The Good
+ The AI learns your tendencies through the length of a match and season.
+ More licensed teams and leagues.
+ Edit mode is back in 2008
+ New User Interface, includes supporters reaction to a team's success.
The Bad
- Old kit editing system is out and new scan/vision editing system is in.
- XBL matches suffer from serious latency issues.
- Challenge mode is out.
- No editing options within Master League.
Should be added for next year.
> Licensed Premier League, J League, Bundesliga, and MLS.
> Cloth mechanics.
> Revamped editing system.
> Challenge Mode.
I started playing Pro Evolution Soccer/Winning Eleven back in 2001, before then I had played a number of EA soccer/football games that had some resemblances of reality. But when I first played PES (which it is now called on both sides of the Atlantic) I realize that to succeed in the game that I would have to think realistically about how to advance the ball, when to sub players, and how to attack with the talent that I had on the field.
This is the reason why so many gamers around the world play PES. If you get caught in the habit of slide tacking on every offender, or long-balling the pitch you will simply lose every match. It takes a well balanced attack, as well as a rigid trap defense to win. In addition, you will have to sign talent to match your play style, if you're aggressive, then you will probably need to sign Mid's and Fwd's capable of attacking from long range and getting creative with the ball. If you're a little more conservative, you'll need to sign a great Sweeper, and a lot of above average Mid's. The game is different based upon the reactions and strategy of each player, unfortunately there aren't many games you can say this about.
I am not going to go into much depth of what's in the game every year, i.e. Master League (D1 & D2), Cups, Training, etc. There are plenty of other review that will cover this BS. What is missing is one of my favorite modes, the Challenge mode. This was of great resource for me, because the Challenge mode was a way for decent and average players to get better. By focusing on the challenges, in a mini-game format you were able to take more free kicks, PK's and crosses in two hours than you would if you played the game for a week. Thus improving your potential to score in game on the aforementioned.
What's also missing is the old editing system. Which was similar to the Forza Motorsport system on the original Xbox. Layers of shapes and colors, could help gamers edit the generic teams to look like those of the Premier League, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga. What replaces the old editing mechanic is a kit editing system that utilizes the 360's vision cam to take pictures and lay them over the the front and only the front of the jersey's. It's not nearly as flexible as the old system and further more, trying to take pictures of kits on you LCD screen or even printouts leads to the fading of colors and some pixelated final products.
My last negative will focus on the inflexibility of the Master League. Though I really can't remember if you could back on the PS2, there is no option to edit your players/team within the ML. So any new transfers will not be able to edited at all, and new players (the generically generated youth of 17 y/o's that will populate the game every year) are also off limits. So the only way to edit players that you know that you'll trade for is in the Edit mode before you start you Master League. LAME!
I emphasize the bad, because this was supposed to be the revamped PES of the shell of a game we had to play last year. That game had no edit mode, a lackluster UI, and a overall graphical resemblance to the game released on inferior platforms. My overall appreciation of the game is positive, but this is another iteration that has only been made and can be played by true soccer fans.
The AI is the real highlight of this year's PES and is the only reason I bought a copy this year at all. Over the last couple of years I would find Strikers that were tall and fast who could head the ball to the back of the net. In addition, I would sign about three top level Mid's to get them the ball, and lastly sign two experienced defenders to help the Keeper guard the box. The result was my complete domination of the game, we're talking 5-nil wins on a consistent basis here folks.
What I have noticed this year is that I need to switch the field, try a few long balls, and organize center and wing attacks just so I can get my strikers the ball. This year's iteration of PES is a truly maddening experience that you could only describe as entertainingly addictive. Though I can't whole heartedly
recommend the game to first timers because of the learning curve, this years PES is a revelation of future things to come.
Comments