The two big franchises when it comes to football are Fifa Soccer and Pro Evolution Soccer. When Pro Evolution burst onto the scene it blasted its opponent into touch with a new brand of flowing, realistic and satisfying football. PES ruled the PS2 days easily offering the most engaging and thrilling football experience. In recent years EA have worked hard to ensure that Fifa redresses the balance and while they may now lay claim to the most realistic football game on the market you still cannot beat Pro Evolution for fun.
The latest release in Konami's series, Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 has rushed straight to the top of the UK chart. The series has some staunch supporters and thanks to the intense rivalry with Fifa, which forces people to choose sides, most gamers will declare themselves a fan of one or the other. The PES series has long held the crown but there is no doubt it was stolen away with the release of the PlayStation 3. This is the best release from Konami so far on the new console and given the choice I'd go for PES 2010 over Fifa 2010.
The current generation of consoles has seen a lacklustre release from Konami as Pro Evo rested on its laurels and allowed Fifa to gain ground. Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 doesn’t represent a massive overhaul but there have been some key tweaks and additions that bring it right back into the match. The game now features full 360 degree control for dribbling the ball. This extra range of movement and ability to effect the slightest changes in direction makes it feel more fluid than last year’s game and definitely adds a bit of depth.
The big change is to the menu system and the options have been rendered with greater clarity than ever before. Ratings for players are clear, positions are highlighted and there are sliders for setting a wealth of tactical aspects for your team. It is accessible and intuitive and much easier to tweak than the previous options system.
The full range of modes is available and you can play one off matches against the improved AI or a friend with full support for online multiplayer. You can also take part in the epic Become a Legend mode or dive into the redesigned Master League which offers a much more in depth managerial experience than ever before. The AI improvements can be seen on the higher difficulty levels but there is still room for stupid errors and comical goalie behaviour. The referees seem to be a bit more consistent now. The individual players also have a recognisable gait and if you play to their strengths you’ll get some awesome results.
The real reason to pick up Pro Evo has always been the multiplayer battles and it offers a terrific match experience. Screaming and jumping around with excitement as you slam in the winner after a mammoth session which has taken you into the early hours of the morning is every bit as inevitable with this release as it was with the first game in the series. For me Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 has the edge when it comes to a night in with a few beers and some mates. The slightly arcade feel coupled with a good level of realism makes it possible to apply genuine tactics and skill but also to have the odd astounding fluky moment or gaffe which makes for a really fun gaming session.