PES2 - First Impressions

[JohnCCFC]

I've played one game and my first impression . .

How smooth, how fluid.

Gone is the stupid after-tackle "wandering aimlessly".

Excellent realism in player movement.

Tackling is good too, so much more varied. More tussling for the ball. All the stupid "they hack you from behind every 10 seconds" has one.

Shooting IS faster, but only to bring it into line with reality.

The commentary . . oh dear. But the general audio (crowd etc.)is excellent.

Gameplay massively improved.

SO playable.

 

[JohnCCFC]

I played England v Morocco on level 5 (highest) and it was a 0-0 draw (til they snatched a 119 min winner)

Which made me think that it IS a lot easier.

I played ManU v Juve (only with stupid names) on level 5 and it was 2-1 to them.

Now in PES I was a struggling to medium level 4 player. In PES2 I think I'll go straight into level 5 ML.

Surely then, the game is easier. Maybe they've dumbed it down cos it was too hard for the FIFA kiddies to learn.

Anyway, PES level 5 players may find it a little too easy.

Anyone who was PES level 5 have an opinion on whether they think it's easier?

 

[Neutral LFC]

Originally posted by JohnCCFC
Anyway, PES level 5 players may find it a little too easy.

Anyone who was PES level 5 have an opinion on whether they think it's easier?

It depends upon what kind of teams you play with. If you're always playing with the top tier teams (France, Holland, England, Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Romania etc) then I dunno, it might be a bit easier, but if you're playing with much weaker ones I think it's a tad more difficult because the differences between players with good & bad control, first touch, passing etc is really pronounced - I play with Wales and it's much tougher now to play a solid passing game than in previous games - I now almost have to force Giggs back into central midfield (unless I'm down a few goals) because of his superior control & turning ability and stick him there with Gary Speed. However, it does make the game much more fun because I have to adapt my tactics more - against Belgium I could play them more or less straight up get around 60% possesion, against Italy I was playing long ball using Hartson as a battering ram and getting Bellamy to pick up the pieces after any knockdowns or stumbles by defenders (caused by JH clattering into them ). Simon Davies is sooooo underrated in the game though (thank you lazy Konami Europe).

 

[JohnCCFC]

I was on Level 4 on ML in PES. On level 5 I would get punished for every mistake on my own half. It was WAY too hard for me.

I started a ML on Extreme in PES2 and it was a fairly balanced game, even though I had the usual startup-nobodies in my team. I lost but it was close.

It doesn't affect me too much because I wasn't THAT good to start with, but for better players who had mastered the game, I can't help thinking they may already have too much skill for PES2 to be that interesting to them.

 

[DaveC]

John I know where your coming from but to be honest PES was very similar. I could win REALLY comfortably in the master league with the default players on level 5. However I may have won say 5 games in a row, but I know that changes during the season and you go on a loosing run also. Well atleast I do and I consider myself a good player.

I don't think the game is about sprinting down the field as quick as possible to score as many goals as you can. For me its trying to recreate what a real football match looks like on TV (to a certain degree anyway). Now that may sound wierd, but rushing through the game in 3 days just so I can claim "I've beaten PES2" is not why I'll buy it. The great thing about PES and I'm hoping PES2 is that each game is different - that why it is so great.

(I may have gone a little off topic there...sorry )

Dave

 

[JohnCCFC]

Dave, you're dead right.

I too try and beat the CPU by playing football.

It's far more satisfying to have played a player through with clever 1-2s or constant pressure than trying outrun a defender time after time.

It will be interesting to see whether, after a few games into a season, run-at-them tactics just don't work anymore (form/injuries etc). We may be using fully rested, fully fit players in our first few games.

First impressions of PES2 are that you are not instantly bullied in midfield all the time, but then you reach their defence eventually and still have to beat them.

It definately seems like there is more time on the ball, which is certainly true of any top class game in real life.

 

[Bond]

Ok....
I played pes1 for ages, and found i could beat level 5 on this with ease, like losing 1 game out of ten.
I started to master winning eleven6, although it took me ages and on extreme masterleague i was starting to win round about 70 percent of the time...
Considering PES2 is pretty similar to WE6 i decided to straight onto 5 stars, losing my first 2 games, pretty close.
So in my opinion, it is more difficult due the the defending that has been made harder, ie the computer is able to make more chances.
By the way, extreme master league is harder than 5 stars, so i havent even tried this on PES2 yet.

 

[DaveC]

It definately seems like there is more time on the ball, which is certainly true of any top class game in real life.

ABSOLUTLY..!!! I couldn't agree more. Only in VERY rare circumstances will you see the midfield charging at each other during a game in the premiership. They do stand off each other, which is why Man Utd almost threw it all away last night. Now I haven't played PES2 yet, I will tomorrow, so I will find out how it really plays. I don't want to start winning 8-1 on Level5 and I don't think I will. Those people who complain about running through the defense from kick off should just simply stop doing it..!! I could do this on PES aswell and it pissed me off then so I stopped doing it.

The easiness of the game and the AI can't be THAT bad can it??

Dave

 

[simakperrce]

i think it's flat out sensational. at least to my expectations.

none of the worries i had turned out to be true. to the opposite. many said the game was going to be way too fast. not true. unlike PES the speed depends on the way you play. i actually had to double-check whether i was playing on level 5, because it seemed so slow compared to PES (which i last played last night). gone are (thank god) the annoying forwards constantly pressing your defenders. had the impression the attack zone has been pulled back much closer to the middle line, which allows you to rather leisurely pass the ball around in your own half while planning your next move. in general it seemed to me that you have much more space around the player who possesses the ball, and that the CPU doesn't charge you harakiri-style which gives you way more freedom to plan your next pass, when in PES this often needed to be decided in fractions of seconds. that way you can decide whether to play quick on-touches or first scan the field for an open man.

already in the few hours i played yet, i did a bunch of passes and moves which were not possible in PES. awesome.

the only worry i have: it might be a tad too easy. i scored the first goal after 5 minutes (realtime) on level 5. in PES it took me about a week to score the first one on level 3. but maybe that was just luck

but add to all that the many new player animations, the fact that high balls do have a much more realistic curl on them now and, and, and... i can't believe it's that good.

one last thing which hasn't been mentioned much: the new zooming TV style cams are just fabulous. they pivot rather than sliding along the pitch (as in PES) giving you even more the feeling of a true football game.

amazing feat konami. thanks. back to playing..

 

[Pere Ubu]

Yeah, PES2 is easier than PES. Quite a lot easier, in fact. On PES, I played on level 3 and usually won, moving up to level 4 when I was "in the zone". Level 5 was a far-off world of 25% possession and instant punishment for the slightest lapse of concentration.

But on PES2, level 4 is about right if I'm playing with a bad team, but if I'm Man U or Brazil or especially the terrifyingly good Real Madrid, I have to play on level 5 or else I end up scoring 6 goals easily, often more (I play 20 minute games, so it's inevitable). In PES, I rarely got more than 3 goals in a game on level 4, even in a 25-min game. Trouble is, on level 5 in PES2 the CPU usually gets 2 or 3 against me in a game. In other words, my attacking is up to level 5 standards, my defending is still on level 4....

It IS too easy to score by running straight at the goal, especially cutting in from wide - if you're playing against a 4-man defence, their full back goes out of position WAY too much.

Also, the reason you'll have scored after 5 minutes is that there seems to be something in the game that it's easier to score at the start of each half than at any other time -- for you AND the computer.

My approach is just like yours, don't try desperately to score after 1 minute by running at the defence, do be extra-careful defensively for the first 10 minutes.

 

[Han]

Yes, I have that feeling too, PES 2 is probably easier. On the other hand PES has no extreme level.
Maybe the levels has shifted a bit.
Extreme = PES 1 five stars
PES 2 five stars = PES 1 four stars....
Maybe something like that, just to make it more available for the non- hardcore players.. what do you guys think?

 

[arthur]

What disappoints me about PES2 is that I'm finding it so easy to have a very large share of possession. I played my first couple of games on level 3 and was getting 75% possession. I tried level 5 and was still dominating, although losing some goals on the counter-attack.

I can also understand exactly what people are talking about when they say dribbling through the heart of the opposition defence, shooting and scoring is too easy. On level 3, it is very easy. It's not so easy in level 5, of course.

Dribbling doesn't seem to require much skill...you just run, twist and turn. I'd like to see the opposition get a few more tackles in and be more physical.

I think one of the other reasons it seems a bit easier is that it cheats a little less. There appear to be slightly more objective ball physics and CPU decisions.

 

[JohnCCFC]

I think it is definately easier, and I understand that they want to catch a less-talented market. I bet some marketing company told them that the most common box ticked on the survey of non-PES players as their reason for not playing it, was that it was too hard.

Ok, but why not stick an XXtreme level, and even XXXtreme level on the top. I was level 4, now I'm playing Extreme/5-Star. I get half the possession, ish, a good number of shots, but I fail to score because I didn't quite make a good enough position before I panicked and lashed at it.

Bloody brilliant game. I've played a few games now.

The way they throw their head back at they fail to stop the corner, the multitude of new actions and movements. You can chest the ball so well now too, have you noticed that. What an important part of the game, I'm thrilled about that. The tangles, tussles, loose balls.

The highlight for me so far was Gary Neville getting one square in the nuts and reacting EXACTLY how you'd expect. Marvellous.

Love it. I was thinking about all the tosh about rosters etc. The gameplay is staggering now. Almost EVERY wish on my list has been granted.

The commentary and rosters are the only blots on the landscape, and if I ever master Extreme level, I would want more difficulty.

And it feels so good to get it a day early.

 

[bulldrig]

Originally posted by arthur
What disappoints me about PES2 is that I'm finding it so easy to have a very large share of possession. I played my first couple of games on level 3 and was getting 75% possession. I tried level 5 and was still dominating, although losing some goals on the counter-attack.

I can also understand exactly what people are talking about when they say dribbling through the heart of the opposition defence, shooting and scoring is too easy. On level 3, it is very easy. It's not so easy in level 5, of course.

Dribbling doesn't seem to require much skill...you just run, twist and turn. I'd like to see the opposition get a few more tackles in and be more physical.

I think one of the other reasons it seems a bit easier is that it cheats a little less. There appear to be slightly more objective ball physics and CPU decisions.

What did you expect with less pressing
I hope they didnt make the pressing TO less intense than in WE6, cuse i was quite happy as it was. ( expect some forvads pressing to much, forvads still should pressure defenders)
Especially when you are leading it should be quite alot of pressing from forvads as well.

Doesnt sounds to good about the dribbling however...Dribbling was good as it was in WE6, in midfield...around the penalty area however i would say it was even to easy, cuse to much space the AI gave you, tighter marking from the defence would be great.

defending against dribbling:

It depends alot of the tactics how well you will be able to defend against great dribblers 1v1.

When i play 3 man defence its not a to big problem cuse i use man-marking, i simply take controll of my libero and use the square ( to make my manmarker go for the ball) and then if the forvad make it past my marker i am ready with the libero.
Simply put, there will hardly be any 1v1 situations for the oponent attacker, more likely 1v2.

In a 4 men defence i have to play with quite defensive midfiers to give my defenders support.

 

[simakperrce]

Originally posted by Pere Ubu
Also, the reason you'll have scored after 5 minutes is that there seems to be something in the game that it's easier to score at the start of each half than at any other time -- for you AND the computer.

actually i have to say i like the way the difficulty settings are this time around. there seems to be a much more noticable (and realistic) difference between top teams (like Real) and not so top teams (like, say, Monaco).

in PES i personally had the feeling that (on level 5) many teams which do not perform so well in reality where simply overrated (personal opinion as i said).

that said: the 5 minute goal i scored with the full Inter squad. but then i started ML on "extreme" with the default players and got hammered 5-0 by hamburg, and managed to score just one (garbled, lucky) goal in 3 games so far. i personally don't think it's too easy (yet), and i am glad they made it a little more "accessible".

i love it.. only major gripe: the rosters... man, KCET, really a rather half as.sed effort... ah well...

 

[OzzeG]

PES2, what a game. I was never particulary great at PES1 struggling to win matches on level 5 ML, but im just gonna start off on 'Hard' on PES2 ML, and having some super matches. I just lost 2-1, but you gotta love it in the last 20minutes when youre losing, your attack level is full on, all the strategy settings are on (CB overlap, centre attack, etc), youve just brought on some fresh legs and your just desperate for a goal. Its times like this when you appreciate the realism of the PES series. Brilliant.