Literature for the coronapocalypse: a retro-review of the unforgettable PES5:
https://liberomagazine.wordpress.co...to-cuanavale-a-pro-evolution-soccer-5-review/
Hope you enjoy it.
A messiah of an article for a messiah of a game. I'm sure you aware of the pressure of doing arguably the highest point of the series justice in written tribute. Kind of ironic considering just as you must have a sense of pride with your blog entries maybe Konami back then felt a great sense of pride with topping and doing it's own series a sense of justice even though it was under no reasonable marketing obligation to with FIFA's commercial success being written in the stars even back on the PS2 when the FIFA series was at it's all time worst on the pitch.
I loved the opening observation on the state of modern gaming culture and the discussion we cannot help our selves and regurgitate in the corner. The idea that these are no longer football games, These are games based on football. PES (& FIFA last gen tried) used to be Gran Turismo football, Now it's NFS football. It's a condensed experience of allowing the player to casually feel like they're able to spray like Barcelona and blow open goal nets like De Bruyne with out the committed learning curve.
PES 2020 is the better compromise since 2017 this gen in my opinion but it's still unbalanced and still heavily teeters towards the aforementioned, Consequence free, Participation trophy nature of modern "competitive gaming. I'm all for accessible gaming, There's games i like more than their simulation counterparts like NBA Jam & I've recently got into an addictive indie/retro racer called Horizon Chase Turbo... I don't have any interest in real Basketball or Motorsports but this casual affairs are transparent about what they are and they're fun. Like i mentioned - I'm all for the casual counterparts of games - Just don't lie and tell me these are simulations when the aren't.
But back to PES 5, It's hard to pick a favourite PES as i've used the analogy many times... Asking me to name a favourite PES is like asking me which of my 15 kids i love the most when they're all unique; Strengths and weaknesses et al. But if i must go with the one that has the most sentimental value to me, PES 5 would be it. Much like Metal Gear Solid 1 formed by tastes in narrative games and my lust for atmosphere, mood and storytelling over reflexes and visceral sights and sounds - PES 5 formed my taste for realistic football gaming that encouraged you to understand patience, Risk/reward and the consequences of rushing or playing ninja football.
It didn't need challenge training, disruptive Pop ups or hints on how to take throw ins or corners in your first few games... It was intuitive and comprehensive. Good old fashioned trial and error. It was a common understanding in this era of PES amongst fans that you wasn't going to win your first 3 or 5 games, That these we're simply your learning experiences. Stick with it and you're in. A stark contrast to the rapid uninstalls, Threats of refunds or pre order cancelling of today's entitled gamer.
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For those who have caught up with the first 3 episodes of my CL 08/09 series - We've reached the knockout stage. Some cracking games in here. I appreciate PES 6 for all it's merits, I really do but if i have one complaint about this game, It's the damn shooting. I don't just mean with the feet but generally any attempt on goal via a strike or a header; Just rises and rises! It gets a little repetitive. 9 out of 10 headers just balloon into the sky like there's little effort made to aim downwards and i understand and love the context applied to shooting, If the player is unsettled or rushed when trying to squeeze of a shot, The power bar seems to fill up twice as quick as if to represent the players lack of composure but even tapping it or taking time seems to rifle it out of the stadium - Which is counter intuitive i might argue.
Still, It's PS2 era PES and is algorithm based not to mention when you do score, It feels like a triumph when you do find the net. From a psychology standpoint it was really clever from Konami before they moved onto dopamine triggers from picking black balls. Though might i add, I feel shooting is near perfect in PES 5 and just about flawless in WE9:LE - Both of course are PES 6's predecessors.
It's February 2009, The winter break is over and The Champions League resumes with the hotly anticipated knockout stages! Find out what went down in the first leg of all Eight, Round of 16 fixtures!
