Customer Reviews

Pro Evolution Soccer 09

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

 

 

Second season in a row Konami is keep selling us same old product. I'm usually playing Inter (Calcio) here is what I saw in 09 same player movement, same crowd, crowd noise, singing...basically it's an exact copy of 08/07 with different opening. You really have got to have balls to put last year product in a new shrink wrap and sell it to the world as a new product.

Most of reviews so far seem to be focusing on the comparison of this version with older PES versions. I think it is necessary to point out some other things relevant to whoever is thinking about getting a copy of this game.

First of all, the game have known bugs, despite the fact it is a retail version. One of the bugs is the fact that sometimes, randomly, substitutions you've made during the game are undone but the number of substitutions you can make is not reset so that basically the players you removed (say because they were tired) are back in the game and there is nothing you can do. You may want to check a list of known bugs of this game before buying it. This clearly shows the low quality of testing this game had, since this could have been spotted after someone had played it a couple of times.

Secondly, the game atmosphere could be much better. In fact the older SNES version of this game was more enjoyable: the crowd was more agitated and when you scored you would get a huge "GOAL" text with the narrator screaming and sometimes a nice picture of the players celebrating. In PES 2009 all you get is a dull "goal" remark from the narrator; no life in it. Moreover, there is no narration except for this remark. The developers decided to include a lot of songs for the menus but did not care much about the game atmosphere itself.

Thirdly, the progression of difficulty was badly planned. Unfortunately right now I either win Argentina 0x8 with Brazil in the Beginner mode or I will lose even for Honduras in the next difficulty mode ("Regular"). I understand that I'm missing something about the game strategy, but this is no excuse for the developers to have skipped test the game beforehand with several people to check whether or not the difficulty level was rightly pitched. So unfortunately is either too easy or too hard. There is no real practice/training mode in the game, so you cannot learn by yourself or by a tutorial what exactly you may be missing (although you can still seek friends and the Internet). I also have the impression that in higher difficulty modes there is an artificial "forget about the stats" mechanism so that the game can become difficult. I say that because I've made simple tests: despite the fact that I had a player with top stats it could be easily outrun by a player of another team that was supposed to have very low stats.

Overall I think that although the graphics are what you would expect for PSP platform these days, the gameplay is not that fun compared to its older (SNES) version. The FIFA game have a history of not being as fun to play as PES, but this modern PES version is so dull that maybe the FIFA game had actually succeeded in being more enjoyable.

I have been a fan of PES games on PSP since 2007 version. I was somewhat happy with that version, the gameplay was fun and felt like soccer. Then I thought 2008 version would be even better. And I was disappointed by that version cause it really felt like PES 2007 and a half.
Well, 2009 version, as many have guessed, is unfortunatelly still the same game from 2007 in terms of graphics, lack of commentary and stadium models. Don't get me wrong the gameplay is still fun and probably still better than FIFA(Played the 08 version) but I really don't understand why Konami is still trying to fool us every coming season with a 'saved as' version of the old PES code with slightly updated(definitely not upgraded) player face graphics and squad kits. Even that pre-match stadium cutscene animation, graphics and sounds are identical to the 2007 version.

The US version says "Authentic Commentary, including Spanish.." on the cover of the box but there is still no commentary in the game! And based on my FIFA PSP experience, I cannot understand why it is a big deal to include commentary or player names into the game. FIFA had a number of different stadiums, all the player names were announced along with the commentary and local leagues with all the teams in there. Looks like PES' outdated code is so bulky and it fills up that UMD space. Definitely this game needs a re-write with optimization and new graphics and more team licences.

I would again say to stick with your 2007 or 2008 version if you have those unless you want the new menu graphics, licenced Premiere League teams and current squads(if you don't really want to take your time to edit)

My nephew loved the game and also his father :)
Fun for the Family.
Very nice graphics and sounds.

This game is awsome! The graphics, the gameplay, everything about it is perfect.
Entertainment is guaranteed! This game was made for those who love soccer, if you are one of them, you must have it.

A bit difficult to get use to it. Coming from PC/Xbox, playing the game on PSP is a bit... different. Does keep me busy during my trips tho'.

I have to say though, this game is a big disappointment. I think the PSP version and in fact PS2 should both be boycotted. I think that way, konami and the makers will learn to come up with something much better. I was really excited when I picked this game this morning, but I have to say my hopes were dashed and deflated as soon as I turned the console on. Same as old versions; same graphics, no commentary which sucks big time. The only new thing about commentary is the single comment made after a goal is scored. If u don't score any goal, u get nothing. I gotta say, I'm really unhappy with the whole thing.
Konami shouldn't charge us money for the same thing every year, under the guise of a new product. Basically, game sucks. I'm thinking of returning it. If they were only going to make a good version for PS3, they shoulda done so, that way pple without PS3 won't get their hopes high.
I'm really disappointed. The whole thing should be overhauled.

I was looking for a soccer game to play while in between meetings, while waiting for an appointment, in airports, etc. I bought this game here, on Amazon, and although amazon did ship it to me faster than advertised, ( w/ many thanks amazon), the game does not live up to any of the descriptions above. There is no MLS league, no German league, 1/2 the teams in England have fake names, ie Chelsea is called West London, and Arsenal is North London. The game play is difficult to learn, the buttons are not responsive sometimes---- a totally crappy product. I should've listened to the guys on here that gave this game a score of 1 star. It's not even worth that. I went ahead and gave this game to another person, and bought FIFA 09 immediately. I will never buy another Pro Evolution Soccer game.

Well my dear readers I can tell this game is great I like it very much.
It's very complete, its interface, menu, options and so on..., to be honest it is the first soccer game I have purchased so I don't have any other soccer game to compare with but I don't regret.