In fact, having your players chug along as quickly as they can is often detrimental to your chances of victory. The Fox Engine truly shines in PES this year. That’s not to say that PES isnt fun, it is, it just feels like all of its functions and features are copied from EA Sports’ beast. There are a wealth of online options with which to humiliate yourself, from one-off matches to ten-game leagues and further bespoke tournaments. It’s a deeper, more intense experience as you try to cobble together a team of championship contenders, or at least a side that doesn’t get hammered in every game. Although ultimately it’s a game that has improved by developing its biggest strength – intelligence.
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It’s still largely harum-scarum stuff though, and 20-pass moves are an exception, with opposition players snapping at your heels rather than sitting back and allowing the play to develop.
As important as it is, though, I just feel like PES 2016 is such a superior offering as an actual game of football that you’d have to be very into licenses to let that sway you. On the plus side, PES 2016 retains the glorious Champions League mode of past entries, complete with the stirring theme and grandeur of the world’s most prestigious club competition.
For years, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer franchise has played second fiddle to EA’s Federation Internationale de Football Association juggernaut. For folks who crave more dialed down mechanics, more responsive controls and something that feels less arcadey, however, Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 takes the crown on consoles this year.
PES doesn’t fall short in the audio department, either. But without a doubt, PES 2016 is certainly a better game than its predecessor. None of this is simple, though, and you might spend your first few matches throwing up goose eggs until you conform to the PES style. “That means recycling possession among midfielders and full-backs until a tantalising defensive gap offers a through-ball opportunity, or an out-of-position opponent provides a brief window in which to cross”.
PES 2016 invites players to immerse themselves in the granular tactics of soccer. The biggest aspect change to this year’s gameplay is the physics engine. For some reason (possibly to save on the download size?), PES 2016’s demo is locked to the “Low” graphics setting-surely Konami would want to present their game in a good light? This year they have gone one better and have combined the responsive reliable feel of the PS2 era games with the improvements to control animation, momentum and physics that we have seen develop in the intervening years.
This would traditionally be the part where I’d move on and talk at length about both series’ multiplayer, but I honestly don’t think I need to. The same can be said for the Master League which has improved tenfold.
As pointed out earlier FUT has been the mainstay of most Federation Internationale de Football Association players for some time and as a result Career mode has been somewhat neglected. You’re far less able to turn and react to opponents when sprinting, making the loss of the ball in populated areas all but inevitable against a team of reasonable ability.
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Going for more of a simulation feel, this game is all about ball movement and passing from player to player in rhythmic choreography until you find your flawless moment to shoot. It’s implemented really well. Like in real life, there is a constant roar of cacophonous cheers, chants and jeers from the crowds that change depending on the team, stadium and game situation. From the menus to the commentary team to the halftime replays, it’s tough finding genuinely fresh and meaningful additions or improvements to the core Federation Internationale de Football Association 16 experience outside of a new draft system in Ultimate Team, some extra depth to manager mode and a promising (though quarantined and barebones) women’s game (more on that below). It’s fast, fluid and exciting to play. Pro Evo is hoisted by its own petard somewhat here since in the Master League, you get a new and fantastically detailed report on your play at the end of each month. I learned (and re-learned numerous times) this the hard way when I tried to slide tackle my way to victory during my first match, which resulted in me getting shellacked 6-0, with a ticker-tape parade of red cards raining down on the pitch.
