Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Genre: Sport - Soccer
Platform: Xbox 360
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: October, 27th 2006
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In the occasion of the Italian X06 spin-off, our editorial staff has been invited by Microsoft to try an almost definitive version of Konami soccer simulation: Pro Evolution Soccer 6.
How is it? Has it a really next-generation game-play? What about graphics?
Just prepare yourself to a possible "fall of the Gods"!
Soccer according to Konami
Not pretending to summarise, in a couple of lines, Winning Eleven glorious history, what we need to say is that, since several years, many soccer fans think at Pro Evolution Soccer as THE soccer simulation: maybe the graphics is not excellent, but the game-play is certainly perfect.
And it is from this perfection that all fans would like Konami next-generation revolution to start, also considering the fact that no PES5 next-gen was released in 2005. Hence, it is under this assumption that PES6 will be reviewed and it is with these feelings that we held the gamer-pads and played 4-5 matches.
However, let's immediately underline a point: because of the crowd we were not able to play against the CPU and thus we cannot completely judge the game AI, but we were only able to understand some of its features from the way it manages our team-mates during the PvP (Player versus Player, r.n.) matches.
The first thing that caught our eyes was the wide format finally used by Konami that perfectly fits the demo station HD television: unfortunately, this format change doesn't seem to have implied a horizontal spread of the game menus. In fact, switching among the possible options and screens, it is strong the feeling of a PES5-style menu: all the info is wrapped in the middle of the screen, leaving the lateral bands almost un-used. On the other hand, the menus texts are well-readable and all the screens seem more "up-to-date".
Furthermore, Konami's effort in the licenses field must be appreciated as 4 out of 6 of the most important European leagues will be "official" with all the correct names and shirts. Concerning this, the leagues selection screens have be improved and, more important, the 2-D team shirt selection screen has been removed to give space to 3-D models more "defendable" during the review.
But now it's time to play...
Where is the "Evolution"?
Entering the field, we were tempted to skip completely the pre-match cut-scenes: even if they are graphically good and in high-definition, the graphics engine is not really up-to-date.
Moreover, the very first impact with the game was difficult, actually the same we had going from PES4 to PES5 with one more little surprise: the back buttons-commands have been switched. Practically, we will no more use the right-trigger to run but the right back button, and so on for all other back commands. Unfortunately, we were not able to understand if this choice can be modified through a configuration screen, also because entering the menu meant dozens of angry (and understandable) comments from the waiting crowd. Judgement deferred to the review.
Let's now focus on the new game-play features. Just to summarise: thumb up for the animations, the physics of the ball and the cut-scenes; thumb down for graphics, AI pushiness and free kicks.
Going into details, we were very impressed by the game physics which gives the ball always believable trajectories, excellent effects and no polygons compenetration. The only notable defects were a couple of throw-ins not assigned by the CPU even if the ball has certainly crossed the line: probably only little bugs that will be solved in these few days before the release.
The positive notes can continue with well-timed offside (at long last!, r.n.) and good referee bookings cut-scenes. Even the player animations have been enhanced and now it is possible to admire some real goalkeeper saves and excellent tackles.
Unfortunately, PES6 is not a rose without a thorn. Even if the slowness of the game can be ascribed to our inexperience, the nosy AI hasn't such an excuse. To better understand what I mean with nosy, let's make an example: trying to commit willingly a foul near the penalty area, the AI was continuously changing the selected player not giving us the possibility to be the "authors of our success". Certainly, the AI level of interference is configurable, but it can be slightly disorienting as the default value was always almost perfect in the previous chapters.
On the contrary, all other negative aspects were predicted: the graphics won't leave you with the mouth open and free kicks are almost equal to those in PES5. This latter element is, in particular, really a shame as free kicks could have been easily improved, especially the ones far away from the opponent's goal.
FIFA '07... the bugbear
The overall sensation is that the game is more a "PES5 HD" than a real PES6. This because all the classic handicaps we feel going from one PES issue to the other are not present in this game version or, better, disappear just after a few matches.
Let's take the "fouls system" as an example: going from PES4 to PES5 we all faced problems with the referees who were whistling for a foul every 5 seconds and we had to improve our sensitiveness with the commands; nothing similar is required playing for the first time at PES6!
However, despite all, it is important to point out that even if PES6 is not really revolutionary respect to its previous version, the game-play is still enjoyable (and maybe perfect): to completely judge the game we have, unfortunately, to wait for the final build and, naturally, play against the CPU.
The only certainty is that, at the moment, Konami generation-jump seems smaller that Electronic Arts one.
Final Comment
Starting from the assumption the PES is always PES, the sensation is that Konami does not want to "turn upside down" the game only to give it a more next-generation guise. This does not mean that there are no great improvements in the game physics, in the player animations and in the game-play, but only that these enhancements are a natural evolution of the title that can be appreciated only after several gaming hours. Hence, PES6 is not disappointing at all, either in its graphics or in the game-play, but it has always the same defect: the graphics is not up-to-date.
Let's end with a comparison: the match between Pro Evolution Soccer 6 and FIFA '07 seems everyday more similar to the one between Sony and Microsoft, with the latter proposing a yearly revolution and the former resting (too much) on its laurels.
The match will soon begin... what are you going to bet?
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Original article by David Famà, XboxWay Staff