Closing Comments
For all its problems off the pitch, there’s no doubting that PES 2009 is the most fun football game on the market. There’s a nagging feeling that this is merely the game that the past iterations should have been, but there’s no denying that it plays as good a game as ever – which means for the neutral, the choice of which game to pledge their allegiance to is as hard as ever. Ultimately, FIFA wins out thanks to it offering the most comprehensive package, but those who choose to spend the next season in the company of PES won’t be disappointed.
IGN UK Ratings for Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PS3)
Rating
out of 10
6.0 Presentation
The bizarre J-Pop is thankfully absent, though the menus are as obtuse as ever and it pales next to the glorious production of FIFA.
7.0 Graphics
PES never feels like it’s truly embraced the HD generation and this is no exception – at least the frame-rate remains solid when playing offline.
6.0 Sound
Lawrenson and Champion phone in their commentary and the crowds are nondescript, but it’s saved by the meaty thud of leather on leather.
9.0 Gameplay
Restored to the glory days of PES’s gone by, it’s as gracious as ever and a constant delight to play.
8.0 Lasting Appeal
It’s a shame that online disappoints yet again, but Master League is present and correct plus Become a Legend definitely has legs.
8.5
Great OVERALL
Eurogamer writes: "In hindsight, we'd go one further. The myth that EA makes the bimbo football game and Konami makes the cultured one is - to return to the note upon which we began our FIFA 09 review - thoroughly dead. But that doesn't necessarily mean the same is now true in reverse. FIFA 09 may be excellent, and the last few Pro Evolutions have gone backwards, but what of PES 2009?
At its heart, we suspect, lie many of the same lines of code that drove the success of the series on PS2 for so many seasons, because the fundamentals are unchanged: player movement is on eight directions (with in-betweens during sprints), passing is zippy, and ball movement is physically convincing, if a little heavy. The graphics reinforce the impression that PES is reliant on existing content and assets, too, because despite the usual claim that it's "undergone a stunning graphical update", movement animations are wooden and repetitive, and the players look more like they've undergone a stunning facial beating under a railway bridge."
7 / 10
I've had PES 09 since last Wednesday and have no complaints. I've been hooked on the Become A Legend mode - it is excellent (imo).
I've played 4 seasons, played for Man City, Everton, Pompy, and am now at Spurs. Just won the League, League Cup, Euro Masters Cup with them (how unrealistic) and got selected for England!! I scored the winner for England against France which felt great and won the European Cup. Not played much of the normal mode, in fact I've played 2 games. Me and my bro have been playing Legends mode online and have had no problems. I'll add some more info once I've played some other modes. So far though, I'd give it at least an 8/10.
BTW, I've not played football games since PES 2 on PS2..........indeed.
Pes 09 Reviews
Linear Mode
