To the untrained eye, it would appear Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series hasn’t done that much actual evolving over the course of its lifespan. Sure, the boots have gotten more colourful and the haircuts sillier, but it’s still basically the same game that wowed PS2 owners 14 years ago, isn’t it? Maybe, maybe not. But the fact remains that although PES is seemingly as unchanging as Steven Gerrard’s haircut, every Autumn we feverishly await the latest game all the same. And that’s because, despite their broad year-on-year similarities, each PES game is balanced differently from the last. Each one offers a fresh challenge that needs to be broken in like a new pair of football boots. And this year’s offering delivers arguably the most compelling battles between free-flowing offence and stifling defence we’ve ever seen in a football video game.
Buoyed by a new collision engine that allows for greater separation between the player and the ball, defenders are given carte blanche to play more physically than ever. Line up against an AI team on Pro or higher and you’ll immediately notice their change in attitude; defenders press and dog you relentlessly while you’re on the ball, choking the life out of hesitant attacks and forcing midfielders into making hasty decisions on the ball. Sloppy attacks are quickly snuffed out by defenders, who use their bulk to muscle marauding forwards off the ball and break up counter-attacks.
Defending will always be inherently less exciting than attacking, but at least this year it’s empowering. The collision engine breeds a sense that as long as you’re disciplined enough at the back, you have the tools to keep attackers out of danger areas without resorting to desperado tackles. Instead of being deployed as the first line of defence, here you’re encouraged to keep sliding tackles holstered unless absolutely necessary, resulting in games of football that flow freely and aren’t broken up by whistle-happy refs.
Alas, defenders quickly discover that PES 2016’s more sophisticated physics engine proves a double-edged sword. Picture the outcome of an aerial skirmish between two opposing midfield generals; once a header has been won, instead of gravitating its way to the nearest player as if drawn by magnets, there are far more instances of the ball dropping into no-man’s land, allowing alert forwards to nip in and close in on goal. When we had the ball in advanced positions, we also felt far more confident in our ability to take on defenders. Realistic ball physics mean you can ride challenges and embark on thrilling forays into the box.
If you’re worried that this set up seems to lend itself to ugly long-ball tactics, then you’re only right to an extent. Hoofing the ball blindly up the field can be effective, particularly if you pack the midfield, but PES’s passing game is so effective that you’ll actively choose to begin attacks from the back. In particular, your AI teammate’s off-the-ball movement is superb, allowing you, with practice, to chain together thrilling passing moves that swashbuckle through the opposition. If you desire an extra level of control, there are further advanced button combos that can be deployed to send teammates on particular runs, but the dozy-of-thumb need not fear: the core movement is so strong that it allows savvy players to score beautiful goals organically without having to get bogged down with the minutiae of the control system.
But as tidy and fun as chaining short, sharp passes can be, sometimes you need to stretch the play. Long passes are an area where PES 2016 has notably made strides. There’s a lot more finesse in the way the game judges what you’re attempting to do. If you’re just outside the range where you’d normally whip a cross into the box, holding down the pass button will instead initiate a diagonal cross-field pass, instead of crudely hoofing the ball into Row Z. Mastering long passes is an essential skill when weather conditions take a turn for the worse; wind conditions affect the flight of the ball and downpours quickly saturate the pitch, reducing the distance the ball travels, necessitating either a tactical reshuffle, or a shift to more direct tactics.
But despite the Fox Engine’s best efforts, PES 2016’s weather effects lack the sodden, grimy feel of FIFA’s howling wind and rain; this is representative of the presentation woes that continue to be the series’ Achilles heel. Stadiums lack the thumping match day feel of FIFA, and in places there’s just a general lack of interest in maintaining the suspension of disbelief – take the giant, obtrusive celebration menu that now pops up when you score a goal.
But then, PES’s heart has never been in the Sky Sports studio, exchanging pleasantries with Jamie Redknapp. PES has always felt like it’s more at home in the blood and thunder trenches of Sunday park football – a real sim for real fans. And fittingly, in a year where PES Productions celebrates its 20th anniversary making football games, all those years of quiet evolutions have coalesced into this, the best pure football game we’ve ever played. Pro Evolution Soccer, indeed.
More Info
| Release date: | Sep 15 2015 - PS4, Xbox One (US) |
| Sep 15 2015 - PS4, Xbox One (UK) | |
| Available Platforms: | PS4, Xbox One |
| Genre: | Sports |
| Franchise: | Pro Evolution Soccer |
PES 2016 Pro Evolution Soccer
This year’s PES has improved its game in all the right areas of the pitch, resulting in a pulsating, best-in-class football sim – although there’s room for improvement presentation-wise.
About GamesRadar+ Reviews Enter your GamesRadar Username
and Password
OR…
|
|
Log in using Facebook to share comments, games, status update and other activity easily with your Facebook feed.
0