@MafiaMurderBag: Thanks man, I don't have that latest release so that might solve things out. Will try it out later!
Yep. Even when compared to PES3 one can see it's much more archaic, which goes to show the greatness of PES back then, managing to improve massively what was already not only a fantastic game but a simulation that was lightyears ahead of anything else on the market.
Still, besides finding PES2 as enjoyable as any other retro-PES game, what strikes me the most is how it captures the essence of late 90s football. No building up play from the back, passing it around fruitlessly for half an hour until the team gets bored and finally has a shot on goal; no obsession with controlling the pace of the match, or the ball possession: it's a game of electrifying action, two teams bravely exchanging blows for 90 minutes...building up play from the back?...you mean, pressing

and hope poor Vieri up front gets the ball...? It's wonderfully chaotic.
From PES2 onwards, as real-life football was changing, so did the game itself. This and the ISS Pro Evos (and certainly PES1, which I haven't played yet) are what we often call here "time-machines" but not just because of its technology or the teams/rosters/players; rather they give us an opportunity to experience what football was before the tactical revolutions of the 00s which changed the sport forever.
@Madmac79: Most people when they try retro-PES games end up comparing it to the modern game - which you know I think is unfair -; how much would their perception change if they instead compared each retro-PES title with its contemporary rivals? This is truly the only way to fully understand the greatness of some of these titles. These days it seems picking FIFA or PES comes down mostly to a personal preference; but play a bit of PES2 or 3 and then compare it to its rivals (FIFA03/04, for example) and you'll see PES was in another galaxy really - back then the choice was playing PES or why the hell are you not playing PES.
@breezy: What's your formation? Usually I get that problem when my formation tries to adjust to the opponent's, for example when the back line has to deal with 2 or 3 attackers and so the SBs tuck in in order to prevent the opp. to have numeric superiority in the box.
@Topaz: If you are already impressed by it, wait until you try it with PSD stats, it's like a PES2008.5.
I don't know how to apply an OF on the emulator, though I'm 99% sure someone figured it out and posted here about it.
@Lexypoooo, was it you?
@Flipper the Priest: I used to be a bit bothered about the lack of a long-press short pass, but I'm completely used to it by now. As you put it, you have to be more patient and careful with your build-up. The less skilled your player is, the more mistakes he'll commit in this particular area; but use a Zidane and you can sit back, relax and enjoy the show most of the time.
That match must've been wonderful. I want to start a ML on PES2 but I'm out of ideas, so in the meanwhile I'm just exploring the teams, getting to know rosters and players on more Pseudo-CL challenges.
@mattmid: PES13 is shining bright under your influence, loving it man. Interesting rate of completed passes on your screenshot, very realistic.