Spectre - you really feel the need to post all the negativity about this game? Do you like anything about it at all? Lately all I've seen from you is your negative comments and a link to how 10 other reviewers feel the same way - so what? When it comes right down to it, who the hell cares what 10 other people think or anyone other than yourself think? Just because they are professional reviewers, or forum board experts, doesn't mean they know you or me as a gamer - but that also doesn't mean I am not entitled to hear a different perspective and then decide on my own.
Maybe someone here just wants online - then yes, I would say PES 2009 sucks in that department, don't get it for that.
Maybe someone wants it for the modes...well let's see, Master league is the same as it has always been - that could be a game breaker to some or maybe that could ease on the mind of a veteran who loved the game mode in the first place and doesn't care if it is revolutionized or not.
But BAL mode seems to be pretty interesting - huh, what's that? More than 4 years of a career with one specific player? Awesome, I can really play this like a simulation and I had better play good football if not my ratings will go down and my coach won't pick me. What's that? I can challenge myself by changing the camera modes -hmmm, holy crap - Player camera mode is hard as nails! But so very challenging.
Oh, and that's interesting too...the teams I play against...the players change - oh yeah, that means I am not playing the same starting 11 for the rest of their careers - no, the CPU is very active and makes smart decisions, subbing at the 58th minute every game (two subs mind you) no matter the situation...yeah, that's real football.
Let's get into gameplay, hmm, yes one or two hiccups - can the game still be played? "Hell no, you fan boy - what do you know!?" - right? Wrong, the game is playable and I will tell you why.
Why do we play sports games? When it comes right frickin' down to it - why do we play sports games? After all is said and done, you play the game for the mother truckin' gameplay, right? You don't spend all this time changing up your team, scouting the other team, etc just to watch crappy game play? I have 1 problem with the game-play, okay maybe 2 - I have 2 problems with the game play. One being your CBs get out of position easily, this is pretty frustrating - so now I just control my midfielders when defending - seems to be working okay, we'll see how that continues to go. Second, I have a problem in BAL mode when your teammates just dribble head on into the CPU's player - this means they just stare at the ball and dribble forward, and lose the ball. The thing that saves me is that this doesn't happen all the time, so I live with it and accept that as a game flaw. Those two things, and only those two things, are what hurt the game play to ME. Everything else I believe is spot on. I think the way you can score so many various types of goals is exciting, the way the ball moves through the air and on the ground is legit and the way the weather affects the game is noticeable as well. The ball acts like a separate entity - as it should - and it is not glued to a player's feet, you must control it. Sure there are no fancy dribbling moves - or not as many - like in FIFA, but that doesn't take away the fact that you have to earn your goals or even your breakaways.
I played FIFA, emphasis on PLAYED because I'm still talking about game play here, and I got fed up with the AI playing the same type of football every single game. The same type of route-one football, the CPU would pick up the ball and no matter where they were, a ball would be launched straight to the forwards feet - every single time. And then somehow the man with the ball would possess some incredible 4-5 touches on the ball, making it impossible to defend. Now I played FIFA on WC difficulty, 15 minutes - no matter what team I use, be it Man U or Tranmere, you give up 20 shots on goal a half and the game itself has 2 or 3 fouls - total...
Hm, come to think of it - I change my problems for PES from 2 to 3 total, because I forgot that the referees are way too strict - almost every foul is a card - think the devs got a bit happy there.
So, in conclusion, give the game a chance before you listen to the negativity across the board or within reviews. I listened to the reviews that you UK guys got the game before us North American guys did, but I still went with my gut and bought the friggin game - why? because I love WE/PES, I always have - and I had faith that they would deliver in all aspects.
Unfortunately they did in regards to Game Modes (BAL and ML) and GamePlay - and compared to what is out there (FIFA)they own (makes me a jackoff i suppose) FIFA. But Konami failed miserably in online and UEFA CL mode (I haven't tried any other modes so I will not comment onthose), but the gamer-type that I am, it didn't matter.
So before you post on here insinuating for others to essentially boycott the game - repost with you likes and dislikes - not a link to what others think, but what you truly think and what type of gamer you feel would like this game.
So I will start:
"I like this game for its gameplay, BAL Mode and ML Mode. I do not like it for the Online Mode and UEFA CL Mode - I will not comment on others because I have not tried them."
