The PES 2016 Review (Transcript)
The PES 2016 Review
This is the 4th review for the Playstation Zeitgeist – and this is the second (and probably last) review concerning the franchise. But it isn’t because of the game. You know the deal with these reviews – is it not optional, is it middling, or is it do not buy. Let’s get started.
Gameplay
Last year, 2015 was the first PlayStation 4 version of PES with the Fox Engine, and as for 2016, they added more animations than ever before. The game feels much different and in some ways better than ’15. Collision detection is good at times, but poor in other aspects. The way they handled AI is different this year, the AI rebounds in harder levels than in lower levels. And that’s due to the customization of players and play styles. It makes a huge difference – however it takes much too long to get it fixed to the playstyles that are more “realistic”. The game feels fine, but the issues with players and how long it took for many to be in the game killed a lot of the promise the game has. While many older PES fans were majorly disappointed with how the lack of new players were handled, and how nagging issues still plagued the game from the PS3 days. But the major other changes have made the game work, the addiction of weather, momentum shifts and so on. Shooting is a bit off at times, passing can be hit or miss, but when it does hit its sublime. They still don’t fight in the box as much as they do in the actual game, and the lack of foul calls is concerning because there is usually 10 stoppages of play on average in a EPL/LaLiga match – and there is usually momentum shifts that come from the set piece being lose to the goal, etc. The ingatanables are sort of there and yet sort of missing. Goalies are still a bit players instead of directing the defense and stopping goals – which should be the next logical step between PES and FIFA, instead of just stopping goals.
Less Spartan than last year is Master League. More involved than last year’s version, there is more of a gm-role for those who are in Master League, and mostly a schedule for Become a Legend. Master League is more involved this year. Players upgrade, trades are done, and like last year version – a season takes a toll on a team. Strongly I see more fouls between rivals in Master League than I see anywhere else in the game, but it still too small compared to the EPL/LaLiga match as stated before. The Euro and UEFA Champions League is still good goals to reach in master league, and feeling of winning the trophy never changes. The announcers changed, but not nessarlly for the better. Konami went with Peter Durey this year but to me, excitement doesn’t mean shouting at inopportune moments.
Online:
Online, the focus was on My Club last year, and this year it has increased. My Club is where the majority of the focus of Online was made for this game, and unlike many of the other games Konami has done, the myclub coins are given much more generously. The layout has changed, and for the better – you are able to recharge one or all of the players stamina – but it runs down in these matches faster. You changes players into trainers, which can help if you have mulitable players of the same type or need to get rid of weaker players. One of the things that hurt MyClub this time around? The servers cant find other online players in lower levels (that’s mostly my fault but im ok at this game) and the servers have issues (that recently got fixed as of this taping). All in all, Online is fun this time around, while close matches make PES more inviting than FIFA at least online.
The Verdict:
However, given the fact changes to the lineup came very, very late – changes to the game came just as much later, and issues of Konami not withstanding, this still has enough for a buy if you’re a fan, and a rental at the very least if not so much of a fan of FIFA and want to see what the competitors are doing. You will not be disappointed for the most part. However the lack of a UEFA Euro Tournament (which they said they will add by 2016) kind of hurt the sequence of modes in this game. This game came a time for great controversy and change in Konami, not for the better in both circumstances. With all the issues that have come out in recent months, It was very hard and conflicting to do this review. But the sport is bigger than even the two games FIFA and PES, and so out of respect (and newfound appreation thanks to Madam Lowe and The Two Robbies and the folks producing the best sporting product this side of the of Sunday Night Football (same networks, natch) – I decided to do this review…But this could be the last review for PES (truly?) because of what happened in Konami. Are changes ahead for PES2017? Will there even Be One? Is the Fox Engine going to be relegated to Yugi-Oh stories and PES? Or is it all over – and Fox Engine goes to the bins of the Gambling Machines Of Japan in April of 2016? The drama outside of this game, maybe just as big as the drama inside…
For all of us on the Playstation Zeitgeist – this is Novid from Last Station District 4 – we will see you next time.
Later.