Come on folks, show us your love with some thoughts on the beautiful game! PES4 was officially released today in Europe but seems to have been available since mid-week depending on location, got my copy yesterday.
Here are my positive and negative remarks after four hours play with England. I'm comparing the game to PES3 so no snobby WE8 types saying this was all in the latest Japanese game, thanks
Positives
+ Simple passing is more intricate and subtle, you can pass to the player beyond the immediate short pass easily and have more angles to work with. Weaving that pass through the midfield to a deep lying striker can now be done in tighter situations.
+ The first yard of movement away from the defender is more crucial.
+ Even starting off on 3 star the computer ai can build some nice attacks, something they were incapable of in PES3.
+ Using L1 + square for a lobbed shot is more effective, similar to how it was in PES2.
+ One-twos are slightly sharper and easier to use, maybe just the difficulty I'm playing on at the moment though.
+ Better defensive ai for crossed balls, still not great but improving.
+ The double tap circle button for whipped in crosses is a nice new addition
+ Like the new throw-in method
+ refs aren't as card happy.
+ More detailed stats and graphical representations of the shots on goal.
+ Quicker loading
+ Better menu system all round. Not fundamentally different but a nice spit and polish.
+ The nets! more polys mean better ball nestling in onion bag sensation! Also different colours which is a nice touch I don't remember from PES3.
+ Spot sfx, ball hitting ad hoardings and a nice twang against the posts (too similar for posts, bar and the different angles tho').
+ New background music and even the tone of changing menu selection is a welcome relief. 12 months is too long for the same BGM and sfx, another 12 and I'd be cuckoo.
+ England have a C for zonal press, ha, KCET were obviously watching 'em play Portugal in the summer!
Negatives
- Slowdown. With crowds & stadium effects on, ouch. It can be bad at corners and when the ball is put into a crowded area. Slow-mo when taking goalkicks with the camera behind the goalie and oddly in some cut-scenes. Another problem is the amount of slowdown also depends on the stadia so it isn't consistent. This is all at 60Hz, 50Hz is meant to alleviate the problem, haven't tried the mode yet.
- There seems to be a glitch with the v-sync again on 60Hz, nothing major but it is apparant.
- the black screen just before a corner can appear for a couple of seconds too long.
- Not happy with the on-screen representation for the ref. They don't interfere in the play to a great extent but when wearing a similar shade of sleeve or shorts to either of the teams it can confuse when they're in peripheral vision. Can't help with the slowdown either.
- The refs generally seem rather fussy. Able to get my player in-between ball and man quite legitimately and got called for a foul also could allow a bit more shoulder to shoulder action.
- Still don't think advantage works too well
- Couple of times now a central defender has turned 180 degrees to face up the field rather unrealistically and quickly when gaining possession of the ball.
- Damned Calamity James is responsible for three of the eight or so goals conceded! Okay I'm playing on three star but the goalie ai is flakier than PES3 seemed.
- The squads are still woefully out of date. Lampard and Rooney are finally in the England line-up and Bridge is back-up for Cole. However, King and Smith left out for Upson and Heskey, gah. No Defoe either while Scholes and Southgate are still in the squad. Konami had until early-mid September for roster changes this could and should have been fixed!
The game is easier to adapt to from PES3 than PES3 was from PES2. Defending doesn't seem so unfamiliar. Great stuff so far but surprisingly glitchy.
Here are my positive and negative remarks after four hours play with England. I'm comparing the game to PES3 so no snobby WE8 types saying this was all in the latest Japanese game, thanks
Positives
+ Simple passing is more intricate and subtle, you can pass to the player beyond the immediate short pass easily and have more angles to work with. Weaving that pass through the midfield to a deep lying striker can now be done in tighter situations.
+ The first yard of movement away from the defender is more crucial.
+ Even starting off on 3 star the computer ai can build some nice attacks, something they were incapable of in PES3.
+ Using L1 + square for a lobbed shot is more effective, similar to how it was in PES2.
+ One-twos are slightly sharper and easier to use, maybe just the difficulty I'm playing on at the moment though.
+ Better defensive ai for crossed balls, still not great but improving.
+ The double tap circle button for whipped in crosses is a nice new addition
+ Like the new throw-in method
+ refs aren't as card happy.
+ More detailed stats and graphical representations of the shots on goal.
+ Quicker loading
+ Better menu system all round. Not fundamentally different but a nice spit and polish.
+ The nets! more polys mean better ball nestling in onion bag sensation! Also different colours which is a nice touch I don't remember from PES3.
+ Spot sfx, ball hitting ad hoardings and a nice twang against the posts (too similar for posts, bar and the different angles tho').
+ New background music and even the tone of changing menu selection is a welcome relief. 12 months is too long for the same BGM and sfx, another 12 and I'd be cuckoo.
+ England have a C for zonal press, ha, KCET were obviously watching 'em play Portugal in the summer!
Negatives
- Slowdown. With crowds & stadium effects on, ouch. It can be bad at corners and when the ball is put into a crowded area. Slow-mo when taking goalkicks with the camera behind the goalie and oddly in some cut-scenes. Another problem is the amount of slowdown also depends on the stadia so it isn't consistent. This is all at 60Hz, 50Hz is meant to alleviate the problem, haven't tried the mode yet.
- There seems to be a glitch with the v-sync again on 60Hz, nothing major but it is apparant.
- the black screen just before a corner can appear for a couple of seconds too long.
- Not happy with the on-screen representation for the ref. They don't interfere in the play to a great extent but when wearing a similar shade of sleeve or shorts to either of the teams it can confuse when they're in peripheral vision. Can't help with the slowdown either.
- The refs generally seem rather fussy. Able to get my player in-between ball and man quite legitimately and got called for a foul also could allow a bit more shoulder to shoulder action.
- Still don't think advantage works too well
- Couple of times now a central defender has turned 180 degrees to face up the field rather unrealistically and quickly when gaining possession of the ball.
- Damned Calamity James is responsible for three of the eight or so goals conceded! Okay I'm playing on three star but the goalie ai is flakier than PES3 seemed.
- The squads are still woefully out of date. Lampard and Rooney are finally in the England line-up and Bridge is back-up for Cole. However, King and Smith left out for Upson and Heskey, gah. No Defoe either while Scholes and Southgate are still in the squad. Konami had until early-mid September for roster changes this could and should have been fixed!
The game is easier to adapt to from PES3 than PES3 was from PES2. Defending doesn't seem so unfamiliar. Great stuff so far but surprisingly glitchy.
