I've been playing both games since the early PS1 days. FIFA in the last couple of years feels like a DLC lots of times. I feel that they are a bit afraid to alter gameplay too much because of the Ultimate Team because it's making them so much money. They are trying to milk out every last penny until possible from that.
As for FIFA 18 gameplay...I just feel bored when I play, especially when I loose the ball. I don't like ball control, it's sluggish. Animations overall are ugly, like players have very bad tehnique when executing some passes and moves.
PES18 is brilliant when it comes to gameplay and it's something I play now, but goddamn KONAMI can be really idiotic.
For example, since forever, they can't make loaned players belong to the parent club but instead belong to the loaned club in Master Leage. That means that when you play as Chelsea in the Master League, you lose our WHOLE LOAN ARMY.
Menus in PES are just shambolic.
For a couple of years now, KONAMI has failed to create a good camera angle for replays.
Game has a bug, when ref marks free kick and the wall on the grass, and a bit later you have another fk, new free kick doesn't get marked until the old one doesn't disappear.
For a couple of years now, AI just doesn't make fouls.
Penalties are awful.
No dedicated button to BLOCK the shot.
Tackle button requires two clicks which makes it difficult to be timed.
No dedicated control to execute a volley, lots of times I wanted a volley and my player hits it with his head which fails miserably.
No Stadium Creator yet.
And what's interesting, KONAMI has made PES unavailable in Serbia which means I can't buy it on steam, and now I refuse to spend my money on them. They delayed the PC demo also until the release, and pissed off so much of PC gamers that actually PES 18 was cracked less then 15 days after the release