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PES4 Review by Ben Wilson From
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Ben Wilson said:PRO EVO 4 REVIEW
by Ben Wilson. 7 October 2004
Remember Christmas as a kid? That eternal wait for December 25th and the hope that your new BMX/ He-Man figure/ Mega Drive game (delete as appropriate depending on age) would live up to the hype? Nowadays, a similar feeling envelops grown men across the nation every October as Konami release the latest instalment of their Pro Evolution Soccer franchise. The fourth incarnation comes out next Friday (15th); and, as usual, our Christmas cheer depends on this one little PS2 disc.
The opening signs are more than promising. Start your first game on Pro Evo 4 and it instantly feels familiar, as the engine is understandably similar to last year’s incarnation. The football is fluid as ever, with the in-game AI of both your team-mates and the opposition much improved. Play as England and see how Ashley Cole bombs on outside you down the left side; but lose the ball while he’s upfield and watch the CPU rip you to pieces down that flank. Try to hang onto a one goal lead late on and they’ll throw everything at you in search of an equaliser. There’s no longer a surefire tactic to beat a computer opponent; you genuinely have to out-think and out-play them.
Individual players once again mirror their real-life counterparts with almost frightening accuracy. Sol Campbell barges opposing strikers off the ball with minimal fuss, but ask him to ping a 40 yard pass across the pitch and he’ll most likely find touch. Thierry Henry hangs on the last defender’s shoulder and bursts clear with impeccable timing. Zidane sashays his way around midfield like some kind of garlic-coated ballet dancer. And Fabien Barthez and David James flap at crosses in a manner that’s almost photogenic. Great stuff.
Goalkeepers are one area where the Pro Evo series has finally taken a huge step forward. They no longer flop to the floor at corners or in one-on-one situations, instead stretching themselves into great saves or diving at your forward’s feet in desperation as you bear down on goal. And they make mistakes too – occasionally failing to dive as a speculative 25 yarder creeps into the corner, for example. The balance is perfect; you won’t be tearing your hair out during every game, but play over a season and your keeper is likely to cost you a couple of shifty goals. Just like real football.
Other clever touches include players scrambling to get back into position at throw ins or goal kicks, and a new type of free kick which allows you to put two players over the ball. The latter isn’t perfect – the second player can have a shot on goal without a run up, which rarely happens in football – but it’s another step forward. Players now go down injured and have to go off for treatment, meaning a late injury when a goal to the good can pose a real problem. Do you try to hang on with ten men in the hope that your key man will recover, or make a substitution straight away? It’s your choice…
While Pro Evo’s gameplay remains faultless as ever, off the field it remains a strange and confused beast. The game now incorporates the Spanish, Italian, and Dutch leagues, which is great if you want to take on Milan with Juve, or if you ever wondered what happened to former Leeds mutant Robert Molenaar (he’s now as RBC Roosendaal, fact fans). English clubs remain unlicensed, although players do at least have correct names.
In Pro Evo 3 the lack of Premiership footy was quickly fixed with a touch of editing, as North East London became Tottenham in a matter of seconds. It’s equally simple here, and a sponsor editor means that you can add logos and other paraphernalia to your team’s kit to make it as close as possible to reality. You can even edit the patterns and colours of your captain’s armband. All great; unless, that is, you support Southampton, Newcastle, Palace, or Celtic, because for some bizarre reason Konami have omitted striped and hoop shirts from the Edit Mode.
The default kits for some of the above teams are okay, but it’s totally puzzling that if you play as Celtic or Sporting Lisbon, you have to wear a plain white shirt. Enthusiasts of Electronic Arts’ FIFA series will look on with mirth at such a huge oversight; it’s the gaming equivalent of Ronaldinho beating all eleven men with a dazzling dribble, but then blazing over an empty net from two yards. It may not take anything away from the on-pitch gameplay, but it’s a cock-up on Konami’s part which will hugely disappoint fans of the above clubs.
While that oversight removes a little of the gloss, there’s no doubt that the Pro Evo series has taken another step towards footballing perfection. There’s been no wholesale redevelopment, more a set of tweaks to fine tune what was already a colossal game. And, as usual, the boys done good. Christmas is going to be a cracker.
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