Developer: PES Productions
Publisher: Konami
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One
Tested on: Xbox One
Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 – Review
It’s that time of the year again where Konami takes on EA with their iteration of PES vs the yearly release of FIFA and of course we’re delighted to take part in this seemingly eternal battle. Nonetheless, after this many renditions of practically the same game, we always wonder which game will add the best new features, extra layers of realism and of course, the overall best experience a soccer/football (you pick) fan is looking for. Last year we concluded that, now that PES is getting more and more licensed content, it is certainly an equal of EA’s offspring, after many years in the shadow. We were stoked to see how the nearly perfect experience could be topped once again.
Story
Even though Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 doesn’t really have any underlying plot, you can still create your own team and pave your own road to victory and internet fame. Other than that, it’s pretty much up to you but then again, we doubt you’ll be buying this title for an elaborate plot about love, betrayal, sex, guns and a bit of soccer on the side.
Graphics
It’s clear that realism is becoming the driving factor of games such as this, not only in the gameplay section but also when it comes to the graphical strength of the game. Facial features have once again been upgraded to something more lifelike, and the movements of the players, as well as the proper lighting and skin toning, makes the game look as if you’re actually watching a match on TV. True, there are still a decent amount of signs that this is in fact a videogame, but other than that, you’ll be treated to an experience not that far from the realistic interpretation of soccer. Overall, there is nothing to complain about in this section of the game.
Sound
Famous pop tunes will blast through the speakers when you’re navigating through the menus, which is rather pleasant. On the field however, the music dies down, making sure you can hear the commentator properly and the cheering or jeering fans in the tribunes. Everything has a fairly realistic coating, allowing you to properly immerse when playing matches, but relax when browsing through the menus, which makes the MyClub feature that much more comfortable.
Gameplay
Just like its competitor FIFA, PES has set its roots in the sports simulation genre, where you’ll once again be able to enjoy playing endless matches of soccer, be it in a realistic competition bracket, friendly matches online or with friends, play locally or simply make a name for yourself in the digital soccer universe. With updated rosters and more and more licenses, we were ready to tie our laces and kick the ball yet again. While new players might need a bit of help to navigate through the menus, or to properly see where they should begin, veterans will probably immediately know what to do. The ‘clusterfuck’ menu remains in this iteration, and while it has a certain charm, a simple list option would have been nice.
It’s clear that the MyClub portion of the game is slowly growing into the most important feature of Pro Evolution Soccer, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In many ways it’s a bit reminiscent to the online browser game ‘Hattrick’, which had its peak many years ago, but still tends to manage quite nicely. That aside, in MyClub, you’ll be able to manage your own club, which you name yourself, while training, scouting for new players and of course participate in leagues and the biggest competitions there are. Luckily the game does have a tutorial to guide you through this mode, as it tends to be rather complicated if you would be dropped in it without any proper explanation of how things work. Overall it will still take a while to get the hang of things, but when you do, this mode will probably be the one you spend the most time in.
Sadly, in the MyClub mode it’s quite clear that Konami wants to earn an extra buck or two by selling MyClub coins by the use of actual money. Of course, you can also earn some of these coins by actively playing the MyClub mode, but in a way the coins feel a bit more ‘present’ than in the 2016 version, which was still in an infant stage compared to the current iteration. That being said, you can still perfectly play everything for free, it just feels like they focused a lot more on earning money, even after you’ve bought the game already. If you’re not fond of tactics such as this, you can always stick to the original PES modes and enjoy yourself with existing teams and perhaps even manage the team you’re currently rooting for.
When it comes to controls and mechanics, things are pretty tight and responsive, and with each version that passes, it shows that we’ve come a long way from the arcade-like games from the past, where the ball was pretty much glued to the player in control and that sprinting was pretty much a permanent option, even if you kept the button down for the entire match. Nonetheless, you’ll notice that keeping control, passing and making attempts to score isn’t simple and will require a proper amount of practice, but again, if you manage to pull off some tricks after a few sessions, it feels that much more rewarding.
While the loading times seem to have decreased a bit compared to the previous versions, booting up the game and loading actual matches tend to take longer than you’d like. Luckily there are now options to turn off notifications at the beginning of the game which could help you speed up the process if you’re in a hurry.
Conclusion
In all honesty, there aren’t that many bad things to say about this latest installment of the Pro Evolution Soccer series. You’ll be treated to a realistic experience in which you can follow realistic leagues and competitions, go nuts and pit whoever you like against one another, or simply build up your own soccer legacy. The graphic realism, precise controls and a hefty amount of teams to choose from make this yet another great sports title.
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