PES 2008 The Verdict: Hit or Miss?

[Barry]

The title speaks for itself. Is it an improvement from PES6? Where does it rank with older versions? Are you better off with FIFA or cancer to the esophagus? What is so great about it, and what leaves room for amelioration?

I will have no more single threads on how good or bad you think it is, please keep all rants and such in here, thank you.

 

[Hunter]

Having just 1 thread for every rant or praise is a bit far mind, there are many flaws with the game, and many positives, and they're mostly completely different to PES6's.

As for PES2008 hit or miss, I'm still undecided. I know the long ball passing is far too fast, and nearly every player the computer controls it seems can dribble like Maradona, especially in the ML. For once, I can honestly say I'm quite let down by the gameplay. The presentation, features, and more detailed ML is excellent, but once you play some games in the ML, more noteably with a Custom team consisting of retards but a few, the Computer suddenly turn into Classic Netherlands. I can understand players like Ribery dribbling around several of my players, but players that are equally poor manage to sidestep far too quickly in order to tackle them. I used to pride myself on defence, and quite often keep clean sheets, especially in ML. But now it's all too easy to score, and also to conceed, as AI vs. AI matches will usually end 1-0 whereas my matches in the ML vs. AI often end up with 6 goals at least. It just seems inbalanced between defence and attack on the game, not to mention the faster gameplay gives attackers a remarkable advantage over defences.

 

[SDAV89]

First thing i would like to say is thank you for making this thread we may now be saved from all the other moan threads.

now the game i have only played the game for about 30mins not long enough to make a full review of the game but my first impression was the game plays well imo and i also love the fact that Newcastle are now fully licensed being a fan this is pretty damm good even thought they are not fully updated but i can sort that.

I have not had the slowdown that some of the people have talked about i mean yes i have had slow down but not to the extent that some people claim.

The only thing that get me are the fact the PES series appears to have lost a couple of official licenses since last year’s game. In the premiership, both Arsenal and Man Utd are no longer the officially licensed teams they were. i would like to see more teams added to the licenses list each year like instead of swapping the licenses from one team to the next why not try secure more teams. The next-gen edit mode could be revamped and more added like have the same edit mode as pes6 for the pc that would be nice.

 

[Alij777]

The me the shooting is just not right. Seems like they are kicking a lead ball! Its near impossible at times to hit a high solid shot. I fill up the hole gauge from outside the box and the shot comes out mid level. Only one timers seem to be balanced out.

 

[che_don_john]

So many things wrong with this game. To name just a few:

Gameplay:
- Passing is poor, long being too fast and uncontrollable, short being very innacurate due to there only being 8 possible directions in which to pass - some many times I've tried to pass to a free man in the box and it's gone too far in front or behind him, and many times I've tried to make a simple pass to a defender and it's gone the wrong side of him and put an attacker through on goal
- Tackling - just impossible, almost laughable
- Fatigue - played a league, after just two games most of my players were too knackered and had to be rested

Graphics:
Slowdown - we all know about this - makes play in the penalty box very difficult

Features:
Lack of kit selection - having to play against a team in the same colour, schoolboy error
Editing - again, much covered topic

I'm too knackered from being disappointed with this game to remember the other points. I'd exchange this for the PS2 version but I still can't bring myself to do it, perhaps because it would make my PS3 feel redundant

 

[Lugash]

The only thing that get me are the fact the PES series appears to have lost a couple of official licenses since last year’s game. In the premiership, both Arsenal and Man Utd are no longer the officially licensed teams they were. i would like to see more teams added to the licenses list each year like instead of swapping the licenses from one team to the next why not try secure more teams. The next-gen edit mode could be revamped and more added like have the same edit mode as pes6 for the pc that would be nice.

Apparently they have a deal which only allows for two licences per year at the moment, although that may be pure conjecture.

As for the gameplay, I think it's just a matter of getting used to it. I know the long passes are a bit fast, and the AI is a bit too good at times, but overall, I think the gameplay is quite good. And it's refreshing to be challenged on the higher difficulty levels, not like in previous versions where on 4-star the AI would attack but defend haplessly and on 5-star the opposition would never venture from their own half.

And I think this Teamvision business is good too. I've noticed that playing as a strong team against weaker opposition it becomes easier to break them down as the match goes on, and once you score the floodgates open. However, if the opposition score first they shut up shop and don't take risks, which I think is adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay.

 

[seantkd]

at first i would have said it was a miss but after using the option file that was released and putting a quite good version of my own ugly mug in the game the rest of the bad stuff doesn't seem to bother me as much now. the major flaw for me though is not being able to put other league c teams in the ml or make a custom league, don't really see the point in having those teams in it if you can't really use them.

 

[Dragonfly]

It's a hit (the 360 version).

Yes, some aspects of the gameplay have been made more difficult, but I personally think that's a good thing. Passing in previous PES and ISS games have been guided by the CPU - if you want to pass to someone bu there's player in the way, the CPU would help the ball around the defender and to your player (I don't mean some kind of magic swerve). But now, where you aim the ball is where the ball will go.

It is difficult to tackle without giving away a foul, or even getting booked - the refs seem incredibly strict, but that could just be out poor tackling. If you practice tackling, you'll find out that you have to position your player so that they can get their foot to the ball, although not every clean tackle is safe, you may still give away a foul. However, some players can make last ditch lunging tackles and win the ball cleanly. My brother always seems to time his tackles, with a few exceptions, but the trick seems to be to get there as quick as possible and not let the attacker have too much time on the ball.

I GET NO SLOWDOWN!!! :smug:

As for the goalkeeping, we all know Konami cocked up here, so I won't waste time on it. I think the goalkeeping makes scoring look too easy, but if we had last year's goalkeepers, the gameplay would be almost perfect.

The graphics are fine, but to be honest, I've never really focused on the graphics. During the game play they're average, but PES has never really had amazing graphics. However, the cut scenes look really sleek in my humble opinion. The facial expressions are impressive and the celebrations have improved.

The Edit Mode. Well, PES6 on the 360 helped prepare me for the small number of base kits available, seeing as there was nothing before. The thing I'm most disappointed about in the Edit Mode it inability to create your own badges, sponsors and kit brand logos in the game. I know you can scan images now, but I assume that will mean having boxes around sponsors, instead of having plain text. Yes you can try to match the colour of the border, but there's not guarantee you can get it right, and it will probably stand out anyway. Anyway, my plan for the ML team kit editing is to scan kits of more obscure football teams from world football, so I guess I'll be OK.

As for lack of licensing; I've gotten over it after the very first ISS on the SNES. :erm:

I'm sure there are things I've missed, like an increasing number of bugs and glitches in the game, but I have to say I love the game. The on pitch gameplay is probably the best so far in my opinion, minus the atrocious goalkeeping - they probably used Paul Robinson as the motion capture person, you know, the guy that wears that black suit with all the white dots on it, I don't know the proper name.

I think if they spent another month on the game, mainly to fix the goalies, I would give at least 9/10, but as it is, I'll say 8/10.

 

[Hunter]

I think the goalkeepers have been improved massively, all too many times on PES6, when in a one-on-one situation they would just fall backwards and make no attempt to spread themselves, quite the opposite to be honest. However on PES 2008, the goalkeepers seem to make much more of an effort to spread themselves and make themselves as big as possible in different situations. The only downfall of the goalkeepers on this new installment is the throwing out, you can throw out a little faster on this version to build a counter attack thankfully, but the goalkeeper doesn't regularly throw the ball to the intended person no matter how accurate you are with the analog stick.

Fatigue is far too ridiculous to even mention, so I'll stop. But the AI are more slaggy than in previous versions too, I thought they were implementing TeamVision as an attempt to also help decrease the amount of cut-back goals scored. No point really since that is the AI's main choice of goal, I've played 6 matches in my ML, and the majority of the time when the Computer team is outside the box on the wing, they never cross the ball, instead they opt to cut in and look for the "gay goal". Really does wind me up at how little creativity they bring to the match, it's always the same, no matter who is on the ball for the Computer team, 12-Maradona-like sidesteps past everyone, followed by either a through ball and guaranteed goal, or a cut-back. However with my team, they don't sidestep half as fast for a start, despite being better players etc. It's just annoying aspects like this that Konami have implemented to make it more difficult, but what it really is, is cheating.

 

[Mez]

A 40 yard shot that hits the corner flag for me. PES1 for the PS2 is a better game than this version. I can't believe how much Konami have fucked up with this one. Ball physics are shite, game speed is ridiculously fast and the lag is unforgivable.

I wish I still had the receipt to take it back.

 

[mufcsean]

In ways it is an improvement, as i play it on the 360 and last time their wasn't an edit mode, so even the piss poor edit mode that we have is an improvement, but, the gameplay is poor, its way too slow, the opposition is crap, keepers forever spilling the ball, and the main thing for me that hasn't improved is the fact that Adriano is still a good player, he really needs to be toned down

EDIT: Not being able to edit badges is crap as well as i like to create Hamburg and play as them

 

[Hunter]

In ways it is an improvement, as i play it on the 360 and last time their wasn't an edit mode, so even the piss poor edit mode that we have is an improvement, but, the gameplay is poor, its way too slow, the opposition is crap, keepers forever spilling the ball, and the main thing for me that hasn't improved is the fact that Adriano is still a good player, he really needs to be toned down

EDIT: Not being able to edit badges is crap as well as i like to create Hamburg and play as them

:unsure:

Are we playing the same game ?

I've started a ML on Top Player and I'm sure as hell getting battered in most of my games. However that's usually due to the Computer cheating, but still, difficult all the same. It's quite easy with a good team, but then again, I'm sure if you pitted Italy against Latvia etc, in real-life, then Italy would win comfortably too.

As for the gameplay, everything is way too fast, the long balls are ridiculously fast, the dribbling is the equivalent speed to Winning Eleveb 10 = stupid.

 

[Trev]

Hit.

Best one since Pro Evo 4.

 

[motrekab]

I've got it on PS2 and will get it on PC too. I know Konami are concentrating on 'next gen' consoles but the PS2 version is a bit of a swizz; nothing really has changed other than the design of menus but the 'nuts and bolts' are the same as they ever were. Gameplay has always evolved nicely rather than being radically overhauled which is a good thing but the rest of it...?

Commentary is poor: Champion is ok but Lawrenson has phoned his commentary in (at 7am after a very heavy session at the BBC bar the night before) and the whole thing is very flat. I thought that PES6 was the best yet and now Konami have taken a step (or three) back.

The ball seems very heavy and SOUNDED very heavy (on the PC demo), no bad thing, just a comment. Other than that it seems to be a bit laboured; passing is weak and shots too: still this can be fixed with an editor but should WE have to do it?

Many of the appearances are fine, some are very good and some are rank. Example: Craig Gordon has fair/blonde hair and the wrong hair-cut and yet some of the Scotland squad (or Celtic and Rangers) are pretty good and need just a bit of judicious editing. Last year they got Rangers home kit wrong (dark blue). My point is: these are licensed teams and yet there seems to be very inconsistent quality control.

Overall, a missed opportunity or if I'm being harsh: money for old rope.

 

[mondh75]

hit

 

[Bammers05]

I have the PC Version and the jury's still out on PES2008, for me. Some of it is really good, i.e. the gameplay and being able to put your face on the game, but there are other aspects such as only having nine available slots for importing kits and faces, also the fact that there are so few stadiums is quite annoying.

 

[BonBon]

Hit
Hopefully the patch konami release will fix all the slow down problems

 

[Keane'o]

Its Indifferent....on the Ps3 at least

The football its self is fantastic....hard when it should be hard....a rout when its a crap team. despite the slowdown issues that im confident the ps3 Patch will fix....the game is fine...a minor improvement over pro 6 which suits me...however i fail to see how Seabass and the boys could possably justify some of the basic things that have been left out.

The ps3 has a possible 60 gig worth of storage for photo's of players...kits....badges...why on earth are we limited to a mere 8 images.....why must we only use eye toy or Playstation eye to get these images....why are there only 12 kit templates.....only 1v1 online... only 15 stadiums....all things that are worse than last years offering. I said this in another post but i reckon all this is because Konami wish to have things like extra kit templates...stadiums...picture slots ect....all as downloadable content on the ps store because tossers like me will buy them

 

[PacMan]

Hit or Miss, you ask?

The game is a HIT in the sense that it's fun to play, that it can turn you into a PES addict, and all that stuff. Same thing every year.

The game is a MISS in the sense that it has a lot of technical problems (not my PC version, mind you, unless you take online lag into account), gameplay problems (some new, some old), and missing features.

We all know the positives: nice gameplay, nice graphics, some of the greatest animations in virtual football, an evening of fun with friends guarranteed, and so on and so on. As I said earlier, same thing every year. This year we've even got some decent music. So what's lacking?

COMMENTARY

Despite my first impression, I have to admit that the commentary is better. However, there are some lines which are a bit odd, and some are downright stupid. Besides, it seems to be based more on the relative strength of the teams than on what's going on in the field. For example, yesterday I was lying in 10th place in div 2 (original ML team), and I had to play the team which was leading the table. By some weird chain of events, I ended winning the first half 4-0, but the half-time comment was: "Well, they have a relatively healthy (?) lead, but I see them trying to score one more after the break, just to clinch the result. Otherwise they could end up losing the game." Man, 4-0 is game over, especially when I have 60% possession and the other team has had only 2 shots on goal vs my 8 attempts. That match ended 5-0 anyway, so I guess I made him happy.
Another example, after winning that same league with the help of 3 additional signings, I played the European all star team and lost 1-0, but possession was 50-50 and we had the same amount of shots on goal. What did the commentator have to say about that? "They've been overclassed and overplayed." What? What match were you watching there?

FATIGUE

This has to be the lowest point of the game. How is it that my players cannot play more than 2 weeks in a row? I really don't get this. If I don't want to rotate my squad, I don't see how that is Seabass's concern. He shouldn't force me to do it in such a stupid way. I think it really detracts from the game in ML. Besides, it doesn't even make much sense internally. What I mean is, if you only play the league, then you use squad A one week, and the next one they are tired. But if you have a league and a cup match on the same week, and use squad A for the league and squad B for the cup, then the next week squad A is as good as new. WTF?

NO MULTIPLAYER OVER LAN

This one is long overdue. I think there's no need to expand.

IMPORTANT FEATURES WHICH ARE MISSING AND DIDN'T NEED TO BE

OK, so they had to build the game from the ground up and some of the editing features could not be included, but what about, for example, not being able to play as the opposition in a friend's league? This is supremely annoying and idiotic. If they didn't include LAN playability, then why detract from PES strongest point --playing with friends? Do YOU get this? I certainly don't.
Another one: not being able to start a ML with teams from group C. There are quite a lot of these little annoyances going around in the forum.

DOPED AI PLAYERS: THE DEFINITE TEST

While playing a ML with the original players, select "Coach mode" in one match and watch it. Is Liebermann able to turn so sharply when you control him? Not in my game. Can Castolo change directions so effortlessly while running when you are in control...? You know where I'm getting at.

LICENSES

I never quite get what the problem is here. Money? Maybe, but Seabass's own words were: "We're not good at getting licenses." What does this mean? How can FM get so many licenses? How can a new producer start with CM after Sports Interactive leaves and still get all the licenses for their first game, while PES is never able to do it? Is it due to an exclusivity clause with EA? Then that only applies for 3D football simulations, doesn't it? Can someone explain this to me?

SOME GOOD THINGS

I like shooting in the game, I think it's better than PES 6 (not that difficult). I like passing, too, long passes being faster is a good thing in many occassions. But you need fast attackers. I like the club and team reputation features, as well as the tweaked negotiations.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The game is good, just not a vast improvement. Not even a great improvement, just a very small one. If I had to assign a score to this game, I would say it's 8.5/10 on it's own, but 7/10 in retrospective. Quite a standard (hence good) new issue of PES, complete with its usual quirks and annoyances, but quite a let down as well, since this was supposed to be the big leap forward. I'm sure 2009 will be way better.

 

[gazbonner]

This says it all really...

http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/launchreview.asp?reviewid=818874