Pro Evolution Soccer 2017

Soccer has always been a staple in any video game library, and for years now we’ve always had the choice between two giants, FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer. Both consistently are strong in different ways, but while one focuses more on the presentation and overall flare that comes with watching a game of soccer on television, the other has worked to refine its gameplay to such a fine point that it is almost unmatched. Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 shows finesse when understanding the delicacies of the sport and is an absolute pleasure to play.

This has never been more apparent than in PES 2017, where enemy AI has evolved yet again, preventing the ability to be tricky and re-use strategies to get goal after goal. I found myself constantly looking for different ways to get past the keeper, and genuinely enjoyed changing it up on every attempt in an effort to try and capitalize on my opponents missed opportunities. Goal keepers also feel smart and make an effort to actually hold onto the ball rather than simply knocking it back out into dangerous territory, which stops frustration and adds to the realism.

There are a multitude of features in the overall package, while nothing drastically different from previous years, they all offer a variety of ways to play. MyClub has you hiring team members and building up the strength of your squad both online and offline, there are championships to be contested and also Master League has you putting on the manager hat to try and steer your club to success both on and off the field.

When it comes to presentation, things look pretty great. While there is the odd awkward collision, this is much less than I’ve seen previously, and generally speaking the choice of highlights and replays add to the flow of the game rather than detract from it. The crowd is also solid and the sounds on the field place you right there with the players, but it’s the commentary that sort of lets the experience down. They tend to repeat phrases, which is obvious during long play sessions, to the point where I was actually quoting them half the time due to their predictability. That’s a fairly small complaint though given the sights and sounds of the field were otherwise consistently good.