I've had a busy weekend. While friends have supposedly come round to "meet the baby" their real reason for visiting became clear once the cooing was over - grabbing a go on my just-received review code of Pro Evolution Soccer 5. It won't surprise Pro Evo veterans to hear that the latest version is an absolute treat, and a real step up from 4. Be warned though, most of the simpler pick up and pay elements that may have lured FIFA fans in the past have been put on the transfer list. Scoring is harder, though more satisfying than ever, with real patience and probing needed to succeed. But it is passing and retaining possession that are the real difference...
Even seemingly simple passes are not guaranteed to find their man, with the ball bouncing around realistically off shins and turf. Keeping the ball is more important than ever, as even the slightest error in tackling is punished by the ref. Yup, Pro Evo 5 is realistic, possibly too much so for those who want a quick post-pub kickabout.
Also the presentation is as shocking as ever. The "music" is so bad it must be a parody while the in-game text is even more atrociously written/translated than before. The latter is a real issue as the Master League has new features that the text makes appear ridiculously complex. Your average FIFA fan will be put off before they even get started.
Of course, on the pitch is where it matters, and while it is early days (it usually takes a few weeks before all the new features get noticed) Pro Evo 5 does look the business. I'll be reviewing the game when released in October, so expect more PES5 bloggery over the coming weeks...
