DesertFox
Registered User
-------------The Good------------
Licenses and More Teams
Many more licensed teams including national and club teams which makes the game feel more I guess the word would be "realistic". Not to forget that it saves a lot of time wasted on editing. Konami also added some new teams which is always good.
Music
I will say that the ability to choose which music to listen to while in the various menus and such is a nice addition regardless of how shitty the music is.
Passing
The passing game has improved somewhat, through passes are more accurate for the most part and the passing seems even more realistic. Though there is the occasional sissy pass here & there letting the computer steal the ball it is after all what happens in real life.
World Tour Mode
self explanatory
New Moves
Even though the PS2 version of the game does not have all the moves like the next gen consoles have it is good to see a few new animations where implemented.
------------The Bad--------------
Un-editable Boots
Though it is not a major problem, it IS still annoying to a certain extent that the boots are not editable and I mean AT ALL. Creating boots such as the nike mercurials or umbro boots like in the past 2 games is not possible. To top it off Konami did not even include any adidas or puma boots like in WE PES2007.
Defending
Though also not a major issue, defending seems to be harder this time around. Your players are harder to control thus letting the computer capitalize on the opportunity and letting them have more shots on goal. The sliding tackle is an important necessity since now just pressing X while next to the player is not even close to enough.
-------------The Ugly------------
Goalies
When WE PES 2007 was released I actually thought that the goalies where not as bad as many people made them seem. Sure they fumbled a few easy shots but for the most part the goalies in WE PES 2007 where solid. The goalies for PES 2008 on the other hand are downright stupid and inept for the most part. Even good goalies such as Cech and Buffon will make the stupidest decisions. Sometimes goalies will jump up and smack the ball with one hand only to see it roll back into the net. Other times they will do something in the sorts of what a retarded monkey would do and stupidly throw themselves against the "grass" with their legs in front to block the shot only to see it roll to the side and go into the net after they themselves deflected it. Goalies will also insist on staying far in front of the goal when an opponent is making his way to the 18yard box leaving the computer controlled player to simply chip it over or finish it off with a ground shot. To put the cherry on top of this all, the goalies now seem to like weakly punching the ball towards the middle for an opposing player to pounce on. Maybe it gives them satisfaction, who knows.
Adaptive A.I. My Ass
All this talk about adaptive A.I and I was hoping that at least it would make the game a bit harder than WE PES 2007 but I was oh so wrong. I know that you think I am going to say that PES 2008 is much easier but it is in fact more frustrating than either easy or difficult (if you get what I mean). Once one of your players has gotten the ball he will be chased by either 1, 2, 3, or 4 opposing players simultaneously. So if you get what I mean, Konami and seabass didn't implement something "new", all they did was code in for opposing players to chase down the man with the ball. So if you are using a player that is not either extremely fast with the ball or has a great deal of body balance then you better pass the ball quickly cause the computer will take it from you so easily it will actually piss you off. Yes, as it turns out the computer can now take the ball away from you by just strolling in front of you or just standing in front of you even if you have someone like Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho.
Fatigue
Seriously, I myself have played competitive football where we played 90 minute games sometimes up to twice a week and I never ever missed one game because I was tired. We practiced 2 hours every day (except game days and weekends) and I still managed to never get to the point where I was too fatigued that I could not play or did not want to play or my skills where diminished because I was too fatigued. How much was I paid? ZERO DOLLARS. You're telling me that these assholes who earn more money in a year than I will ever earn in all my life can't handle playing more than 2 - 3 times before being completely washed? COMMON.
I will give the game a 6.5/10 overall and that is being modest. If they had added the new licenses and added the new animations but kept PES6's gameplay and overall features then I would give this game a 9.5/10. This game however does not take a step backwards, it outright f*cking sprints back to the starting line and beyond. All this wait for such a colossal letdown.
Note: I did not take into consideration that rosters where not updated and other little things like these since they are editable in-game.
Licenses and More Teams
Many more licensed teams including national and club teams which makes the game feel more I guess the word would be "realistic". Not to forget that it saves a lot of time wasted on editing. Konami also added some new teams which is always good.
Music
I will say that the ability to choose which music to listen to while in the various menus and such is a nice addition regardless of how shitty the music is.
Passing
The passing game has improved somewhat, through passes are more accurate for the most part and the passing seems even more realistic. Though there is the occasional sissy pass here & there letting the computer steal the ball it is after all what happens in real life.
World Tour Mode
self explanatory
New Moves
Even though the PS2 version of the game does not have all the moves like the next gen consoles have it is good to see a few new animations where implemented.
------------The Bad--------------
Un-editable Boots
Though it is not a major problem, it IS still annoying to a certain extent that the boots are not editable and I mean AT ALL. Creating boots such as the nike mercurials or umbro boots like in the past 2 games is not possible. To top it off Konami did not even include any adidas or puma boots like in WE PES2007.
Defending
Though also not a major issue, defending seems to be harder this time around. Your players are harder to control thus letting the computer capitalize on the opportunity and letting them have more shots on goal. The sliding tackle is an important necessity since now just pressing X while next to the player is not even close to enough.
-------------The Ugly------------
Goalies
When WE PES 2007 was released I actually thought that the goalies where not as bad as many people made them seem. Sure they fumbled a few easy shots but for the most part the goalies in WE PES 2007 where solid. The goalies for PES 2008 on the other hand are downright stupid and inept for the most part. Even good goalies such as Cech and Buffon will make the stupidest decisions. Sometimes goalies will jump up and smack the ball with one hand only to see it roll back into the net. Other times they will do something in the sorts of what a retarded monkey would do and stupidly throw themselves against the "grass" with their legs in front to block the shot only to see it roll to the side and go into the net after they themselves deflected it. Goalies will also insist on staying far in front of the goal when an opponent is making his way to the 18yard box leaving the computer controlled player to simply chip it over or finish it off with a ground shot. To put the cherry on top of this all, the goalies now seem to like weakly punching the ball towards the middle for an opposing player to pounce on. Maybe it gives them satisfaction, who knows.
Adaptive A.I. My Ass
All this talk about adaptive A.I and I was hoping that at least it would make the game a bit harder than WE PES 2007 but I was oh so wrong. I know that you think I am going to say that PES 2008 is much easier but it is in fact more frustrating than either easy or difficult (if you get what I mean). Once one of your players has gotten the ball he will be chased by either 1, 2, 3, or 4 opposing players simultaneously. So if you get what I mean, Konami and seabass didn't implement something "new", all they did was code in for opposing players to chase down the man with the ball. So if you are using a player that is not either extremely fast with the ball or has a great deal of body balance then you better pass the ball quickly cause the computer will take it from you so easily it will actually piss you off. Yes, as it turns out the computer can now take the ball away from you by just strolling in front of you or just standing in front of you even if you have someone like Cristiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho.
Fatigue
Seriously, I myself have played competitive football where we played 90 minute games sometimes up to twice a week and I never ever missed one game because I was tired. We practiced 2 hours every day (except game days and weekends) and I still managed to never get to the point where I was too fatigued that I could not play or did not want to play or my skills where diminished because I was too fatigued. How much was I paid? ZERO DOLLARS. You're telling me that these assholes who earn more money in a year than I will ever earn in all my life can't handle playing more than 2 - 3 times before being completely washed? COMMON.
I will give the game a 6.5/10 overall and that is being modest. If they had added the new licenses and added the new animations but kept PES6's gameplay and overall features then I would give this game a 9.5/10. This game however does not take a step backwards, it outright f*cking sprints back to the starting line and beyond. All this wait for such a colossal letdown.
Note: I did not take into consideration that rosters where not updated and other little things like these since they are editable in-game.