Pro Evolution Soccer 2018

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What is Pro Evolution Soccer 2018

Pro Evolution Soccer has long been the soccer game of choice for fans who are looking for the most accurate feel of what it's like to actually get out on the green, and despite some additions to the formula, the 2018 edition is no different. If FIFA is the soccer game for casual fans, Pro Evolution Soccer is the alternative for the geeks. Unfortunately, it sacrifices in access to official FIFA endorsement and deep rosters, and its single player experience isn't quite as satisfying, but the moment to moment experience is unparalleled.

Getting out on the pitch just feels good. From passing to dribbling to shooting, there's a sense of fluidity that's honest to the experience of a soccer match, and the result is a game that's a bit harder to get into but eminently more strategic than the competition. While the defensive components still aren't quite on point, publisher Konami has been taking measures to help address fan criticisms.

The big problem in the past with Pro Evolution Soccer has been in the presentation. While it still can't hold a candle to rival FIFA in terms of user interface and graphics, the latest moves towards a more holistic user experience are admirable. Where older versions of Pro Evolution Soccer have felt less like a game and more like a pitch simulator, it's starting to get where it needs to be. The Master League is one of the more impressive elements of the game. Aspiring team managers have a lot more options to draft their teams, scout talent, and clear their rosters to make use for new players, and the interface makes a formerly unwieldy system a whole lot smoother. But the shining beacon for the PES experience is still the random selection mode, a multiplayer suite that randomly drafts two teams and pits you against your friend. It's a system that puts your skill on center display and often asks you to shore up your weaknesses by adapting to unconventional team spreads and finding creative solutions to the dynamic problems presented to you.

And that's what it boils down to. Players looking to pour hours and hours into narrative driven gameplay, push their way through single player leagues, and find it all wrapped up in a smooth interface will probably get their fix better in FIFA, but the sense of joy you feel in the field is still unrivaled by Pro Evolution Soccer, and that's unlikely to change anytime soon. If you're looking for a game you can break out with friends and win bragging rights that could quickly be lost on a match to match basis, Pro Evolution Soccer offers an incomparable experience where the love for the game is tangibly felt.

Pros:

• The best simulation soccer experience on the market
• Much better interface and navigation than earlier iterations

Cons:

• Still falls behind FIFA in terms of graphics and interface
• A bit lacking in terms of game modes available