Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Review

Konami’s soccer franchise is back for its annual outing. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 takes gamers to a virtual soccer field where the guys at Konami have been competing like hell for the right to claim the best soccer game in the world. EA’s FIFA franchise has, at least by measure of aggregate review scores, taken the lead. Does that all change this year?

Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, known by its fans simply as PES, is in its eleventh year now. The folks at Konami have soccer development down to an art form. This is a game by soccer fans for soccer fans. This is a game largely about atmosphere and creating the illusion that you are actually watching a live soccer game. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 does a fantastic job of that, as it always has.

One of the bigger changes from past games is the AI. The level of difficulty can be intense if you up the skill setting. Thankfully new tools such as the Teammate Control system allow you to better manage your team and where you want the ball to go. Controls are also noticeably improved with the ball seeming to move more fluidly.

Pro Evolution has a number of different leagues and national teams. This is always impressive to me since you can play pretty much as anyone that you want or compete against teams from around the globe. Unfortunately, not all of the teams are licensed and some in fact have fictional names. This does not directly impact gameplay, but for those expecting a completely authentic experience, take note.

Of course the biggest question that people will ask is whether to buy Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 or FIFA 12. It’s admittedly a tough call. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 has seen some nice improvements in the AI and controls. I guess you can say that “true” fans would prefer PES to FIFA, but that might be a little unfair. However, it is true that if you like a more complicated game, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 is the way to go.