is, believe it or not, really quite good. Rather than going for a 'what's hot now' collection of artists, Konami have wisely gone with a carefully selected collection of tracks from the likes of DJ Shadow and The Klaxons that give the soundtrack credibility while also being extremely catchy at the same time.

The biggest change however comes from the pre-game munu. Gone are the hexagonal player stats, replaced by easily decipherable numeric stats that change based on the position the player is in. For instance, stick Steven Gerrard in centre midfield and his stats show an impressive 91, put him in the centre of defence however and his stats will drop dramatically based on his skill at playing in that position. It's a simple system, but one that helps ease newcomers into the game while making tactical changes at a glance for veterans all the more simple.

Following this line of a more user-friedly interface, Pro Evo 2010 has also introduced a simple set of sliders within the Team Syle feature that allows for an array of tactical changes with a minimum amount of effort. The all new Player Cards also help to reinforce this approach by allowing you to change the behaviour of a specific player without having to make your way through numerous confusing option screens. Although not doing anything that couldn't be done before, these new features do encourage players of every skill level to delve into the more tactical aspects of Pro Evo while making pre-game refinement pleasingly swift for the rest of us.

While the most obvious change on the pitch might be the slower pace, the refinements to the AI also help to make Pro Evo 2010 a more realistic interpretation of the beautiful game. Keepers, although still prone to a few howlers have been improved greatly over last year's release while defenders now move as a line more realistically when on the back foot. When in attack, support players will make useful runs, even on the default tactical settings and referees, while still a bit stingy on playing advantage are certainly more balanced with their decisions this year.

In terms of game modes, Master league has finally seen some changes to the winning formula that now involves the integration of the youth team along with more involved scouting and financial options. It's the most rewarding and feature filled Master League yet and will likely swallow many a player's life whole.

The Champions League plays even better than last year and is arguably the most polished aspect of the entire game, even if it does lay on Handel's 'Zadock the Priest' a bit strong once again. The Europa League is also a welcome addition with both tournaments now fully integrated into the Master league. You can still play through the usual selection of leagues and cups, but as usual, these are not fully licensed. The German Bundesliga is also completely missing from proceedings once again.

The other major game mode is the return of Become a Legend, which although still feels isolated from the rest of the game, can be hugely addictive if you manage to stick with it through some strange design choices that can make it feel like a grind at times. Still, the camera is a lot better than last year, with the transition to wing play being a lot less jarring. It's also slightly more forgiving than in 2009, but still a sight more challenging than Fifa's 'Be a Pro' equivalent.

For those who spend most of their time playing Pro Evo with friends in tow, you will be happy to hear that Pro Evo 2010 also includes a 'Community' area that allows you to keep track of results between you and your friends in local play. It's another welcome addition, that although not game changing in any way, makes competitive local play even more competitive (if that is at all possible).

For many gamers that have jumped ship in recent years, it was the diabolical online play that finally pushed them over the edge. With Fifa 10 once again providing a robust selection of online options, Pro Evo 2010 is going to have to come up trumps if it really wants to compete with Ea's juggernaut this year. Sadly, as of the time of writing, the servers are yet to go live, although encouragingly, Konami have stated that they are doing away with the cursed Konami ID codes and implementing custom leagues for groups of friends. In any case, it isn't likely to topple Fifa's silky smooth online integration, but will hopefully provide a smooth and enjoyable playing experience in its own right - fingers crossed.

While it may not be the overhaul many were hoping for, Pro Evo 2010 shows that Seabass and his team are finally listening to what gamers want. The improved graphics, user-friendly interface and outstanding Master league mode will be more than enough to keep Pro Evo fans happy and may even be enough to win back some of the fans that have migrated over to Fifa in the past few years (especially if the online component proves as solid as Konami are claiming). The commentary from Champion and Lawrenson is as bad as ever mind and the animations could still do with some work, but once on the pitch, this rarely matters. Pro Evo 2010 delivers as exciting a game of football as you are likely to find anywhere, it just happens to be wrapped in the finest looking packaging that the series has ever had to offer.

Reviewed by Liam Pritchard for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).