Such as we're loath to admit it, Arsenal and Manchester United are currently playing some of the most delightful football we've ever seen.
One of the key factors to their success is a lightning quick pass-and-move attacking style that's easy on the eye and a total nightmare for opposition defences to deal with.
The Pro Evo series has always done a fine job of replicating what's happening in real professional football, and never more so than in its first run out on Wii.
For the key to success in the game is playing with a quick pass-and-move style, keeping the ball on the deck, not holding on to it for too long and exploiting space.
The control scheme, designed especially for Wii, is absolutely perfect for this. Result!
As mentioned in last issue's preview, Pro Evo veterans will find the controls alien and not a little daunting.
The pointer is used to direct passes and shots or drag off-the-ball players into space (more on that later), the B button is pass, the analogue stick steers the man on the ball while shaking the nunchuk has you firing off a shot or a Sol Campbell-style hoof upfield.
What could have been the equivalent of freezing your knackers off on the terraces at Cheltenham Town watching your team lose 2-0, happily turns out to be akin to cheering your team to a play-off final win at Wembley.
It is indeed tough when you start out, but either a decent session on the training ground - which is nicely presented, very well thought out and thoroughly comprehensive - or plenty of practice on the lower difficulty settings will put you on the path to glory.
World in motion
So about that dragging of off-the-ball players. It's a masterstroke that Wenger and Fergie would be proud of, and the game's defining feature.
While you're controlling your man on the ball with the analogue stick, you can highlight a second player using the pointer and hold down A to take control of him.
Drag an arrow into the space you want the player to run into, let go and then hit B to pass into that space and pick up the ball.
Timing is everything here, and yes, it takes a bit of getting used to - how they expect us blokes to be able to concentrate on two things at once is anyone's guess! - but after a few hours' play it becomes second nature.
Whether it's feeding balls out to the wingers to make crosses into the box, or beating the offside trap and slicing defences apart, this works like a dream.
Who are ya?
The match-engine is the same as the PS2's, so the graphical quality is decent but far from amazing.
However the frame rate never drops (unlike on PS3), even when you've got most of the players on screen at the same time.
The off-pitch presentation is in a different class, though. It's brighter, friendlier and more functional than in any other version without losing any of the depth (how we love poring over the stats!).
The commentary, provided by Peter Brackley and Mark Lawrenson, is as dire as ever.
Seeing as we've mentioned that one flaw, it's time to speak of a couple more. Firstly, the defending is suspect.
Actually closing a player down and tackling him requires you to entice your defender to get near him - an unusually tough feat - before highlighting the attacker with your pointer so that a coloured circle appears under his feet, then waiting for the circle to turn red before you make the challenge with a button press.
Surely there could have been a more simple, more intuitive way?
Then there's the main game mode, Champions Road. In comparison to the Master League of other versions, this sucks a fat one.
Here you start off with a rubbish team and then take them on a globe-trotting tour, tackling different competitions as you go.
Whereas the Master League has you earning points that can then be spent on better players - just like the real world - here you can pick a player from any team you beat.
Fair enough, but you can't actually see who you're picking, instead your given a little hint as to their key strength, such as 'never tires', 'sharp shooter' or 'likely to get arrested in a night club'.
Players still earn experience points like they do in Master League, and hence develop the more you play them.
You can unlock new skills by completing missions (completing a certain number of passes, for example) and it is nice to see something new, but it's just not the same, dammit. We don't like change. Harumph.
There are plenty of other game modes to keep you busy, though. There are international and domestic cups and leagues aplenty, and of course a match mode where you can take on your mates.
With so many lines and arrows on the pitch, this can get a little bewildering, and we did struggle to see who we were controlling at points.
The icing on the game mode cake has to be one-vs-one online play. With the ability to create a team of Miis, this is the place to be come the game's release in March. We'll see you there. Prepare for a thrashing.
NGamer Staff
// Overview
Verdict
Pro Evo scores a screamer on its Wii debut. Despite iffy defending and no Master League, this is top quality footie action. Champion.
I've been looking forward to this so much, and thankfully its getting great reviews. Now for some practice before I let my cousin play it, I'll wipe that smug off his face. All those humiliating defeats over the years on so many footie games, some payback is due.
Well, although I don't play football games, I'm glad that this worked out nicely. The risk paid off, and more developers should follow this example.
Couldn't agree more. I love Pro Evo and have played it since back in the days of ISS - the fact that Konami have totally redesigned the game to fit the Wii (and make it downright enjoyable, as the review suggests) is absolutely brilliant on their part and we really need more companies approaching their Wii ports this way. When you think about it; Konami obviously wanted to release this on all formats as the 'yearly update cash-cow' that it is - but, it's very nice to see that they actually went through all the cost and time specifically for one console....quite brave too, it could've been utter rubbish!
I bought Bully the other day (I wanted No More Heroes, but there was a 15 quid price difference between the two...I don't get the chance to use my grilfriends Wii as much as my 360) and it's also brilliant. I think I made the right choice in deciding on the Wii version over the 360 - I considered the Achievements and then opted to go with the Wii controls....it paid off, it's a great game that also uses the Wii to great effect.
The Wii is a superb little console that is let down by some seriously shabby games - it just needs more solid titles that offer a little variety. I've been on these forums defending it from time to time, but even I was getting a little worried by the fact that we struck gold with Resi Evil 4 and then....nothing - right now, I can think of at least 4 games that I'd want (that aren't Nintendo) if I were to buy a Wii today.
I got it in the post this morning - sometimes ordering online provides an unexpected bonus!
I've played more FIFA than PE, but this is so different to any footy game I've played before. The shooting and tackling are a little suspect, though I expect I'll get better at tackling as I get used to it.
The best way to look at it, after a few hours play today, is the emphasis is not so much on scoring great goals; it is more about creating goals. If that makes any sense. The final shot is just a shake of the nunchuck, it's all about what you do to get in that position first!
Am I synical, or do developers leave out glaring omissions in games in order to get plenty of buyers for the next years' update??
ps and to ParmaViolet - I agree about Bully, really not as bad a my friends had said (they played the PS2 version)! But No More Heroes - jerky graphics, terrible collision detection, uninspired city with little to do. The novelty wore off after about three hours: it's just slightly tatical button bashing. Art direction is great though.
I got it in the post this morning - sometimes ordering online provides an unexpected bonus!
I've played more FIFA than PE, but this is so different to any footy game I've played before. The shooting and tackling are a little suspect, though I expect I'll get better at tackling as I get used to it.
The best way to look at it, after a few hours play today, is the emphasis is not so much on scoring great goals; it is more about creating goals. If that makes any sense. The final shot is just a shake of the nunchuck, it's all about what you do to get in that position first!
Am I synical, or do developers leave out glaring omissions in games in order to get plenty of buyers for the next years' update??
ps and to ParmaViolet - I agree about Bully, really not as bad a my friends had said (they played the PS2 version)! But No More Heroes - jerky graphics, terrible collision detection, uninspired city with little to do. The novelty wore off after about three hours: it's just slightly tatical button bashing. Art direction is great though.
I've always thought that PES was a little more about the goal creation than the actual finish, but that makes it sound really cool.....damn, I might have to buy my own Wii for this (told you I loved PES - I almost bought an N64 just to play ISS98 again a couple of weeks back....too many consoles to justify that)
I'd heard similar things about No More Heroes....got to be worth a rental at Blockbusters, right?
The best way to look at it, after a few hours play today, is the emphasis is not so much on scoring great goals; it is more about creating goals. If that makes any sense.
Makes perfect sense. Not only do I think this is one of the best football games ever made, but I think it's in the top three Wii games released so far. It's innovative, but not novelty. It's different without sacrificing traditional gameplay. And it's brilliant.
oh god.........just got it. its so good. what the hell am i doing on here talking about it? its just so intuitive and fluid. got hammered first two games, but then i learnt to tackle. its awesome.
gotta go. got the lads round tonight so need to get some pracise in for when they come.
i bought it and it was working fine. but after installing a wii update, my nunchuck wont respond, in particular when shaking to shoot. however it works fine after trying it on other games!
i was enjoying my brief time with it as well
could be coincidence but don't install any updates for now...
Im not one to moan about review scores normally, but I think this should've got in the 90's - its just Sooo satisfying when you fox a defender with a decoy run and get your midfielder into the box to score.
Its so much better than all the other versions - its like a completley different game!!
Maybe they marked it down for having no Master League, which is fair enough I guess.
Got it yesterday - review quite fair, and I'm enjoying it but defending is very poor - I think the reviewer has understated how frustrating this can be.
played it relentlessly over the weekend. at first the defending was horrible and felt all wrong, but now ive got the hang of it its incredibly satisfying.
its just so fluid when you get all your defence to man mark and then intercept. it really is a revolution in sports game. ive been a massive fan of pro ev since its inception and this has blown me away to be honest. im weak kneed with admiration. though my eyes are stinging a little from lack of sleep.
Got it yesterday - review quite fair, and I'm enjoying it but defending is very poor - I think the reviewer has understated how frustrating this can be.
Actually this had improved significantly with play - the pull run feature has improved the defending tremendously - I just had not got the hang of it - if you're unsure stick with it - it gets even better. CPU levels are far too easy though.
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