WENB PES 2011 Playtest Impressions

[Xavier]

The Prodigal Son Returns



They say there’s no smoke without fire. Ever since PES 2011 was shown in Tokyo, and then most recently at E3, impressions from the press have been consistently positive. The improved competition has certainly moved the goal posts in-terms of what we now expect from a football game, but despite this the WEP team seem to be holding their own with ease so far. While the hardcore have remained loyal, with strong belief PES would somehow find it’s way again, most had given up by now. These positive previews, then, have given us all hope that the king has indeed returned. Surely, everyone can’t be wrong? It’s this feeling of anticipation and confidence that runs through me as I pick up the controller for the first time to play PES 2011.



And I think confidence is an apt word to describe the whole persona around PES 2011, from it’s development team to fan fave Jon Murphy. Over the past few years, to their own admission, over-confidence and laziness stilted the growth of the series dramatically. There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and who can say that particular fine line was stepped on a few too many times since PES6. One thing we can all agree on, is that when PES is back hitting the heights of old, the guys from Konami will be the first ones to know about it. As me and Suffwan start up the game, we quickly realise just where this new found confidence is coming from. From the front end to the obvious revolutionary change once the game kicks off, everything about PES 2011 oozes quality. Before a ball is even kicked, we were both blown away by the menus and pre-match layout.


First of all the main menu system is reminiscent of WE8/PES4, something I shouted as soon as I saw it. The game modes are now selectable via a horizontal bar situated at the bottom of the screen which you cycle through, while the main screen graphic changes with your option. Very clean, visually strong and as ever staying true to the PES ethic of a quick and easy menu system to get to where you want quickly. As we choose our teams from a limited selection (Suff went Inter while I chose Real), we’re greeted by what is quite possibly the best formation/team edit screen ever in a football game! You’ve all seen it by now, it’s the screen showing the pitch with all your players dotted around it. The ability to change players, their position and their role is extremely easy and incredibly intuitive, and something you won’t truly appreciate until you experience it for yourself. The accessibility is in direct response to the deep but sometimes bewildering menu system of last year, which meant so much of the hard work Konami did with the AI and player cards were lost to many users. Not this year though, navigating through such complex options has never been so easy. Team picked, strategies in place, and into the match we go....