Archive for October, 2007
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Sat 20 Oct 2007
Just a quick reminder to those who read my article, or a heads up to those who don’t. I am giving you, the PES fans, the opportunity to vote for, and honour your favourite PES6 player in the Interfering With Play Player Of The Year Award. If you have already voted (and that goes to over 40 of you) thank you very much. Your support, as always is very much appreciated. For all of you who are interested in voting, but have yet to get round to it, the rules are as follows. Just pick your favourite players (up to three) from Pro Evolution Soccer 6. Jot their names down and either send them on here in the form of a response, or e-mail me them at danbolas@hotmail.com
The Closing Date For This is 11:59pm on Monday 22nd October 2007, and the results will be announced in Tuesday’s Interfering With Play.
Thank You For Reading
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Fri 19 Oct 2007
VideoGamesZone have a couple of news videos online today. They bring us the first gameplay video for the Wii version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. In addition, they have a video interview with Seabass regarding PES 2008.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Fri 19 Oct 2007
But you’ll have to be a bit cheeky to get it. Several users have now confirmed that you can pick up the game at a number of retailers if you inform them that other stores are also selling the game.
Good luck!
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Thu 18 Oct 2007
Rumour has it you MAY be able to pick up Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 as early as tomorrow at selected Blockbuster stores. It seems some stores seem to think they can sell the game October 19th, which was the original release date.
It’s worth a try if you have one local.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Thu 18 Oct 2007
This is just a quick confirmation for those of you who have been e-mailing asking. There are a total of 15 stadiums on PS3, XBox 360 and PC. The PS2 game is expected to have the same stadiums which were in PES6.
Konami Stadium (None)
Estádio da Luz
Estádio do Dragão
Estádio José Alvalade
Bristol Mary Stadium (Unknown)
Ville Marie Stadium (Unknown)
Mohamed Lewis Stadium (Unknown)
Antlion Colisseum (El Monumental)
Teatro Blanco (Unknown)
Orange Arena (Amsterdam Arena)
Catalonia Stadium (Nou Camp)
Santiago Bernabéu
Stadio Olimpico
San Siro
Stade Louis II
There are no English stadiums in the game.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Thu 18 Oct 2007
Respected gaming magazine ‘Play’ have given the latest installment of Pro Evolution Soccer a woeful 70%. Summarising the game, they had this to say:
‘PES 2008 stumbles, rather than sprints onto the PS3, leaving us with the first Pro Evo game that falls short of the Fifa franchise. We expected a revolutionised football title that’d set the series back on course, but this is just shameful’.
I have myself been playing FIFA 08 for 3 days now and although I’m not ready to give you my full review; I can say this much… FIFA 08 just about has it all - the commentary and crowd noise are superb, the visuals from a distance are superb (faces are terrible compared with PES 2008) and the gameplay is challenging yet rewarding as you begin to improve your game. Although I still feel Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 just about has the edge gameplay wise this year, I dare say next year it may not be the case, and the lack of licensing and a feel of ‘realism’ about the whole experience could put FIFA out in front.
It is worth pointing out this is the first review from a UK source, and generally speaking all the buzz has been positive for PES 2008. I’ve been playing the demo on the 360 and PC for sometime now, and of course it’s an improvement on PES6… but just like the reviewer at ‘Play’ magazine, I too feel let down by the lack of a real revolutionary switch from PS2 to Next-gen.
Source - WENB
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Thu 18 Oct 2007
Part 1 of PCAction’s stats for the National Teams in Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is here. It includes the stats for teams such as England, Italy and Germany.
Click ‘Bild in Originalgrobe’ for the full high-resolution image.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Wed 17 Oct 2007
CVG have had an exclusive interview with game creator Akiyoshi ‘Greyhound’ Chosogabe, the man responsible for the Wii version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.
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What’s been the most challenging part about developing a version of PES for Wii?
It was challenging to create a brand new control system and the most difficult thing for me was having a brand new way of thinking. Of course all of the development team are core PES fans, but even some of the team didn’t initially like the idea of a brand new control system. But I wanted to create a brand new PES.
We’ve only seen the game in the training mode, don’t you think controlling several players at the same time in a real game could prove difficult?
I showed you an actual match in the trailer on the screen yesterday and I’m just using the training mode because time is very limited.
But it’s not so difficult to use this control scheme in an actual match. I think players will easily get used to this control method, but I wanted to show the simple method and training is the easiest way to show this.
Would you say the Wii version is one for hardcore players? Wii is geared more towards casual players in Europe, is this the same in Japan?
In the beginning I wondered if we would have to create a casual game, because the Wii is a more of a casual player’s machine. But I thought it would be boring if we create it as a more casual game. Therefore in the beginning I abandoned any plans to make this a more casual version and started to look for a brand new direction.
With Mario Strikers Charged Nintendo created the first online game for Wii in Europe. Did you ever consider including an online mode in Wii PES?
I’m still in research and development to have Wi-Fi functionality, but currently there are some issues to be solved before we have an online version of the game.
Did you ever consider controlling the game with your feet? Using the Wii-mote in that way? Using your foot to shoot for example?
In the beginning we had the idea of putting the Nunchuck controller on your boot and actually one of the team put it on his foot.
But it wasn’t quite as interesting as we expected [laughs]. The guy who put the controller on his foot looked very awkward and it did not look like playing football at all. It looked like he had something wrong with his foot, so it was not a very successful experiment.
As well as the new control scheme, will you support the Classic Controller with this Wii version?
The base of this Wii version is the PS2 version, so technically it’s possible to have classic control. But I’m focussing on creating a brand new game system so I don’t have any plans to use the Classic Controller.
While the unique control method will satisfy Wii players, do you think there’s a danger traditional PES fans might not want to re-learn their tried and trusted control method?
Everything we are doing, especially with test players shows some of the development staff can read their opponent’s mind by seeing the arrows on the screen. So I would like you to practice the game very hard. If you practice hard I think you will be able to find a good method.
Could your control method form a basis for the DS version of the game?
I’m not involved in development of the DS version but we’re exploring some opportunities there.
Moving away from PES Wii for a moment, you produced the Pro Evo Management game, any chance we’ll see a return for that series?
I’m very happy to have that question. Personally I would like to continue that management series but the company has this new direction [on Wii].
I would love to do the next version of PES management, I would be very happy to include some PES management features in the next Wii version of the game.
Posted by Peter Willis in PES 2008 News on Wed 17 Oct 2007
Stats have been posted by PCAction for all the stars of the Spanish La Liga.
http://www.pcaction.de/?article_id=617557
Posted by Dan Bolas in Interfering With Play on Tue 16 Oct 2007
In arguably the biggest 14 days of the Football gaming year, Interfering With Play is taking a look at some of the most interesting issues currently around, coupled with a few fresh new talking points. So lets crack on.
Striptease
If you have spent any time on any PES2008 website in the past two weeks, you will have seen the latest screenshots of the new option files, showing the potential editing of strips for Premier League sides. Many of these strips are taken from PC screenshots, however with X Box 360 and PS3 having as much power as many high spec PCs nowadays, you can be pretty sure the option files will be very similar on the consoles. Whilst many of the strips look very good, in particular the Arsenal away and Liverpool home shirts, some of them are very disappointing. If any of you have seen the Arsenal home kit, you will agree that having an all red strip in this day an age for the Gunners is clearly not acceptable. Even the poorest of football games from yester-year feature the white sleeves of the Arsenal shirt, and I am hoping that there will be a way of rectifying this problem, as teams like Aston Villa and West Ham United’s strips need a similar template. May I stress at this point that this is far from a dig at the individuals making the option files or designing the kits, but at the editing mode itself for not featuring such a common design of shirt.
Stop Chasing That Egg
I’d like to take this quick point to pass my congratulations on to the England rugby side. Here is a team that 12 months ago were in turmoil, and dubbed the worst World Champions ever, only to find themselves staring down the barrel of a second consecutive World Cup final. I don’t play rugby, and would even consider myself a fan of the sport, yet I have watched the England campaign with a great deal of enjoyment, and have found myself screaming at the TV more than I do at the football. There is no doubt that England has a superstar in the form of Wilkinson, but they are also have a great deal of grafters, players who are in there for the team and are proud and passionate to be playing for their country. Whether or not England turn over the 36-0 thrashing South Africa gave them in the group stages remains to be seen, but there is no doubt they have proven so many critics wrong with a performance that the nations Footballers and Cricketers can only dream of. It’s been a pleasure to watch them play, and I wish them the greatest of luck of Saturday.
I Wish I Was A Manager
As I said at the beginning of the article, it’s a massive 14 days for Football gaming, and one of the reasons for this occurs on this Friday. Sports Interactive’s annual Football Manager makes its 2008 appearance, and if it is anything like the 2007 offering, it will be a belter. I am sure many of you play the game, or are at least aware of it, but for those who don’t know, it is the number one football management simulation. In 2004, the Championship Manager series split into two sections. Eidos kept the name Championship Manager, and started to produce a different game, aiming to have a quicker, more free flowing management sim. Sports Interactive kept the basic template of the game, as well as the massive databases, and produced Football Manager. In my opinion, Championship Manager is an average management sim that receives a great deal of sales from people who are familiar with the quality product the name was attached to in the late 90’s. Football Manager is the definitive article, allowing hours of gaming and numerous challenges that other games could only dream of. The 2007 game has seen me dedicate over 150 hours to it, a commitment that makes games like Final Fantasy seem short term fixes. If you play the game, I am sure, like me, you will be waiting with baited breath for the 2008 instalment, but if you are unfamiliar with the series, I urge you to invest in a copy and see what you think. If you’re short on cash, 2007 is going for under a tenner in most stores now, and is defiantly worth trying out. In comparison to Pro Evolution Soccer, it would be like comparing Elvis Presley to Justin Timberlake, yes they both do the same thing, and they are both very unique styles, but they are not really that similar. Football Manager is available this Friday (19th October 2007) for PC.
Now That I Have Your Attention
One of the things I am most proud about is the level of response I get from each Interfering With Play article. This comes in many ways, from people adding me to MSN Messenger, to e-mails being sent through with people showing off their viewpoints, to the responses that can be found of the bottom of each individual article. I like the fact that some people agree with the points I raise, or prefer to build upon comments that I have said. I also like that people disagree with my point of view, or question what I am saying. The whole point of this section of Interfering With Play is to have people hear my views, and for people to get their views across. I love football, and I love Pro Evo, so I find it easy to write my opinions. If you have something to say, no matter how big or small, get your response on the article and let people see what you have to say too. But please, if you do write a response, leave you name or screen name, as there is far too many anon people out there! PESGAMING.com updates every day with the latest news about the Konami game, and Interfering With Play is the place where I can say my opinions on that news, and you can get whatever you need off your footballing chest.
FIFA 2008
After a very amusing e-mail from Sean Duffy, and reading the many opinions of visitors to this site, I am not picking up a copy of Fifa 2008. I am a Pro Evolution Soccer fan, and I honestly believe, as with the past 7 years, the Konami game will be the stronger of the two titles. May I say once more though, I do not hate EA Sports or Fifa 2008, and would defiantly not consider myself to be blinkered within my decision-making; I just genuinely consider it to be a weaker game. I would like to take the opportunity, however, to put an end to the “How good Is Fifa 2008” argument for a while, and focus slightly more on the new PES game. Of course, people will compare the two games, and I am sure there will be people who will leave comments referring to both, however the last month has seen the EA Sports game take up a lot of space on Interfering With Play, and as a result, I will be speaking less about it over the next few weeks.
The Demo Raging Within
So after a month of its release on X Box, and almost three weeks of it being available on PC, there is still no demo for Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 on the PS3 Store. I am a PS3 owner, and whilst am shocked by its lack of availability, I am far from surprised, and more curious as to why Sony have not made the game available for download. Games like Jericho, which are released on the same day, as PES2008 are now available as game play demos, so the question should really be put to Sony. I found the PC demo to be a perfect stopgap, keeping gamers playing Pro and creating feedback about the game. I have heard that the X Box 360 demo featured a number of bugs, however it still received positive feedback overall. Whilst I am aware the demo may still come out this Thursday, I will probably not even bother downloading it. With the game just a week away, having a 70% complete version of the game seems to lack any appeal to me. PS3 players, I ask do you feel let down by Konami by this? 360 players, did you experience any major bugs that stopped your enjoyment of the game? And to everyone, can you think of any reasons, other than Sony’s incompetence, which the demo would not have been released for. I am very curious,
Sorry, You’re Not A Winner
My final point of the year is bringing a little bit of sentiment to the site. With all the excitement of the new PES game, its sometimes easy to forget that for the past 12 months Pro Evolution Soccer 2006 has been keeping us entertained in many formats. From the always popular Master League, to the one on one battles with your best mate, to that last minute penalty save online, it been a major part of many peoples (including mine) lives since last October. So I have decided to offer you the opportunity to honour the players that have performed to well for you over the past season, in the Interfering With Play Player Of The Year Award. The formats simple, you respond to this article, or e-mail me below with the name of the players (up to three) who have been star performers for you on Pro Evolution Soccer 6. It could be a striker who helped your side to constant victories over a mate, or a goalkeeper who kept you in a crucial online league match, or you ever present centre midfielder who helped your side lift the Division one title. It’s totally up to you, as its kind of the Players’ Player of the season. Please include your name on any responses to make sure your vote gets counted, and should there be a big enough response, the results will be announced next week.
So, there you have it, another week and another article. Cast your vote for the Interfering With Play Players of The Year Award, and as always leave your responses, comments and mails, I will promise to read each one. My E-Mail address is danbolas@hotmail.com, so feel free to speak to me via MSN, and my PS3 gamer tag is thebolder, so hit me on there if you have a PS3.
Thanks for Reading
