The State of PES

[RaychelSnr]

Another June has passed. Which means another year we've heard the familiar refrain: “PES is back.”

In the past, this is what usually happened next: October rolled around, the game is released, and the refrain is then amended to “PES is on its way back." It’s been like that for quite a while now — encouraging signs here and there, but still some ways away from a thoroughly polished product that can reach out to soccer gamers of every stripe, like the releases from its halcyon days. Yet every June, hope springs eternal, and PES is back.

Hey, at least the current outlook is nowhere near as morbid as those dark days in 2008-09, when the game fell into a funk, and you wouldn’t be completely out of line to legitimately question the future of the series. Now, we may disagree on how much improvement it has made and how it bodes for the future, but at least there is a future.

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[Profit89]

Nice read. Thanks Kelvin.

[wxn8822]

Not to hastily release the next-gen game is a very responsible and thoughtful decision on PES' part. I am glad they made this move.

I foresee the future as FIFA spiraling down while PES picks up the momentum and reclaim the soccer game crown.

[willyfantastic]

good article - getting the first pro evo on the ps3 (was it 2008?) and pro evo 6 on the 360, both were so awful that it basically meant that i switched to fifa, and havent come back since - still long for the enjoyment that came from the pro evo's on the ps2

[skywalkah]

Maannn, PES was the go-to back in the day. Hopefully it can regain prominence, or at least get back to a respectable level. Life is better when you have some solid footy choices to choose from.

[RoyceDa59]

Re: The State of PES

Not to hastily release the next-gen game is a very responsible and thoughtful decision on PES' part. I am glad they made this move.

<b>I foresee the future as FIFA spiraling down while PES picks up the momentum and reclaim the soccer game crown.</b>

Even if PES "reclaims" the soccer/football crown EA will still amass a ton a money from its consumers, that series is way too popular now.

Other than that, good read Kelvin. I hope this game can get me back into Footy games again as I haven't been a fan of either FIFA or PES these last few entries.

[ps3veron]

Great read Kelvin! As an ex die hard PES fan, I can't help but blame Seabass. Yes this is his baby but he also ran it to the ground whilst EA's product just soared. Let's hope the new guy has some new creativity ideas.

As much as I love PES, I sincerely hope this year will be the year of change. Usually its PES for a few months and then on to the shelf and EA's heating up that Blue ray hard disk of mine!

[kelvinmak]

Thanks, folks. After watching the barrage of preview videos since (this was in the pipeline before that so I didn't have the luxury of watching them first) there definitely seems to be a new spring in their step. Either way, can't wait to get my hands on the demo to see if it lives up to its billing!

[Yeats]

Re: The State of PES

Of course, in the grand scheme, gameplay was never a problem for the franchise. The weak link has always been its visual elements.

Just the opposite. PES' gameplay has been a clunky, broken mess for years now, that's the #1 reason millions of football gamers abandoned PES and switched to FIFA the past seven years. They certainly didn't switch solely because FIFA supposedly looked better. Besides, graphics have never been the issue. Konami uses real-life color palettes and because of that the game looks much more life-like and realistic than FIFA. PES' stadium lighting and player faces are also superior to FIFA. The one weak-link visual element has been the outdated animations, which have less to do with visuals and more to do with the obsolete last-gen feel of PES' gameplay.

[Yeats]

Re: The State of PES

The graphics were seemingly stuck in a time capsule during those first few years, remaining in the Xbox/PS2 era... This is where PES’ trump card, the Fox Engine, changes up the equation. If the much ballyhooed engine lives up to its billing, this will be the crucial reason as to why things are different this time around, and that the comeback is truly on.

This is what concerns me the most about all the next-gen chatter I read on sites like this one. It seems gamers today are mostly only interested in improved visuals. So much different than 15 years ago, when modding and achieving simulation gameplay was the priority with these sports games. It's a generational thing and the evolution of gaming in general I suppose now that online gameplay is the focus.

[elprez98]

Thank you so much for an article of real truth about PES. I guess being old school, gameplay is much more important than visuals (not to say they aren't important though) I've always believed that PES was on par with FIFA just due to the overwhelmingly better play by keepers and non-HUM controlled players.

[DBMcGee3]

PES is doing just fine. Better than FIFA last year, and looking much better this year. Sounds like they have made the editing options more accessible this year too, so the option file makers can work their magic. I can't wait.

[nvinceable1]

Not to hastily release the next-gen game is a very responsible and thoughtful decision on PES' part. I am glad they made this move.

I foresee the future as FIFA spiraling down while PES picks up the momentum and reclaim the soccer game crown.

I'm also glad that they made the decision to skip the next gen consoles for this years release. Transitioning to a new gameplay engine plus two new consoles is simply too big of a task to likely have a positive outcome. I think it's paramount that they make the most out of transitioning to the Fox Engine as that's ultimately going to decide the success or failure of the PES franchise for the foreseeable future. Sitting out this year should have a negligible effect anyways as the vast majority of people will still be playing on current gen consoles for at least the next year.

[sarlndr]

So getting this.