Just a ‘’short’’ check-in from me.
Haven’t been here that much after the hype-train stopped after a couple of months with the game.
In terms of that - I’m sad. When I have the time, I’m finding myself playing Football Manager instead of even consider PES or FIFA.
I am happy for you guys enjoying PES. I really am. I just can’t get there anymore, and I’m highly doubtful that I ever can. Things have just changed, and sometimes I think it will create a revolution from a different company creating it. The two titles are just heavy influence of the direction of E-Sport. When playing a game against a friend or even online (even though I don’t want the FUT-thing), it just offers the unpredictability that making a football game fun and addictive. The problem for us is that the companies would, for very obvious reasons, focus on that part.
- There is a lot of money in E-sports. Not only do they sell the game, but there are microtransactions in it that are creating the future.
- Without being an expert, I will have a basic assumption that it is way easier to develop the game. The whole AI part is getting less attention.
And again.. Why should they prioritize differently? How many of us ‘’old-gamers’’ are having the game? A pretty percentage of us. We are hoping. We are giving it a month or two. Still hoping with upcoming patches - Maybe placebo will be there - maybe something will feel different. Honestly, it is a horrible product. Being well educated within marketing, I would say it is good marketing. At the end of the day, Bhatti, Lygaard, etc. has one job and that is creating interest for the product - They did that well by releasing a very good demo who made most of us giving the game a chance and by speaking of Master League improvements etc. Job 1 Done.
The truth for me (at least) is:
Something IS improved, but most of it isn’t. A see a lot of people speaking of fundamentals being improved. Ball Physics, Weight of players, etc. I agree, but I think that you guys that are speaking highly of the game have one incredible ability, and that is to ignore which fundamentals that hasn’t been fixed:
- For me, a fundamental part of a game is that is programmed so I wouldn’t feel cheated in Master League. IT HASN’T CHANGED. It is so damn scripted and obvious that after 2 games, I just can’t take it anymore. With the intelligence, it is possible to use these days, it’s just not good enough for me seeing the same s*** happen every year. The fundamentals aren’t improved when you, from time to time, don't feel that it is an honest experience playing PES on the highest level. It isn’t improved, when it’s just hard because of scripting and not because you’re playing a team that is playing beautiful football.
- The fundamentals aren’t improved when we still discuss referee-decisions and never experience penalties
- The fundamentals aren’t improved, when we still are seeing Salernitana scores at every free-kick, they get against you in Master League.
- The fundamentals aren’t improved when the commentators are using the same lines for nearly 15 years.
- The fundamentals aren’t improved when it’s a more common solution, playing Spotify while gaming PES.
- Two; The Master League is the most shallow and boring experience ever. Maybe some of us can be pretty large in this area by saying: ‘’Well... For me, it’s about the playing experience’’. The playing experience isn’t at the level it should be. Not for me at least, with the above mentioned ever-existing problems. When that is the case, it’s just even harder to defend Konami for delivering a Master League with so many elements that aren’t having any impact on the Master League experience.
I really admire the ones of you who still can enjoy a football game offline these days. For me, none of the titles can offer me anything in that regard. Here I need to go to Football Manager where it feels long-term. It feels like I’m having an impact on the field, and my decisions are valued. And maybe they are having an easier job, as we aren’t controlling the players in there - but maybe it is how it is in 2019.
A lot of love to you guys. It is really not the meaning to ‘’destroy’’ your experience of PES by pointing the same thing out year after year... I did just have one of these moments where I felt for some opinions to be shared. I miss the old days, but I am finding myself in a position where I’m beginning to accept that it will never come back. It is a time where we ‘’’oldies’’ will hope for an offline experience, where we could develop a team against the computer. But probably (as sad at is), the only thing that can bring a football experience on a console back for me is if that some of the titles are developing an online-solution that will be interesting for me - and I really can’t see that happen.
I am finding myself, every summer, HOPING for a better PES-experience, but I believe that inside, I know what is gonna happen these days. A demo is coming - it is giving me hope, but in that one mode that can offer a minor offline-experience, the same exhausting experience is waiting.
We are in December, so I wish all of you and your families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. I hope that there will be a lot of good times with your family, maybe a well-served beer, great food, and maybe a couple of hours with FM, PES, FIFA, or whatever you are into these days.
I will still follow this great place as there is a lot of you I share opinions with - Maybe something will change, that will get me trying one more time, but it will only be after some comments in here about ‘’being worth it’’.