Review: Pro Evolution Soccer 2010

Over the past few years the FIFA series has been the soccer game of choice. Ever since EA’s recommitment to realism in the series, Konami has had a tough time keeping up with them. With every title released the PES series has felt more and more dated. Whether they were content with sticking to a proven formula created many years ago or whether they just couldn’t find a way to bring life back into the series, Pro Evolution Soccer has failed to deliver year after year. Going into PES 2010, Konami promised an overhaul of many features and in some aspects they have been successful. Graphically this is the best looking title in the series. In terms of game modes, Master League has never been better and they put the official UEFA Champions League license to great use; however with every couple of steps forward PES 2010 takes there is always something that makes them go back a step.

One of the big things this series has been missing is the official FIFA license. They have a few teams with the official logo and team jersey but most of the teams have made up names. Most of the players names that are on the teams are their real names but it still takes you away from the overall experience just a bit. Even without the official teams they have been able to acquire the official UEFA Champions League license and Konami has put it to excellent use. The Champions League presentation in PES 2010 is exactly like you would see on TV, from the music to the graphics, the only thing missing are the Heineken commercials. This is probably the best part of this year’s game. The overall presentation is much smoother this year, even in the menus. Commentary is still atrocious and is in desperate need of an overhaul and as crazy as it sounds, the commentary is a big component of the success and failure of a sports game.

Graphics wise it is the best looking soccer game in the market, when it zooms in. Close up shots of the players during the start of the game or after scoring a goal are simply amazing. Most of the players look like their real life counterparts, so real that that you can tell why all the ladies love Fernando Torres and not Didier Drogba. However this is before the players start to move and the camera pans out. Unlike FIFA, each player tall or short runs and moves exactly the same which makes the game look unrealistic. It’s hard to explain how they move without the ball but it can be described as prancing or running as if they are clutching a purse to their body with their forearm.

Animation issues more apparent this year because of the outstanding facial features and goal celebrations. At times when a keeper reaches out for a ball or a player takes a strike on goal it looks very realistic. Then other times when the player is sprinting with the ball or strafing back and forth it looks like animation borrowed from the previous generation.

Just like in the graphics department the gameplay has its fair share of ups and downs. The game feels a bit slower than FIFA 10 but still has that moment of quick strikes as well. Adding to the slower pace of the game is the overall sense of space. It almost gives you the same feeling as when you are playing the sport. The problem with this is it makes the game easier, I felt like I could pass the ball anywhere and do anything with it, which to be fair has always been a part of PES. Konami has always created a more stylized representation of the sport, with big crosses leading to goals and long shots from way outside the box striking the net. Even though at times this makes the game seem arcade-like or unrealistic, it is only when compared to FIFA 10’s ultra realism that one gets that feeling and ultimately the arcade style creates an enjoyable game of soccer.

The controls have been tweaked a bit but it remains almost the same from previous titles. Even with the new 360 degree movement, it still feels clunky and that might have something to do with the animation but it felt like I could only move in 8 directions. Controlling where the shot or cross goes is a bit difficult. The game seems to sometimes rely too heavily on assisting the player’s direction and other times it makes no sense why the ball went in the direction it did. Ball physics might also have something to do with the clunky controls. The ball either sticks to the player’s foot or it can go bouncing around like a pin ball. Players will sometimes sprint after the ball to only have it get kicked away because they were sprinting. This is a huge problem especially on defense; I have scored plenty of own goals simply chasing down balls in the box while trying to clear it.

Scoring isn’t so difficult in the game though it can be when playing against human players. Goals can easily be scored from miles away and players seem to have an extra foot on their head the way they strike it on goal off of headers. The reason for the ease in goals is the poor AI for the defense and goalkeepers and the improved AI on offense. On offense players are almost always in the right places. On defense they seem to take the back pedal strategy and the “let’s not cover the back post” formation. Too often I was able to take the ball right down the middle of the field with no contention until I hit the box. Goalkeeper AI is also incredibly frustrating in PES 2010 because they will make some great decisions and then a terrible one like not coming off the line to contest a shot or simply not reacting to shots that are going over their head. With all the excitement that comes from playing against a human player and scoring goals, it’s equally as frustrating when your defense isn’t contesting shots or players dribbling the ball down the middle of the field.

In terms of game modes PES 2010 doesn’t bring anything new to the table but offers a couple of modes that might keep you playing. Become a Legend is Konami’s version of EA’s Be a Pro, but it’s like the unfinished version of it. Become a Legend is where you create your player and take him from the reserve team to the pro team and eventually a superstar player. The only problem in this mode is the lack of play time. In a attempt at simulating a rookie’s road to glory they make you sit through an entire game while you ride the bench. You can speed up the action but you can’t simply simulate it until you are subbed in. Asking someone to sit there and watch a virtual soccer game in fast forward is probably the worst thing you can ask a gamer to do. Other aspects like the lack of goals, an in game rating meter and the constant menu pop ups all add to the feeling of an unfinished product.

Master League is probably where you will spend a lot of your time. In the improved Master League you take control over a club and try to bring greatness using your GM abilities. The amount of information at your disposal is amazing. Everything from player happiness with the club to the merchandise sales to the scouts, all create a realistic approach. During the course of the season you’ll deal with players not being happy about playing time and player’s salaries as well as developing young talent. Getting to play the season with the integrated Champions League presentation is really good but what hurts this mode is the overwhelming menu pop ups and the lack of a true calendar system. Even when you don’t have a game that day you have to sit through multiple menu pop ups. Adding to the frustration is the fact that you can’t simply sim through a full week or season. This is annoying to say the least. Konami really doesn’t understand how sports games are run these days. Players want to get through many seasons but they don’t want to have to sit there and go through every single day of the season simulating one day at a time.

In terms of online play, it’s the same old story for Konami. Though they have fixed some interface issues they still haven’t found the key to creating a successful online sports title like EA has. Even if visually the game won’t lag there are many times where I played in games that had delayed actions to when I pressed the button and when it was executed on screen. Adding to the poor online is the lack of features and the inability to find someone to play with. They have a mode where you can take your Be a Legend player online but finding a game is near impossible.

PES 2010 is arguably the best in the series for this current generation of titles. The stunning visuals, the excellent presentation and the improved Master League proves that Konami isn’t giving up without a fight. However with every step forward they have taken they get pulled back by poor AI and animation, a lack luster online mode and a Become a Legend mode that pales in comparison to FIFA 10’s Virtual Pro. What Konami needs to do is stop trying to give gamers everything in one game. Take what you did well this year and leave it the same while making sure the rest of the modes catch up. Don’t try to add anything new until you can prove that all the old stuff works. While some gamers will enjoy the difference in play style, PES 2010 is once again a mixed bag and FIFA 10 is clearly the better title. Will we ever see PES return to its former glory? Not if they keep going in this same direction.

Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Publisher: Konami Developer: Winning Eleven Productions Platform(s): PS3 (Reviewed), Xbox 360, PSP, Playstation 2 Release Date: November 3rd 2009

Doin It RIGHT:- Amazing Visuals.- Great using of UEFA Champions League license. - Master League can be very addictive.	Doin It RONG:- Too many menu pop ups throughout the entire game. - AI, animation and commentary all need to be greatly improved.. - Become a Legend should not have been in the game.
FINAL SCORE: 7/ 10