Finally played 5-6 games of the demo, had to resort to PC as my 360 HD is fannying about.
I found PES 08,09 & 10 completely unplayable, but this really is a gem of a game. I have enjoyed FIFA last few years, but it does wear thin rather quickly. The FIFA ball physics and animations are outstanding but after a while you just realise you're seeing the same patterns of play again & again. My mind would even zone out for a number of seconds online and return to consciousness to discover I still had possession of the ball, everything just became automatic and you knew every outcome a moment before it happened.
But this doesn't happen in PES, it keeps you on your toes, the pure unpredictability of outcomes is what makes it all the more satisfying. The moment I knew it was a definite purchase was from a headed goal after pumping an opportunist ball into the area, it took me by complete surprised that I fist pumped dramatically, I haven't fist pumped a goal in a footy game in fucking years.
I just love watching players like Van Buyten fail to control a pass, and then stumble it 5 yards out into touch. Or picking the ball up with D'Alessandro and weaving inbetween defences.
I still ain't fully adjusted to it yet mind, I really miss double tapping the shoulder buttons for a quick stepover, and the shot cancel seems ineffective. Also all my through balls through the centre into the box seem overweighted every single time, I try and thread a little ball into the path of a striker but the keeper will always swallow it up.
Overall I'm massively pleased. For so long I've read promising reviews in past years from people so far up Konami's arse they refuse to accept the shambles it descended into. But this year, finally, it's back to it's best, and I still don't think I've scratched the surface really.