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Review:

20th October 2005:
Pro Evolution Soccer 5
Has the best just got better? Or is the 'Evo' part of the title something to do with washing powder? Read our review to find out why you need this game...
Posted by Chris Barnett - PlayStation 2,Xbox,PC - UK and Europe

There are few games that can cause a person to stop in the middle of a task and simply ask a question. But the Pro Evolution series of football games have become that rare urban legend. The second that we mentioned Pro Evolution Soccer 5 to friends they replied with a question of, "When is it out?" or "What's new in it?"

Well to answer the first of those two questions is easy: it's out on the 21st of October. But the second is what we will look at in this review, since it is quite hard to specify without making the game seem like a worthless update - which it most certainly is not!

A quick look at the front end of the game is very familiar as it is virtually the same as in the previous version, with the addition of some online playability and connectivity with the upcoming PSP version. But apart from that we could have literally navigated with blindfolds on.

The online mode has obviously involved a lot of work, but the PlayStation 2 is not a very online friendly console at the moment, so this is not really a point that will improve the game for most. It is not too smooth either, so sticking to the standard 'console multiplayer' is certainly recommended.

As far as the team selections go, there are still many missing details due to license issues, but nothing that can't be corrected with a few hours in the editor. We had the entire Premiership up to date within 90 minutes of beginning the game. There are a few more teams than before, but hardly enough to rave on about. Also in common with the previous game, the Master League mode is still here and it behaves in the same way as before. You must take a second division side to the height of success by building a system of play and a squad that works for you.

All this is good, as are the collection of leagues and tournaments that are included. Unlockable items, players and even a fifth difficulty mode are available once a certain amount of 'credit' has been achieved through completing competitions; but there is nothing really special in that when so many games are doing it these days.

From all of this initial impression it would be easy to dismiss the game as nothing more than a cash in, and that could not be further from the truth. As soon as you actually begin a game it is clear that there have been improvements to the graphics and, more importantly, the gameplay.

The visuals are not vastly improved, but the faces and textures on the players appear slightly sharper. The stadiums also appear more lively and defined, giving an increased atmosphere when playing. The sounds and commentary are exactly the same as before; the commentary is still slightly off-key when compared to FIFA's nigh on perfect blurbs.

Then we come to the gameplay, which was so finely tuned before that many regular players could consider it a science. Now it is much more realistic due to the smallest of innovations. The first of these is in the movement of the ball when passing. It now has a real weight to it; an over hit pass will move away from a target or bounce off his leg, an under hit pass will end in no man's land. The direction is also manual now, with careful direction required to perfect any given pass, no matter how small. To begin with this feels really strange and may even feel inferior to the earlier games. But after a while you realise that the movement is like in real football; a pass does not have to arrive on the receiver's dinner plate for it to be useful to him. Often the best pass is the one that carves the defence without even nearing an attacker until the killing strike. And when that happens it feels good. Very good indeed.

The other addition to the gameplay is in the tackling. This has changed in a way that we didn't expect. Slide tackles are now easier whereas normal 'foot in' moves are harder. This results in a greater number of fouls when unprofessional players are lunging around, but in a much more detailed strategy for those who are willing to time their tackles logically. With the potential increase in fouls, the refs have been improved very significantly. Rather than blow for a foul at the exact moment that it happens, as you may expect in a football videogame, the ref often evaluates play and lets it go to the advantage of the victim team. This is so advanced that it can even see bookings take place after an attack has ended! For example, in the one game we played as Arsenal, we were fouled in the centre circle but were on the attack. So the ref allowed play to go on. We played it to the wing, got the cross in and headed the ball aloft into the stand. Then after this we were reminded of the earlier offence by the ref as he booked the person who committed the foul! Very impressive.

The new offside rule is also used in the best way that we have seen in a football game to date. Unless a player is interfering with play, they will not be called as offside. This may not sound like much, but it alters the risks that you are prepared to take as an attacking team. You can now run at goalkeepers without the certainty that returning the ball up field will result in an immediate whistle.

These little things are so much more than they sound and are only a few that we have space to mention. There is also a new 'injury indicator' that appears onscreen to indicate an injured player. If the ball is kicked out of play to substitute the player, the opposing side will return the ball in a fair play manner! Another feature is the off the ball movements of players. They move into logical positions to allow realistic moves to take place. A good player can split the defence of another side exactly as you witness every week when watching Chelsea.

This is the definitive football game, only let down by slightly 'low key' sounds and 'could be better' graphics. But then you won't notice any of this when you are playing a game. Essential.

Chris Barnett

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Review Summary:

The smallest detail improves everything you could imagine. As close to perfection as you will get on the current generation of consoles. Essential in every sense, even if you own previous incarnations of the game.

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