9/01/2011

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Review

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The 'Prodigal Son' returns...?

It takes time to change from the the old PS2 model to the newer PS3/Xbox 360 platforms. Perhaps Konami were 'caught out' a little when people changed over to the newer consoles- I don't know, but clearly the PS2 model was certainly not appropriate for today's more powerful consoles!

'PES 2008' wasn't even good enough to be categorised alongside the rest of the PS2-based incarnations of PES- I was so disappointed when I first played it on my old PS3. The sound was appalling, the graphics were abysmal- remember those horrible puke-green pitches...?? That, I would have excused if the gameplay had made up for it, but sadly, it didn't! Yeah, it was 'playable', but for me, it just was not enjoyable.

'Once bitten...' I therefore decided to try the demos for both 'PES 2009' and 'PES 2010' over the two years that followed- and still it wasn't the PES that I once knew and loved. Needless to say, I did not purchase them!

Surely 'PES 2011' would be the one... surely... it just had to be...!

Well... *drum roll* / -: ... IT IS (the one)! Finally, Konami have gotten the series back on track(!), and in my opinion have made so many improvements to the series, that they have more than made up for the disasters that were the past three games in the series.

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PES Vs FIFA...

PES 2011 plays superbly, there are so many subtleties to the game, most I am sure will not be truly appreciated (if at all) by the casual player. PES is a simulation of the real game, perhaps it is a niche market- like fine wines (many adults may enjoy wine, but very few are connoisseurs). Don't get me wrong, I'm not really a drinker (I'm boring like that), I'm just trying to draw a comparison, however crude.

I'm not here to put FIFA down- if you prefer that type of football (soccer) game- good for you, play what you prefer. I'm a mature player, I 'switched' to PES 3, back in 2004- but I still bought FIFA as well (however, I preferred PES).

Essentially, FIFA and PES are aimed at two different types of player; I honestly do not feel that FIFA has anywhere near the depth of play that PES has- nor the variety of play. FIFA is great to play online- it's a high-adrenaline game- like the English Premier League. I however prefer the Spanish/South American/Italian styles of play: I want to see/experience intricate play, skillful passing- a more subtle battle that doesn't rely so much on brute strength and speed.

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PES 2011- the game itself...

As for the actual game as a whole, Konami have rebuilt the game, however they have gone back to the traditional on-pitch gameplay that the true fans of the series love and appreciate. I used to use the 'Broadcasting 1' camera (the 'Broadcasting 2' camera was pretty useless in actual gameplay), and that has now been replaced!

I have read postings where people have complained about this, and I was worried about purchasing the game as a result of all the moaning. Well, I actually think the current 'broadcast' camera is far superior to the old one- I love how the camera zooms-in/out/pans- where appropriate. Believe me, it does not detract from the game one bit- it enhances it!

The graphics are excellent, and in all honesty, I prefer them to the graphics of FIFA. The sound is great this year, too- the sound of the ball being kicked is spot on. Wow, 'PES 2008' was a disaster in so many departments- I'm so glad that Konami have returned to their winning formula... finally!

I haven't played the Master League yet, but I have read that it is extremely absorbing, so I am looking forward to that! The menus are much nicer than the drab menus that EA Sports insist on using, and the computer generated opening video is absolutely incredible!

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... and finally...

If you enjoyed PES up until 'PES 2008', you will love this game- it's incredible. The more you play, the more you discover. The passing is superb, lobbing the ball is a delight- the way it lofts into the air, and then descends- poetry in motion! As for manual cursor switching- semi is quite adequate- very enjoyable to use- so once again, I don't understand why people are moaning.

The game speed is changeable- and I have set it to '-2'- and I feel that is just right for the style of play that I employ. The great thing about the PES series (forgeting the last three versions) is that the CPU is a brilliant opponent- it isn't a juggernaut- like in in FIFA. PES is a great game to play offline, against the CPU- I have no time for online any more- too many bad sports/cheats. What's the point of getting angry when you play? That's why I stick to playing offline!

I appreciate the subtleties that Konami bring to the console football (soccer) market, no match is ever the same, and there are so many different ways of scoring (not just a few variations). Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that it is easy to score, I just mean that there is plenty of variety in how you can score a goal.

I'm sure the game isn't perfect- nothing is, that would be impossible. However, I'm not looking for absolute perfection, just a simulation of the real game- and this, I feel, is delivered once again by Konami!

I highly recommend this game.

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Thank you Konami, for all of your hard work and dedication- I for one truly appreciate it. ( -:

We'll pretend that PES 2008-2010 was just a bad dream... / -:

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Product Description:

Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is the 2010-2011 version of Konami's long-running, video game soccer franchise. The tenth release in the series overall, Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 refreshes the popular series by merging the best features that earlier iterations have presented to video game footballers worldwide over the years, along with new features that will carry the franchise into the future. Combined features include: 1,000+ new motions available in-game; unprecedented control over every pass, shot, throw-in; drag-and-drop functionality for team management; the ability to map favorite moves to the analog stick; an online Master League and much, much more.



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