Pro Evolution Soccer 5

THE BAD:
Still a lack of licensing
Inaccurate names for some international teams and club teams
Wrong kits for many teams
Poor quality of research for teams in the French League, English and various other teams
The disappearing crowd.

SUMMARY:
I've been playing PES for years so obviously I was eagerly anticipating the release of this game. I was hoping that they had sorted out all the problems from the last couple of games. I had slight fears that it might fall into the FIFA style gaming system. Was I going to be playing this game all the time or leaving it to the dust? I can tell you now, my fears were destroyed.

The gameplay is still fantastic as it used to be, if not better. It's lost it's "arcadey" feel and gone to a more hands-on approach. Passes are more accurate, the dribbling has improved and the player almost has a reality feel to it. However I noticed that when my player, Monterrubio of Rennes, scored the crowd was not there. This happened to many of the matches I played. I guess there was a glitch Konami forgot to sort out.

I took a further look around the game, Master League has improved so it makes you feel like a true manager and you can search for the right player whether it be a speed demon or a midfield anchor. Also you can choose between Exhibition matches and memorial matches.

Obviously the one thing I look for in every PES game is the editing options because there are always some things wrong with the game whether it be the stats for the players or something as trivial as their height. It has improved, the players now go from forwards to goalkeepers not the other way around. There are more options in the basic settings, appearances and special abilities for players. The kits have improved (yeah stripes and hoops). The are over 500 different hairstyles to choose from and you can choose whether the players wear a necklace or cycling shorts. However the boot option isn't as good. Whilst it has a large variety of boots, you can only overwrite one unless you want to go over the sponsored addidas boots. That's something I think Konami should improve on for the next game

Overall PES5 is the dawning for a new age of football gaming. PES5 is only let down slightly by a few glitches but even then it is better than the 5.0 out of 5 I'm giving it. PES brought me into gaming so I cannot praise it enough. You may call me biased but if you play it just once you will see I'm right.

THE BAD:
- Not very good liscensing
- A Lot of effort is needed to get the game spot on with liscensing etc.

SUMMARY:
Pro Evolution Soccer. One of the best football GAmes alive. Unbeatable. Wipes the floor with FIFA. This year is has got one hell of a lot better. With more options than ever.

Konami have now focused on detail. The players are so realistic that many hardly need to be touched. And Now Konami have got so many more official sponsors etc. Now with many Addidas Boots like the F50+ it is becoming an excellent game.

Other extras are Edit Mode. This means edit anything you choose. From Players to Teams. Stadiums to Leage Names Its all here. You can now even put yourself into the game and look very lifelike!

Master League is a brillaint as ever. Choose from Manchester United to Manchester City.

The PES Shop is an excellent place where you can unlock classic players or view stadiums and unlock many more.

Konami have worked very hard on this and has payed off. Keep up the Good work!

THE BAD:
A few glitches including 'empty crowd syndrome' - but nothing too serious...

SUMMARY:
This version of Pro Evolution Soccer, is not just a yearly update, which 'rival' Fifa usually succumbs to, it is a world away from the brilliant PES4. Simply brilliant in every department, this is a game YOU NEED to own.

THE BAD:
The game is essentially just an update of PES4, though it has enough new content to keep fans of the series happy. I would have liked a few more new features, though, and the difficulty to be increased (though admittedly it is well balanced with the difficulty levels it does have). Also, the commentary is a little annoying, due to phrases such as "well won by the big man!" when you win a header in the opponents box, no matter how short your player is.

SUMMARY:
This game's main rival in the football (soccer) simulation genre is FIFA2006, and to say it beats that hands-down is the understatement of the century. This game is superior in every way to EA's footie game, so if it is a choice between this and FIFA, buy PES5 every time.

THE BAD:
*Not enough English licenses.
*Still not the best AI referees.
*Need more international teams to use.

SUMMARY:
This a great new version of the Pro Evo series coming back with some great new updates especially when it comes to the graphics and attention to detail like goal celebrations. The Gameplay is alot more smooth and the new revamped Master Leauge is great for improving new players skills and building a winning team. The create -a- player system is excellent with lots of different options to choose from and the new play on advantage system makes the gameplay so much more realistic. Also Chelsea and Arsenal have been added with full licensed kits, stadiums and names. Unfortunatly the rest of the English teams dont have licences which is the only bad point in the whole game. Ten times better than Fifa 06!

THE BAD:
- Many unlicensed teams
- Feels a bit slow and scrappy at times
- A bit too easy

SUMMARY:
For those who have followed the PES series you will know that the games change very little from it's predecessor. For example, when you first play PES4 it is just like carrying on where PES3 left off. If you are expecting to do the same with PES5 then think again.

The most noticeable change from PES4 is how slow the game is. In your first match you may as well be playing a game of basketball because the speed and gameplay is so unusual. At first it is very hard to put together even 5 passes without losing the ball let alone create chances to score from. The next noticeable feature is how physical the action is. The ref's whistle will be going off in your first few games so much that it will leave you on the very edge of losing your sanity. It will seem that whenever your player even brushes past the opponent the referee will find something wrong with it. After a few games though, this will all disappear into a distant memory and you will soon realise how good this game is when you learn when and how to tackle and how to break through the defense. Your build up play and team tactics will play a bigger role and make for a more realistic game.

No longer can you pick up the ball with your striker, turn a defender, sprint past 2 midfielders, 4 defenders and then the 2 midfielders again before stroking the ball past the keeper. This time you need to concentrate more on your passing and learn when are the best times to dribble.

Even after you get used to the fouls and how not to do them, conceding seemingly nothing free-kicks is still unavoidable. Some of the decisions will leave you either dumbfounded or see you going into a mad rage, either way, the gameplay really gets your emotions showing.

Although everything seems good, all is not as it seems. After playing a couple of days on 3 stars you can then jump straight in at the deep-end and easily win on 6 stars. Despite it being quite easy you will still find yourself losing every so often which makes it feel even more disappointing.

There are quite a few game modes for you to delve into and win many cups and trophies. You can either have a "friendly" match against your friends, take a team of your choice through an entire season as you try to win the league that your team is from. You could play through the rounds of numerous cups including an International Cup or play the incredible Master League mode which will keep you occupied for hours as you fight for your team to become the best in the world.

The edit mode has been improved with new features such as the boot creator. You could create yourself or your local club or school team and play as them against your mates. The Edit Mode is very useful for correcting all of the unlicensed team names which gets very annoying and tiresome.

Now, the icing on top of the cake, the diamond in the "dirt". Whatever you want to call it, the Master League is truly amazing and no matter how hard you try you will never be able to drift away from it when you've started. When you first start you have three options of what team you would like. You can either play as a club team with their match mode players, create an original team of 11 players or choose a club team but start off with a bunch of nobodies. When you have made your decision the season will start and see you in Division 2. You battle your way through half the season until the mid-season negotiations where the wheelin' and dealin' takes place as you try and sign star names to help you gain promotion. You need to be careful with your money, though, because if it drops below 0 it will automatically be game over.

You will have to climb up the WEFA Rankings by winning games and trophies in order to buy the best players on the market and create a dream team.

Whether it be losing against a mate and feeling as angry as Graeme Souness or winning the WEFA Championships in the Master Legue, PES5 is guaranteed to get your adrenaline rushing and is the best footballing game on the market.