Suff has been positively purring over the game and these tweets in particular speak volumes:

@Suffwan – ”I have to say that #PES2012 is a fantastic game of football to play. Purity and the most advanced AI seen in a footy game. #joy”

@Suffwan – ”Intelligent runs, constant passing options, fluid gameplay and many new features we don’t even know about. #PES2012”

@Suffwan – ”It makes me smile like the PS2 days #PES2012”

@Suffwan – ”In my opinion #PES2012 is a better game than #PES5, but then again I’m Next-Gen baby!”

@Suffwan – ”Shooting better but I have given them some tips. When u get tackled now the fluidity of game not affected.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a WENB playtest without the PES messiah and Adam has been sure to keep us briefed as well:

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Played first game. Beat Suff 4-2, Milan derby. Great match. Main thing is it’s super fluid. Wonderful ebb and flow. Now for single player.”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Big news is, keepers are looking really good. Need animation work, but overall so much more reliable than in PES 2011.”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Can’t describe how happy I am with keepers. Need to say still need animation work, but so much reliable. Spill less, catch more etc.”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Also new camera angle called pitch side is awesome. Used it more than wide cam. Lower hung, great detail.”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Detail in wide cam much better, @Suffwan reckons it’s awesome. So much detail held, but needs another lick of paint IMO”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”Estadio De Escorpiao stadium is in the build.”

@Adam_Bhatti – ”And it’s over! @Suffwan wins on pens! And yes, pens fixed! More like FIFA 10. @JonMurphy_PES, you have been served!”

Sounding very promising indeed.

One particular tweet that has caused the raising of many eyebrows in true Carlo Ancelotti fashion is this:

”Lunch time with the guys now. Btw, sort of an exclusive, saw a new mode in menu called Football Life. @JonMurphy_PES won’t say a thing tho”

We wait and wonder what Football Life will prove to be.

Remember, that this isn’t all that will be coming regards the WENB playtest. We should have written impressions and a podcast with the lads following later, so stay tuned!

They say there’s no smoke without fire. Ever since PES 2011 was shown in Tokyo, and then most recently at E3, impressions from the press have been consistently positive. The improved competition has certainly moved the goal posts in-terms of what we now expect from a football game, but despite this the WEP team seem to be holding their own with ease so far. While the hardcore have remained loyal, with strong belief PES would somehow find it’s way again, most had given up by now. These positive previews, then, have given us all hope that the king has indeed returned. Surely, everyone can’t be wrong? It’s this feeling of anticipation and confidence that runs through me as I pick up the controller for the first time to play PES 2011.

And I think confidence is an apt word to describe the whole persona around PES 2011, from it’s development team to fan fave Jon Murphy. Over the past few years, to their own admission, over-confidence and laziness stilted the growth of the series dramatically. There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and who can say that particular fine line was stepped on a few too many times since PES6. One thing we can all agree on, is that when PES is back hitting the heights of old, the guys from Konami will be the first ones to know about it. As me and Suffwan start up the game, we quickly realise just where this new found confidence is coming from. From the front end to the obvious revolutionary change once the game kicks off, everything about PES 2011 oozes quality. Before a ball is even kicked, we were both blown away by the menus and pre-match layout.

First of all the main menu system is reminiscent of WE8/PES4, something I shouted as soon as I saw it. The game modes are now selectable via a horizontal bar situated at the bottom of the screen which you cycle through, while the main screen graphic changes with your option. Very clean, visually strong and as ever staying true to the PES ethic of a quick and easy menu system to get to where you want quickly. As we choose our teams from a limited selection (Suff went Inter while I chose Real), we’re greeted by what is quite possibly the best formation/team edit screen ever in a football game! You’ve all seen it by now, it’s the screen showing the pitch with all your players dotted around it. The ability to change players, their position and their role is extremely easy and incredibly intuitive, and something you won’t truly appreciate until you experience it for yourself. The accessibility is in direct response to the deep but sometimes bewildering menu system of last year, which meant so much of the hard work Konami did with the AI and player cards were lost to many users. Not this year though, navigating through such complex options has never been so easy. Team picked, strategies in place, and into the match we go.

As if you need telling by now, PES 2011 is visually stunning. The same match intro sequence as seen last year was in place, but looked better with this new ‘skin’. PES 2010 was great graphically, and wasn’t the first thing most thought of when wanting to improve the game. While the difference is clear when seeing it in front of you, describing it is less than easy. The shine and ‘plastic’ look has been replaced by a more realistic filter, with colours and texture more lifelike and less gamey. Even the grass looks real. Seeing the same intro with this new look gives it a new lease of life, losing that familiar feel. The same can be said once the pre-match niceties end, as the camera swoops low and the players stretch and limber up ready for action.

We’ve been told many times PES 2011 is a brand new game, and there’s no question things have changed dramatically. Good news is, it will take only a few moments to realise just how much. It’s a bombardment of improvements and jaw-dropping change from the get go, re-affirming quickly what we’ve been told for a good few months. From the new broadcast camera, to the improved animations, and the new passing system, there’s nothing that remotely reminds you of PES on this generation – never mind PES 2010. As the game kicked off we were both lost for words at first, as it took a while to comprehend what we were seeing, and also try our hardest to get to grips with this new passing system. The new power bar and more manual control in passing has brought a massive change to PES, and for the first time in god knows how long, forces you to play the game completely differently. Simply tapping X (we played on PS3) while aiming towards a player is half the work now, as now you have to apply the exact amount of power you want. Seen in FIFA for a while, but not quite like this, it forces the player to simply take more care in where and who you’re passing with. While short passes require little skill and TLC, anything that is passed over a little more distance means more effort in aiming, especially with less skilled players.

We instantly felt this need to be more thoughtful with our play as we passed the ball forward quickly without thinking much, and it go astray. While directional control is accurate enough with a majority of players, there’s no hand holding or computer assistance in getting that ball to your player. Under-hitting or overhitting the ball leaves you with obvious problems, and requires you to concentrate more than ever when playing a pass to a team mate. PES being PES though, even such an integral element in the game isn’t decided on manual control alone. Similar to how the guys at EA copied elements from PES and looked to improve on it, Konami have done the same but added a personal touch. That key addition is player individuality.

Coming into the playtest, this free passing system worried me, as while it could bring a new way of playing PES, the individuality factor is what has kept me attached to the series. I’m happy to say this philosophy hasn’t been lost in this new adventure. Getting the ball to Alonso was much more beneficial for example, as the accuracy and power was more forgiving than playing the same pass with Marcelo. Me and Suff both agreed there was this feeling the ball seemed to ‘home in’ on the intended target accurately with the better passers, and was always easier to control. The same can be said in playing the ball into space, the better passers in the game really did have an influence in dictating play and control the flow of the game. Once we managed to get our heads around the new passing system, we were left trying to soak in all the new animations in the game.

Lets make this clear, the animations in PES 2011 are on another planet compared to PES 2010. There’s no point comparing them to last year in a still frame or gameplay segments from a trailer, seeing them in front of your own eyes playing the game is where it’s at. And for me and Suff, it was one of major take-aways from this first look. Even before the whistle blew for kick off it was clear we were in for a treat, with players going through their warm-up routines. All very natural and believable, especially when you add in the effect the new camera gives you. Once the game started, our faces must’ve looked like a few kids at their first firework display, mouth open and saying ‘wow’ every few mins.

Running, dribbling, tackling, passing, heading, falling etc etc you name it, every single animation has either been improved or redone. On top of that, the additional animations have created the most fluid PES game ever. Players move and swivel their body into each turn, no more unnatural movements with players unrealistically moving into certain directions. Passing and shooting animations have also been added, with players really taking into account where the ball is, and whether or not they have time to move it onto their preferred foot. If the ball is too far on their left side and they’re right footed, players are more likely to try and flick the ball forward with the outside of the right boot. More time? Expect the player to use his instep and pass more accurately that way.

The same improvement can be said of the dribbling. The additional animations really bring player movement with the ball to life, with linking animations being the key improvement in this area. The 360 degree dribbling has been well documented and rubbished in PES 2010 by a number of people, but the whole idea of it being in this year would be much harder to argue with. Players move with great accuracy and response, without ever feeling unrealistic. As you would expect from PES, well known dribblers like Ronaldo/Messi/Robben naturally feel better when in possession, and they take many more touches of the ball when moving around the pitch, always giving you a feeling you can change direction if needs be.

While we’re on the subject of dribbling, it’s probably worth me quickly pointing out the new trick moves PES 2011 has introduced. In all honesty it wasn’t something we dedicated our time on, as most of it was just focused on playing the game and getting used to the passing and physical play. From what we did see of it though, we were pleasantly surprised by its implementation. I’ve never been into tricks myself, and it won’t be something I’d be using when playing the game, but by pressing L1 and then inputting movements on the right stick you can perform a variety of tricks. What pleased me the most was the fact no trick was a sure-fire way of beating an opponent, and the over elaborate ones require the player to perform a few tricks before linking in something like the rainbow, meaning they are easier to anticipate and require more time to pull off. My favourite one though is the heel flick inside, made famous by the likes of Ronaldo and Drogba, and was last seen in PES 2008. It was a great way turning inside an opponent and getting the ball onto your favoured foot, and also looked eerily realistic. A worry from the trailer showed tricks not linking together well and stuck to the players foot, but these fears were gone after seeing it in action.

The final big leap in animations in the game came from the physical play. As documented, there are now 3 ways of defending in PES. Pressing X to track a player, X and moving the stick towards your own goal means giving up space so you don’t get beaten, and finally X and towards the player for a more aggressive way of winning the ball back. All worked well, and all looked very realistic when seeing it in action. While the first two had pleasing gameplay repercussions, visually the aggressive form of tackling was the most pleasing. Seeing players tussle for the ball in PES is something we’ve all been calling for, and to see it working as well as we hoped for in the game is a dream come true. The good news is the physical play isn’t just for show, as with the power bar passing, Konami have stayed true to PES’s philosophy. Bigger stronger players will be able to hold off challenges much better than smaller weak players, obviously, but it all comes down to stats and player positioning. In the later games with me as Italy and Suff as Holland, Van Bommel came steaming into Pirlo. A quick shift of the stick away from him meant he came crashing into the back of me, causing Pirlo to fall and win a freekick. Unlike in FIFA, simply pressing X won’t provide an easy way to pressure an opponent, the need to time those aggressive moments is key. Especially with response times improved and refs fixed.

Another worry from all the additional animations coming into the playtest was if the response times had been sharpened up since last years obvious problem. Thankfully, the added animations have actually helped matters with response times, giving players more variety in passing and moving into directions when you need to instantly. Same can be said of the R2 stop, with players able to stop much quicker of the ball is close to their feet. This allows players with better technique to be more important in the game. As mentioned, thankfully the referees are much, much better. During our entire playtest they didn’t make one bad decision, with every obvious foul correctly punished. Same can be said of the less brutal ones, with us both giving away many fouls for being over aggressive when trying to win the ball the back. The advantage rule was also witnessed a few times, although we didn’t see anyone getting booked after play stopped for a previous foul.

Concerns at this stage are minimal, mainly because every problem we pointed out is apparently being looked at. Goal keepers, while behaving more like they should, still parry far too much and let in the odd clanger. Penalty kicks are still from PES 2010 it seems, we can only hope and pray that this changes soon. Other smaller niggles include players taking a little too long trapping high balls, and taking too long releasing a shot.

Overall though, even at this early stage, it’s simply difficult not to be impressed by the giant steps Konami have made this year. After years of claiming they have created a new game, their promises of change are true. It’s a time for fans to rejoice, as our faith has finally been rewarded. It’s also a time for those who jumped ship to come back and see what all the fuss is about. Overall though, it’s time to anticipate the prospect of no longer using the likes of PES5/6 as a reference point of the series at its best. With time still to improve an already solid game, there’s every chance this is the year the prodigal son returns.

Make sure you listen to this evenings podcast for further impressions, released 6pm here and on itunes.

It was a huge contrast from the first playtest back in June. In the months between Konami have done a great job in reassuring us how well the game is coming along, and certainly left us in confident mood before we got our hands on the latest build.

Before I go on, lets get one thing straight, we’re still playing development code. The figure was around 75%, so still plenty of time to add new things and tweak the hell out of the game. The main focus then was to, again, evaluate how the game was coming along. You will be happy to hear its going well, with the game impressing immensely. Read on to see just how…

Loading up the game the first thing that hits you is the artistic presentation, which still feels like a placeholder in many way. Static backgrounds and little imagination with the way the game modes were set out certainly didn’t excite. Saying that, they did the job, staying true to PES’ easy to navigate philosophy. While the team select screen evoked the same feelings, it was interesting to hear that while you’re tinkering with your teams the game is loading up in the background. So after me and Suff finished up selecting our teams and messing about with teamplay, hitting start match did exactly that – instantly. Very clever.

As you enter a game you are greeted with absolutely drop-dead gorgeous graphics. You’ve all seen the screens so am sure everyone has a good idea of how good the game looks, but seeing it in-front of you with all the dynamic lighting etc is breathtaking. Game development is a very tricky process, none more so then the art assets. This one thing in particular is one of the most time consuming aspects when making a game, and for Konami to have reached these heights after the decent but ordinary looking PES 2009 is worthy of praise. Even more commendable is that the graphical look keeps consistent when in wide-cam, finally matching EA’s efforts in this field.

It’s great to see the remarkably accurate kits, the scarily perfect representation of faces, the grass and stadium structure hold up during gameplay – something we’ve been waiting to see for many years.

Onto gameplay. The biggest talking point about the news that hit this week has been the 360 degree movement. Its something that surprised almost everyone, but wasn’t something that excited me massively. I’m old skool, meaning I use the d-pad by choice. I’ve never felt PES was accurate or as response when using the analogue, but it seems I’m going to have to change to feel the real benefits of the game. Not to say d-pad isn’t effective – far from it. It’s still just as much fun as before, but the limits of movement and visual niceties from using the analogue were obvious when playing against Suff.

They way his players moved in a manner of direction was both aesthetically pleasing and key in how he played the game. Greater degree of movement might not change the game 100%, but by creating space by being able to move into avenues never before reachable does indeed create better passing opportunities and a new way of attacking. With this massive feature in, it perhaps is the biggest single sign Seabass is trying to create a brand new experience with the PES series.

Something else that Konami are aiming to improve is the animations, which had a direct effect on gameplay. Movement was seriously familiar at our first play of the game. I’m more than happy to confirm that’s changed plenty. It seems the core animations like running have been tweaked while not being redone, but this is masked really well with linking animations that make the 360 movement visually effective. Konami have brought back the 4 different types of dribbling animations, which refreshing the way the game looks immensely – and bring a layer of individuality back that was sorely missing last year.

Passing seems more varied thanks to the way players release the ball. Its all context sensitive, and dependant on where the ball is. So far I’ve seen a number of different passing and shooting animations, that reveal just how much work is going into making PES a seamless flowing football game – something we used to attribute to the series in the PS2 days. The goalkeepers too have been redone, with some inspiring diving and catching movements that are very fresh. Then there’s the extra stuff like players marshalling their defence by pointing to space or unmarked strikers, and strikers complaining when a pass isn’t made or when they’ve missed a chance. These little addition add to the whole experience. Right now the game moves well, but I’d still like to see a slight improvement. Its something I’m sure will get done in the remaining 25%.

Me and Suff did have a few niggles though, but we’re hopeful its the sort of things that will be ironed out soon enough. Stuff like player responsiveness, and button press to action were sometimes a pain – not something we usually say about PES games. With us having both 360 and PS3 code, it was interesting to see where the games were at. The 360 one was visually inferior, but flowed much better. Its a common theme within multi-platform game development however, and we’re confident the PS3 version will move just as smoothly.

And we’ll know soon enough, with review code hopefully in our hands mid-September. Then we’ll finally be able to say whether PES has reclaimed its crown, or of its come a close second.

So far, so very very good!

We’ll go into game modes individually throughout the week, stay tuned for information throughout the day!

With our playtest of the latest code today, me and Suff reveal all about PES 2010 in the best way WENB know how – the weekly podcast! We discuss all things gameplay, animations and graphics, and explain how PES’ big personality has returned to take the series out of retirement.

As always, enjoy!

We would to find out what the fans think of how things are progressing (screens and playtest reports you’ve read), and what you would like to see next from Konami. You’ll find the related thread in the offical feedback section, by clicking here.

Thanks for your help!

PESFan and PESGaming have already extensively gone through this in their playtest reports, so forgive us if we’re late to the party. The reason why we held back was down to our preference to give this the headline time it deserves. Like Seabass said in the most recent developer interview, PES 2010 is about the pursuit of player representation and team play. Read on to learn more about this integral game mechanic.

In the playtest report we spoke about the differences in playing style between Barca and Liverpool, and how you could affect this by changing around the slider bars. Below is the full, official, document explaining team play:

Team Style

Team Style is about settings of “team strategies”. PES used to attach less importance to “organizational defence” however your team will have team discipline for organized defence by adjusting Team Style sliders between 0 and 100. Harder defence naturally requires more strategic, organised moves among attackers to beat such defence. Therefore Team Style sliders cover not just defence but also attacks.

Attack strategies

●Player Support

When set to 100, your teammates around the ball holder move upfield (more forward) to receive a pass. In other words, your teammates will place themselves in more attacking positions. Contrary, when set to 0, your teammates tend to stay behind of the ball holder, place themselves in more defensive positions.

●Support Range

When set to 0, your teammates spread wide on the pitch. Naturally this is good for long passing but not for short passes. When set to 100, your teammates get closer to the ball holder, making short passes easy.

●Position Switch

When set to 0, players try to get back to their positions they supposed to be rather than trying to switch positions. When set to 100, once position switched, the player keep moving on a switched position until it goes out of play.

●Attacking style

When set to 0, the team play wide, attack from the sides. When set to 100, the team attack through centre

Defence strategies

●Pressing

When set to 100, your team as a whole apply pressure aggressively. When set to 0, move back instead and try to delay opposition attack.

●Defensive Line

When set to 100, your defence line will be kept high. When set to 0, your defence line will drop back. It would be an idea to set this slider first, adjust other defensive sliders later accordingly.

●Compactness

When set to 0, your teammates will move away from the opposition ball holder drift to the side to cover wider. When set to 100, your teammates will get closer to opposition ball holder.

●Defensive Strategy

You make a choice from 2 options here.

One is Line defence and the other is Covering defence with one defender left for covering other defenders.

As you can see from that explanation, you can custom your team to play any way you like. Want to play like Barca? No problem, bump up the support range to 100 and players offer themselves for short quick passes. Want to play down the centre consistently like AC Milan? Good choice (honest), just bump your attacking strategy to 100. There’s even the option to make your wingers continuously switch wings to keep the defenders guessing, a common theme in real life football.

Defensively you can be just as tactile. Want to press the team all over pitch like Suff’s beloved Liverpool? Done. How about play as an inferior team against a squad of super quick/skillful players? (USA in Confederation Cup?) Do what they would do and drop that defensive line to 0 and defend deep to throttle their attacks.

And why does all this work? Simple, no one can match PES’s player representation. Everyone feels different, and thats why the strategies in PES 2010 word like a charm.

Later, we’ll get out teeth into the Card System, and explain why that is the future of true player behaviour in a game.

The instant we arrived at the offices our eyes were fixated on the number of screens around the playtest venue, already in full use by the PESGaming and PESFan crew. At first, in all honesty, my heart sank a little. I saw similar animations and a similar look to last year, coated in a very pretty exterior. I turned back to Suff, who was still meeting and greeting, and gazed over worryingly at him. My whole persona must have alerted a few of the Konami employees, as they ushered us quickly onto a test unit to sample the game.

The moment we started playing my frown became a smile, from a mixture of realisation about the gameplay, and (to my amazement) Suff’s sheer enjoyment at how the game was unfolding. Slowly the disappointment of seeing a similar looking game started to fade away, as the gameplay of PES 2010 took over.

Looks like PES 2009 at a glance, but well and truly isn't

Before the event me and Suff sat down and spoke of realistic expectations of what we were about to see. Using his wisdom thanks to his experience with FIFA 10, he expected it to be more of a proof of concept rather than something we could judge off the bat. After playing EA’s title in April, then a month later in Vancouver, he explained how the difference in development time was so substantial that initial impressions in the first playtest counted for very little – with improvements and inclusions significantly improving ones experience. What was important then, was to assess the platform Konami had created for PES 2010, and to evaluate if the vision going forward was going to be a significant step in taking the series back to the glory days.

When talking about what we wanted to see, the pace of the game came up almost instantly. Some might say that PES 2009 itself wasn’t itself set at an arcade pace, but many aspects around it were. Dribbling and the ease of getting into goal scoring opportunities were big stumbling blocks for most, and conflicted with what many thought the series was built around. Secondly, as a lot of you might have guessed, was teamvision. A word that sends a shiver down Suff’s spine when he hears it, and something he was hoping to see very little of at the event. The AI was abysmal last year, and (something that was synonymous with PES 2009) became excruciatingly annoying after prolonged playing time.

Finally, our thoughts shifted to the general movement of the game, and how it played out a match. Was the rigidness gone? Has the passing been sorted? Are the tricks still on the d-pad/analogue stick? Animations certainly came into our thoughts, although Suff assured me that he would be shocked if they were there in their full glory at this early stage.

I’m more than happy to say then, that all the things we were intrigued about were just as we hoped; massively improved over last year with plenty of time to improve further.

Up close, PES 2010 looks absolutely incredible - even at this early stage

Before we explain just how it has, lets get some information on the code we were playing. Let there be no doubt, this was an extremely early version of PES 2010; the earliest Konami had ever shown the game publicly. We were told the game was around 50% complete, with the option to only play with either Liverpool and Barcelona. There was no other game mode apart from exhibition, with Anfield being the stadium of choice. So as you would expect, Suff was over the moon! The menu’s were nothing more than place holders to serve a purpose, as it was a few screens before you got straight into a match. Just to emphasize how early this game was, we were sampling it through the source code! That’s actual PC’s running the game, with PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers attached to it.

The beauty of PES 2010 came almost instantly, after the initial disappointment. As soon as you start to play it felt more assured, more complete. PES 2009 had these awkward animations that interlinked the passing and shooting. These affected the game significantly, making the game feel stagnated and robotic. And while the animations weren’t complete in the build of PES 2010 we played, the way the basic and important ones were implemented and improved were significant. The extra frames also lent itself to how the pace of the game played out, in a similar vein to EA’s franchise. Like their game, the animations fed into how you played.

And I thought the faces in PES 2009 were good...

And like EA’s latest effort, FIFA 10, the action on the pitch is considerably slower, with a realistic feel I’ve not felt in a PES game for a while. The players seemed to build up to a sprint, rather than running full pelt from go. Controlling of the ball was also key, with players like Iniesta and Xavi having a lovely first touch when receiving a pass, while Yaya Toure struggled to kill the ball instantly when under pressure.

Player individuality has always been key in PES, and is the sole reason why, even in this slow considered pace, the player will be forced into playing to the strengths of the team rather than the strengths of the game. This single aspect separates the PES series from FIFA, and is more of a noticeable difference with both going for the same style of play this year.

I mentioned animations earlier, and while the majority of them weren’t in the build we played, the ones that were impressed a great deal. The previously mentioned first touch of skillful players was also visually appeasing, with players at all times trying to use their favoured foot when passing, controlling and shooting. If timed right you could control a ball perfectly to one side, evading oncoming players in very crowded areas.

Its not only when receiving the ball do you see something new, as the players distribute it just as variedly. Passing for instance has had something of a facelift from last year, with fresh new animations for when releasing the ball under pressure – similar to the urgency system in FIFA. Players will stretch and strain to release a pass before being tackled, adding a great deal of realism. The same can be said for shooting, which was as satisfying as ever. Like the passing, it really has been given a facelift, with there being many more ways of striking the ball. This helped the game distance itself further from last years robotic and rigid feel. There was a situation when, playing as Barca, Henry received the ball wide left and cut in towards goal. Pressing shoot, I was greeted with him shifting his body to the side to try and strike it with his right foot. As he opened up his body he convincingly stroked the ball into the far the far corner with the inside of his right foot – leaving both me and Suff stunned in amazement. Then there was Messi, who looked complete in his movements, right down to mannerisms off the ball. A lot of that player representation was down to the drop dead gorgeous visuals, which has raised the bar when it comes to graphics in a football game.

The new chest control animation was in, and looked lovely

Konami talked long and hard about how certain aspects of the game were early and far from finished, but at the same time proudly conversed with us regarding the visual fidelity. At this early stage, the game is looking incredibly good, with things like faces, player models, stadiums, grass etc better than I’ve ever seen it. The test always comes when in wide cam, and its difficult to judge it right now without the animations implemented fully. FIFA 09/10′s charm comes when the impact of playing the match stays the same when in wide cam, and this is predominantly down to how it moves. With promises coming from the guys at the event regarding major inclusions on animations and individual traits, I guess its too early to judge or comment on them conclusively. Luckily we will only have to have to wait a few weeks from now to see if it indeed has been improved as promised.

What’s left then to discuss is the game as a whole, and the dreaded teamvision. Thankfully the AI has been improved so much that we never found ourself fighting with it. The helping elements, like tackling, passing, shooting for you have been totally removed, or at least weren’t there when we played. This perhaps was one of the key reasons why Suff was won over, himself saying he’s not enjoyed PES this much since the PS2 days.

Anfield looked lovely, Suff was ecstatic to see it in the game

The AI also helped teams play as their real life counterparts, with no misunderstanding about how a team plays in real life converting into the game. When going through the new team formation options, you have a slider bar that lets you affect the mentality of the team like how much they attack or defend. For example, Barca’s attacking mentality is 80/100, while Liverpool’s is 20. Defensive figures flip other way, as you would expect. Convert this into the game and it plays out how you would expect. Liverpool’s game is all about constraining the opposing teams attacking elements, with the quality of Gerrard and Torres ever present going forward.

The first match me and Suff played was goalless, and was a cagey affair, with myself having the possession but never really threatening. It was only until Suff changed his attacking mentality to 80 did I manage to create more space and punish a team that wasn’t used to playing an attacking way. Again, this is another realistic situation, as the players Liverpool have aren’t as technically gifted as the Barca player’s to play a certain way.

Great improvement, Alonso more so

To finish up, lets talk about little improvements around the game that will please many people. Konami have managed to fix a lot of small details even at this early stage that used to infuriate the more demanding fans. Things like goalkeeper gloves being officially licensed, no more sand bags behind the goals, and the look and feel of the stadium was key – adding another layer of atmosphere that PES 2009 never had. Then there’s the welcome news for many that tricks are no longer mapped onto the d-pad/left analogue stick, going back to the combination of holding R2 and a direction. We then have a new penalty system, which was always going to be the case after the Wii version had a new way of taking/saving them. At first glance it seems very close to FIFA, where you can literally aim anywhere in the goal, with the amount you hold down the power and direction affecting your success. Goalkeepers can also be moved too before a kick has been taken. The ability to untuck shirts in edit mode will again bring a smile to the faces of people who have missed this option since the PS2 versions. All in a way trivial to the game as whole, but the little things count for a lot when trying to create the complete package.

All in all then, the playtest event was more of a statement of intent than anything, with the build being quite literally barebones and the base for all upcoming improvements. With that in mind the upcoming playtest in a few weeks will be vital. Suff played FIFA 10 at the Emirates in April, then played the game again in May in Vancouver – the difference obvious and substantial. We’re hoping for the same with PES. The good news is, even at this early stage, its miles ahead of PES 2009, with FIFA in its sights.

The battle of the cover stars continues

Minutes after the playtest we grabbed the camera, and recorded mine and Suff’s instant thoughts on PES 2010. Short but sweet!

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!