I’ve spent the last week tumbling down the retro-PES rabbit-hole and I’m more confused than ever -- but I've learned a lot. Best PS2 PES game?

X

xgamepro

Non-League
Joined
1 November 2025
Hi all,

I’ve spent the last week tumbling down the retro-PES rabbit-hole and I’m more confused than ever. I only want one physical PS2 copy to play (via BC/emulation on my PS3). Licences, kits and option-files don’t matter to me -- I’m after the purest, most balanced/authentic/best/(whatever you want to say here) gameplay on the pitch.

Here’s the maze I’ve navigated so far:
  1. PES 6: the surface level winner.. Great flow but supposedly easy to exploit.
  2. PES 5: slower, more physical and “tactical,” but the stricter ref + heavier inertia divide opinion. Advantage: higher skill ceiling for advanced play.
  3. PES 2008 (PS2): pitched as “PES 6 fixed with the best of PES 5”: smarter AI, exploits patched, but some say GKs are weaker -- and in general, is it fixed? Also, I've read that this loses the "vibe" of 5 & 6.
  4. PES 2010-2014 (PS2 legacy line): allegedly the same engine with yearly tweaks. Key change: closer dribbling control from 2010 onward (ball rarely pops loose). Some love it, others say it feels glued to the foot. Beyond that, not sure if there are other negative nerfs to balance, AI or otherwise.
  5. PES 2014 (PS2): the “logical end-point” theory: if each year was just PES 6 + patches, shouldn’t the final PS2 release be the best of everything? Again, not caring about content and just gameplay

Is there a consensus that 2008–2014 are truly improvements over PES 6, or do later tweaks break as much as they fix?

For someone who values AI depth, balanced difficulty and realistic ball/physic interactions over content/licences, which single version would you keep forever? And maybe that's not even the right question -- I'm really just looking for the best soccer game experience of the above. I know it's one of these PES, I just don't know which.

If you favor a later PS2 release (2008 or 2010–14), what concrete gameplay gains outweigh PES 6’s classic feel?

Conversely, if you still stick with PES 5 or 6 despite the exploits, what makes them irreplaceable?


I’ve read dozens of Evo-Web pages, Reddit threads, and nostalgia articles, but every time I think I’ve found the answer, a counter-post pushes me the other way.

If you could only keep ONE PS2-era PES/WE disc for its on-pitch gameplay alone, which would it be and why?
No need to weigh in on kits, licences or online servers
Click to expand...

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me end this dizzying loop! (I posted this in the sticky as well, just hoping to get a lot of feedback from you experts!)
 
xgamepro said:
Hi all,

I’ve spent the last week tumbling down the retro-PES rabbit-hole and I’m more confused than ever. I only want one physical PS2 copy to play (via BC/emulation on my PS3). Licences, kits and option-files don’t matter to me -- I’m after the purest, most balanced/authentic/best/(whatever you want to say here) gameplay on the pitch.

Here’s the maze I’ve navigated so far:
  1. PES 6: the surface level winner.. Great flow but supposedly easy to exploit.
  2. PES 5: slower, more physical and “tactical,” but the stricter ref + heavier inertia divide opinion. Advantage: higher skill ceiling for advanced play.
  3. PES 2008 (PS2): pitched as “PES 6 fixed with the best of PES 5”: smarter AI, exploits patched, but some say GKs are weaker -- and in general, is it fixed? Also, I've read that this loses the "vibe" of 5 & 6.
  4. PES 2010-2014 (PS2 legacy line): allegedly the same engine with yearly tweaks. Key change: closer dribbling control from 2010 onward (ball rarely pops loose). Some love it, others say it feels glued to the foot. Beyond that, not sure if there are other negative nerfs to balance, AI or otherwise.
  5. PES 2014 (PS2): the “logical end-point” theory: if each year was just PES 6 + patches, shouldn’t the final PS2 release be the best of everything? Again, not caring about content and just gameplay

Is there a consensus that 2008–2014 are truly improvements over PES 6, or do later tweaks break as much as they fix?

For someone who values AI depth, balanced difficulty and realistic ball/physic interactions over content/licences, which single version would you keep forever? And maybe that's not even the right question -- I'm really just looking for the best soccer game experience of the above. I know it's one of these PES, I just don't know which.

If you favor a later PS2 release (2008 or 2010–14), what concrete gameplay gains outweigh PES 6’s classic feel?

Conversely, if you still stick with PES 5 or 6 despite the exploits, what makes them irreplaceable?


I’ve read dozens of Evo-Web pages, Reddit threads, and nostalgia articles, but every time I think I’ve found the answer, a counter-post pushes me the other way.



Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me end this dizzying loop! (I posted this in the sticky as well, just hoping to get a lot of feedback from you experts!)
Click to expand...
You've forgotten PES 1-4. Some might place PES 3 as an equal to PES 5. And the original PES has some merit as Konami's first proper go at a football game on the then-next gen (not including the more arcade ISS).
 
PES 5 in my eyes. The best. Kept you on your toes even after 1.000 matches. When i fire it up it feels archaic now, but still very good
 
FC Bayern said:
You've forgotten PES 1-4. Some might place PES 3 as an equal to PES 5. And the original PES has some merit as Konami's first proper go at a football game on the then-next gen (not including the more arcade ISS).
Click to expand...
LOL fantastic, now even MORE games to consider hahahaha
 
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