Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Xbox 360)

The Fifa series has long represented for me pretty much everything evil, wrong and downright unpleasant in this world. Looks over personality, flashiness over integrity and quality. On the other side of the great divide, Pro Evolution Soccer was the Knight on its white steed, the People's Champion. Never quite as polished or pretty, and featuring stellar names like Backham and Girard in place of Fifa's official licenses, Pro Evo nonetheless, at its heart, was simply an outstanding football game. For all Fifa's looks and officialdom, Pro Evo felt like football whilst its rival didn't. For all this, though, this year the balance seems to have swung. Fifa has always been ...  Read the complete review

Since it's debut back in 2001, Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer series has led a somewhat charmed life. Emerging right around the same time EA Sports' FIFA series was starting to grow monotonous, PES offered gamers their first real decent alternative since the much overlooked Sega WorldWide Soccer on the Saturn. Truth be told the first few games in the series weren't perfect, but they were different enough to FIFA to offer gamers a fresh experience of a football game. Things did come to a pinnacle at PES4 however, which is where the series really did finally grow into the game it always promised to. By this time, PES had garnered a sizable and vocal fan base who were ...  Read the complete review

When purchasing Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, I crossed a border from Fifa fan to "the people's game". I had never played PES, but I had been recommended many a time over the past few years. I decided that this year I would see what all the fuss was about. My first impression wasn't good. The interface of the menu is quite poor. It reminds you of an arcade game from the 90's. Music is dependant on which menu are in, the names of the menus are quite confusing. The best feature of PES 09 would have to be "Become a Legend". I spent tireless hours building up my player, coming through the ranks, winning medals and signing for big name clubs. It ...  Read the complete review

Rewind back to Pro Evolution Soccer when it was first released, and there I was playing a game so beautiful, I didn't want it to end! At the time, it was a truly brilliant game. Fast forward a few years to Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (herein, PES2009) and my love story continues, but it's on rocky ground. I downloaded the demos for both FIFA09 and PES2009 whilst still being hooked on PES2008. In all honesty at the time, I felt FIFA was the better game, but out of stubborness and blind faith, I opted for PES2009 in what I said could be the last time depending on how I fared. It did not feel too dissimilar to its predecessor, yet when I have ...  Read the complete review

pro evo vs fifa the 2009 season. i have already written my review on fifa (see my profile) and was pleasantly surprised to report on a very pleasing return to form. but can the same be said of pro evo. konami did not set themselves a very large benchmark with the last effort (pro evo 2008) soi things could only get better. this 2009 version for starts plays much better. the passing is more fluid, keepers have been greatly improved (less dodgy mistakes) and the physics engine has been overworked (again!). compared to fifa i have to say its plays much better, its faster, feels more 'solid', passing is crisper and the shooting actually has feel to it - shoot a ...  Read the complete review