I've been playing this series every year since ISS Pro on PS1, so have plenty of experience too. PES 5 for me and still is the pinnacle. I wouldn't play it over PES 2021 though as 2021 has far more going for it graphically, content and gameplay wise. I like being able to move in more than 8 directions with my players.
But no PES has matched the joy I got from playing PES 5 in that moment in time. It was that good, I didn't even bother picking up PES 6 until a few years ago. I had played a demo of it, but it felt faster, more arcadey.
I doubt I'll ever feel that magic of PES 5 again. I've not experienced it since, so no reason to believe it will happen again. I'm also a lot older now, so don't expect to and also don't have the time to play PES all evenings and weekends like I used to.
I'm being very general in this statement as I'm not glued to forums on a daily basis and not been a member of this one for very long compared to others, but I get the impression even in its pre eFootball form, no one has been happy with PES overall since the PS2 days. Konami could just release a PES 2022 as we had originally expected, but I assume it would have just had the same level of criticism aimed at it as before. Maybe it's for the best they're trying something different now.
I don't know the reasoning why it's so bare bones at launch after 2-3 years of development, but that's not an area I have any expertise in. I'd assume Covid has had a big part to play in it and I've experienced PES being released later in the year, so I'd much rather have this demo to play on 30th September than nothing at all. I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays.
And lastly, apologies to anyone who was offended by my original post last night. I know it's more than just the name change in the games current form, but that could end up being the only major difference IF all the old modes, tactics and controller inputs we know and love do return. I get people are concerned it will be watered down to accommodate mobile gamers, I am too, but mobile gaming has apparently come a long way since Flappy Bird. At least I hope so anyway!