The first gameplay impressions of PES2011 have surfaced compliments of Spanish site Vandal.net and at a whopping five pages long should have loads of content to get your teeth into.

The first page of the preview of the game can be found HERE so get reading!

It seems there are concerns over response times and the keepers in what they have emphasised is an early showing of the game(the earliest Konami have shown the game to press) but are at pains to also point out the progress the game has made in other areas. Overall a very balanced write up.

A nice little (very) early morning bonus for some as they awake to what should be a day rammed full of content and WENB will be there every step of the way.

They’re are a mixture of gameplay videos and highlights. First one is Real Madrid vs Man UTD:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to see it in HD!

After the jump we have Juventus vs Fiorentina.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here for the HD version!

Thanks again to Adam for the videos. Stay tuned for some more throughout the weekend!

Seabass responds to questions about FIFA 10, Community involvement, and even J-League – certainly a fantastic interview that gives great insight. Hit the jump for the the full Q&A!

The header pic? A PES 2010 T-Shirt given to Gari by Seabass :D

What was the motivation for officially involving the community/fans this time, compared to previous years?

Its been our 3rd year now on next-gen on both PS3 and Xbox 360 and its PES 2010 and we switched the online situation to our previous versions which means we are a little bit more stable now so we thought it was perfect timing to open our ears and listen to our fans finally. We have been in quite a crisis over the last couple of years because we were so busy internally but now we are a little bit more relaxed and with more time on our hands, it was time to listen to the people that matter, the fans. However its very important that this is not a one-off but we will continue to do this.

Which do you think of as more important listening to the fans feedback or do you have specific goals you want to hit for example?

Well actually thats a very good question. The team creates the core first and we set out to make it a simulation style game for the people of Europe to enjoy and that is our duty as a team. Everytime we create the game, in the past we would just do the actions of the players and then we build up from there using the actions that we have created but this year we have done it a little differently where we first set a goal and then work with our fans through feedback and opinions.

Have you and your team ever thought that a PES title every year is too much on next-gen and that by having a game every 2 years, you and your team could address certain issues that need addressing and in turn, you would have more time to work on these issues?

Yes your right especially since we have gone into the next-gen console market. We have loads of things we want to do and ideally bringing out a game every 2 years is something that would help us, however we believe that 1 game per year is the best option as thats something the fans want to see and with the innovation that we have achieved just with PES 2010 alone, i cant see us as a team not making a game every year.

Do you have any plans to expand the managerial options within PES? As a lot of fans want to see this happen.

In PES 2010 we implemented the stategy side of things which include the ‘sliders’ and the ‘card system’ and i think this is a nice first step in making bigger strides in the management area so far, for the first time, the management mode has more depth that you can change the type of style you want your team to play as and also your player individual style aswell. Of course this is just a small step to what we want to achieve but there have been some collisions with regards to what we was going to do as to make this more more mananger or more towards action for example, however with both the sliders and the card system in place, its a perfect mix of the two and this is just the start of whats to come for this mode as we have big plans in the future.

Many fans have been talking about this for a while, do you think that we will see a Master League online implemented into PES? maybe PES 2011?

Yes we have been thinking about this for a very long time actually but unfortunatly it wasnt in PES 2010 but we have definatly been talking about this for a long time. We have explored the online modes in PES and of course we have added the Champions League online for PES 2010 and we have also expanded the community mode online as we know that this is something the fans wanted. We are still exploring the online side but a Master League Online is definatly something we would like to include in future versions of PES although my answer at the moment is not a definate one im afraid.

Are there any plans to bulk-up the way set-pieces happen?

Yes as we think that the set-piece part of matches plays a very important part and that is also the same within the management side of things aswell. We have plans to do this and its one of the things that is top of our list and something that alot of fans want to see happen. Of course the other tactical aspects will improve the game but this is for sure, something we want to improve. Its a very important option for both normal and the management side of the game.

What part of the development of PES 2010, did you find the most challenging?

Well the most difficult part i would say is that we didnt want to take away the attacking experience but at the same time, we wanted to change the balance from the games in the series before now so that the games will not turn out 4-4 or 5-5 for instance. There for we needed to balance this out. For example, if you was playing Brazil v Brazil, it could end up being a 4-4 or a 5-5 but it could also end up being a 0-0. Also if i game like Brazil v Brazil did finish 0-0, we still wanted it to be an attacking type of game even though it was a goaless draw for instance. This was very difficult to get the balance just right but i feel we have. Also another thing is that if take the superstar players for example like Messi or Christano Ronaldo who are brilliant players in the game, how do you stop them?. By doing a strategic defense that can make sure that players of this quality can be stopped. Of course with the new tactical options etc, this is possible. I would say that this is the one thing that was challenging for me and my team as we needed to get the balance just right.

What is it that you think that will seperate PES 2010 and make people say ‘WOW!’ compared to that of Fifa 10?

I went down to the EA booth and played Fifa 10 and its a good game indeed, however if you look at the defending for example, there are alot of instances where the ball carrier was one-on-one with the defender and this is something that does not work well with the way real football is played. Our goal this year with PES 2010 was to make the defending side of things, actually feel like the defenders were keeping their shape and also working as a team. In PES 2010 we have gone for the ‘Zone defending’ style so its not one-one if you defend or attack and when you are defending you dont always have to attck the ball carrier and its sometimes better to delay the ball carrier as much as possible so that your midfield players can get the tackles in etc and this is a more realistic approach we feel. So this type of game style is unique to us compared to that of EA in Fifa 10.

Since PES is originally a Japanese game, Winning Eleven, Is it possible that we may have the J-League incorporated into PES?

We have heard fans say this before, however currently our team targets the priority which is the European market and this is our no 1 priority. As you know, in Japan there isnt a PS3 or 360 version yet and im afraid its not a simple case of just implementing this mode into the game but we wish it was as easy as this. Like i say, our main priority over everything else is the European market so at this moment in time, i will have to say thats its no at present.

With the Wii version of PES being a success using motion sensing technology and with the likes of both Sony and Microsoft developing motion controlled hardware, do you think that this could be used for the next-gen version on both PS3 and Xbox 360 in a PES title?

Yes we have thought about it and we was thinking how we could implement it into the game using Natal or Sony’s motion controller. The good thing about football is that you can use this technology to create some great teamwork within the game and it unlocks an added dimension to movement etc and of course motion controlled technology is a very interesting thing indeed. At the moment though, im just experimenting with the technology and of course its in a very, very early stage and there is no definate answer to whether i will use this technology in PES in the future anyway.

Gari will be attending the show on behalf of the site, and will sit down with the PES legend on Thursday afternoon and spend around 30mins with him.

To get you guys involved, WENB has opened up a thread in the forums giving members a chance to get their questions answered! Click here to find it, and if your questions are good enough Gari will put them to Seabass!

What are you waiting for? Get thinking!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some concerns about the speed, all I can say is don’t be. I think its something to do with the code thats being developed, and certain tests being done. You’ll have our full verdict on the code played tomorrow, and quickness of play wasn’t on the agenda. Instead revel on the fluidity of movement from the players, and the proof that the game has finally thrown off it’s robotic shackles!

Take it away Aki Saito and Seabass!:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The exact time the embargo ends is 9am (GMT), and with it you will be greeted with a full playtest report. It’s around 2000+ words, packed with numerous high-res screenshots that will both impress and evoke discussion.

Throughout the day we’ll be posting a few pieces on PES 2010, one of which will be a 3min 25sec quick video that was recorded straight after the playtest.

In the evening we’ll be releasing a HUGE podcast, which (not since the first series) will be split into different segments. We’ll be talking about FIFA 10, PES 2010, and of course any other news that reaches us by then.

It’s going to be quite a day, make sure you don’t miss it!

Gari has already posted some rules about it on the forums, but I thought I would reiterate them on the front site to signify the importance of this. WE CANNOT ALLOW SCANS OF THE MAGAZINE ON THE SITE OR DIRECT LINKS TO THEM. Along with this, WE CANNOT ALLOW TEXT WRITTEN ON THE BOARDS QUOTING DIRECTLY FROM THE MAGAZINE ON THE SITE. There, I’ll stop shouting.

It’s not just a case of us not wanting to upset Konami or PSM3, but also the fact we will be breaking copyright laws and could be prosecuted if we’re seen to be allowing such activities. Saying all this, the information PSM3 talk about will be rounded up briefly by WENB, to give people some insight if they should go and buy the magazine. And yes, you can freely talk about the content in the magazine on the boards (would be impossible not to), as long as you’re not direct quoting.

Hopefully you all will respect the rules above, and we can enjoy the news appropriately when it hits.

Thanks!

As you can see from the header, PSM3 have confirmed just what will feature in their next magazine on twitter. Amongst the exclusive screens and Q&A session, they have master league news! Hopefully the fact they made a point to mention it means some big news regarding a mode thats losing its appeal over time.

So, if you need reminding, make sure you watch out for their next issue released July 9th!

All this, plus some insight and hints as always. Make sure you tune in!