Pro Evolution Soccer 4 – Review

Now this is the stuff. Pro Evo…THE football game…THE game that PS2 owners always had to throw in everyone’s face. Finally it’s made it to Xbox Wouldn’t it be great if it was Xbox live enabled to?!?!? Well Ladies, Gentleman, and Children of all ages IT IS!!!!! If there was ever one game that was wanted by Xbox-ers, it would be this. Yeah, fair enough there’s FIFA (big whoopee doo!). But Pro Evo is known as ‘the’ football game, for people who like (love) football. It plays like football, it looks like football, blimey charlie it IS football, or as close as possible without actually running about

I’ve been waiting for this for bloomin ages. Yes there was Fifa, but i wanted Pro evo. I could have got it for my PS2, but i thought “one day it’ll be here for my Xbox…one day”. And finally, it’s here. Was i right to wait?? Simple answer…Yes. This game is brilliant. The only other Pro Evolution type games i played were, International Superstar Soccer, on the super Nintendo and the N64. These were great games. It seemed like real football when you were playing. There was never any ten nil drubbings, games always seemed fair. True sometimes you could runaway with a game, and you may win five, maybe six nil. But if you put the game on a decent level of skill, you’d get a good game. And Pro Evolution Soccer 4 is no different. Play this on at least level two (level one’s for losers, unless your just starting out), and you’ll be having a fair, well fought game of footy.

Of course using the better teams (Man Utd), is going to give you the upper hand, but playing as lower teams (Man City), can be good, after you learn the controls, and how the game plays. There’s great training levels, that takes you through all you need to know, it even gives you the rules of football. You’ll get levels on how to pass, short & long. Shooting practice, and long ball plays, pretty useful for novices & also good for everyone else to polish up their skills.

You’ve got the normal ‘exhibition’ match option, where you can pit any team on offer, against any other team, whether they be national or club team. So you can pit France against Arsenal (Thierry Henry all over the show). There’s also the league mode, where you choose to play in one of the European leagues. Cup mode, where you play through one of four tournaments. And master league, where your team starts off as a rubbish team, down the bottom, and it’s down to you to lift them to the top of the first division. This is not only done by winning (but this is a big part of it), but by buying new players, resting players, and making that all important game winning substitution.

Now FIFA has always had the ‘official’ card to play against Pro evo, meaning that it’s got ALL team names, and player names, and stadium names too. But Pro evo is making a come back (until EA buy Konami at least . This year Pro evo’s got over 3000 licensed players, fully licensed teams & leagues from Italy and Spain, plus 57 national teams, and 80 European clubs, plus a load from the UK. So it’s catching up with it’s flashy trouser wearing cousin in that respect.

Now the big question on any football game is…….playability????? Pro Evo 4 is playable..very playable..too bloomin playable actually!! It’s got the ‘one more go’ thing going on in a big way. If you like football, you’ll love this. If you like fun games, you’ll love this. It’s a great great game. Players react, and act like there real life counterparts. Give the ball to Henry or Ronaldo, and watch them carve there way through the opposition with ease. But try to go on a glory run with Sol Campbell, and you’ll get caught…by everyone, because Sol isn’t the quickest, and he’s not meant to be. Each player plays like they should, defenders defend, midfielders attack, or defend, depending on who they are, and strikers…strike!! But when it comes to set plays Sol will be up there, ready for the header..get in their Sol!!! Animation on the players is great. Fast tricky players like Ronaldo, really look quick and fancy, with his step overs coming off nicely.

Controls are great as well. A quick tap on the pass button does a short pass in conjunction with the control stick, and a harder push gives you a longer pass (no really). Shooting is the same, if your near goal press shoot quickly for a low shot. If your further out, press down for longer, but you need to judge it right, the goal keepers aint gonna let any old shot in. It also helps taking a long range shot with someone who can actually take a long range shot. Only this afternoon i was playing and Roberto Carlos scored a 30 yard screamer!! Top corner, goal keeper didn’t stand a chance!!
Beautiful.

Online via Xbox live (PS2 is not online), is o.k so far for me. I’ve read on forums that people have had pretty bad lag when playing on live. But the games I’ve played have all been o.k. Plus Konami are meant to making a patch to sort this problem out.

The female aspect of the game is … er…. not good. The players are all fellas, this is football afterall and as with many sports women are generally ignored which is lame. Still try not to let that worry you, because it’s a fan-bloomin-tastic game.

This is presently the best football game, on the best console, and the best online service. Some people think it’s all over for other consoles……..it is now!!!

Review by Roy