I'm quite baffled some of you just found out how to defend with R2.. And that patch 1.3 is a good one.
Where were you all this time? What was all the rambling about then?
I thought you all knew this and despite all of it you're still unhappy with it.
I agree with this Lam lol.
I mean it took me ages to 'get' the game this year, I mean hundreds of demo games. But once I starting mastering the R2+x contain and tackle function, I was away. At least it gives you the base for sound defence. But this is only 50% of the art of defending this year. The other half is when to press hard and fast, when to contain and when to drop right back and leave the CPU literally run at you until you get numbers back.
I've had my ups and downs with the game this year. Firstly I thought the demos were excellent (PS3), then the main game. Only the keepers were broken. Then I liked retail but didn't like patches 1.01 and 1.02. Then I loved 1.03, and I even thought Chimps editing was excellent. But then I lost a little love then. It was at this time I started playing PES and FIFA concurrently, and I think for me anyway, this cannot be done. PES is just too deep, too hard and required utmost concentration to keep getting results on Superstar.
I then switched to the PC and after a thousand or so patches, just could not find the right balance. Last week I re-formatted the PS3, installed GTM patch and 1.03, and I am absolutely loving it again. I'm back on Superstar level, and the matches are so, so intense. I think the stats are so sensitive this year that any alterations has a drastic effect on gameplay balance down the line. I've now ditched the PC journey and am back solely loving my PS3.
I've had my rants about 1.03, in terms of scripting and at times I thought the game broken, but like I say I think stats edits just magnified scripting to a different level. I've been harsh at times because I love the game so much (apologies to Curdstar and Adam in part for some rants, even though the WENB forums are not for me). That doesn't stop me thinking that this is one of the best representations of football ever, in terms of absolutely everything.
To get the best out of PES this last two weeks I've had a complete attitude re-adjustment.
1) I was previously going into games as Liverpool thinking I should be a top 3/4 team on the game. I've completely changed my approach now just by looking at the table IRL and seeing where Liverpool are now with the team. I was thinking that I should be going in as favourites in every match, when this isn't so. EVERY TEAM ON PES, is capable of beating you. What gives me the right for example, to face say Wolves and think it's going to be an easy game? They (the CPU) want to win as much as me, and on their day even lowly sides have players that can hurt you and play some nice football
2) Home and away. I have appreciated that this is important this year. I always look to play more cautiously away from home against everybody at least for the first 60 minutes. If I feel the game is going my way then I can up the attacking a notch or two.
3) Study the tactics. My best result this year was a 4-0 demolishing of Arsenal, after I had studied the tactics screen for a good ten to 15 minutes. I saw their strengths, stalled then with workers in midfield and then hit them wide. Tactically, I love this game. You also have to know when to sacrifice star players for a better team shape against certain teams.
4) Silly formations and over-committal. Now, I've never been a gung ho type of player, BUT, if you play an attacking formation, and so to do the CPU, then expect carnage at both ends. Now, I almost always play with three central midfielders, and if it means I lose a bit of creativity with a star player, I'd have the work rate defensive guys every day of the week. I've learned the hard way, that the best XI isn't always the most effective XI.
Over committal - by this I mean too much use of the one-two trigger run. This can be brutally exploited by the CPU especially if you lose possession with many people in front of the ball, they will dice you with swift effectiveness. So use the 1-2 trigger run sparingly on counter attacks, or when you need that bit of extra penetration in and around the box, if you play a long drawn possession game, and you start committing your midfielders ahead of the ball, then DO NOT lose possession cheaply.
5) And even if you apply ALL of the above, there is still the 50% of football that is chance and luck. That's football.
I think a lot of people are starting to really get to grips with the game this last month or so, which is a testament to the longevity of the game, do you think guys? Anyway, at this moment in time, I don't think I've ever been happier playing a PES game, and that's with the legend games of yesteryear taken into consideration. For the first time in a long time, I am starting to become excited for PES 2013!