This is a genuine question; after playing PES 2009 again for the past few days I've found myself having fun when playing it with friends. While there's things I like about it and things I don't, I find it's actually a good laugh when you're playing it with real people in the same house but there's obviously some frustrating issues with it. The universal opinion seems to be that it is garbage and I'd just like to know what people think is good about the game and what is bad about it. (Just to see if they match up with my opinions more than anything!)
So what do you love/hate about PES 2009?
I hate - Auto challenge tackles. Glitch on free-kick takers, the odd misplaced pass. Certain rigid animations. Although I do appreciate where Konami have come from with it, they need a huge variation in body angles to replicate the striking stances, passing stances, balance, etc etc.
I love - The complete individuality of each and every player. No one player is the the same in touch, pass, vision, positioning, shooting, accuracy, aggression, etc etc etc etc etc etc ......
The shooting is all about angles, timing, ability, technique etc etc.
The passing both manual and standard are much harder to pick, but more realistic for it. It creates bad passes, scrappy play, very realistic to modern day football. Watching Boro v Newcastle play live a few months back on T.V was like playing Newcastle with Boro in my Masterleague to the point it was so similar it was scary.
Loved BAL, needs work but still an awesome addition.
Tweaked ML would be nice but we still have Premier League, Uefa, CL, full seasons, scouting, training players. You can build your own team and bring them along with a feeling of real bonding with your 'boys'. Again because each player is totally unique. My best siging so far has been Lavezzi from Napoli, a different class. ML hasnt added much over the years. But there isnt much more they can add.
I dont agree with scripted passes 100%, the passes are relevant to your players technique and ability. Give Lamps the ball or Deco and he will pick the pass Essien probably cant. Again, individuality that doesnt appear in any other football game anywhere near the extent it does in PES.
The skills are very hard to pull off. So they should be.
The performance arrows and the way you can 'gamble'on regulating your players arrows are superb and mean so much. Totally replicating real life. Rooney doesnt always have a stormer, and on PES if he is on a 'blue' or 'grey' he wont play as well. On a red arrow he is unplayable. So when he isnt 100%, giving other players with better 'arrows' a chance, and them stepping up and playing well adds so much to the game. And gives you selection headaches. I love that aspect. It's so real. In real life when my confidence is high I can be a right handful, when I'm on a 'blue' if you like, I can play like I have two left feet. PES catches this element brilliantly for me.
PES2009 is really fun, realistic and engaging. It can also be extremely frustrating as well, especially when your players are tired, have poor 'arrows' and dont perform to their ability. Which again adds to the realism. See Man Utd in the CL final.
Every game is totally different. I personally dont see any cheating by the AI and I play on Top Player and Hard on ML. No issues for me on that score. If I did find CPU cheating then it would seriously effect my judgement. PES2008 was horrific. PES 2009 is the best one I have ever played. You need to give it time. It teaches you to think about everything, you cant play it the same way you play previous PES games. And thats why I think people have dismissed it so early.
Dig deeper, give it time, and you will realise this is as close to simulating real football as it gets.