eFootball PES 2021 Reviews

eFootball PES 2021 is ranked in the 56th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
No Recommendation / Blank
Sep 16, 2020

Don't bother with PES 2021 if you can option file PES 2020, but if you're coming in fresh, PES 2021 is a decent shout at a decent price.

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IGN
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2020

Aside from a handful of updates, PES 2021 is the same as last year's game.

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Sep 18, 2020

A new approach for the sports genre, with welcome results: this offers more than a roster update, and at a very appealing price.

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7 / 10
Sep 24, 2020

Nothing less or more than what was promised. Still the best football game around but its problems feel more glaring a year later.

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Hobby Consolas
Redacción Hobby Consolas
Top Critic
75 / 100
Sep 16, 2020

Konami decided to release an updated version of last year (excellent) game. So we find the same game modes (added UEFA 2020 National Teams) and great controls, and we also find the same problems with teams, stadiums and players licenses.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

6 / 10
Sep 16, 2020

Konami is effectively taking a year off because it knows it has the basis of something special here and it wants to ensure it makes an effective transition to the PlayStation 5; we can respect that. But with barely any changes and the abovementioned licensing shortcomings, we’d recommend you just pick up last year’s game for a couple o' quid instead.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 18, 2020

On paper the idea of turning this edition of PES into a mere update is a good idea. Football blew up, the two seasons almost piled up and the pandemic stopped development for too many months. It is better to focus on the next edition, provided that at least the minimum trade union commitment is devoted to this package, which has not happened. The absence of a partial update of roses and teams at the time of launch is unacceptable, as is the ugliness of the inter and Milan uniforms, although what PES 21 proposes always remains the best kick on the square (IMHO, eh, I do not want to be beaten by FIFA supporters).

Review in Italian | Read full review

Gameblog
Top Critic
8 / 10
Sep 16, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 does exactly what it says. Well, not exactly, as it took some time to refine a few gameplay elements of its predecessor to become even more enjoyable on the pitch - even online.

Review in French | Read full review

Sep 25, 2020

If you've already got PES 2020 and have found other means to update the squads and kits, there's very little of note here. The changes are minimal and this edition is likely just for those who decided against picking up the previous entry. But if a cheaper version of PES has you interested this is a great starting point. Yes, there are plenty of issues with the modes, commentary and AI but most of that just fades into insignificance when you're actually playing a game. Until the next-gen version arrives next year, this is the best representation of football you'll find.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2020

at the cheaper price and all the updates, this is the definitive version of PES for the current-gen, and a great way to move into the next game.

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Unscored
Sep 19, 2020

Unfortunately, all of the positives that stem from better gameplay are diminished a little by stale modes and lackluster online play. If you enjoyed eFootball PES 2020 last year, you'll have some fun with this update as it improves on gameplay. However, if you skipped last year's game and have to pay full price, I'd probably pass. There's just not enough improvements off-the-pitch to warrant $60.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 21, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 Season Update feels incomplete even as a simple update, however it retains the golden standard set by PES 2020 and makes some slight improvements

Review in Italian | Read full review

3.1 / 5.0
Sep 23, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 Season Update is last years game at a cut price with mostly up to date rosters. It's a beautiful game to play, marred by significant presentation issues and the lack of any killer game modes.

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BaziCenter
Amin BalaZadeh
Top Critic
7 / 10
Sep 20, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 share the same core components as its predecessor, the 2020 version, and other than some minor improvements in gameplay, there is no point in upgrading to the new version. If you really care about new kits, faces and updated line-ups, this seasonal update might make sense, but if you don't care about all this then you wouldn't miss much if you stick with the 2020 version.

Review in Persian | Read full review

80 / 100
Sep 21, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 is, ironically, much more than just a small roster update, bringing some very important gameplay adjustments that keep making the series one of the best sports simulators on the market, even though the lack of licenses and the games modes that feel frozen in time can hamper the fun.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

70 / 100
Sep 21, 2020

eFootball PES 2021 Season Update offers a rather plain scenario. Returning fans will find nothing new here, except for rosters that still manage to be out of date, and thus present poor value for the purchase. But perhaps newcomers will use this opportunity to finally jump in at a reduced price and see what the franchise is all about.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 21, 2020

Releasing PES2021 as an updated version of 2020's PES with lower price is a good decision from Konami and i think this should be the way for 2-3 years. Gameplay quality and simulating players is really awesome and if you love football simulators, you should definitely play PES2021. Beside fans, It is also the best time to play PES for new-comers.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 1, 2020

If PES 2021 were a $60 game I could not recommend it to people who weren’t already fans of the Pro Evolution Soccer series. However, it’s a $30 game, and if you’re looking for an affordable single-player soccer experience, PES 2021 could be the game you’re looking for.

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Cubed3
Top Critic
8 / 10
Oct 7, 2020

Don't go into eFootball PES 2021 Season Update thinking that it is different game from the previous iteration, it's not. However, if PES 2020 is not already in your game library then PES 2021 is a sublime football game that benefits from all of the tailored updates that PES 2020 received. Konami perhaps missed a beat and could have been a tad bit more generous by making this an even more budget-priced game than what it is being sold for to capture any FIFA players who are on the fence, but it is still worth the price of admission. If fluid, tactical and sublime football is what you are looking for then look no further than eFootball PES 2021 Season Update.

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7.8 / 10.0
Oct 27, 2020

For eFootball PES 2021, all of this adds up to a soccer game that feels great to play, even if it is slightly lacking in other areas. The $40 price tag makes that pill easier to swallow, though. Depending on what you're looking for on the virtual pitch, that will determine whether PES is the right option for you. If you're like me and enjoy playing through a season with some random teams that you've never heard of, then PES may be exactly what you're looking for. With solid controls and decent AI, PES 2021 is a competent alternative to FIFA from a gameplay perspective, but those who get excited about seeing their favorite teams succeed against their biggest rivals may want to pass on PES.

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