Thoroughly Shi-ocking (Pro Evolution Soccer (PS2))

Member Name: D1A1

Product:	Pro Evolution Soccer (PS2)
Date:	25/11/01 (394 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: People want this game, therefore I can sell it now!

Disadvantages: Loads!!!

As a Dreamcast owner I found that there weren’t all that many football games on the format, but thankfully UEFA striker, being highly playable made me contented. No FIFA games, no ISS game, just a barrage of exclusive Sega own brand trash in the form of SWWS and Virtua Striker. Not the best selection really, and the so the Dreamcast will always be waiting for that ‘killer app’ football game in the eyes of the gaming public.

After buying PlayStation 2, I was looking forward to the releases of all these Konami and EA sports football titles, the ability to be Blackburn and beat Man U 7-0 was just too alluring. Fifa 2001. OH dear. ISS 2. OH dear. These games were mediocre and quite frankly, typical of the first wave of PS2 games, but the promise of Pro Evolution Soccer and Fifa2002 meant I could get a top footy game before the year end. Which to get?

On the one hand Fifa has all the official players, the best commentary – John Motson DOES have the perfect commentary voice (fact), & being Fifa, everything in it is officially licensed. Downside of Fifa – it’s rubbish. I’m sorry to say but behind the glossy finish and ‘advanced’ graphical movement and fluidity roams a flawed gameplay system that has no place in football. Sloppy controls, a different, but equally as poor passing system and well, it just didn’t impress. I’ve heard murmurs of “Get Pro Evolution Soccer” “DON’T GET FIFA” and luckily I’d only played the EA title at a friend’s house, and not wasted £45.

After reading many reviews, including those on this site, I thought ok this looks good – I’m getting it. Playstation magazine tell me “It’s by far the greatest game the world has ever seen!” as well as stating it’s ‘undoubtedly the best footy game ever’…Bought the game, took it home, put it on and watched the very nice little
FMV video scene at the start. Wait for game to load, select match and already feel disappointed. How many teams has this game got? Oh yeah, this isn’t Fifa – so Man United, is simply Manchester. Stadiums don’t have official names, but let’s forget that – maybe the players do, so press ‘start match’ after fiddling around with the tactics.

Oh no. Do people really think that this game has mind-blowing visuals? I don’t really care if I’m the only person that thinks this, but my opinion is the primary one I go on when deciding if a game is good or not, especially when I’ve forked out near £40 for it – and in my opinion? This game struggles to achieve mediocrity, it plays like a castrated donkey – there is no spark, the graphics although fairly colourful aren’t vibrant – they’re plain, dull & the players look alienated from the turf, nothing fits together well, and the most horrifying thing? Get this – the cameramen and stewards behind the advertising boards, they ‘are’ cut outs - it looks so wrong, just don’t get me started on the corner flags.

The stadiums don’t look right, the crowd shout a heck of a lot louder than they move, so much so that you can barely here the commentary, which isn’t such a bad thing because that’s absolutely pathetic. No player names are mentioned, although I think most players do have correctly spelled names, with exception to the Barcelona star ‘Ravoldi’, or is it ‘Rovaldi’. Do you remember way back at the PS2’s launch, many games were being criticised for having ‘jagged edges’? Well, I’m sorry Konami, but my finger’s pointing at you and I’m still snarling! ARGH!!

Apparently this football game has the best gameplay engine. But then appearances don’t always tell the truth, and guess what…The free kick system is jus
t ugly; the goalkeepers cannot run out of the goal area with the ball, red cards are given for no reason at all and how on earth do you aim your shot? Ok, so many people have bought it, but I’m not going to follow the crowd – mine’s up for sale now, and I feel rather let down. This is not the future of gaming, this is just, well work it out.

If you have to get anything, get TIF2002.
Dan

Summary: