Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

Pro Evolution Soccer on the Wii is a definitively new way to play soccer video games. Although a little player control is sacrificed, the amount of influence you have directly on your team’s positioning and the movement of the ball more than make up for it. Soccer strategists will relish every attacking build-up, creatively finding new ways to defeat the AI, especially on more challenging difficulty levels. If you understand intricacies of soccer, PES 2008 for the Wii is an absolute must for your collection.

Juhu, im Volksmund heißt es ja: "dumm fickt gut". Vielleicht habe ich deshalb ein paar Partien gegen Wolfgang "Federbällchen" Fischer verloren. Aber auch das hat mir Spaß gemacht! Ohne Übertreibung: Das neue Pro Evolution ist so unglaublich gut, dass es Fußballfans fast schon schwindlig wird. Durch die aufgepeppte Grafik, die neuen butterweichen Animationen und die authentischen Spielzüge kommt echtes TV-Flair auf. Okay, FIFA 08 ist ein wirklich guter Arcade-Kicker, aber für richtige Könner wie mich gibt es eben nur PES. Wenn Sie eine unkomplizierte Partie zwischendurch wollen, kaufen Sie sich FIFA 08 - Profis brauchen PES.

The game play is smooth and flowing and with a couple of friends it becomes almost a religious experience. Those doubters who said the Wii has no life in it obviously need to play this game, because the lack of high definition graphics fade into the background. Innovative and incredibly fun!

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is the best football game on the market in our opinion. However whether we recommend FIFA or PES 2008 to you depends on one thing - do you want the most realistic football simulation around or are you happy with high paced action with lots of goal mouth action? The choice is yours but we pick Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 any day of the week.

Die Playstation 2 Fassung von Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 ist auch trotz schlechterer Technik und dem misslungenen Onlinemodus die erste Wahl, wenn man gegen den Ball treten will. Neuerungen bei den Spielmodi, tolle neue Animationen und neue Stadien runden ein nach wie vor extrem starkes Gameplay ab. Definitiv ein Kaufgrund, vielleicht selbst dann, wenn man den Vorgänger schon besitzt.

Konami hat schon in diesem Jahr den Schritt in die nächste Generation gewagt - mit Erfolg. PES hat nur - wie stehts - damit zu kämpfen, dass eine umfassende Ausstattung mit Lizenzen fehlt, macht dies aber mit überragendem Gameplay wett.

But PES 2008's gameplay is a big improvement on last year's effort. PES fans can forgive the poor graphics, the God-awful music, the embarrassing presentation and lack of licensed teams because the core of the game is so mind-bogglingly brilliant. Some gamers have called for a complete overhaul of the game, as legendary PES executive producer Shingo 'Seabass' Takatsuka has confirmed will be in place for 2009's game. But for me, I love PES's gameplay the way it is. The feeling of satisfaction you get from scoring a goal in PES, be it a tap-in at the end of an Arsenal-esque 20-pass move or a Frank Lampard scorcher, is unlike anything in gaming. It's about as close as us mortals are going to get to that uncontrollable burst of emotion professional footballers experience week in, week out. The most important thing is that in PES 2008 you can still get that beautiful feeling.

All in all, PES 2008 adds significant depth and realism to the in-game experience. Seeing as this is what appeals most to the average PES gamer, we can state quite confidently that this year's game is a resounding success.

In summation, PES ’08 is a great game that has the feel and look of the old PES titles with the visuals of a true next-gen game. There are some flaws but with an online patch in the works all that is left at fault is the edit mode which is by no means a game breaker. Its PlayStation 3 counter-part has problems with frame rate drops in single player games which we luckily do not have and it provides yet another reason to buy this game on the Xbox 360. PES has finally hit the next-gen scene with a bang. It’s intelligent and definitely a great game. Any football fan would be mad to miss out and I urge any FIFA fan to make this their first PES game. They won’t regret the decision and will never look back once they have purchased Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

Only time will tell how good Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is. At present it feels like one of the worst games in the series to date, with issues such as slowdown and poor editing options hampering the experience. Yet it still has the potential to be without a doubt the greatest football game yet. If we can push past the issue of only being able to edit eight kits and get the full premiership looking decent, then brilliant. And if the patch from Konami solves the slowdown issue online as well as off then the gameplay will be absolutely faultless. Until then though, it'll have to make do with a nine out of ten and a scribbled note of "Must try harder!"

Como conclusión podemos decir que Konami lo ha logrado de nuevo, ha reinventado los controles en un juego que hoy mas que nunca se merece el calificativo de “simulador” de futbol. Ningun otro juego se parece tanto al futbol real. Jugadores veteranos se sentiran un poco perdidos al principio, pero a medida que vayan transitando al curva de aprendizaje descubriran que las posibilidades del nuevo control son infinitamente superiores a los anteriores titulos. Pro Evolution Soccer, bienvenido a la nueva generacion.

As the first entry in the series on the Wii, Pro Evolution 2008 is remarkable. It’s a credit to the Konami team that their solution to the Wii-mote manages to stick so readily, and it’s a sign that developers are finally beginning to un-tap the potential of the machine. Providing a free-flowing football experience like no other before it, it’s not only the best title of its sort on the Wii, but also an indicator of what’s possible for the genre as a whole when genuine innovation is applied.

Zusammenfassend bleibt uns nur ein Schluss übrig: Spielerisch überzeugt Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 fast 100%ig. Die weiter angestiegene Anzahl an Kombinations- sowie Strategiemöglichkeiten und die stark verbesserte KI begeistern Profis sowie Fans der Serie sofort und man fühlt sich direkt heimisch. Anfänger werden durch den einfachen Einstieg und die schnelle Lernkurve auch ihren Spaß auf dem Rasen finden.

'Never change a winning team... too much' is iets wat ze bij Konami goed begrijpen. Wij zijn er geeneens rouwig om.

Pro Evolution Soccer 08 ist auch in diesem Jahr die beste erhältliche Fußballsimulation. Spielerisch macht der Titel fast alles richtig und begeistert durch viel Tiefgang und eine verbesserte künstliche Intelligenz. Die Spielmechanik lässt über das Fehlen von Lizenzen und neuen Spielmodi hinwegsehen, wobei es Konami endlich schaffen muss an dieser Stelle für Besserung zu sorgen. Gleiches gilt für die schwache Präsentation. Darüberhinaus gilt es so schnell wie möglich den unspielbaren Online-Modus von Lags und Verzögerungen mittels Patch zu befreien. Fußballfans kommen in diesem Jahr nur an PES 08 vorbei, um Konami ein Zeichen zu geben, endlich auch an alten wohlbekannten Schwächen zu arbeiten.

Das neuartige Steuerungskonzept ist gut durchdacht und funktioniert nach einer Einarbeitungsphase famos. Gelegenheitsspieler sind aber gnadenlos überfordert. Sie müssen schon Fußballgeist, Durchhaltevermögen und Spaß an der Komplexität des Themas mitbringen, um die Möglichkeiten der außergewöhnlichen Steuerung "gut" einsetzen zu können.

It is quite clear that development on the Pro Evolution Soccer series has moved to next-gen systems, but this PS2 version - strangely - still feels the most complete. There are more options, more stadiums and a more complete package. Having said that this game has only minor tweaks and changes to the gameplay from last year and retains pretty much the same quality video and audio. Overall this is a brilliant soccer game that loses a few marks compared to last year due to a lack of innovation. One to add to your PS2 library.

This game is not only filled with modes and options, but it’s filled with the right modes and options, and that’s what makes it a must-have sports title on Wii. Yes, it has some issues to iron out, such as the somewhat clumsy defense system that doesn’t let you take direct control of just one member of the team, and the fact that the game’s new design makes it a hybrid of play calling and multi-task control (no traditional mode here), but in the end we’d take this design of Pro Evolution Soccer for Wii any day. If every design took the time to truly innovate on Wii as much as Pro Evo has, the console would be in a whole other league. The bar has just been raised.

In summation, PES 2008 is the must own soccer title for any fan of the sport. With a deep stable of options, there is plenty to keep you coming back for more, and the new control scheme has to be experienced first hand. PES 2008 brings soccer games back to life with its fresh approach. Plus, with hidden gems like the ability to field a team of your Miis, it is impossible for me to not lend it my staunch support.

Pro Evolution Soccer ’08 is what every sports fan wanted from the inaugural batch of titles from a few years back. PES ’08 houses the same fluid and responsive gameplay that made Winning Eleven 9 one of the best football games ever made, only now it has some production values to match. The offering of modes may not have a standout or one feature that was obviously the focus of development, but it has more than enough to satiate the appetite of the many rabid football junkies of the world. For this year’s best virtual football and a return to form for one of the staples of our industry, look no further than Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. It won’t disappoint.

Pro Evolution Soccer ’08 is what every sports fan wanted from the inaugural batch of titles from a few years back. PES ’08 houses the same fluid and responsive gameplay that made Winning Eleven 9 one of the best football (American soccer) games ever made, only now it has some production values to match. The offering of modes may not have a standout or one feature that was obviously the focus of development, but it has more than enough to satiate the appetite of the many rabid football junkies of the world. For this year’s best virtual football and a return to form for one of the staples of our industry, look no further than Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. It won’t disappoint.

PES 2008 fühlt sich, trotz aller grafischen Verbesserungen, unrealistischer an als der Vorgänger - die Bälle springen teilweise wie Flummis durch die Gegend, das Spiel ist zu schnell, manche Animationen sehen albern aus (etwa die Sprints). Nichtsdestotrotz macht es nicht weniger Spaß. Auch dieser Jahrgang legte beim Testen wieder die Redaktion lahm. Es ist halt nur ein bisschen anders, Vor- und Nachteile halten sich in etwa die Waage. Nur die Tatsache, dass außer Bayern keine deutschen Teams drin sind, ist nach wie vor unverzeihlich. Egal, ich habe Pro Evo 6 jetzt ein Jahr lang nahezu täglich gespielt und freue mich auf ein Jahr mit Pro Evo 2008.

Zur Ballphysik und zum eigentlichen Spiel muss man nicht mehr viel sagen: Auch auf der Wii spielt sich Pro Evolution Soccer wie ein waschechtes PES. Das Highlight dieser Edition ist jedoch klar die Steuerung, die nicht nur einen innovativen, sondern auch gut funktionierenden und spannenden Ansatz verfolgt. Das direkte Adressieren der Spieler per Wiimote funktioniert wunderbar und lässt völlig neue Taktikspielereien zu. Man fühlt sich wie ein Spieler und ein Trainer zugleich und hat Feld sowie Reissbrett gleichermassen zur Hand. PES 2008 bietet intensiven und modernen Fussball, wie man ihn mit Gamepad nur schlecht simulieren könnte. Hut ab vor dieser Leistung, Konami!

Overall, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 has exceeded my expectations. It is a great game with a decent control system and full of content which can keep true football fanatics coming back for more.

Alors qu'Electronic Arts a définitivement jeté toutes ses forces sur les supports nouvelle génération, Konami n'a pas perdu de vue que la PS2 n'était pas morte et que nombre de joueurs n'ont toujours pas investi dans une PS3 ou une Xbox 360. Du coup, et même sans fournir de gros efforts, le développeur leur assure de jouir d'une simulation toujours aussi plaisante. Et ce, même si ses rides commencent à piquer nos yeux de passionnés.

The simple fact of the matter is Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 should have been released last year. PES 6 for Xbox 360 was a gimped version of PES 6 for Playstation 2. This year we get the full game, and it's still PES, but that works for and against it. Yes, it's still got the awesome soccer feel. Yes, it's controller breakingly frustrating to play at times. Yes, it's got the ability to edit teams and players now. But still, it feels a bit like we're getting the same game over and over. Like the Tony Hawk series, it's beginning to feel stale. There's nothing extraordinarily different in terms of the actual gameplay despite the ‘TeamVision', and he flaws it does have - the slow down in replays, the terrible online play, indicate that maybe Konami are starting to rest on their laurels slightly.

Letztlich haben sowohl Fifa 08 als auch Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 ihre Vor- und Nachteile. Fifa punktet mit jeder Menge echter Stars und toller Atmospähre. Hier kann PES noch einiges aufholen. Dafür verdient sich PES Lob mit einem realistischen Spielerverlauf und klügeren computergesteuerten Spielern. Da wiederum hinkt Fifa im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes hinterher.

Das ist angenehm frischer, angenehm strategischer Fußball! Kein nervöser Fuchtelkick, kein leichter Arcadekram, sondern Rasenschach für Experten. Hier muss man sich zwar erst ein paar Stunden reinknien, bevor man alle Möglichkeiten vom Doppelpass bis zur Körpertäuschung verinnerlicht hat, aber dann wird man mit einer neuen Freiheit auf dem Platz belohnt. Schnelle Reaktionen sowie der Blick für den Raum sind hier wichtiger als je zuvor, denn ihr bestimmt jeden Laufweg, egal ob mit oder ohne Ball; ihr regelt die Abseitsfalle und plant den nächsten Zug per Point&Drag. Diese Steuerung ist anspruchsvoll, aber angenehm intuitiv und überraschend vielseitig. Das, was in anderen Spielen die KI regelt, kann hier direkt von euch kontrolliert werden. Man fühlt sich fast wie ein Dirigent in einem Orchester, wenn man mit der Remote den nächsten Ton angibt.

Auch mit der 2008er Version kann man als Fußballfan nicht viel falsch machen. Die fehlenden Lizenzen können rasch dank Editierfunktion wett gemacht werden. Grafisch hat man dazu gelernt und liefert durchaus ansehnliches Material, auch für PC User. Einzig und alleine der Onlinemodus muss verbessert werden! Und wenn Ihr mich jetzt fragen würdet, was ich lieber Spiele, PES oder FIFA? Dann wäre es jetzt am PC PES. Schon alleine deswegen, weil ich mich darüber ärgere, als PC Spieler bei FIFA noch mit Old Gen Grafik leben zu müssen. Spieltechnisch nehmen sich die beiden Kontrahenten nur noch wenig. Hier zählt einzig und alleine der persönliche Geschmack.

Unfortunately, visuals aren't keeping pace on the newer consoles - for examples, look no further than the lack of facial details on players, frequent frame rate stutters, and a crowd made up of blocky, pixelated faces. Up the ante on the production values, and this one could go for the Cup next year.

Unfortunately, visuals aren't keeping pace on the newer consoles - for examples, look no further than the lack of facial details on players, frequent frame rate stutters, and a crowd made up of blocky, pixelated faces. Up the ante on the production values, and this one could go for the Cup next year.

Ich muss zugeben: Mit der Zeit wird 'PES 2008' auf Wii immer besser. Das Steuerungskonzept ist derart innovativ, dass man sich erst mal eine ganze Weile zur Eingewöhnung verschreiben sollte. Wenn man den Trick aber einmal raus hat, dann macht der Kick auf der Wii durchaus richtig Laune. Konami mag mit dieser Version nicht der ganz große Wurf gelungen sein, dafür steuert sich besonders die Abwehr einfach noch zu schwammig, ist die Stadionatmosphäre zu durchschnittlich und die Lizenz- und Editiersituation noch zu unbefriedigend. Der Grundstein ist aber gelegt – wenn Konami auf der Version aufbaut, dann steht uns vielleicht schon im nächsten Jahr ein richtig dicker Brocken ins Haus. Ich freu' mich drauf!

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 has made an impressive debut on the Wii. There is some room for improvement, particularly in the defence options and online modes, but the free-flowing matches gamers can now take part in illustrates just what can be done when a developer puts their mind to it. With one of the best Wii Remote and Nunchuk control systems yet seen in a game, Konami has pulled of a real coup and turned the beautiful game into a masterpiece.

Unlike many sports titles, the Wii version of Pro Evo is different, but definitely not inferior. Using the Wii remote and nunchuk to point and direct your players around the pitch, the gameplay is not unlike an RTS. You're able to think tactically on a big picture scale, which is different than playing on the other consoles - even though players' execution is often just as smart. Although the game takes over for actions like targeting the goal, the normal list of soccer moves is not hamstrung, and I applaud Konami for its thoughtfulness in how to bring a game to the Wii with a new vision.

Konami heeft een redelijk risico genomen met een Wii-versie van Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, maar het wordt beloond. Het zorgt voor een compleet nieuwe spelervaring omdat het controlesysteem helemaal anders is, maar tegelijkertijd gaat alles erg vloeiend. Een beetje doorzettingsvermogen wordt dan ook zeker beloond. De kleine probleempjes bedekken we graag met onze mantel der liefde, want voor een eerste Wii-versie van PES is dit een meer dan geslaagd voetbalspel voor de fans van degelijke games.

Overall, PES 2008 on Wii is a solid first effort, a great start for Konami's genre-scrambling control system and, with practice, extremely rewarding. I won't go as far as to say it's revolutionised the series - for me the traditional control scheme is still the best way to play PES. But you do wonder how good and refined PES 2009 on Wii really can be.

All things considered, PES 2008 is a fine addition to the Wii and certainly the most innovative football title we've come across in many years. The wonderfully intuitive control system makes it feel like a different game altogether, and certainly not the tired port many feared it would end up being. Setting aside some slight issues with the defensive aspect, what's on offer here is an excellently free-flowing game of football. It's well worth buying, even if you own it on another system.

Konami took a risk with the Wii version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, and it's one that has paid off. It's a completely different experience from every other version of the game because the control system offers a more flowing game of football and one that's incredibly rewarding once it's mastered. While there are still some teething problems--most notably in defensive control--moving players and making passes around the pitch is incredibly natural using the Wii Remote. We're also pleased at how well it plays online, so much so that we'd recommend the online mode above all other modes offered in the game. The lack of a Master League mode is disappointing, but Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 offers a novel approach to playing football that works well.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is a fine title for soccer fans who haven't transitioned to an Xbox 360 or PS3. In fact, compared to the HD versions, this PS2 game has significantly better features, such as great cross-compatibility with the handheld version. Multiplayer, however, isn't really much different from the paltry offerings of years past, and it's a shame that the Konami team built an online infrastructure and did little with it. FIFA 08 might be king on 360 and PS3, but on PS2, PES still reigns supreme, in spite of its aged engine.

While the majority of this review has been focusing on the negative, it's only because I now expect so much from the PES series. PES 2008 is a very good football game, especially so when sitting on the sofa with three other mates, but I'd also like to be able to get those mates together quickly for a game online, and we all know that it's technically possible. For playing offline with mates the game is a blast, and enough is different to just about justify the purchase cost over PES 6. If you must have all the Premier League teams though, or if you're only interested in playing offline, then it's probably best to look elsewhere.

PES 2008's entertaining match improvements, exhilarating action and solid additions mean it just about scrapes another 8, though at no point does it come even close to flirting with higher scores. It's fast, fluid, fun and physical, an improved, revamped version of PES 6 if you like. If that's what you're looking for from the next iteration of the series, then you won't be disappointed. If not, then I think you can probably work the rest out for yourself...

It's hard to knock PES 2008 if judged on its own merits. PES is a series with a large hardcore following, though, and for those people this PS2 game will be far too similar to PES 6 and therefore can't be recommended to those players. It's still an excellent football game that is perfect for newcomers to the series, but just don't expect it to be all that different to PES 6.

If you don't have PES6 then you probably don't care about playing online and PES2008 is well worth getting. It's difficult to say for everyone that does own last year's game, and I've had to knock down the score accordingly. It's not bad, it's just that Konami hasn't really tried to move things on at all, and the fact that the PS2 is the least powerful platform out there isn't an excuse to avoid making any gameplay innovations.

It is defiantly more end to end arcade than true simulation and the ever poor presentation is frankly beyond a joke now, however, to end on a positive note, it does what it does very well indeed providing a version of football that while not hugely realistic plays the kind of fast exciting all action game you wish you watched week in week out on the terraces. Put it this way, my England vs. Croatia game this morning ended 7 - 1 (4-4-2, Beckham on from the start and no untested young keeper), hands up who'd have rather watched that on Wednesday night...

Die Pixel-Kicker bewegen sich geschmeidig, wirken aber nicht hundertprozentig realistisch. Die Steuerung könnte auch direkter reagieren. Auch die fantasievolle Namensgebung irritiert ein wenig. Dennoch dürften sich Fußball-Fans mit dem Konsolen-Kick-Erlebnis „gut“ unterhalten fühlen.

Die Steuerung reagiert sehr direkt. Die Spielgeräusche sind prima. Die Kommentare der Moderatoren sind okay. Die Fankulisse klingt sehr monoton. Im grafischen Bereich liegen Stärken und Schwächen, Die Spielfiguren bewegen sich sehr geschmeidig, aber der Bildschirm ruckelt mitunter. Für Fußball-Fans aber allemal ein „guter“ Tipp – nicht nur zur Halbzeitpause.

In a nutshell, this year appears to have brought a shift in the ever-present FIFA vs. Pro Evo war. Each series has improved in some ways and it's good see both Konami and EA trying to incorporate as many new elements as possible. On the whole, however, it's obvious that FIFA 08 is a superior experience, with true next-gen quality and gameplay mechanics that proved to be a lot more enjoyable than this year's edition of Pro Evolution Soccer.

With rival EA exploring new facets of the sport with its Be-A-Pro mode, I'd love to see Konami take notice and compete, but until it fixed some of it's legacy problems (such as catch-up AI, players taking the ball right out of bounds, etc.) and truly gives us a new game, I won't be convinced that the company is serious in moving the franchise forward.

With rival EA exploring new facets of the sport with its Be-A-Pro mode, I'd love to see Konami take notice and compete, but until it fixed some of it's legacy problems (such as catch-up AI, players taking the ball right out of bounds, etc.) and truly gives us a new game, I won't be convinced that the company is serious in moving the franchise forward.

PES2008 rings nothing new to the table. It’s the same old gameplay (which isn’t a bad thing), with subpar visuals and just passable sound. There’s nothing to keep you from sticking with PES6. It’s still good enough to play and enjoy, but not even having a reasonable online game is pathetic. While this is a problem that’s getting a patch in the future, PES2008 is a good game, but by no means great. The good news is that all we know at this moment in time is next year’s version is set to have new features, so hopefully it will be a much more enjoyable experience with no lag online. PES2008 is still a worthy purchase for those who are new to the series, but this season PES2008 seems to have slipped behind FIFA and Konami won’t be happy about that. Hopefully next season we’ll see a better effort.

La série des Pro Evolution Soccer ne décolle pas sur machines nouvelle génération, ni sur PC d'ailleurs. Clairement, on prend beaucoup de plaisir à jouer à cette version que l'on considère tout de même comme bonne, notamment en multi, mais l'équipe de développement semble faire du surplace en choisissant de s'ouvrir à un public moins acharné. Si l'on y ajoute les soucis de contenu et des commentaires toujours très moyens, PES peut faire beaucoup mieux

We're not sure what's going on over at Konami's PES team: On one hand, there seem to be some major issues in regards to PS3/360 development, yet the less-technically apt Wii version ends up being the game to move the franchise forward. Maybe this serves as further evidence that when it comes to sports games, it's not always about what you look like.

La série des Pro Evolution Soccer ne décolle pas sur consoles nouvelle génération. Clairement, on prend beaucoup de plaisir à jouer à cette version que l'on considère tout de même comme bonne, notamment en multi, mais l'équipe de développement semble faire du surplace en choisissant de s'ouvrir à un public moins acharné. Si l'on y ajoute les soucis de contenu et des commentaires toujours très moyens, PES peut faire beaucoup mieux.

La série des Pro Evolution Soccer ne décolle pas sur consoles nouvelle génération. Clairement, on prend beaucoup de plaisir à jouer à cette version que l'on considère tout de même comme bonne, notamment en multi, mais l'équipe de développement semble faire du surplace en choisissant de s'ouvrir à un public moins acharné. Si l'on y ajoute les soucis de contenu et des commentaires toujours très moyens, PES peut faire beaucoup mieux.

Playing Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 on the PlayStation 2 reminds you of how great the gameplay can be in the series. The console still feels like the game's natural home, not only because this version is the most fully featured, but also because it feels the best put together. The world tour and community are completely nonexistent in other versions of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, while the improvement made in player animation is most noticeable on Sony's seven-year-old console. The online mode is broken and not enough has changed to recommend an upgrade for existing players, but the PS2 can currently claim to be the best console version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

We’ve discussed how Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 does little to strengthen its position via licensing, new control features, graphics or online; sounds like a recipe for a sub 50% score, doesn’t it? But the fact of the matter is that the foundation upon which Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 was built–realistic, organic-feeling football gameplay– still makes it a competent title for all intents and purposes. We advise a rent if you already own Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007, as little has, er, evolved since last year. New fans will want to pick up this version of the franchise, however. While it’s not what we were hoping for in terms of stout competition for EACA’s SKU’s, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 still represents the pinnacle of Konami’s franchise, at least on Microsoft-branded consoles.

Die Konsole ist spielerisch wie für PES gemacht. Die Figuren verhalten sich allesamt klug, Gegner wie Computer-Mitspieler. Verschiedene Modi und Mannschaften aus aller Welt sorgen für Abwechslung. Die Geräuschkulisse in den Stadien könnte realistischer sein. Die Grafikmöglichkeiten sind begrenzt. Was bleibt ist ein noch „guter“ Gesamteindruck.

Comme on pouvait s'y attendre, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 sur PS2 se contente de petits ajustements pour ce qui n'est finalement qu'une version légèrement améliorée de Pro Evolution Soccer 6. Etant donné la très bonne tenue du précédent, on ne fera pas trop la fine bouche, même si le prix paraît du coup bien gonflé pour deux modes de jeu sympas (Mode mission, mode Communauté) et quelques nuances dans les réglages. On peut même se demander s'il ne vaut pas mieux rester sur l'ancienne version, dans la mesure où le mode en ligne n'offre pas de lobbys pour jouer à quatre. Un très bon jeu dans le fond, mais pas de quoi justifier un achat au prix fort.

Despite the shiny graphics, catchy music and long-awaited additions and tweaks, PES is showing its age as it's flogged again for another year. It's a great experience, the best we've got so far in fact, but is more of a small step than the giant leap we were once again really hoping for.

Ultimately, the success of Pro Evolution Soccer is a paradox for the game's designers. It's difficult to improve on the standard that was achieved with the fifth version of the game, but the designers could certainly start by introducing some next-gen features to the Xbox 360. Konami has tried to make subtle changes to the gameplay, some of which are successful and some of which are not. However, what the game really needs is new modes, features, and online offerings to warrant the upgrade, as well as bring it in-line with other Xbox 360 sports offerings. It will be quite a task, but next year's game needs to deliver all this and more if it's to retain its massive fan base.

PES 2008 on PS3 is for a next-gen console but it is not a next-gen game. You cannot ignore the fact that, for whatever reason, this is a poor effort from Konami. PES executive producer Shingo 'Seabass' Takatsuka himself has said that he was "shocked" at the PS3 slowdown and that he doesn't have a clue why it's happening. Unfortunately this won't cut it for gamers who have forked out hundreds of pounds for a PS3, a platform that is supposed to be the most powerful console in the world. Slowdown and poor frame rates are so last gen. It's amazing to think that some scientists have replaced supercomputers with PS3s, and an experienced game developer can't get a football game to run without having a heart attack. It is with a heavy heart, a heart that has been in love with Konami's brilliant football series for longer than I can remember, that I cannot recommend PES 2008 on the PS3 over FIFA 08 on the same console.

I enjoy playing sports titles, but in order to keep my interest over a long period of time they need features. PES 2008 is a fun game, but it has too many incomplete areas for me to truly enjoy it. The lack of Germany and the US national teams really killed offline multiplayer sessions for my group of friends. I don’t mind that all of the leagues aren’t included and could easily ignore the missing leagues and teams if every International roster was fully licensed in the game. The online offerings feel extremely dated, and the editing features are negated by the difficulty of getting community updates without being banned from Xbox Live or spending countless hours doing it yourself. The Master League is deep and entertaining, but I personally prefer realistic settings more than fantasy settings so the appeal was lost after a few weeks of playtime. Overall, the game isn’t bad, but it certainly needs more licenses, online features, and modes to justify recommending it.

Redeeming the game from utter disgrace is the inclusion of an Edit mode, the ability to save goals onto the hard drive and an expanded (and lengthened) Master League mode. These are minor plus points for a fundamentally flawed game. Its unforgivable misplacing of trust from the fans and it feels like Konami just couldn’t be bothered. Therefore the fans can’t be bothered and they have a lot of make-up in front of them before we purchase another PES.

"Pro Evolution Soccer 2008" (PES 08) doesn't really live up to the competition this year. The game mode still offers endless hours of gameplay and the player models and animation is brilliant, but the visuals are starting to look dated, The online is a mess with numerous glitches and it offers nothing new in single player from PES 6. If you're a big PES or football fan this is still a good game to have in your collection, but for other gamers I would give it a rent and decide from there.

Drôle de pari que ce premier Pro Evolution Soccer sur Wii. Quand d'autres n'hésitent pas à simplifier le gameplay quitte à bêtifier, Konami adopte le point de vue inverse avec une approche assez élitiste, qui transforme une simulation de football en RTS. Une originalité qui se révèle payante, surtout en position d'attaque, avec des passes précises et des vrais-faux appels à volonté. Mais pour un jeu qui réclame autant de précision sur des questions de timing, de dosage et de placement, surtout en défense, l'investissement à consentir paraît démesuré pour approcher ne serait-ce qu'un minimum l'équilibre d'une jouabilité "classique". Pas assez précis en défense pour les puristes, très difficile de prise en main pour les novices, malgré un didacticiel soigné, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 sur Wii saura tenter les fans en quête d'un jeu de football différent, sans plus d'exigence.

Cette version PC atteint même des sommets dans le zéro optimisation typique des éditeurs japonais, avec une interface comme toujours pensée pour une manette, mais en pire, et surtout un mode en ligne qui a tout d'une très mauvaise plaisanterie. Bref, même si l'on gagne quelques ajouts dans les mouvements, dans l'habillage ou du côté de l'I.A., on peut difficilement se contenter d'une version aussi mal fichue.

Quand PES 6 sur Next Gen avait joué la carte de la sécurité en adaptant à quelques détails près le gameplay subtil de la version PS2, PES 2008 se perd en chemin. La physique de balle est toujours sans égale, mais il faut subir cette année des placements défensifs complètement à l'ouest et un rythme de jeu trop élevé, surtout quand on se la joue simu. Pire, le jeu en ligne sur console nouvelle génération se limite au duel. Bref, même si l'on gagne quelques ajouts dans les mouvements, dans l'habillage ou du côté de l'I.A., on peut difficilement se contenter d'une version à l'économie, surtout quand la concurrence met les bouchées doubles pour creuser l'écart.

Quand PES 6 sur Next Gen avait joué la carte de la sécurité en adaptant à quelques détails près le gameplay subtil de la version PS2, PES 2008 se perd en chemin. La physique de balle est toujours sans égale, mais il faut subir cette année des placements défensifs complètement à l'ouest et un rythme de jeu trop élevé, surtout quand on se la joue simu. Pire, le jeu en ligne sur console nouvelle génération se limite au duel. Bref, même si l'on gagne quelques ajouts dans les mouvements, dans l'habillage ou du côté de l'I.A., on peut difficilement se contenter d'une version à l'économie, surtout quand la concurrence met les bouchées doubles pour creuser l'écart.

PES 2008 sur Wii n'est ni convaincant, ni raté. Son principal souci est de ne cibler personne en particulier et de débarquer bien trop tard, en dépit de la faible concurrence sur le support. Si cette première tentative ne restera pas dans les annales, elle possède des qualités intrinsèques indéniables. La série a un avenir sur Wii.

After years of living up to the name of evolving the beautiful game, Konami's latest Pro Evolution Soccer effort is an embarrassment for a series that has served as the dominant title in the genre. Admittedly, the Teamvision AI and core gameplay are still intact and quite good, but there isn't a lot here to emphatically recommend an upgrade from last year's game. The edit mode, normally a staple of the PES experience, is neutered in comparison to the PS2 installment's, and the online multiplayer is a laggy embarrassment. If you've absolutely got to have the latest title, there's some fun to be had in Pro Evolution Soccer 2008's single-player and offline multiplayer, but the rest of the experience has serious problems. You'd be better off picking up the PS2 version.

After years of living up to the name of evolving the beautiful game, Konami's latest Pro Evolution Soccer effort is an embarrassment for a series that has served as the dominant title in the genre. Admittedly, the Teamvision AI and core gameplay are still intact and quite good, but there isn't a lot here to emphatically recommend an upgrade from last year's game. The edit mode, normally a staple of the PES experience, is neutered in comparison to the PS2 installment's, and the online multiplayer is a laggy embarrassment. If you've absolutely got to have the latest title, there's some fun to be had in Pro Evolution Soccer 2008's single-player and offline multiplayer, but the rest of the experience has serious problems. You'd be better off picking up the PS2 version.

Konami has created a soccer game that had all the potential to be a world class leader. If it were not for the slowdown issues that gripe this release, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 would be the best edition of the game in the series. The gameplay has been finely tuned to perfection and it plays the 'beautiful game' sublimely, far better than EA Sports' and its soccer fest could even dream of. But with such a glaring technical hitch Konami could have a battle on their hands as they go up against the far smoother FIFA 08 this Christmas.

If you're a PES fan then you've already gone and bought the game so our words are meaningless, but hopefully PES 2008 will convince you to hold onto your hard earned before making the purchase next year. The PES brand is currently sinking into shark infested waters and it seems that no matter how loud people shout the problems that have plagued the series since the beginning still aren't being addressed. Konami must try harder because you only have to look at the various message boards across the internet to see that fans are starting to revolt. Even with the faster, more fluid gameplay it still can't detract from the faults that surround it. We can only hope that next year is the true return to form.

Ultimately, the success of Pro Evolution Soccer is a paradox for the game's designers. It's difficult to improve on the standard that was achieved with the fifth version of the game, but the designers could certainly start by introducing some next-generation features to the PlayStation 3. Although it's bad enough that it doesn't differ from its predecessor in any noteworthy way, the technical problems and laggy online mode combine to make cause serious gameplay issues. Hopefully some of the flaws will be fixed with future patches, but as it stands right now, PES 2008 is essentially an incomplete game.

Taking into account the design flaws, AI inconsistencies, the lack of progression and that the PS2 version is arguably a lot better (and cheaper) than the ‘next-gen’ versions yet again (albeit very little different to PES 6 save for some subtle differences), but also taking into account that for some people the frame-rate issues and online play aren’t as bad as they are for others, PES 2008 still just about manages to scrape a six.

But that's just the problem: They've been building on this foundation for a long time, and when the main structure is complete, all that's left to do is perform maintenance and splash on a new coat of paint. Little maintenance problems tend to go wrong (i.e., the A.I. issues), and Pro Evo for the current generation of powerful systems obviously needs some new paint. It seems that the development team did just enough to get by, hence the slightly above-average grade and the recommendation that if you absolutely must play a new soccer game this year, either try out FIFA 08, the cheaper PS2 version of Pro Evo 2008, or the intriguing new motion control scheme on Wii.

Ultimately, Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is a disappointment. It's better off with its small gameplay tweaks, but it isn't a great change from the previous instalment. The state of the online play is, quite frankly, disgraceful. Konami has built in PES a series known for its constantly evolving and improving gameplay, but if PES2008 is anything to go by, they're abusing this reputation. It's comparable to the thirty-something footballer in the twilight of his career; once a magician on the field, but now a fallen star who is content to sit on the bench for his massive pay cheque. PES needs to be the teenage upstart who's making his way in the game; eager to learn, determined to succeed, and playing with passion.