The period leading up to the Christmas holidays always sees the summer drought in the gaming world replaced with a horde of new titles. Some are original creations, while some are sequels. There are a plethora of ‘2008’ titled games on the horizon for release and there are two ’08 games this year which I am interested in. Surprisingly enough, they are both football related. Football Manager 2008 will be covered in a different blog post, while Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 will be found here.
If you’re unawares, Xbox Live Marketplace released the demo for the new PES recently and I got round to getting a few games in today. It is tradition with a new PES that the game instantly feels familiar while actually improving it beyond recognition. I can safely say that I felt right at home in the new game. It feels and plays exactly how it should, but feels instantly fresh. Most of the information released about the upcoming game is how you can see players tugging on shirts or creasing from the wind. In my opinion, I can survive without those features. What is important to be noted is whether or not the gameplay is improved upon from the previous editions of PES. The first thing to note is that this rendition of PES is more fluid, faster and overall less scrappy. Players manage to turn faster, run in a realistic fashion and skill their way to the goal much more competently. All the time they do this, it still feels like you are controlling football players. Passes are strong and secure, but aren’t always guaranteed. There isn’t an easy way to the goal and all you have to do is watch real football to realise that. The graphical engine may have a new ‘arcade’ look, with sharper and crisper textures but the gameplay is definitely nowhere near ‘arcade’ of any sort. The passing is overall more solid and allows a player who enjoys a passing game to build up their play slowly while feeling in control and secure with the process. On the other side of the spectrum are those who enjoy individual skilled players. The new edition makes it easier to get past players, while looking suave doing it. The controls are responsive and allow dribbling and tricks to form the basis of your attack style (if you wish of course). On the other hand, do not expect one man runs from your goal as it is Pro Evolution Soccer after all. It’s football.  The demo is a mixed bag. It allows you 6 international teams (Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, France and Turkey) more than the usual one and a full 10 minute match. It shows off the new music, which is actually nothing new, and the new menus which are a bit shinier, but nothing really different from previous incarnations. There is no commentary is available in the demo, no multiplayer online and off and nothing more than a simple exhibition or exit choice in the opening menu. We’ll have to wait until release to see what is fully improved and offered from the game. A noticeable graphical improvement is that when I run it on my VGA cable for my monitor, instead of it being shown in widescreen mode ala PES6, in 2008 it runs full res (19inch). This as a result means there is more on the screen. Coupled with the fact that the pitch seems larger in proportion, therefore allowing the player to have a better perspective on the action and ergo making it easier to see the space to pass / run into. For an example goal (of stunning quality) then head over to here It’s due out the 26th October on all platforms.
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