It must be difficult to produce a gaming title each year, adding new features and conjuring up ideas for possible improvements. Konami, have a tougher job than most as they can’t introduce lots of fresh modes or change anything too drastic, because Pro Evolution Soccer as a series has to keep its character and after all football is football, there’s not much you can do about that. Their annual release gets in ahead of the only other major rival for this genre, FIFA, but in previous years PES has tended to blow the early advantage. As a Liverpool fan would say, this is their year; PES 2017 has to lay down a marker, and quite frankly Konami have done so. To a degree.
I reviewed the previous entry, and it’s fair to say I went to town on it for doing the unthinkable: having a totally out of date roster, which didn’t acknowledge the summer’s transfer dealings. And well, PES 2017 learns from the error of its ways; the developers have made sure it’s completely up-to-date with Pogba at United, Alonso (no, not that one) at Chelsea and Lucas Perez present in the Arsenal team. Although, very few teams in the PES incarnations of the Premier League or Championship have the correct name for licensing reasons, there are many in other leagues which are spot on, and the player names aren’t dodgy in the slightest.
In a sports game, gameplay can ultimately make or break the success of a title, and PES needs to stand out from behind the behemoth that is FIFA. They’ve done this by continuing down the more arcade style football route, with an emphasis on keeping it relatively easy to pick up and play for newcomers and veterans, which I completely applaud as they do it so well. The new ball control techniques can be magical, and there’s a real buzz to be gotten by simply shifting a player’s body to shimmy past an on-rushing defender.
Every movement, and pass, is smooth like melted chocolate. There’s no limitation on passing Barca style; first touch to your team mate and make the opposition run around in a similar vein to headless chickens as much as you want, although the clever A.I. will eventually cover most angles. On the topic of running, I’m rather pleased at the fact it doesn’t play a major part in winning games; you’ll find no pace abusing, instead there feels as if there’s a focus on physicality. Big players can get all up in your face to steal the ball, whilst the weaklings can just avoid contact and leave you in their dust with a little shimmy. The strength side really comes into play for aerial instances, where the strongest jumpers usually come out on top, which is how it should be.
Scoring goals is still as thrilling as ever, but seeing overhead kicks and jumping heel-flicks regularly being my type of finish, by accident really, took the shine off the brilliance of the moves. Nitpicking? Possibly, because the gameplay is that damn great at what it tries to do. If I were to find a real criticism, it’d be about the supposedly improved Goalkeepers. Their animations are just a little odd, with them all diving around like Pong batons, instead of with realistic movements. They let in some stupid goals too, jumping over trickling balls and barely reaching out to a ball that’s well within reach. Are keepers better than last year? Maybe just a tad.
I’ve been waxing lyrical about the gameplay, and rightfully so. However, there’s a catch which could be huge depending on your playing preferences. Imagine the whole gameplay is Wayne Rooney – bear with me here – and the offline side of play is young Rooney; full of life, excitement and some would argue an absolute world-beater. Modern day Rooney is the online side of the coin; heavier, sluggish and deserving of some much needed bashing from critics. Even with a solid connection, the game gets taken down a notch thanks to slow responses when trying to dribble, or pass, or shoot, or anything. It’s not unplayable unless there’s lag, but it turns the enjoyment meter down massively. PES had this same issue last year, and although I’d understand a slight difference in play, the gulf in quality is unacceptable. It’s like a different game.
For all the raving I’ll do over the sheer amount of tactical wonders that can be put into place for a match, they aren’t my thing. I just tell my players to play, I’m no Guardiola or Mourinho, but if you are then you’ll be in your element here no doubt.
What about the game modes? Honestly, not a lot has changed for the most part. ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the saying… but it could’ve done with a few additions, even visually. Looks aren’t everything; however, aside from the opening presentations for each mode, the interfaces are all so simplistic and bland to look at in general. As for substance, the Master League offers a long-term career as a manager of either a ready-made squad or a team of nobodies, the latter of which is the real challenge. Negotiations are still limited, but you’re in full control otherwise, being able to set up scouting areas, training schedules and calling up youth players – there could be a Rashford lurking, you never know.
Become a Legend is the ideal mode for those wishing to hone their skills in one particular position; just don’t choose Goalkeeper, I’ve been sat on the bench for weeks and surprisingly, the manager doesn’t tend to sub off the keeper, like ever. Now I know what’s it’s like to be Sergio Romero. Moving through the ranks of a team, transferring to a better club and becoming a national treasure are all possible in your career. It would’ve been cool to have extra choices to make for your player off-the-pitch though – I’ve always wanted to do a Head & Shoulders commercial.
MyClub offers the chance to build the best team possible by purchasing agents to acquire a random player for attack, midfield, defence or in-goal positions. More specific players can be garnered via scouts, which you’ll gain after each match as a bonus, as well as some currency. There’s a decent choice of offline cups and online divisions or solo matches to choose from to test your squad to its limited. The more you play, the more those players get in-tune with the manager, the tactics and build team spirit. One of the newest features is the ability to buy scouts via auctions, but these are pointlessly long-winded to the point where you’ll bid one day in the first round, then return another day for a blind bid. I haven’t got time for that… just let me buy it now!
Those three are the modes with the most real depth. Alternatively, you could have a bash at the UEFA Champions League, Europe League or AFC Champions League competitions, which follow their official formats. Konami have lost the licenses for Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, but honestly, it’s no loss. To make up for it are some online competitions available at set times throughout a day, requiring a proper commitment as you’ll have an hour to qualify with your best three results. Then it moves you onto the knockouts if you’ve met the criteria, as long as you’re present in the mode and raring to go. A great idea let down by the time consumption needing you to stick around for up to two hours if you make it to the final, oh and the laggy connections due to no matchmaking restrictions. Everyone must’ve been on dial-up.
There are a lot of modes to try that’s for sure. Sadly, most don’t have any draw to come back to. For instance the Team Play lobbies, which often provide a sparsely populated area to try and gather players for 11vs11. It’s no surprise that very few gamers want to play a random one-off game, with no leagues to climb, or trophies to win. That’s also the reason there are many quitters when a match eventually begins, no one cares and I feel Konami doesn’t either. Come on guys, this is 2016; give us a better team offering please.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 pleasantly surprised me with its almost brilliant gameplay. It’s so easily accessible to those who’ve never played PES or haven’t for a while, and players can instantly feel great about neat play and goals scored. Online is utterly disappointing, mainly due to the pure drop in quality, even without any lag. The plethora of modes deserves to be commended; however, they haven’t really improved on the previous release in terms of great new features within them. Visually PES 2017 blows you away in certain cutscenes before bringing you back down to earth during matches.
PES 2017 succeeds in laying down a marker, whilst placing a question mark over its own head for the strange drop in quality online. A great game overall though, and I’d recommend anyone wanting to mainly get stuck into the offline side to instantly pick it up.
If only PES had an equivalent of FIFA Clubs, I’d be all over it. Until then though…