Re: PES 2013 Discussion Thread .......
Okay I've had a good go at both games now and so feel I can formulate some opinions. Let it be noted that I was a big PES Demo 1 advocate and wasn't too keen, early impressions, on Demo 2, or at least the subtle changes from Demo 1 to Demo 2. FIFA, I enjoyed first up as any new title will bring some initial different feelings. I've scored some very nice goals on it, but my overall opinion on defensive AI in the FIFA series and the CPU build up play lacking any real variation is still prevalent IMO, there is not enough in FIFA 13 to warrant my cash this year, career mode may look the dogs knob, but essentially I'm an on the pitch man, and this is where yet again, FIFA falls short of my expectations.
This year I'm also not willing to mess about with sliders, fixes, gameplay mods on either game. I just haven't got the time any more, and nor should I spend hours tweaking the game to cover up gameplay issues. The game is what it is out of the box, and that's the way I intend to play them this year.
I loved Demo 1 of PES, I thought they had it right barring player switching problems and CPU build up play (although I couldn't resist playing it with Jenkey's patch PC and CPU passing was better). PES Demo 2, I was slightly disappointed at first, but if that was the direction KONAMI was taking it then there was no point going back and forth both demos, I had to settle to try and learn demo 2.
And I must say, it's finally paying off. I have been converted. I'm changed my defensive philosophy almost entirely from PES 2012. I still use the contain function and release to tackle CPU players, but this year I think it's far far important what goes on off the ball and away from the man you control. It's difficult to explain, but by being simply more aware and looking at passing lanes and anticipating where the CPU is looking for space, the game comes alive even further.
I've also been tinkering with formations and tactics, to stem what seemed to be a CPU flow up the field on Superstar. Whilst I still think, to a degree, that it is still somewhat slightly too easy for the CPU to stroll on up the pitch (against my all manual build up), at least I can appreciate the game much more now.
The quest for realism is never ending in my eyes, but I guess I have to appreciate that it's a game after all and it needs to find that middle ground of being tough and yet fruitful for the seasoned PES pro and yet accessible and try and be a little fun. The 'game' has to be condensed into 10 minutes or 15 or whatever, and so I don't think we'll ever get the kind of slow totally realistic build up play from the CPU that mirrors mine. This would be heaven....but like I say, a middle ground has to be reached on realism v fun.
NOW...with that out of the way, I want to just say that the more I play PES 2013, the more I think it's one incredible game. I initially was harsh on team individuality and player individuality in demo 2. I can safely say I have been proven wrong.
I had a game yesterday that was Bayern (me) v Barcelona (CPU). It was one of the most intense games I've ever played. It panned out to a tee, For the most part, I was under extreme pressure, was struggling to get the ball out of my own half and relied on sporadic flank bursts from Ribery and Robben. Barce passed it about like masters. I found myself continually dropping to get men behind the ball or else they would cut through me. This then forced me back and made it harder and harder for me to push out from defence. There was one period of the game where I'm sure Barce ramped up their individual pressure and I gave the ball away under panic three times from defence, only for them to play patiently camping me inside my own box. Messi was fkin unreal. Dancing across the 18 yard box, committing my man, making me forcer another man on him, his reflexes and agility were stunning. And this isn't to say that my players and my defenders were slow and unresponsive, but he just was better, end of.
The best part of the entire game was a little cameo from Barce which just summed the game up to be honest. One of my main gripes about 2012 was the needless CPU clearances, especially the full backs when under minimal pressure. A move broke down and the ball ended up on the Barce right back area, usually the CPU just launch it forward. The right back waited on the ball and waited. I pressured with my striker but then stopped. The CPU came forward slightly, then infield and drew me closer to him, before passing the ball along the back. I then took a punt and pressured Puyol even more with another striker (still in my control) but Puyol drew me in closer too, passed to the left flank and back into the centre where Iniesta had acres. I then was forced to concede the entire centre of the pitch as my tactics dictated that my midfielders were way behind the ball. The trade off was simple - I pressed with my strikers without any further pressure because of my midfield tactics and conceded needless ground.
It was so beautiful, so contextual. Fantastic CPU AI.
On other notes. I drew a yellow card inside 10 seconds of play from the first whistle the other day, and the same guy was second yellowed inside the first half. Brilliant stuff. Dribbling in tight situations with the right player is a dream. Player individuality is very good.
I'll also be interested how the game plays with lesser teams, I hope it will be more of a slug fest between lesser ability sides. I really do hope. This would then make the gulf bigger in terms of individuality between the top teams and the rest and make you have to adjust tactics and formations.
Shooting is very good. Passing - well it's okay. I play on 1 bar and can now and again get frustrated by its inconsistency, but I can live with that. Rails - right then. Whilst the game seems undoubtedly freer and open, there is still that feeling of rails. That's probably a totally contradictory thing to say, but FIFA feels totally free.
This got me wondering, can we have it both ways? Can we have the free feeling nature of FIFA and still have player individuality, realistic movement, passing differences, or is rails simply part of something governing how all this comes together in PES? What I'm trying to see is that if we de-rail PES, would it simply be FIFA? I don't know.
Anyway, the Barce game finished 1-0 to me, a truly stunning counter attack goal deep in the second half from a Robben run, then a chipped through pass to Gomez to hit home a deflected goal. Simply brilliant, simply exhilarating. Possession stats - 50%-50%! Wow! And you guys know that 50-50 in this PES will represent a 'feeling' of like 70-30 to the CPU.
Now the bad. I do get the odd game where I feel cheat scripts kicking in, may be just me having to adjust to the game mind you. Keepers. Hmm. The jury is still out on this one. Whilst I do think they are more life-like than FIFA, and are more prone to human error, I still absolutely shit myself every time a CPU player shoots. It's like every shot I'm waiting for the fk up. The parries sometimes go to the CPU way too often, again may be something I'm just missing and may be it is random and not scripted.
Back to the good - variance in passing and crossing, even from the CPU. crossing is just more lifelike than before, with crosses missing by miles, crosses missing by inches and everything in between. Crossing from the by-line is now a bit of an art and the keeper commands crossing far better than previous years.
The colour palette. Man they're got to sort this out. I mean seriously. The game looks okay on my 50" plasma, even night is passable. But this shouldn't be the vase in 2013, I want spectacular. The pitch seems to just still have an unreal glow about it, even in day time. I have to keep adjusting the colour sliders over and over, I have to keep messing about with the colour settings on my tv over and over. Why can't they just get the fkin grass right? Is it SO hard?!?
Anyway, minor issues aside, 2013 will be a definite purchase on PS3 now. I'm really looking forward to it after being relatively passive about it the last month or so. BUT - if ML gets wrecked because of this boots fiasco I'll not be impressed.
We'll wait and see.