Pro Evolution Soccer returns with revamped visuals to bring striking realism to the arcade football classic.
Boots blacked for the new season
Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer team has worked hard on their game's graphics this season, and in PES 2010, player likenesses are uncannily realistic.
UEFA Champions League mode lets you launch your own campaign for European glory. Fully licensed teams, kits and stadia add great realism and the TV-style presentation, featuring a rendition of Handel's Zadoc The Priest as the players line up, captures the stirring atmosphere of the world's premier club competition.
On the pitch, player animations and ball physics have also been improved, adding a further layer of realism to the high tempo arcade action the series is renowned for. In the manager's office, the Team Management options have been tweaked, making team tactics - which are as flexible and comprehensive as ever - easier to access. One helpful addition is an overall rating out of 100 for each player that decreases if you try to play that individual on the wrong side or out of position.
Efforts have also been made to improve how the game sounds, and alongside the previously mentioned Handel, you can now listen to terrace favourites from bands such as Kaiser Chiefs and The Chemical Brothers while browsing the menus. During matches, crowd reactions are now more dynamic, featuring team-specific chants and a more immersive reflection of the ebb and flow of the beautiful game.
Keeping the ball under control
Long-term fans of the series expect fast-paced, accessible arcade football that anyone can pick up and play, with underlying layers of complexity for top players to master. PES 2010 delivers all of this, while also representing a revamp in a series that is famed for minor tweaks as opposed to major overhauls.
The improved ball physics bring about many of the gameplay changes as spin and bounce play their part. Players' first touches are more lifelike as skilful footballers can deal with awkward passes more smoothly, while others are less composed under pressure. Similarly, technically gifted players are able to distribute the ball more consistently. They even take a moment to look up before attempting a long pass, ensuring you choose your passes wisely.
Alongside UEFA Champions League mode, PES stalwart the Master League returns for a deep simulation of the running of a football club, on and off the pitch. You'll have to work hard on team tactics, devise training regimes based on player development and rotate your squad to cope with injuries, dips in form and the fatigue that comes with a gruelling professional season.
Completing the roster of modes is Become a Legend, allowing you to take control of a single footballer throughout his career. You'll start at the bottom for an unknown team, but play well and pop up on the scoresheet, and you may attract the attention of bigger clubs and even your international manager.
Playing away
Offline multiplayer is where PES veterans will have sunk countless hours over the years and, in PES 2010, Community mode is a great way to reinforce those old rivalries. You can add your friends' names to a group and the game will record results between each member, allowing you to see unequivocally who the better player is at the end of the season. You can even set up leagues and tournaments.
Online, you can jump straight into one-on-one or two-vs-two matches, or enter one of the regular competitions organised for the community. You can also compare your record with the rest of the world on the leaderboards.
Legends is where you take the player you have created in Be a Legend mode and team up with three other players against a computer-controlled opponent. To encourage teamwork, you can earn bonus points for good movement, successful link-up play and, of course, smooth goals, which contribute to a leaderboard displaying the best online quartets in the world.
‘New Moon’ Star Ashley Greene Picks Her Favorite ScenesGridiron for everyone with Madden NFL Arcade
