Re: WE/PES 2008 Next Gen - Discussions Thread (Last Update 10/10/07)
PES 2008 Level7 Review
There is no other game series I care about more. SInce I every year spend hundreds of hours with the latest game in the PES-series it is also very easy for me to find things that annoy me. Sometimes it is even easy to forget that I do play it as much as I do, and therefor think it is that good. In this year's version it is precisely that dilemma which is hardest to deal with.
Micromanagement
I can list hundreds ot thngs that KONAMI need to do, and fix, but I mustn't forget all the good times. Once you are there forcing your way past a centre back with RT and intercepts a cross, stops on a dime with RB in a sprint duel along the sideline, or really feel it is Messi you are controlling. At those times the game is only pleasure. Because this year also, KONAMI have spent the time with their microtools and trimmed a value here, raised a number there, added some new animations in virtually all situations, followed by hour after hour of testing, after which they raise a few values a couple of notches, and then back to testing. They still have some ways to go before reaching the perfect game, but they are inching closer and closer.
The players feel real
One of the games' big strengths is that every player is so unique. When you create your own players and test them in the game you can start to realize the extremely detailed system that lies as the foundation for everything that happens during the matches. Put a high "Aggression" stat on a sideback and he will run along the sideline like Roberto Carlos in his glory days. Put high "Teamwork" stat on a defensive midfielder and you get a player that always seems to pick out teammates. Give an offensive midfielder the special skill "Middle Shooting" and find some space to unleash a blazing 30-meter shot. When you are the most pissed off on what is happening on the field, you can almost always find the explanation in the player abilities. Mellberg's lousy decision when you just have taken control of him is due to his "Response" stat value. Wilhelmsson's weak body that constantly looses duels is because of his stats.
You can protest some of the stats and their significance, but noone can take away the fact that KONAMI have done a monstrous job when they have created players that truly feel unique. A football game with players who's trademarks and uniqueness is only in the appearance is something Seabass leaves for the competition.
Enemies to beat
Compared to PES6 there have been some small and neat additions. The gimmick to try and dive for a penalty is a parenthesis, shirtpulling is nice, but more important is the ability to change the number of men in the wall, and being able to take quick freekicks. It still happens too rarely, but freekicks no longer need to slow down the game like before. New animations and movements extend the vital aspect of variation, and with improved passing you now find yourself not being infuriated by the inabilities of the players nearly as much as before. The close qurters play has also been refined further, and as a result you now need to re-evaluate the way you move and sprint.
There is still big differences between the players. Giant Koller in the Czech national team is not easily stopped in a battle for the ball unless you go in with a perfect sliding tackle or read and anticipate his movements. Small defenders chasing his tail Koller can easily keep at a distance. It is kind of like an action game where you need to defeat every enemy in a specific way, only where you in action game need to hit the red dot in the head followed by 2 shots to the gas tank, in PES 2008 you need to keep close proximity to some attackers, while some require extra manpower. A player like Gerrard cannot be given the opportunity to shoot from distance and Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be let loose facing the goal.
Finally Edit
Last year's XBOX360-version was really quite poor. We can demand more than that from KONAMI and not even having an Edit-function in a game that lacks so many players and teams is obviously lousy. This year we have been given a really nice mode where we can create custom players, kits, emblems and teams. Both emblems and faces can have pictures imported via the Xbox Live Vision Camera. There is thus possibilities for the fans to fill the 18 "free" teams and hundreds of player slots with their own creations. If we are lucky the PES community will reward the game with more value as dedicated fans spend time creating the Bundesliga, all the Premier League clubs and much more. For the PS3 it is supposedly easy to import a new option file while it might require some more work for the 360.
Three other little newsitems
THus so far we have a really good game on the pitch and a nice Edit-function. Also added are three new functions in the Master League career mode. Firstly the ML menu has a new layout that atleast looks nicer than before. Secondly the 2nd division has been expanded to 20 teams, which will put high demand on those of us that like to spend time in the ML. Thirdly a new function is popularity points, that are assigned to both players and the team. If your team suffers from a low score no players will want to join your club and unless your players excel and get good grades noone will want to buy them. It isn't a big addition, but it affecta large parts of the ML in a positive way with increased challenge and increased clarity in the player transfers.
Stop
After that though we come to a stop. The XBOX360 and PS3 versions don't get more than that. It may be awesomeness on the field, the Edit-functions are really nice and the ML-news are nice aswell, but if KONAMI think we are not expecting more than this from a year of development, well then they obviously has us beaten. Because it will of course be enough. We will still be buying the game because it is still the best where it counts; on the field (did you hear that one before?). There is so many things they could have done with the game modes, the menues, the music and the graphics. Also there is alot of things to fix and correct gameplay-wise (such as stupid runs from the centre backs, freekicks on your own half where you can hardly pass to a teammate to save your life, and much more).
It is starting to become time for KONAMI to raise their heads. We already know they can emulate football like no others. Noone doubts that they know what they are doing as they fiddle with small things that noone even notices, but there is more to a football game than that. Bragging about the extremely fuzzy "TeamVision" as the big news underlines their way of thinking. Sure the AI feels better than previous installments, but you don't market something as the big thing, when players on their 20th hour of playing with a bit of luck might hint at it's presence. Sadly it says qute alot about Seabass and his team, but also about PES 2008 as a game.
Time to get moving
If you want to keep playing the best football game on the lastest generation consoles, PES 2008 is your choise. But remember that FIFA 08 isn't far behind this year. According to me the game on the pitch scores a 9 in PES2008 while FIFA 08 is rewarded a 7. As for framing and gamemodes however, ES:s game scores a solid 10/10 while KONAMI's offering only manages a weak 6. From there it is up to you. As for me, I just can't let go of my fascination for how well everything feels as I am playing the ball around in my team and notice how my tactics work. The depth of play on the field is, in comparison with the shallowness of everything outside, almost frightingly deep.
My advice to KONAMI; Let Seabass continue burying himself into the on-field gameplay until he fears sunlight. But let another, european team, who knows what it takes, handle the rest. A team that realizes that you don't silence the critics of last years shit songs in the menues by adding even more shit songs in this year's version. Once that insight reaches all the way I might award PES a 10/10.
Scores:
Graphics: 6/10
The animations look really nice and the players often resemble their real life counterparts, but virtually everthing else is poor or even lousy. The cutscenes also suffer from poor framerates.
Gameplay: 9/10
I can whine all day about the missing things, but I am still fascinated over how well put together everything is during matches. And I deeply treasure any little news in the Master League mode.
Longevity: 8/10
I will be playing it until the next version is released, but in all fairness it contains too few game modes and options online.
Final grade: 8/10
I can't award a 9 this year. It is far better than the version XBOX360-owners got last year, but it will take more than the usual tunings in matches, an obligatory Edit-mode and some small things in the ML to rank as approved. Far superior on the pitch again this year, but everything around it is an insult against all of us that through the years have spent 100s of dollars worth of PES games.
(Translated by me, I'll have my usual fee)
