Customer Reviews

Pro Evolution Soccer 09

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Building on the success and innovative gameplay and control scheme of the 2008 iteration of Pro Evolution Soccer for Wii, Konami has set a new benchmark for soccer (football for the rest of the world) games. What's especially remarkable is that this holds true only for the Wii version, because this Wii version truly embodies what can only be interpreted as a huge step, if not a leap, forward for the PES (Winning Eleven) franchise, for the soccer and sports game genre, and for Wii games in general.


CONTROLS: The 2008 version introduced us to a new point and control scheme exclusive to the Wii's motion controls, and that was seamlessly implemented. This 2009 version expands upon that, offering many more options with the Wii controls: such as expanded functionality in defense - the ability to cut out passes by pressing the control pad with timing, for example, and the ability to aim shots with the pointer, then pressing B to shoot. That said, the motion controls are a bit hard to master (there is an extensive tutorial system for new players that introduces all the concepts in step-by-step format), and can very occasionally be a bit wonky; however, it's minor and mastering them makes gameplay very immersive indeed. In addition to the evolution of 2008's motion controls, however, Konami goes all out and introduces classic control styles as well: the Classic Controller is supported for gameplay that identically mirrors that on the other systems (such as PS2, 360, PS3), as well as the option to use the Wii Remote itself sideways.
~9/10

GAMEPLAY: The 2008 version was much stripped down in terms of gameplay, but in this 2009 version, everything is there. The beloved Master League mode, extensive editing, as well as online play. An impressive addition for soccer fans worldwide is the licensing of the UEFA Champions League: all Champions League teams are licensed and the CL mode is authentically reproduced here. Furthermore, this version supports 4-player local multiplayer with options for each to use his/her own set of controls.
The core PES experience is very much alive and well here - single player has nearly half a dozen modes while multiplayer is the most versatile it has ever been. Konami has made large efforts in teamplay-based gameplay in PES recently, and it definitely shows, with the AI in this version some of the best AI I've seen in soccer games yet. The difficulty can be changed, and while I find 3-star a bit easy, others may not, and the fact that there are 5 different settings makes it accesible to anyone.
~10/10

GRAPHICS: The graphics are not spectacular, but they are significantly better than PS2 PES graphics. Player models move better and more realistically, and stadia and crowds are well represented. The grass is a bit flat and smooth, but its a minor issue. Frame-rate problems suffered by the PS3 version are not an issue either. The menu and presentation are five-star, smooth, and pleasing to look at and really show Konami's commitment to making this game good.
~7.5/10

SOUND: Crowd sounds and the sound of the ball moving around are realistic and very well represented, some of the best I've seen thus far in the series. Menu music is catchy, yet unobtrusive. Commentary is pretty good as far as sports games go and give games quite a bit of atmosphere, and if I'm not mistaken, it's also offered in other languages such as Spanish. Plus, with Champions League licensing, CL music is also used, which really builds the authenticity of the experience.
~8/10

OTHER: This game offers ONLINE PLAYER UPDATES via Konami. If I'm not mistaken (I could be), this is one of the few, if not only, games on the Wii that does this. Another great online feature is the ability to add random people online as 'Rivals' after playing them, which is basically the same as adding to the friends list, but even easier. You can play Champions League mode and normal mode online, and when starting a game, can even choose your home stadium. Things like this, and the polish of the game overall, really show Konami's dedication in making the Wii version of PES 2009 shine.

CONCLUSION:
Having been a fan of the PES/Winning Eleven series for nearly a decade, I've seen the good and the bad throughout, and this 2009 iteration of the game on Wii is one of the best, if not the best. The graphics are never going to be hyper-great because of the limitations of the Wii, but the gameplay represents the best of the venerable PES series. Local 4-player as well as extensive online support increases replay value exponentially, and the (re)introduction of the Master League and Edit Mode make the Wii version of PES just as complete in gameplay as any other version.

This game could easily retail for $[...] and be worth the value, and if you are a fan of soccer, sports, or just well-done games, you would be well-served in looking into this. If you were interested in or enjoyed PES 2008, then 2009 is a true evolution of that, and you should BUY THIS GAME! Last time when I reviewed PES 2008 for Wii, I compared it with FIFA on the Wii, but this time, FIFA can't even come close enough for comparison to PES for Wii. This is far more than a simple sequel, but truly a revolution in sports games and Wii games.

VERDICT: 10/10

Konami has done a fantastic job making PES 2009 perfect for the Wii. The gameplay is very detailed with the controls and there's so many different settings to play on it doesn't get repetitive. The ability the download player updates is an excellent feature too. I had Robbie Keane off my team faster than Rafa Benetiz ever was able to sell hm in real life!

I played Winning Eleven 9 for three years before FIFA 09 stole me away on current generation systems. PES 2009 is almost good enough to steal me back to Konami's camp. The only reasons I say almost are because the Option File save is locked so there's no easy way for me to put a lot of time into the new Master League mode and be able to backup my progress to an SD card; and I love the right-stick defensive switching system in FIFA and PES 2009 is still feels pretty dated if you are considering using the new Classic control option. The lack of licenses is hurt mostly by the difficulty of editing and sharing Option Files. If Konami addresses these issues for PES 2010 I think they'll have one of the undisputed best sports games of all time on their hands. There's just so much to love about the game from the great graphics and presentation to the incredible game play and depth of the Master League mode that if you are a soccer/football fan or even just a sports nut who never really paid much attention to the beautiful game then you can't go wrong picking PES 2009 up. The new Wii point-and-click controls are greatly improved from PES 2008 due to a lot of little AI tweaks that improved the overall feel and pacing of the game. There's a learning curve with the default control setup; however the option to use the Classic control is nice and the default controls become fairly easy to use in just a couple of games. After you get a feel for the new control system time flies by with this near must own title.

AutumnWindz pretty much sums it up in his review: this game is near-perfect!

For me, the biggest improvement noticed from PES 2008 is in the defensive A.I. Now my other teammates actually defend the opponent player with the ball, making the game much more realistic. Excellent!!!

My son (8 years old) loves this game, a little more than the FIFA soccer that he also has and plays frequently. PES 2009 has a variety of clubs that he likes(Manchester United & Barcelona) and national teams (USA & Germany), so he is happy as a clam when playing this.

This is (in my opinion) the best soccer game short of lacing up n hitting the field. Rather than running one bloke all across the field and switching who you control, in this game you can control the entire team seamlessly and truly get an opportunity to think about the strategy of soccer. If you're all about running around you can still enjoy the game on easier settings or in multiplayer, but the real experience is in how easy it is to get the entire team to do exactly what you want. Definitely a large learning curve--not a game you just pick up and play, but after a day or two it get's really second nature. Also, the Champion's Road feature is a really great time--though the higher difficulties the players seem better, but the actual team dynamics are about the same.

This is an awesome game! It has great comedy, great graphics, and fun game play. I have four games and this is my favorite. Controls are at first frustrating and the training camps are awful, so just play and read the instructions again and again and it will be fine. A must buy.

I own about 5 games for my Wii, and I get rid of weak titles quickly, especially games that aren't fun. This title is a keeper, and it's even $10 less than most games.

This game really brings the enjoyment of soccer to the console. For the Wii, the graphics are amazing. The folks at Konami deserve a ton of credit for this title, and the folks at EA should pay attention, and see how this company is able to put real energy and joy into a sports title. There is a real emphasis on the fun of the sport, despite some admitted control complexity.

Konami deserve to sell millions of these, and they should.

I will say that this game is best on a 40" and over television, to see the detail.

This game was worth the wait.

I had bought this game since I had no experience with this brand, PES or wii soccer games at all, only ps2 and this game is awesome. Like I said it is hard to play at first being use to pushing buttons, this goes beyond that. If you want to pass to anyone near, choose sideways controller, but if you want more precise, use the controller + nunchuck. It doesn't take much time to get used to the basics of this game, the more advanced gaming techniques get a little more time to get used to. This has many great features, even one that any game should have, step by step training. And if you want, you can even put your own mii on that field. i could go on more but it is just more and more reasons to buy this game. Although teams in the game are not like today, they are still good.

My son is a huge soccer fan and got this game for Christmas. He's 9 and it took him a little while to get the hang of this game. It is more complicated than his other Wii games. He was a bit frustrated with it at first, but now that he has figured it out he is having a lot of fun with it.