24.11.2005

Every time a new PES is released it takes a period of adjustment, even for hardened veterans, to get used to the subtle modifications from the previous version. Each time it feels harder to control the ball, more difficult to pick a pass, and more frustrating trying to dribble, shoot, cross etcetera when you fail almost every time. But there is always a sense of a learning curve, of getting a little bit more in touch with how the mechanics have altered.With PES5 the adjustment period (for me at least) was longer and harder than with any other version. Even now, after several weeks, I am often frustrated by my inability to pull off things I did without thinking in previous versions.For a long time I was convinced that Pro Evo had jumped the shark, had become too hard, too realistic, had become a simulator rather than a game and in doing so had lost the point of why people played it in the first place – because it’s fun.Patience is needed with this version more than any other. PES5 requires a state of Zen football, something beyond concentration and effort. It takes a long time to adjust to the point where the game becomes instinctive, but once it does- oh wow.The pace of the game is slower, more thoughtful. Passing and possession are key, a sensible approach to tempo is important, slow build-ups and approaches, probing the opposition for weaknesses. Passing is harder, dribbling is harder, tackling is harder – the game will not play accurate passes for you, will not automatically nick the ball off your opponent if you just tap the tackle button randomly in their vicinity. Everything needs to be timed, anticipated. You will lose possession and not get it back easily. You will give away countless free-kicks and receive yellow cards for challenges you thought were fine. You will not create scoring opportunities often. This will frustrate you to the point where your controller is in danger of being hurled at the wall.But hang on. Set it to ** difficulty and play with Arsenal, Barcelona or AC Milan to get your confidence back. Learn the game again. View it not as a video game but as a football game. Think how players actually move, how the dynamics of a game actually flow. Adjust your approach. Give it time, feel that lack of satisfaction when you win, reset to *** difficulty and start again with a clearer head.PES5 is the best PES ever. On first glance it looks the same, but there are more player details than ever before – different dribbling styles, the option to have players with untucked shirts, to give them friendship bands. The animation is smoother and more realistic – players strike the ball with greater fluidity, their hips more, their shoulders drop. The ball spins and swings in the air more, free-kicks dip better, the ball moves faster through the air… OK so the Bernebeu appears to be empty for almost every game, the commentary is still shocking and the background music needs to be turned off every time you load it, but… Give PES5 time. I nearly didn’t but I’m glad I have now. The feeling when Samuel Eto’o scores a tap-in after a good move between Ronadinho and Van Bommel down the left side eclipses the triumphs of earlier versions. It takes a long time and a great deal of patience and commitment, but for those people who, like me, don’t really play any other video games but have loved PES for years and play it almost every day, it is most assuredly worth it in the end.

5.5.2006

I converted to Pro Evo after years of Fifa gaming not long ago, and I cant say I'm dissapointed at all. Its only when you first play them game, you realise the 2 main aims of each game - Fifa goes for looks, commercialism, fancy packaging and adverts while Pro Evo emulates real, beautiful football, that YOU control.All round, Pro Evo 5 is just crammed full of fab features and more. The most impressive aspect after exploring was the Challenge mode - much better than Fifas. In this game, you actually take 'realistic' challenges, in which you may take part in shooting, passing, agility or loads more types of challenges, that I not only found improved game play slightly, but was also great fun,especially with mates!As ever, the teams have different name etc, but I wasnt too frustrated this time round - I found out you could make Nike Mercurial Vapours through the boot creation section which looks good, and even changing the kits this time round was better, as dotted along the catergories were little bits of Nike kits, and eventually you get somewhere, but obviously never as authentic as Fifa games. But if you have a memory card, you can download all the updates and apply the to the game.Gameplay wise, I need not go too far, as every Pro Evo owner should know you can make some great football, and this time round, it looks just that little but more fluid and smooth. Upon viewing a replay, or ''Highlight'' of a goal, its stunning to see how konami have manged to make the players movements so smooth and real, unlike Fifa were players seem to stumble or shoot awkwardly with the feet as they run. But on this, its like watching t.v (if you ignore not authenitic kits etc) Whats more amazing the the authenticity of the players body language, which I've never seen so well put, even better than Fifa 06 again. Its just amazing to watch players like Beckham run and actually have their habits, like fast feet, clenched fists, and kicking even kicking styles. Off the ball too its the same, you can see attackers bow their heads and get annoyed when they dont get a through ball (van nistelrooy's good at that) and just the general bodily movements are so real and fluid. Playing the football is good as ever too, and Pro Evo is the only footie game that will actually make celebrate when scoring a fantastic goal, something you can never do with Fifa, because its so predictable. With Pro Evo 5, every goals different, whether its the curl on the ball, or the build up to it that looks truly lifelike - again, not so rigid and predictable as Fifa.The cameras are good too, lots of different types, and again excellent to see the broadcast 3 camera that will switch over to touchline views of players on the ball - they've thought of everything. The commentary is ok, but nothing dazzling I guess.While this may not have the true authenticity of Fifa, it has something that few games have managed to capture - real football. And I think to make this a truly complete game, it would need full authenticity, but no dubt one day they will do.To sum up, I would say to dance music fans that while the Pro Evo series has the rareity and quality of "Gatecrasher", Fifa is like "Ministry of Sound" cd's.. they started off a new era, but now they pump out products for the commercial aspect... Well done Konami!

27.10.2005

This game is the most realistic football sim to date hands down. The sence of reality could put off some gamers though due to its inital difficulty. The pace has been slowed down creating a less arcade like feel compared to previous konami titles such as ISS. The ball physics add to this realism, often the ball pings off a player feet if not controlled properly for example. If you run in to back of a player you trip them up so you give awy alot of freekcks at first but soon learn to control your guys well. A training mode once again has been added which is very useful to all th PES virgins with various challenges and scenarios such as passing,

25.11.2005

Konami's first instalment of the Pro Evolution Soccer series to arrive on the X-Box was, of course, last year's PES 4. For X-Box owners who, like me, loved "the beautiful game", it was thrilling to know that arguably the greatest footie simulation ever made was suddenly available.Of course, PES 4 was not without its flaws. Graphics were good, but not terrific. Game play could become repetitive (as could the commentary). And, worst of all, the background music was annoying, which matters when you spend so much time editing, due to PES's lack of team licenses.Thankfully, with PES 5, those flaws have been addressed. Game play is rarely repetitive, commentary is a bit more interesting, graphics are much,

15.11.2005

This game gets some funny reveiews sometimes. Some people in their wisdom feel that this game doesn't deserve 5 stars. These people are purely fair weather footy players - they have not grafted with the older version of PES4 day in day out for over a year, getting to know its deep nuances. If they had, they would notice that PES5 is easily a far superior game to what was already something approaching exquisite.Yes I understand where they're coming from - perhaps for their liking there are a few too many similarities with PES4. Perhaps so - but to my mind the best features have stayed for good reason, but what has increased plentyfold, are all the little subtleties, that only the purest PES4 fan could notice.

12.8.2006

I have to say that this game is pure genius. It differs from FIFA in that it concentrates on the most important aspect of a game- teh gameplay and while it doesn't have a glossy soundtrack it is better than FIFA will ever be, although I have played Fifa WC on XBOX 360 which is also immense but if this were on XBOX 360 then it would actually be football heaven! I decided to review it after having the game for a while because I thought then I could impress how replayable it is. This game has resulted in more than a few evenings round mine playing it until the sun comes up.First of all the gameplay is fantastic, so realistic, the way teh players pass and cross is so accurate to real life.

11.6.2006

There's no doubt about it, this is a great football game, but it would be so much better if you could actually score goals. As someone else has pointed out, you spend most of the time chasing the other team around like a headless chicken. It's very realistic, and I suppose this is what makes it so frustrating, you really have to put good moves together just to get a crack at goal, let alone score one. The best I've managed is a goalless draw with Latvia. I like the realism and I wouldn't want it changed but it would have been great if teams like Latvia were easier to beat, allowing you time to familiarise yourself with the controls whilst maintaining interest.

6.11.2005

Pro evolution soccer 5 is a fantastic football game, but it's not a perfect football game. Graphicly, players look realistic, bettre than they look in fifa 2006. Fans however, look poor, and sometimes seem to vanish mid-match. Stadiums look good, even but they are often called the false names as Konami do not have the license to them. Little touches of detail, like kits coming untucked, add to the quality of this game.Gameplay wise, its very realistic, better than pro evo 4. Players turn realisticaly, and have various strengths and weaknees, i.e Rooney is quick and powerful, but lacks areil ability. You really get the feeling that players stats effect their performence, something that dosent happen in other titles.

15.4.2006

Pro evo 5 better than any other footie game out there at the moment.FACT. It has an addictive quality like pro evo 4. Once you have grown familar with the slight tweaks made by Konami to passing, dribbling, and shooting, you can't stop playing it, the changes make it more like football compared to previous installments. The gameplay is much more addictive, enjoyable, and realistic than Fifa. Fifa may have the licences but the gameplay is what counts, if your really bothered you can change names, kits, even clubs badges, in the edit mode. The Master league is better than last year and you will enjoy progressing through the seasons, winning trophies as your team improves,

21.10.2005

I have been on tenterhooks for an age waiting for this game to come out, and unfortunate for me it is not as great i as i had hoped for! Now, it is not that this game is in anyway poor, it is a great game, but it feels like pro evo 4 with a new coat of paint. Nothing major inspires and it felt like i was still playing pro evo 4 for the most part, which is very dissapointing!I had a few games on live too and the new ping rates are very good, i managed a couple of games without too much lag, and it was great, you can also switch hostings at half time, so both parties get to host a half each, which is good but there is still a issue of lagg that konami have not addressed!The game is still very good,

30.10.2005

This without a doubt is the very best football game there has ever been. Why, you ask? Well here is my summary of the best footy game EVER:GOOD POINTS:-=============+ 136 club teams (82 are FULLY licensed, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Rangers and Celtic.)+ 57 international teams.+ Better AI than any other football game.+ Snow weather is including, as is a cool orange adidas ball!+ Edit mode is now the best edit mode on any football game ever.+ Training mode is excellent, although virtually the same as PES4.+ Games are much more 'tense' now, and referees & linesmen make mistakes just like in real life!BAD POINTS:-============- Commentary is still not great and far too repetative.- Music is naff.OVERALL:-=========I have worked in the computer games industry for over 20 years now,

23.11.2005

I bought Fifa 06 and was fairly disappointed with what the development team had done to what I think was not that bad a game in Fifa 05.Yes, I had bough most of the Fifa games over the years.Then I took a step onto another level. I bought PES5.You boys who have Fifa don’t know what you are missing.THIS is total football!OK it has not got the licences and all the fancy candy.You play PES5 for a week and you won’t even remember what all that fuss was about.It is not an easy game to start with. But like another reviewer said, one day it will all click. And when it does you will be laughing with joy!PES5 does give you far more control. The goals you score are amazing. The game play is challenging.

13.11.2006

Now, I am a fussy man. I do not lie for kicks, I do not speak for anyone else. So believe me when I say this is the best game in the world. Ever.The football gaming days started for me in 2000, with Fifa 2000. That was amazing beyond words. But I am older and wiser, so I can now speak, but when it's about this beautiful piece of art I am still lost. The sheer scale and accessability of the game may make your jaw drop; it did for me.Now, look closely and this may look like another Japanese bit of tat. Fair enough, this is Japanese (not that I have anything against Japanese people) and there are only two English licensed teams (Arsenal, Chelsea) but when the gameplay is this good it just doesn't matter.Within minutes you'll be hooked.

31.1.2006

Pro evo 5 is a very good game dont get me wrong but does lack in some areas that pro evo 4 did not. For example, althought the graphics are more detialed, the game is more flowing an nicely put together but the realism is much more than pro evo 4 an you'l get through enough game pads whilst playing it out of frustration. For example, if you play brazil verses sunderland, u culd be sprinting down the line with ronaldinho, an incredibly fast player an ul hav a sunderland defender easily catch up with you an win the ball. Plus, shooting can be incredibly fun but players that you wuld expect to score such as kaka or shevchenko aimlessly sky the ball from close range.

26.10.2005

I have always loved the Pro evo series, and I thought that PE4 was brilliant and a league above fifa, but PE5 just takes the biscuit. The gameplay has changed slightly and is more fluent and more realism is involved. The graphics are a touch better, and I believe improvements could be made, but they are still the best around. The commentary is near-enough the same and can be abit repetitive. But when you play the game you start to realise that this is how football is ment to be like on a console, there is so many options, and lots of game modes to keep you entertained for at least another year, until the next one is out. With all honesty this is quality at its highest.

Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (Xbox) - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail