In fact, with a big recoil we got now : the game is just a PES 6 in HD, with less assistance in defence, a bit more misses too in passing/shooting, a bit improved and more focused on AI positioning than contact. (Improved > i don't like PES 6 PS2-PC just for info, too fast and arcade, not the worst but on my top 5 "worst PES" easy after PES 2016, WE8/PES 4 and the very worst : PES 2009 )
I play and try a lot of retro since almost 2 years.
Back in 2007-08 : we all waited for something enhanced, fresh, a new engine and what we got was a game playing like PS2 version with a PS2 engine and the only improvement was a better AI (Teamvision... But it works) We talked about it in the Retro-PES section and believe me, it's not a matter of being fan or a matter of nostalgia, but that game isn't that bad. He isn't even bad : just visually weird for the time with the new models + HD + a simple PS2 engine conversion maked it very robotic, with animations and the cam + v-sync fucked up on PS360 bad optimised.
But right now, replaying it i see by far less those stuffs, since i tried tons of PES 5/6 patch HD on PC... In fact it's kinda the same as some PES 6 patches.
I remember one thing : we/my friends and Wearepes complained a lot on PS2 about the defensive side always too easy and empty : the teamvision even rectified something that was on many, many PES/WE versions.
Also there's a "lost game" : PES 6 Xbox 360, i owned it and it was pretty different than PES 6 PC/PS2, test affirm it and i can affirm it too. Not the same guys did that version. More balanced, slower etc. you can check on pretty old test about gameplay rating.
They keept the same more or less model as on PS2 so animations were more natural than the following PES 2008-09-10.
Now PES 2009... That one is really one of the 3 worst of all time, the fastest, followed by PES 2016 and WE8 (PES 4 is a masterpiece vs that one).
In brief : PES 2008 PC is a PS2 HD with more variety in AI, both offensive and defensive but with less assistance in defence (people didn't liked it at the the time : now they're all asking to get less assistance ! It's another generation... PES 2008 is much more assisted in a good way than every FIFA since the 19)
Thrust me, we replayed the way it should have been on the retro PES thread and it's not the worst at all : more using the sliding tackle (something we rarely did in PS2) and they make it "longer" to cut passes etc., more balanced than 2009-2010 similar engine.
And score could be balanced if you play the way it's mean to be played.
Still.... The PS2 version is better > kinda normal as it's one of the best PES of all PS2 era followed by WE9LE (i don't count the improved version such as JL2008). It's my 1st favorite season (i count JL2008 on it) ex-aequo with WE9/PES5/WE9LE
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BUT one thing is sure : FIFA 08 was much more fits for his time. That's what people waited for.
I played more that one just because it was fresh, balanced, what we waited for a "next-gen" football game even with some flaws and limitations > the big Fifa turning point.... I didn't liked everything (like all players feeled the same, speed was completely unuseful, you just feelt that players were stronger but you couldn't tell for what, just you scored or passed through the defense. But whatever : the game was great at the time.
I replayed it, and weirdly, with the Fifa + PES current experience, i scored easier. The game seemed faster too, but just what is needed. On my PS3 jailbreak
