The world champion of football sims (International Superstar Soccer Pro Evolution (PS))

Member Name: Johndonut

Product:	International Superstar Soccer Pro Evolution (PS)
Date:	06/09/00 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Astounding realism, superb gameplay, four player capabilities - in essence it's the best footie game on the market!

Disadvantages: No offical license, FIFA fans may find pace slow.

It is one of the sad facts of life that the majority of gamers pen their footy game hopes on the tiresome and painfully immortal FIFA series, which seems to get more and more technical and less and less fun with every month's latest edition. When inexperienced gamers are first dragged away from the speed burst button on their latest FIFA game and first introduced to the wonders of Konami's ISS games, they cannot help themselves but complain that the play is too slow and the game does not even boast real player names.

But what exactly should a true football fan look for in a simulation of the great game? Certainly not the surname of Strathclyde's 16-year-old Mongolian immigrant reserve goalkeeper that's for sure (take the hint, EA). Then why oh why do people refuse to accept that since the great days of the MegaDrive's FIFA 95, EA have paid more attention to animating goal celebrations (including mouth movements reminiscent of prehistoric times) than realistically simulating the actual game of football. Wouldn't life be lovely for Premiership forwards if their defenders would attempt to play the offside trap on their own penalty area and let you volley in ridiculously-curled crosses. Fortunately, once again Konami have stepped in with their latest masterpiece to halt the decline of football video games provided by the FIFA series.

Anyway, enough of the whinging and let's get down to business. ISS Pro Evolution is a footballing representation so complete in every way that it would take weeks to draw attention to every facet of the game. From the depth of its AI to its beautifully balanced passing system, this game can be described as one of the most pin-point simulations of its subject matter for many a year and yet possesses the arcade accessibility so desired in every footy game that hits the shelves.

One of the most refreshing aspects of Evolution is that it encourages the player to adapt their style of play
to correspond to the composition of the squad and also the opposition. For example, if your team possesses two large, robust strikers who are a little sluggish to say the least then it is more effective to get the ball out wide and feed them with juicy crosses. On the other hand, this would not be a good move if your striker is a nippy, skilful little fellow and thrives upon the killer threaded through ball. This tactical manipulation would not of course be possible if each player was a characterless clone. Every player on Evolution has numerous attributes, from speed and acceleration to tackling and passing prowess, not to mention the physical stature; a player's height and build will also have a bearing on his performance and style of play.

Although Konami does not have an official license and can therefore not display the correctly-spelt names of the players, it isn't exactly rocket science to interpret who they represent, and if you've got time to waste then you can fill in the correct names anyway. This minor hitch is far outweighed by the fact that each player operates on a detailed and true-to-life stats system, so you will find that their appearance and style of play will match that of their real life counterpart to near-perfect precision. For example, a rash goalie, take France's Fabien Barthez, will fly off his line without hesitance to intercept a throughball, whereas perhaps a more cautious, refined keeper, such as England's David Seaman, will stand his ground and position himself accordingly for a shot. Sorry FIFA fans, you won't find Gerry Taggart outpacing Ronaldo before radically flicking the ball over his and an oncoming defender's head!With ISS Pro Evolution, Konami have provided the opportunity for a truly dynamic football experience, where matches are won with midfield graft or a solitary flash of brilliance, not how many times you can speed burst and 'Maradonna spin' your way through a clueless defe
nse (once again, take the bloody hint EA)!

The gameplay itself is relatively slow in comparison to the frantic speed of the Fifa and Actua Soccer series, which makes play more calculated and absorbing. Until you actually have the privilege of experiencing this game first hand, you simply cannot appreciate just how realistic this simulation is. FIFA-loving button bashers are in for a big surprise when they discover that the ball will not be glued to your feet as you trap the ball and run with it, for in Evolution you must control the ball as you would in the real game, through authentic stepping movements and body-shielding. 'Aftertouch' allows you to add the slightest curl to cross-field balls to guide them perfectly into the path of an on-running team-mate, helping to give a sense of freedom and randomness replicated only in the real game. Sometimes you will dominate a match, penning the other team in their own half whilst playing neat triangles of passing around opposing players in order to manufacture an opening. In other matches, the opposition will start to run rings round you and you will have to chuck your passing game out of the window in favour of the quick counter-attack.

As each game and each season progresses, you will constantly have to adapt your style of play to bring success. This, of course is primarily down to ISS Pro Evolution's excellent AI coding. For the first time in a football game, Konami have blessed defenders with the ability to anticipate lacklustre throughballs and intercept them with nonchalant ease. However, the necessity to think, act and react like a professional footballer in order to win is the thing that really brings Evolution into its element. The character animation just adds to the pin-point simulation; players tumble when crossing from a tight angle, raise elbows for leverage and protection of the ball, and will stand hands on hips gazing unbelievably at the turf as they miss a sitter. You have
to believe me when I say that this game almost has it all.

At this point, you may be thinking that if ISS Pro Evolution is so realistic, is it actually any fun to play? Well the answer to that my good friend is bloody hell YES! The game has a knack of keeping you engrossed in its splendour for hours on end. The feeling is indescribable when you enter a match knowing that your tactics are spot on, and proceed to run rings around your arch rival, pulling off tricks, back heels, dummies, cushioned headers and cross-field passes for fun. Evolution offers three difficulty settings which offer subtle steps of improvement towards the top.

Evolution offers a huge variety of modes to ensure that the fun lasts. There are six standard cups, with the last being unlocked when you win the other five. After you win a trophy, you will be able to view the rewards of your efforts in the 'Appreciation' section with any golden goal replays you have saved to the memory card - a unique and interesting feature. There is an enhanced training facility where you can put your team a good tactical and technical workout, whether it be practicing long range freekicks, a simple one-two, or an overlapping fullback run.

However, the 'Master League' is the one that really makes your mouth water. This is essentially the Champions League, featuring the best club sides throughout Europe, like Inter Milan, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Lazio and Arsenal. You will begin your quest to capture the prestigious trophy with one of these top clubs, but not with the initial squad you'd expect. In fact, you will start out with a roster of complete unknowns, but as the season progresses you will be able to trade for star players with points you have been awarded for winning matches. The best thing is that if you don't make it to the top of the rostrum in your first season, you can take your squad into the following seasons, whil
st continually updating it with the continent's finest footballers until you have the players and the technical and tactical know-how to crown yourselves the champions of Europe.

Evolution's final jewel in the crown is the player edit feature. Choosing from a wide range of faces, hair styles, skin colours, possible heights and builds and even footwear, you can create your elite footballing superstar to look like anything from Sylvester Stallone to Danny DiVito. You also have complete freedom in deciding how proficient your player is in the various areas of the game, including speed, acceleration, fitness, shot power, curling of the ball, heading, defending and aggression.Not only does ISS Pro Evolution provide a great single-player game, it also supports multiplayer modes for up to four players. As long as you play with friends who actually appreciate football and are willing to pick up new skills and tactics, this game will keep you and a bunch of Coke-leaking mates engrossed until tea-time. In my opinion, a match that ends up with a 0-0 scoreline but yet shows glimpses of guile and enterprise replicated only in real-life football is one far more worthwhile and enjoyable than one dominated by speed-bursting through herds of gormless Kuwaiti defenders to fire home 14 goals (how many more hints EA, I'm getting sick!). If you have friends who understand this principle then you know they will appreciate Evolution's unrivalled class in providing a pin-point simulation of the great game, and you may be tempted to organise a sleep-over!

In terms of graphics and sound, Evolution does not differ greatly from the preceding ISS titles, although these factors have been pushed aside somewhat by the sheer quality of the gameplay. A greater attention to detail has been added to the actual on-field graphics to make them arguably some of the best on the PlayStation, which is nothing really to write home about by the N64's and Dreamcast's s
tandards. As far as sound goes, good but rather drab commentary is provided whilst the on-field effects and crowd noise provide an exciting, realistic atmosphere. One aspect of ISS Pro Evolution that has been significantly improved upon is the overall presentation. The menu screens are straight-forward and easy to navigate, but the most impressive enhancement is that players now stride out onto the pitch in front of waving flags and booming anthems, before posing for pictures and warming-up before kick-off. This noticeable addition to the detail of the pre-match presentation really does set the scene for a gripping footballing experience, and highlights the time and effort Konami have put in to provide a realistic and exciting simulation.

Thankfully, I can reassure the advanced console owners that Konami's latest masterpiece is not to be confined to the pixelated world of the PlayStation but will grace the N64 some time soon, under the name of ISS Millennium, and is set to be stunning. Then, if we go by the promising reports of Konami's further development of ISS games, the series will hit the Dreamcast and, further down the line, the PlayStation2, and should extend the football video gaming experience to unattainable limits, hopefully delivering the final, fatal blow to the back of FIFA games.

Meanwhile, if you do own a PlayStation and appreciate the beautiful game, then you ought to be locked up if you turn down the chance to play a superlative game on a console that may slowly be beginning to realise just how outdated it is. For ISS Pro Evolution is quite simply the most realistic, absorbing and entertaining football simulation the gaming world has ever encountered.

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