by Robert Workman on Thursday, March 13, 2008
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is decent fun. However, the overall game hasn't changed that much from last year, aside from a few subtle touches that only the most devoted soccer fans will notice.
Players may look realistic here, but in motion, they're a different story.
When it comes to kicking a black-and-white ball up and down the field, Konami knows the mechanics of soccer very well. Of course, it's been nailing it for years with the Winning Eleven series, so that shouldn't be a shock to the system. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 carries this tradition well for the most part, aside from a few ridiculous dive moves that feel out of place. The artificial intelligence is very focused, thanks to the addition of a new Teamvision artificial intelligence system. Keep in mind, however, that it may be too experienced for its own good, especially for newcomers. When you pick Brazil and can't even score a single goal, you know you're in trouble.
In terms of graphics, Konami hasn't really put much effort into this year's version. In fact, aside from the stamping of the "2008" logo on the box, you probably couldn't even tell the differences between this version and last year's effort. The players still look good, but hardly great; the fifteen fields show little diversity, but have very interactive crowds; and the game moves very smoothly as far as off-line play goes. It's not a terrible-looking game, but considering that this is Konami's eighth go-around with the series, you'd think it would have bumped up the visuals. EA Sports' FIFA 08 by comparison is a smoother running game.
The announcing is generic at best, handled by the new team of Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson. It won't put you to sleep, but it's soccer-themed psychobabble at best, rather than pinpoint play-by-play action. At least the crowds sound authentic enough to keep you booting the ball.
One other note – you can scan your face onto a player using a Microsoft USB camera. This is a decent option, letting you implement yourself into the game. Unfortunately, your player matches up with only basic skills, so you don't play well.
As far as options go, you have a few modes to play around with. Exhibition is probably your best bet when it comes to getting in a few quick kicks. However, if you're a soccer nut, Master League is worth a little time. Here, you set up your team to perfection, running through several management options and keeping your players in line for interview, transfers, training and more. It's in-depth enough to satisfy fans of the sport, but the fact of the matter is there's not really anything amazingly new here. Most of the features in this mode are recycled, with only a few slight touch-ups here and there to keep it from getting dull.
Even talking to the press feels recycled.
As for online play, forget it. Konami thought it would be enough to include Xbox Live support against others, but it's got two things working against it. First, the options are bare-boned and incredibly limited. You can't set up tournaments or leagues of any kind, which means you stick with typical ranked and unranked matches. Secondly, the game lags so much you'll turn it off before finishing a single match.
With Pro Evolution Soccer 2008, Konami doesn't spoil the soup, but it does little to spice it up. The gameplay will still satisfy fans and the Master League still has its moments. However, the series has grown stale and the lack of stable online functionality and options keep the ball out of the net. Maybe with next year's edition, Konami will rebuild the game from the ground up and make it something spectacular. Until then, this is a "been there, done that" effort that's worth a rental unless you already have last year's game in your collection.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Game Guide
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