[durera]

Another year, another "Soccer" showdown on the 360. Last year's PES scored a poor 6.55 -- can this version fare better that, and more importantly how will it match up to FIFA 08?

Only vote if you've played enough to make a final decision. If you think the online lag spoils an otherwise great game you really should consider what the game will be like when it is patched, because we all know it will be patched, as it was in '06 -- so take that into account, or delay your vote -- you cannot change it later.


The Positive

Originally Posted by dgibbs

It plays the best game of any PES imo, with numerous improvements over the last version, which itself played a good game regardless of missing modes etc.

It just feels right this time, is very responsive and satisfying.

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

It's still a very good footie game offline, but yet again it's basically the same game as always with some minor gameplay tweaks.

... it's still a good game and is hard to beat for offline 1 v 1 footie action ...

The Negative

Originally Posted by featherhall

Last years effort was probably better, and given that a year has elapsed there are no (if any) improvements. Still a mess online with very few options for the community.

Originally Posted by VILLAn66

It just hasn't got anywhere near the polish of the other software that is coming out this year. I never thought I would ever say this but next year, I'll wait until a month after release when its £25 again.

It's no more than a budget title and should have been priced as such from the off.

Originally Posted by steviebwoy

Terrible game, online it's a disaster and offline the replays make me sea-sick. I cannot understand how the 360 magazines reviewed it so favourably, when the game is clearly flawed. FIFA reigns I'm afraid.

[featherhall]

I've played a fair bit of my nephews, and give it a 4. Last years effort was probably better, and given that a year has elapsed there are no (if any) improvements. Still a mess online with very few options for the community.
I know you say it will be patched, but that is not really an option given the game has been out for a month and still no sign of one.

On the plus side, the graphics are an improvement and some of the players skill moves are very impressive, and also if you like your footy games fast and arcadey then this could be a plus.

Verdict - Need to do better - alot better for next year.

[dgibbs]

9 for me. It plays the best game of any PES imo, with numerous improvements over the last version, which itself played a good game regardless of missing modes etc.

It just feels right this time, is very responsive and satisfying.

[boingboing]

IMO the way it plays is FAR better than last years and once the lag online is sorted out I will be one happy bunny. 9/10 from me, it just needs more of the features of FIFA to make it a perfect game.

[Munkey Boy]

I'm not sure we should run the poll yet as the game is quite clearly broken, and Konami have admitted they are working on a patch. As soon as the patch is released this poll will be unrepresentative of the game.

[durera]

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

I'm not sure we should run the poll yet as the game is quite clearly broken, and Konami have admitted they are working on a patch. As soon as the patch is released this poll will be unrepresentative of the game.

The game's been out over a month now. They bodged the online side and although I see the logic of what you say, at the same time I think it's fair that the voting should reflect the fact that the game clearly wasn't ready for release.

Even if the game is flawless after the patch (which I'm assuming it will be) I'll be marking it down for not getting it right the first time. I will be waiting for the patch before I invest too much time in the game and hence hold off my vote, but anyone that has spent a large portion of time on the game over the past month suffering with the online side deserves the opportunity to give the game a bad review if they've decided enough is enough and it's time to move on to something new.

I'm not even contemplating that they don't get it right at the 2nd time of asking, that would be a complete disaster for most -- thankfully I'm more of an offline/single player (Master League) gamer anyway, well I would be if I could prise myself away from one of the half a dozen other games hogging my 360 at the moment

[VILLAn66]

I actually gave this another go over the weekend and it's actually quite good. I managed to play about 7-8 games and only two were unplayable due to the lag. The actual game engine makes for a very good game of football. The football is very intuative and, as usual, the ball physics are very good again. It's just that it isn't implemented particularly well. If you can get games like COD4, with those gorgeous graphics with bullets and rockets flying all over the place, and not a hint of lag, slowdown or judder on live. Then why can't they get 22 men to run around a pitch, smoothly? And the replays... I don't understand why they are so botched up... Look at Halo3... there's much more to deal with there.

Oh and they have made it way, way too easy to score. Most of my games were 5-4, 4-3, 3-3 etc and I think they have taken the wrong path with this. PES has always been tough but with a sense of achievement when scoring a goal. For some reason, they have taken the old FIFA route of 30 yarders every game.

This is a real shame because, at its core, is a very good game. They just need to employ some programmers who are up to the job of coding the great ideas. They are obviously trying to do things on the cheap and rely on the reputation of the series to sell games rather than employ decent programmers or train up the ones that they have. It feels as though they haven't moved on from the PS2 days and they should take a good look around at the software coming out on the next genners if they don't want to go the way of Atari etc.

So, I haven't voted, but would probably go for a 5 or 6 at the moment, rising to a 7 or 8 if the lag/judder is fixed. Compared to the overall quality of games like COD4, PES2008 just feels like a budget title.

[Craigy]

Ignore me then

PES2008 Review Thread

[Se777eN]

Big pes fan have ben for years but this game is awful i have had my rant on here about the game am not going there again.

Fifa 08 1st i have bought for years and its really going the rite way and with this BE A PRO 5V5 online as well it just ****** over pes08.

[TheKork]

Sorry if you dont agree with me, but anyone who says PES2008 plays poor doesn't play PES the way it is meant to be played. Yes its missing ALOT of features from last years but thats only because its the first real next gen attempt (PES1 was bare on PS2) PES2008 has the same amount of depth as any in the series to date, you cant play it like you played 6, it requires a complete overhaul of skill and a new thinking. When you work it out you will realise it the gameplay is quality and even more flexible than PES6.

[silvercue]

Originally Posted by Munkey Boy

I'm not sure we should run the poll yet as the game is quite clearly broken, and Konami have admitted they are working on a patch. As soon as the patch is released this poll will be unrepresentative of the game.

Sorry, but that post is nonsence. A game has been tested and released - quite a while ago. Many people have paid for it, so it is totally right that those people should have their say.

Releasing a game that is "broken" is a commercial decision made by the men who want your money. They have to stand by that decision and be judged on it.

Maybe we should actually never review any games, because patches may arrive down the line? Would certainly render the Games Magazine industry rather useless.

[dognuts]

Originally Posted by silvercue

Sorry, but that post is nonsence. A game has been tested and released - quite a while ago. Many people have paid for it, so it is totally right that those people should have their say.

Releasing a game that is "broken" is a commercial decision made by the men who want your money. They have to stand by that decision and be judged on it.

Maybe we should actually never review any games, because patches may arrive down the line? Would certainly render the Games Magazine industry rather useless.

Totally agree with this.Are we now saying that we shouldnt review any games until a patch comes out?Ridiculous.
I also think bringing patches out is a step in the wrong direction,it seems to be happening with more and more games now.Surely games should be thoroughly playtested and fixed before they are released.

[Munkey Boy]

It's not nonsense, it's a perfectly valid point. The magazine review industry is in many ways struggling to keep up with new trends exactly because of this patching phenomenon and the fact you can't play an online game pre-release (because no-one else is playing it).

Pro Evo is (was?) broken online, and the patch from yesterday has gone some way to redressing the problem. I know people have already paid their money, but reviewing an online game is assessing a moving target, so my point stands that the review scores are already out-of-date as far as the online aspect is concerned.

Maybe the argument should be to score the online and offline components separately...

[durera]

Back on topic:

Had some cracking games on XBL with Munkey Boy last night. There was still patches of lag ot perservere through, but not enough to detract from the game.

I'll be putting in a good few hours with this over the coming week before settling on my score, which at the moment is probably looking likely to be an 8, I don't think they've done enough to warrant a 9 - especially given the state of the game pre-patch, and it certainly doesn't reach the heady heights of "genre-defining", but the response time is still as sharp as a lemon soaked toothpick in the eye, and the rather childlike graphics have somewhat grown on me.

[silvercue]

Online components can be completely tested online. I have been involved in many Betas, all of which were thoroughly tested online.

You may think you have a valid point, but I still think it's nonsence.

If we follow your logic we would never have any reviews.

I remember playing Quake3 with new patches that were being release 2 years after they said they would not release any more patches! Which must have been 4 or 5 years after release.

Do you think we might be ready to review that game now?

[oasismark]

I think Konami have made a balls up off this game.

I have been a PES fan since PES 1 on PS2.

But i've switched to FIFA this year. i'm just enjoying ot more.

While playing PES i found myself getting so frustrated with the cheating the AI does, i was not enjoying it.

I switched to FIFA and now i have got used to the controls i prefer it more.

licensed clubs, be a pro, challenges, commentary, and it plays a good game of footy.

Not tried PEs since the patch, but i'm well into my championship league with SWFC now, and enjoying it, so Konami have lost a loyal customer this year.

[VILLAn66]

I decided on a 5.

I have spent around 80% of my game time on PES over the years but this one, I just haven't got the 'urge' to play it. It's too easy to score and the online is bugged.

It just hasn't got anywhere near the polish of the other software that is coming out this year. I never thought I would ever say this but next year, I'll wait until a month after release when its £25 again.

It's no more than a budget title and should have been priced as such from the off.

[steviebwoy]

4.

Terrible game, online it's a disaster and offline the replays make me sea-sick. I cannot understand how the 360 magazines reviewed it so favourably, when the game is clearly flawed. FIFA reigns I'm afraid.

[CAS FAN]

I gave this game a 7. It's still a very good footie game offline, but yet again it's basically the same game as always with some minor gameplay tweaks. Konami are just lazy and whilst EA are innovating and pushing forward in this genre, Konami are just doing the bare minimum and are still living off the glory that was ISS Pro Evolution Soccer .

Come on Konami, nearly a decade has past, surely it's time for something new!

On top of the above, the online game lags (where as it's competitor does not) and the problems that existed back when PES4 was released are still evident 3 games on! The patch seems to improve things a bit, but it's still far from ideal.

That said, it's still a good game and is hard to beat for offline 1 v 1 footie action. That's always been the case however and it doesn't excuse what a lazy release this is.

[kopchoir]

Agree totally cas its the only game of footie i can play offline cant play fifa to slow and fifa is not iss i am missing my footie fix and just had to re buy pro evo 6.
The online side is just plain lazy and i feel we have well and truly been let down by this game and wont be buying the next instalment until the good folk on here tell me its ready to play.

6 for me in this day and age multiplayer online is a must in this day and age

[ineedsky]

Gave this a four due to the glitchy goalkeeping,heading general defending and the laggy online play.

[Moodie UK]

the best thing about this game is if you play real football tactics that work in a real match, it works on the game which is just superb.

and yes i have been playing football every week all my life.

[roman-r]

I never play online so I'm totally basing on off-line play.

Very happy with graphics although I felt player animation isn't perfect as when stroking the ball around the use of the outside of the boot appears far too often as if they're all the same player.

Very very happy with the game play it's great fun.

Had to sell it though and go back to PES6 as the replays are so juddery that it ruins what I think is a very very important part of the experience. I agree with a comment above as it does make me feel a little sick or maybe kind of disoriented.

I use component out 720p at 60htz into a plasma just incase it's a setup issue as some have said in other reviews that they don't get the replay judder issue.

[Jamezinho]

I gave it a 2.

I've been a PES fan since the beginning but this is the first one I haven't bought.

For me this game is nowhere near as good as last-gen PES. The gameplay is too fast and arcadey, lacking the realism of older titles, and the graphics are atrocious for a next-gen title. Then you have the licensing issues and the poor editor that doesn't help things. Add in bad commentary, presentation, menus, fictional stadia, and all-in-all it's a terrible effort (that Konami had supposedly spent 2 years developing).

I hated this game even before the online problems came to light. Just as well, then, that FIFA hit form at the right time to give me an alternative. FIFA 09 should be a real treat, what with UEFA Euro 2008 being an improvement on FIFA 08.

[steviebwoy]

I must admit my initial slating of this game were slightly unfair. Once you give it a fair go as a totally new game it's actually pretty good fun. Playing 1v1 offline is a good laugh with random teams, and the master league is slowly capturing my imagination. The only downer is that in the master league it's all too easy to build a world-beating team after the first few negotiation periods, and then it just becomes a tedious goal-fest until you get promoted. And even then, having played previous versions, the game just isn't as challenging as when you start off with your default squad. Still, it certainly deserves a 7-8 in my view. Not a FIFA-beater, but not too far off.

[Jay]

Finally voted, decided on a 7 (good).

This is the best footie game on the 360 for offline play, I don't care about online play, master league is where it's at for me.

What let it down for me was the choppy replays and slowdown, and the poor keepers, and it was just a touch too fast.

If they fix the above for pes 2009, they'll be onto a winner