PES 2016: Offline modes made to wait for roster update

Despite the overall beauty of the presentation, there are moments when stiff animations or freakish player movements bring you back to reality. The Fox Engine truly shines in PES this year. All PES had to do was make its actual football so good that the rest of the game’s junk became less of a concern. Now, the game is better equipped to allow the powerful defender to utilise his body in the same manner as his real-world counterpart. It’s immensely satisfying to tweak a small element of the formula, be it introducing a more rugged forward in the twilight of the match or dropping one of your midfielders into a more defensive role, and feel tangible, game-changing results. Dragons don’t exist, so when you see a dragon in a game, you are seeing the design of the developer.

Rich Grisham has been writing and podcasting about sports video games for over a decade. Master League excels with better simulation mechanics, player position affinity setups, a tighter presentation and more add-on’s that make you feel like the ultimate soccer GM.

Double tap the sprint trigger when you receive possession in a tight spot for a quick burst of acceleration, allowing you break away from opposing players.

Pro Evolution Soccer 16 has been a joy to play.

PES doesn’t fall short in the audio department, either.

2015 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Pro Evolution Soccer franchise.

It is thought that this year’s PES game could make significant ground up on the chart topping forerunner Federation Internationale de Football Association due to this critical success. But they might not be enough to tempt people from moving over to its rival, PES 2016. More often than should be the case, holding the button to get him to rush out will cause him to just flat ignore you. The “feeling” of the game hasn’t been this refreshing in years.

If you want to get the absolute most from your team then you’re going to have to take some time to understand each individual’s “player role”.

However, it is a little worrying that this serves as arguably the biggest headline about the game, rather than a reboot of the physics engine, or how the game itself plays. This is further complemented by improved AI which makes you think before you act and does a noticeably better job of defending against attacks. It’s possible to review demos on Steam, and again that page is chock-full of “mostly negative” missives, complaining about the nasty low-resolution assets, and the seemingly misleading screenshots plastered all over Steam.

Well the graphic artists have certainly got some of the Everton FC players correct and they are instantly recognisable – but others leave you wondering if their own mothers would recognise them.

The Master League offers a management system which, although still light, is more packed than ever. Although, in reality, neither Chelsea or Manchester City, or their awkwardly-named doppelgangers, have much Champions League hope. Unfortunately, it is not good news though as we can confirm that the PES 2016 Data Pack 1 patch release date will not happen yet for at least another month. It hits the flawless balance between a title that is fun to just pick up and play, and one that you can obsess over for hours. It’s implemented really well. Although it walks you through the basics, navgating the plethora of lists and menus is a chore and trying to get your cursor on the players you want to move around is a nightmare. Like in real life, there is a constant roar of cacophonous cheers, chants and jeers from the crowds that change depending on the team, stadium and game situation.

The general consensus seems to be that PES 2016 has the better of Federation Internationale de Football Association 16 in gameplay terms – a first for the series since its PS2 heyday. There’s also solid but repetitive commentary, an upbeat licensed soundtrack which, for some reason, plays the same couple of songs ad nauseam, and even Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, which is used to pump you up during certain modes’ introduction cinematics.

At long last, the team at Pro Evolution have roared back to the top of the charts this year with an exhilarating brand of football that challenges FIFA – and wins – in nearly every way. Newcomers will likely find it the most user-friendly way to play Pro Evo – controlling a single person is much less complex than managing an entire club – but longtime players may be dismayed by its lack of updates. I learned (and re-learned numerous times) this the hard way when I tried to slide tackle my way to victory during my first match, which resulted in me getting shellacked 6-0, with a ticker-tape parade of red cards raining down on the pitch.