Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

[RaychelSnr]

The Pro Evolution Soccer series has always lived and died by its gameplay. You don't expect stunningly polished presentation when you pop in PES, but you do expect fun and authentic on-pitch action. The problem was that for the past few years, even the gameplay has faltered, leading to a string of subpar offerings from this once mighty franchise.

Last year was a step in the right direction, as PES 2011's gameplay started to offer football fans glimmers of hope. This year,PES 2012 has eradicated its predecessors’ flaws, and took gameplay to a whole new level. This is by far the best PES game for the current generation of consoles.

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[ty5oke]

Very good review Kelvin. Agreed with all the flaws mentioned but the gameplay is so top notch that this is my go-to footy game.

[RoyceDa59]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

I agree good review the more I play the game the more I fall in love with it. However I do think the game has some pretty good animations it is just the transitions between some of the animations is where it falls short. Overall, this game is really great and I can't stop playing it.

[PAPERNUT]

Great review. Out of the box this game is a solid 8. With option files added to it along with custom stadiums and chants, the game jumps up big time IMO.

[EvanRG]

I'm buyist, but I feel this is the best soccer game to ever be released. There, I said it.

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).

PES also has a contain button on defense (had it last year also before Fifa) and if you use it, you can very easily hold up play. Watch a CPU vs CPU game to show this.

Video game reviews are subjective and I agree with a lot of what you said, but I respectfully disagree about Fifa gaining a higher score.


Especially considering the gripes you made about Fifa.

Another flaw that becomes more apparent the longer you play the game is that the CPU doesn't have too many styles of playing. First of all, fouls are a rarity. The opposition doesn't dive in enough. When they do, they’re too successful. Second, I’ve yet to see them adjusting their tactics in relation to the score. While they do press higher when going for a goal in the dying minutes, the differences in urgency is nowhere near as pronounced as they should be. In short, sometimes you can feel like you’re playing a “one-size-fits-all” CPU.

These issues, while they won’t make the game unplayable by any stretch of the imagination, do impact the spontaneity of gameplay. After a bit of playing, sometimes you can feel as though you can foresee every run that’s about to trigger, or that games are starting to feel one note.

I appreciate how balanced you were, but I feel like the reviews you wrote give two completely different scores than what you actually rated and talked about.

Gameplay wins outright every time and going by what you wrote -- PES should've won.

(I feel like a lawyer resting his case.)

[Profit89]

It is truly a great game.

[Bahnzo]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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

[Jgainsey]

As usual, I'll be buying PES for PC.

The consistently solid gameplay, along with the great modding community usually make my video game soccer choice pretty easy.

Personally, I wouldn't have given FIFA a higher score than PES this year, but the content of the review is fair. I don't get all that worked up over the review scores in and of themselves, but it is still a shame that the better game "lost".

[kerosene31]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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]

Re: Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360/PS3) Review

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]

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.