Hello to all from an ancient forum member (in fact this is the first forum I registered to).
Been playing ISS/WE/PES for nearly 2 decades now, from ISS Pro on N64/PS1 to PES6 on PS2/PC. Yes, I haven't played next-gen PES games (2008-2014), maybe around 50 matches on 2008/2011/2012/2014 PES editions. 2008 was a massive let down, and every new edition was just it's follower. Every year it was like this: check new PES->again see it's not ''that game''->keep on enjoying PES6.
Recently I bought an X360, RGH version, which came with PES 2014 and FIFA 14 on it. Tried both games, and this 2014 PES seemed really bad, but compared to the other game it still had a bit of a classic ISS/PES gene, just enough to make it a winner between those two. I really tried to play FIFA, to see why some PES players switched over but it failed big time to get my further interest. It has all the (un)necesarry cosmetics and brilliant presentation, but when I play, it keeps reminding me of a 1998 version (last FIFA I played).
Let's get back to the topic - PES 2015 demo. After playing near 100 games (Xbox 360 version), I can just say probably the most cliche phrase, especially in last days here and on other PES-related forums - PES (or The King) IS BACK! What made me say so? To put it in a simple way - it's a continuation of where PES6 stopped and it has that ''one more game syndrome'', well-known from ISS/PES, that was missing for all those years.
PES6 successor with all new movements, animations, graphics, details and most importantly - addictive gameplay, ISS/WE/(old)PES trademark. Being a loong time PES6 player, this demo just can't stop to amaze me with all new stuff (I watch replays regulary).
Almost (below are things that must/needs to be improved) everything is as it should be: players responsiveness, ball physics (no, its not heavy), headers, animations and transition between them, faces, fluidity, player ID, AI (team ID!), goalkeepers, new fatigue system (no more running around like mad)... I probably forgot something, but it was surely mentioned before. With all this mixed up, as a result you have gameplay that just don't let you stop playing.
It would be unreal for a game with predecessors like PES2008-2014 to be with without cons, especially because it's a demo version. The main thing, that
MUST to be improved is fouls, and almost everything about them. CPU doesn't commit fouls, not more than 3 times in 10 10mins games. Sliding tackles - it's impossible to take the ball doing them, 9 out of 10 times it would be a foul, and a card (red is not uncommon too), even if you do ''innocent'' sliding tackle on opponents half. Compared to PES6, when I regulary used sliding tackles to intercept pass or take the ball, this is a big big let down. Also, animations that follow sliding tackles, when player fails like it's tackled with a double two-leg slide (he was just barely touched) are just too much. Yellow card frequency is also unreal... Kazuki Ito would be ashamed. Referee movement after the foul is commited, and following animations doesn't match also, but that's really a small issue, and I'm sure it would be fixed in full version. But those mentioned things, when it comes to fouls are, I repeat -
A MUST. Shooting... at first it seemed that 90% of shots are on the target, but after more matches I realised that match can finish with something like (3)12. Maybe just a little bit less precise, 10%ish would be just OK. Bigger problem is is shot power, which needs to be reduced for at least 15%-25% (depending of a player). The tricks are so easy to do, and I mean tricks like rainbow flick, I can just hold two analogs and make the defender doing it continously... make them way harder to do, or disable completely (who likes tricks, there is other game). When doing ground passing, ball has that rails feeling, but it's not that much annoying as the people moan on forums. PES6 was completely on a rails, so?
Every PES has it's faults, it can't be perfect with many different tastes from player to player. PES6 has it's drawbacks too, but it gained legendary status. I know it has been 8 years since it's release, and that in 2014 we should have much more polished version than what we are having now, but for me it's important that they're (KONAMI) on the right track with this edition. Another thing, in my opinion, people are way too harsh when criticize PES these days, like they want it to be as bad as possible. Yes, it wasn't good for many years but this time it's different story. Give it a chance, and give it a time in years to come, hopefully they will follow this path.
Also, nice to see older members (on this, and other 2 PES forums), like me, again having interest in new PES after many years. There's something in it.
EDIT: Why can't I set-up avatar? It just gives me default ones, but I see random on other users. Is 10yrs membership enough to have this fixed? Thanks.
