I’ve been very excited about playing the new Pro Evo game and finally it’s taken its rightful place as the most played game on my Xbox 360 – funnily enough the last most played game was PES 6. Luckily, I got my copy a few days before the big media cup event in London. Mark Lawrensen and John Champion were also there as they’re doing the much-improved commentary but it was funny when Normski who was hosting the event called Lauro Martin Lawrence. I half expected the Bad Boys music to play and someone to come on stage in a big female fat suit. Instead, a not very amused Mark Lawrensen. Whoops. Anyway, onto the game.
So it’s back and it the main thing you’ll notice is the presentation’s better. The menus are clearer, the music’s better, the commentary is so much better than Mr Chumley-Warner that used to do it and the player models have over-taken FIFA. Yes, even though this game hasn’t got the licensed club teams, it does look better and almost sounds as good. Strangely, as far as premiership teams go, they’ve lost the licenses for Arsenal and Man U and have instead gained Newcastle and Spurs. My housemate Will will be happy.
The game also plays faster too. There’s a lot more pace about the game and the players seem to have even more weight about them as they fall over each other, block each other off and occasionally stick out a leg to commit a foul. You can even dive in this game. I tried it once and once only and got yellow carded. Only try it if you’re in dire need of a penalty at the end of a game.
The game has the usual Cup, League and Master League modes but if you’re like me you’ll play this game mostly against other people at home or on Xbox Live. Unfortunately the game’s suffering from lag like the last one did and that puts me off playing online at the moment as it’s very annoying when opponents teleport about and then the ball ends up in the back of your net. I am, however, confident this will be fixed soon.
It’s now also possible to add extra players to you wall and take them away if necessary and to trick your opponent into thinking you’re aiming one way then shoot the other when you get a free kick which is a nice touch even though seldom used.
Like most sports games this one’s the same, with some slight changes which you’ll either like, hate, or have to get used to.
I’ll love it more when they sort out online play jerkiness so, assuming that’s going to be fixed it gets 9 out of 10.
