PlayStation 2

Pro Evolution Soccer 2

Une simulation qui s’approche encore un peu plus de la perfection pour cette fois ci la frôler pour de bon. Difficile de reprocher quoi que ce soit au gameplay mais les puristes regretteront l’absence de vrais joueurs, les noms fantaisistes ou le championnat imaginaire.

The only real issues I have with this game are its accessibility and playability for a beginner. The controls began as thoroughly confusing and combined with the breadth of gameplay options made for a very annoying first few hours of play. It is however magnificently crafted both visually (watch out for Mr Beckham's now sadly out-dated Mohican), and aurally with the ambient sounds of the chanting crowds and the ever-present (if not slightly annoying) nasal tones of Trevor Brooking. Most importantly however, it is despite my qualms, a more enjoyable and convincing 'football' experience than any other such game on the PS2, and that is quite a compliment.

Aiming is nearly impossible, and most shots sail far over the goal. My friends and I experimented quite a bit and were never able to overcome this horrendous flaw. Another major problem is the lack of configuration options. Sure you can do worthless things like edit a team's flag, but you can't adjust basic parameters like fouls, offsides, or replay frequency. Winning Eleven makes a terrific first impression, but the more you play, the more glaring its flaw become. Winning Eleven has some nice ideas and delivers some excitement, but it needs more time to bake in the oven.