Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

[kerosene31]

Quote: Originally Posted by EvanRG

The reason the AI is attacking a lot is because people try to play PES like Fifa (aggressive, going for the tackle to quickly instead of holding up play).

This is 100% true. I was trying to defend in PES similar to the way I did in Fifa 11 (I played more Fifa last year). I was terrible. I adjusted and am a lot better.

I agree that PES has more flaws this year, but still I prefer it. It doesn't have the polish, but it just has it where it counts.

[KG]

Everyone always feels like there is scripting in sports games but it exists in real life. That old cliche "you're at your most vulnerable after you score" is tried and proved. One club is trying hard to score, the other club is trying hard to defend packing it in and absorbing constant flurry after flurry. When your club is the latter how nervous are you? You get that same feeling in PES but because it's a video game people EXPECT the players to take into account the game situation and adjust on their own. It doesn't happen that way. Those like bars you see on the far right hand corner is the CPU changing mentality. When they do that, you need to do that. You feed right into the "game is scripted mentality" if you don't adjust.

Keepers are a mixed bag much like they are in real life. Most top league keepers are capable of producing the spectacular, few are able to do it consistently and even the best (Van der Saar, Casillas, etc...) have been put to shame on match-day. Yes, I'd like to see them catch more direct shots but I've seen double and triple saves as well as them coming off their line on-their-own to clear or deal with troublesome balls.

I agree with a lot of the review though and overall there is just something about PES that draws me despite it's flaws.

[Hjkflannel]

Hi can someone explain this opinion people have that PES has a slower build up then FIFA? Have people played Fifa this year? the build up is very considered on the attacking and defensive side of the ball. Pes has always been end to end stuff with direct football normally seen in the last minutes of real games. Im not sure if it is an American misinterpretation of football, i find it really odd, when people call FIFA less realistic, i mean just look at the physics on PES, its really fun, but come on.

[cadalyst17]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

I can't agree with any review that rates PES lower than FIFA this year.

It's the overall package. These are two entirely different games with different building philosophies. I look at it as body and soul. Fifa definitely is the body and PES is the soul.

Fair review. Even though it is not a sim. It does manage to blur the line (sim/arcade) with such amazing, creative gameplay.

[cadalyst17]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hjkflannel

Hi can someone explain this opinion people have that PES has a slower build up then FIFA? Have people played Fifa this year? the build up is very considered on the attacking and defensive side of the ball. Pes has always been end to end stuff with direct football normally seen in the last minutes of real games. Im not sure if it is an American misinterpretation of football, i find it really odd, when people call FIFA less realistic, i mean just look at the physics on PES, its really fun, but come on.

PES is a faster game.

[kerosene31]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hjkflannel

Hi can someone explain this opinion people have that PES has a slower build up then FIFA? Have people played Fifa this year? the build up is very considered on the attacking and defensive side of the ball. Pes has always been end to end stuff with direct football normally seen in the last minutes of real games. Im not sure if it is an American misinterpretation of football, i find it really odd, when people call FIFA less realistic, i mean just look at the physics on PES, its really fun, but come on.

Many people are turning down the default speed on PES (which is very quick) to at least -1 or even -2. On default PES kind of plays like pinball.

PES 2012 has amazing build up. If you only played the demo, it played a little different. With the retail on professional difficulty you have to move the ball around. In past versions, you could use through balls on the wings to set up crosses and that was how you scored. This year is a lot better. That still happens, but you can't just bomb the ball down the pitch at all.

PES has better build up because like a real team the pressure increases as you move closer to the other team's goal. If you are early on in a game with no score, the other team isn't going to be hyper aggressive at you when you are in the middle of the pitch. They don't want to give up a cheap foul or give you too much space. As you get closer is when the CPU gives you less time with the ball and ups the pressure. Just like the real sport, you see a lot more midfield movement at a slower pace. In Fifa in my experience if you stop for long you are going to have someone all over you no matter where you are.

[Hjkflannel]

Quote: Originally Posted by kerosene31

Many people are turning down the default speed on PES (which is very quick) to at least -1 or even -2. On default PES kind of plays like pinball. PES 2012 has amazing build up. If you only played the demo, it played a little different. With the retail on professional difficulty you have to move the ball around. In past versions, you could use through balls on the wings to set up crosses and that was how you scored. This year is a lot better. That still happens, but you can't just bomb the ball down the pitch at all. PES has better build up because like a real team the pressure increases as you move closer to the other team's goal. If you are early on in a game with no score, the other team isn't going to be hyper aggressive at you when you are in the middle of the pitch. They don't want to give up a cheap foul or give you too much space. As you get closer is when the CPU gives you less time with the ball and ups the pressure. Just like the real sport, you see a lot more midfield movement at a slower pace. In Fifa in my experience if you stop for long you are going to have someone all over you no matter where you are.

FIFA really isn't like that this year, the AI will contain you rather than pressure you all the time like fifa 11. I played PES with -1 speed, although haven't played the finished game (EU). The build up still felt fast, i think the way the ball can travel so quickly and directly makes the killer ball so much more effective. I found the demo exhilarating but ultimately unsatisfying. Sometimes through balls feel destined to go to my striker likewise with crosses that zero in on the attackers head. The shooting is more about powering up that bar and crossing your fingers unlike FIFA where even a through on goal isn't the end of the story. PES is an attacking game that is great fun but not a simulation. Some say it has the soul of football, i think they are misinterpreting the mechanics of the game. It offers great goals every match, every time - football isn't like that. its sometimes about bad passing, poor decisions 80 percent of the time then suddenly one great move earns a goal. Would you say NBA Jam represents the soul of basketball (well some might) but i hope you get my point.

[kerosene31]

I only played the Fifa 12 demo so can't comment on the final game. The PES 12 demo was watered down difficulty wise. It said it was "professional" difficulty, but it was nothing like the full version. The demo was much easier than the final game. The demo played more like regular than pro. In the final game, the CPU doesn't give you nearly as much as it did before.

I'm betting the Fifa demo was easier too, as many games seem to do this (NHL was as well). I think making them too easy makes it hard to evaluate the game.

A manual crossing option is something badly missing from PES. Crosses are too accurate and tend to hit where the player is standing when you release it, not where he should run to. The demo had really easy crosses to score on, which is different in the final version.

Passing works great in PES once you find the right pass assist settings. The other problem with PES is it lacks a real manual passing option as well so you really just have to spend the time to get used to it.

PES is a good representation of the game this year, it just has strengths and weaknesses just like other games. Where PES shines and the reviewer states is AI. Your teammates will make smart runs and more importantly, you can rely on them to play defense and intelligently help you out. In PES when the CPU player is coming into the box I block them off preventing them from shooting and when I do that a teammate will wisely jump in and help out. Fifa's new feature seems ok, but I didn't spend much time with it. In PES sometimes you don't have to even call for pressure, they just know what to do and do it. It doesn't feel like a bunch of 1 on 1 encounters.

It all comes down to what matters. AI is huge for me as offline play is all I do. PES is legit this year and it doesn't come down to which is "better" but which one people prefer.