“The best soccer game just got better”

Let me confess something before I start this review. In 2001 I played my first game of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). It was against my friend Aaron and I won 1-0. Then I won 2-1, then he beat me 1-0 with a lucky goal so I won the next one 6-1. He didn't actually score, I gave him the goal on a piece of paper. Since then every year on Earth has meant a new and improved experience of watching Aaron's sad and aging face. So I like PES. I like it a lot.

There are two kinds of football gamers, those that want an authentic footballing experience, and people who play FIFA. PES won the hearts of the former with their first release, which managed to make you feel like you were playing a game of football that you could have been watching on television. They got so much right in that first game that subsequent releases have been bemoaned for their lack of 'big' developments. But we have had faster gameplay, more subtle ball control and some great set-piece changes. Now in 2008 we have 'Teamvision'.

'Teamvision' is the big news of the latest edition of PES and involves the computer's players owning a kind of 'artificial intelligence' that allows them to adapt and react to your gameplay. So much so that you now need to play in true Kenny Dalglish-style as a kind of player-manager with one eye on winning the match and one eye on making sure your tactics outwit your opponent's. Defenders and goalkeepers are more responsive to danger and attacking players make more intelligent runs off the ball, which is now a special blue PES leather number four if I'm not mistaken - it does seem rather small. Plus there are some nice manager and dug-out shots during the games and goalscorers celebrate with the subs. You also get extensive editing options if false names still annoy you.

The retail version comes out in November so get in some practice early. Then you can beat all your mates and rest happy for another year.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Limitations:

Games are limited to matches between Spain, Argentina, Brazil, France, Portugal and Turkey.
Voices are not available in the demo.

OS requirements for Pro Evolution Soccer:

OS: WinXP

Minimum requirements:

Processor: 1,4 GHz
Memory: 512 MB
Video: 64 MB
DirectX 9.0c
Graphics card with Pixel Shader 1.1 (from NVIDIA GeForce 3 or ATI Radeon 8500)

Recommended requirements:

Processor: 3,0 GHz
Memory: 1,0 GB
Video: 256 MB
Screen resolution: 1280x720
DirectX 9.0c
USB Gamepad -NVIDIA - GeForce 6600, 6800, 7300, 7600, 7800, 7900, GeForce FX (5950, 5900, 5800, 5600, 5200), GeForce4 Ti, GeForce3 -ATI - Radeon x1600, x1800, x1900, x800, 9800, 9700, 9600, 9500, 9200, 9000, 8500

Pros

Teamvision feature develops AI

Cons

Gameplay changes are subtle

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From the publisher of Pro Evolution Soccer

Critically acclaimed, multi-million selling and still the most respected football title on the planet, Pro Evolution Soccer continues to be one of Konami’s flagship titles. The indications are that this latest incarnation will surpass everything that went before it and prove that PES 2008 will be the greatest version of the beautiful game to date.

Key to PES 2008 is a proprietary adaptive AI system entitled Teamvision. Unique to the Konami game, Teamvision is a sophisticated AI programming that learns and adapts according to an individual's style of play. As such, it will learn new ways to build attacks and to counter specific movements and previous attacking or defensive errors, ensuring games are more in line with the tactical but flowing nature of the real thing.

With the Pro Evolution Soccer series renowned for its fluid, realistic gameplay, the new game builds on the implementation of Teamvision with additional key advances. As with previous releases since its inception in 1996, the ball is again treated as a separate entity, with the timing of shots entirely down to the player, while the new AI ensures that defenders work to close down space and block efforts on goal. Similarly, distribution of passes works along the same lines, with players using the space available to them to switch the ball. Close control has also been enhanced with more control when dribbling the ball, and a number of subtle moves added to bypass defenders and move the ball into space.

Working in conjunction with the Teamvision system, every aspect of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008's on-field play has been reworked and fine-tuned to create the balanced and strategic play of a high stakes match. Set-pieces have been improved, with full control given over the number of players and the position of the defensive wall. A wider range of set piece options are also available to make use of specific talents within the team.