 |
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (PSP)
by gurji123
I have been a Pro Evolution Soccer fan since purchasing PES 5 on the PSP and then the PS2, and compared to the previous titles, PES 5 and PES 6, this is a big improvement in game-play.
PES 2008 includes a new 'Teamvision' system which Konami claim learns and adapts to our playing style, making matches less predictable and more ... competitive. Even though I am less convinced with the claims of such a 'Teamvision' system making a huge difference, PES2008 on the PSP still manages to beautifully combine realistic and precise physics, with a fast-moving fluid game-play which makes every goal scored much more satisfying.
The GOOD Points:
Great PES gameplay - this PSP title holds the cherished jewel in the Pro Evolution crown, its superior gameplay and realism, and uses this to great effect to create the best football title on the PSP by far. The gameplay has been enhanced with improved AI which makes the defenders and goalkeepers more difficult to beat and score goals against.
Ball control - PES 5 and PES 6 seemed to lack the fluid turns and dribbling that would elevate the PSP PES genre to a higher level. PES 2008 improved the fluidity in dribbling past opponents and allows you to have a greater level of control when trying to find that vital extra yard of pace. Compared to the previous PSP Pro Evolution titles, the dribbling is noticeably less robotic and the extra movement, turns and skills such as players dragging the ball and turning quickly, help to add a realism and makes you feel like you are a real-life Ryan Giggs tormenting your marker on the wing!
Master League - this is arguably the best feature on any PES game and I have spent many hours enjoying the master league on PES 2008. For people new to the PES series, master league is a mode where you can select a team to play through many seasons with the ultimate goal of becoming the best football side in the world. You can choose a mach mode team i.e. a team already in the game (such as Liverpool, Chelsea or Man Utd to name but a few), a default team (a team made up of fake players, with whom you progress from a lowly team until you have been successful and acquired enough money to buy the top players) or finally create a custom team (choosing you own team name, emblem, kit designs and players to buy from a limited amount of starting points).
The Genius of master league is the element of progressing through the leagues and competing for the major honours (such as domestic league, domestic cup or FA cup, European Championship or UEFA Europa League, European Cup or UEFA Champions League.
Updated player roster - PES2008 includes the 2007-2008 Premier League teams such as West Bromwich, Newcastle etc... who were the new teams in the league at the time. Don't worry though, the PES community has pulled together to give you an added advantage for those players looking for a realistic, current Premier League team roster....
You can update the option file and choose current team names and players - This will allows you to select the teams currently in the Premier League such as Birmingham, Hull, Wolves and Burnley, along with the whole game being updated with real player names, likeness, kits and hairstyles. PM me or comment on this review, and I will give you the link for the site and the option file that will help you to update your Option file.
The BAD Points
Player names and teams are not licensed - this unfortunately means that there are only a limited number of teams which are fully licensed and have the real player names. Some teams such as Man City or 'Manchester blue' as they are known, will not have the correct names etc However, as I mentioned earlier, this can be quickly and easily rectified by updating the Option File!
Summary: A stunning PSP football title, that offers the most comprehensive and realistic football game-play on the market. For those who want the FIFA-like team names and player names, updating the Option File couldn't be simpler, is free and only takes 5 minutes.
PES2008 I feel, is superior to FIFA in terms of game-play, the fun-factor, and its immersive unrivalled Master League mode. Update the Option File and you have a game that is not only better than FIFA, but is streets ahead and sets the standard for all PSP football titles.
9/10 with updated option file.
Read the complete review |
 |
Coded Arms (PSP)
by shaneo632
I love Konami as a developer; they have made many of my favourite all-time games, like Metal Gear Solid, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just give them a free pass with regard to this FPS misfire, Coded Arms. Like so many PSP FPS games, Coded Arms falters under poor controls and dodgy design.
The plot is quite complex and ... pleasantly so, dealing with corporate espionage along a mild sci-fi bent. You play a shady G-Man type who has to visit various locations and basically shoot anything that moves, and this is a little counter-intuitive to a plot that initially seems a lot more cerebral than that. Nevertheless, you won't care that much because you'll be so distracted by the shambolic control scheme, which binds moving to the analogue stick and turning to the coloured buttons. As you can tell, this makes for incredibly awkward playing, and firefights are more a laborious exercise in torture rather than the fun action setpieces they should be.
Graphically, it is easily to see why the game was touted as a potential killer app; the character models are especially well rendered, as are the lighting effects, but the environments are incredibly samey and fail to capitalise on the visual flair. Aurally the game isn't bad either, but the acid house soundtrack gets rather irritating after a while.
The game is redeemed somewhat by a multiplayer offering, but sadly it doesn't extend to WiFi play, and so you will have to attempt to dupe three of your hapless mates into buying the game too. Still, through and through it is a major failure on Konami's part, and also on the part of Sony that this FPS, and FPS games in general, disagree so much with the PSP's layout. Avoid.
Read the complete review |
 |
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops (PSP)
by shaneo632
I am a huge Metal Gear fan, and so it was a foregone conclusion that I would buy all of the little MGS games released for the PSP, such as Metal Gear Acid and, of course, the far more focused Portable Ops, a great game that doesn't evolve the series storyline-wise much, but is still a whole lot of fun. This lives up to the rich gameplay ... and narratives of the previous games despite being on a handheld console.
The premise will totally hook fans of the other games; it's full of nutty twists and insane characters like the previous games, and is a nice little addendum to Metal Gear Solid 3 even if it ultimately doesn't add a whole lot of necessary plotting (although some of it is referenced in MGS4). Still, it's all accessible enough that even non-MGS fans will get a kick out of it, I am sure.
If it isn't broke, don't fix it, and Konami have certainly listened to that here; the combat is virtually identical to previous games, except that now you are able to run and shoot while in first-person view, although this is a bit clunky and ends up quite confusing. There is also a fun online play option, but like a lot of PSP games it is plagued by some cumbersome lag issues, but it's still good when it works.
Visually, the game looks great for a handheld. The visual scheme of the previous games is brought back to life here, and while there's only so much that can be done on the PSP, the attempt to replicate MGS3 is quite admirable, and the textures looks great, while the models are well animated. There are a few lighting glitches here and there, though, and there isn't any blood, which is an odd omission.
Simply, this is one of the best PSP games. It'll please the rabid fans while also being broad enough to satisfy non-fans. For intelligent plotting, slick gameplay and impressive visuals, few titles on the PSP are better.
Read the complete review |
