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PES 2011: First Preview

Written by Ian on Wednesday, 5 May 20104 Comments

Konami have finally issued a press release regarding PES 2011, and I have to say that it sounds as if the developers have been listening to the fans. The press release promises a total revamp of the system, under the mantra of ‘total revamp, total freedom, total football’. I hope that they can live up to their promises here. New features include improved game tempo, aesthetic improvements, tactical advances, passing gauges, enhanced in-game physics and an online Master League.

Recent manifestations of the pro evo series have provided arcade-style gameplay, whereas FIFA seems to have been making the more notable steps towards realism and individual control. The press statement seems to offer an admission of this, with features such as a passing power gauge and a stamina bar being promised as new features. Konami are keen to express that this is the “most ambitious redesign in the series’ history” (Jon Murphy- European PES team leader for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH), which comes as a relief as the PES franchise has definitely lost its undisputed mantle as the best football game available.

The developers have asserted that this year’s game will attempt to recreate the passing and movement found in real football, and that the tempo of games will ebb and flow, mirroring real life. This should significantly enhance the game, as it’s been possible on pro evo, for far too long, to give the ball to a star player and annihilate a weaker opponent. What’s more, a realistic pace has been needed for some time now. Especially when playing pro evo on a large screen, it’s become very apparent that the tempo is a little ridiculous. If anyone actually played like a pro evo player in real life, I’d fully expect them to get banned the following morning on doping charges.

Another promise that is long-overdue, is the promise of enhanced defender AI. Konami have announced that defenders will no longer challenge for the ball when it’s unnecessary, and will hold their positions more ‘naturally’. Personally, I really hope that they’ve cut out the glitch that occasionally makes your defenders allergic to covering when another defender misses a tackle. Having played a lot of master league with the default players this year, I can assure you that this has caused me a lot of grief.

The claims that players will have more control over play are supported by an upheaval of the animations system, with over 1000 new animations added. In addition to this, players will have to second-guess the runs of team mates when making passes, and will have more control over what happens during each match. Hopefully, Konami will have cut out the repetitive parts of the game where animations become frustratingly predictable, giving the feeling that you’re simply going through the motions.

Finally, the idea of an online Master League is a positive step. This could add hours, if not days, to the longevity of this year’s PES. Some strong rivalries could be forged over this, and this has the potential to be far more involving than playing online matches to merely enhance your ranking. I’d be amazed if Konami manage to make this work smoothly on their first attempt though.

The overall message that I get from this press release is that Konami are trying to mimic FIFA in certain areas in order to reestablish Pro as the front-runner in the football games market. Sadly, whilst the FIFA series has been steadily improving, PES seems to have been plodding along, content with past glories. This press statement is what I’ve wanted to hear from Konami, because it sounds as if they are looking to make a real statement here. Improved control, new online features, enhanced realism, a better tempo; these are all things that are desperately needed, and the total revamp on offer here is long overdue. Pro evo 2011 could be phenomenal if Konami deliver. Watch this space.

Ian Horne- Senior PES Correspondant

4 Comments »

  • abu naser said:

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    - 27 May 2010 at 4:46 pm
  • Steven Smith said:

    I was a die-hard Pro Evo fan right from International Superstar Soccer to ISS Pro Evolution to Pro Evo 2009. Considering that I’m only 19, I’d pledged my allegiance to the franchise from the age of 6 and stuck with it throughout the years even though Fifa received more media attention and licensing. However, I played the latest version back in October and was so disappointed that I switched to Fifa for the first time. Goalkeepers would pounce on balls and then it would randomly stray under their bodies towards an empty net, defenders positioning was poor, shooting on your weaker foot was as easy as shooting on your natural foot, dribbling from one box to another was too easy and there were far too many rebounds. It seemed that “Seabass” had stopped developing the game from 2005-2006 when it was at its peak and Fifa seemed like child’s play.

    I was more annoyed at Konami than I was impressed at Fifa because it had slowly built up a fan base to then charge us £40 for a game that was worse than its predecessor. Clearly they don’t think enough of us fans as all the previous media releases claimed to fix the bugs from ‘08 which were never addressed. I’ve always been loyal to Pro Evo but it’s unlikely that they’ll fix every bug and match Fifa come this October. The series is at least 3 years behind Fifa’s unless they work around the clock to design a revolutionary playing system (unlikely).

    I doubt Pro Evo will redesign the system, even if we believe their press releases. It’s like Arsenal; living off past glories.

    - 31 May 2010 at 12:09 pm
  • Ian Horne (author) said:

    Firstly, Abu, you’ve made a good point there. Couldn’t agree more…

    Steven, I see what you’re saying, my experience of pro evo isn’t far removed from your own. I’ve been a huge fan of the pro evolution series and it’s predecessors for a long time, but the developers seem to have gotten lazy. Pro evo 5 was, for me, the ultimate football gaming experience in the year it was released, and I never really got bored of the game. However, from pro evo 6 onwards the rot seems to have set in, and fifa has somehow become the most realistic football game on the market.

    The major problem with pro evo is that it is best mastered by learning how to exploit and work around the in-game flaws. For instance, you can throw rash challenges about in the eighteen yard box and you’ll probably be safe. Also, there are certain shooting ‘hot-spots’, and you can still win matches with just one player (Yes, people can bang on about players doing this in real life, but even Lionel Messi’s antics in real life don’t quite match up to what you can do with him on Pro). The worst thing is that when you play with weaker teams you might as well forget about through balls. Apparently only a select two hundred players in the whole world can play a through ball.

    Anyhow, rant over. I can’t see how the pro evo developers will let yet another year pass by as a wasted opportunity. Pro evo needs massive gameplay alterations to be able to claim the superiority that it once had, and I think this has become clear. Let’s just hope that Konami delivers on its promise this year.

    - 31 May 2010 at 12:47 pm
  • holl said:

    thanks alot

    - 25 July 2010 at 2:25 am

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