PES 2017
Another year, another soccer game. Pro Evolution Soccer has always felt like the poor cousin to FIFA when it came to video game soccer. EA’s main sporting title always seemed like the flashier option with more bells and whistles. PES kinda got left behind. But was this just perception? I decided to give PES another go. It’s been a while since I played a version of the game, so I won’t be going into incremental changes and stuff, sorry.
On the surface PES doesn’t look quite as flash as FIFA, and the menu system was a little confusing. But once I got a quick game under way I was in familiar territory, other than the default keys being totally different from FIFA so I would find myself passing the ball to the opposition goalie instead of shooting! The familiar was only temporary though, as in every FIFA game I’ve played I’ve managed to get goals relatively easily, hell in last year’s FIFA, I managed to get Hope, The US woman’s goalie to score three goals. PES really made me work for my goals, forcing me to utalize team work rather than my bull headed one man army approach. This was a new learning curve for me, and something that adds weight to the serious side of the game, even if it makes it less of a pick up and play job.
In career side of things the game make you manage your team a lot more, with not only moving players around depending on injuring or match bans, but also having scouts out looking for fresh blood. HAving a good team also takes time, as only through experience do your players get batter, and with better players, you’re more able to convert that cross into a goal.
PES seems to be making serious in roads with the game, whilst at the same time not directly attacking FIFA. If you want a serious soccer game with depth, PES seems to be the way to go.
Rating: G Suitable for general audiences.
GAMEGUIDE rating:
