Before I give my brief thoughts, I just want to clarify that me not writing up proper impressions has nothing to do with pressure from Konami or anything like that, it was my choice. I also want to say that it is worth bearing in mind that this is preview code and there is quite a bit of time left for Konami to hopefully improve things. I'm expecting big things at Gamescom and soon after.
That said, time to tell you about preview code. It's the least featured and advanced preview code I've played in the years I've had access to PES preview code. Just the four teams (Bayern, Santos, Italy and Germany), no modes and no option to change difficulty settings - just a limited exhibition mode. Right from the off, that makes it very difficult to preview the game, especially considering that it was the Windsor code (slightly updated from E
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Now I'm not complaining about the above, but if you can understand it's very difficult to write a fully formed preview of a tiny iteration. Usually preview code has modes and all the teams, so you can get a full understanding and feeling of what Konami are going for with the full release. Anyhow, being a PES fan, I still played it and came away with disappointing impressions.
Sometimes first impressions based on playing just a few games can be deceiving in some respects and only extended time with the game will tell you more about it. That is the case so far with PES 2014. Having played this code quite a bit in the comfort of my home, I was left mostly disappointed. Again, it's preview code, so I certainly expect there to be improvements made. Hence me saying early on that I expect big things at Gamescom and beyond.
Right now though, and I could be totally wrong here, but it feels like this isn't a totally new engine. It feels like the old engine with elements of the Fox Engine thrown into the mix. That's the main problem for me at the moment, as it's essentially affecting the overall quality of the game. Again, I could be totally wrong and it's just case of tweaking a few things to optimise the inclusion of the Fox Engine, but I can only go off of what I have played. I'm not going to sugar coat things or lie to you guys, it's not me. There are elements of MASS and True Ball Tech there, but just not fully formed or good enough at the moment. Controlling players like Pirlo, Ozil or Neymar should be a joy, intricate even. However, at the moment, it feels like your trying to maneuver a tank or really heavy vehicle. This might be down to weight shifting elements not being optimised correctly, so it could be a case of doing that. Hopefully Konami know how to improve or fix it.
Then there's the Barycentre physics, which I noticed little evidence of after playing for an extended period. Foot planting was pretty much non-existent, with players sliding into position to take a shot rather than doing it realistically. I'll be honest, it doesn't look great. Clipping was also present, with players literally going through one another, but I would almost expect that at this stage and to be cleared up in the final game, so not as big of an issue.
The defensive side of the game, even though the awareness has improved slightly since E3, leaves a lot to be desired right now. I came across many frustrating scenarios where my defender had made a tackle or intercepted the ball, only to just stand there watching whilst the opposing player took the ball. In general, the defending seemed a bit off, almost like if the game decided you weren't going to make a tackle then it wasn't happening. It reminded of PES 2012, where the defensive side of the game was a mystery. Not as bad, granted, but still a concern.
Going back to the 'it doesn't feel like a totally new engine' point, thinking about it, it might well be but perhaps the PS3 is restricting the Fox Engine in some ways. Probably not the case, but I thought I'd mention it. I know the Fox Engine is supposed to be very flexible, hence Kojima Productions getting great results on both the PS3 and next-gen consoles. This then leads me to believe, if it is indeed a totally engine, that maybe the PES team are still getting to grips with its intricacies. That's fair enough, and I'm willing to believe they can get to grips with it before PES 2014 is released.
There is a good game here, but right now it's at the stage where its hidden under issues and trying to find its way out. Some elements still stand out as being great though, especially the passing, which is still my favourite thing about PES 2014. It's so free, and the introduction of advanced through balls that you can curve and weight as you like only enhances that side of the game. Goalkeepers, believe it or not, have also been slightly improved. There's still the odd error here and there,but on the whole they react to shots much better than before and actually catch shot quite a bit rather than parrying them into danger zones. Heading is great too, plus the improved goalkeepers pretty much nullify the worry behind the guided corners and free-kicks.
So, yeah, there's definitely stuff to like about the game, but at this stage extended play has revealed some real concerns, which I really hope Konami look into before the game is released. At the moment, the game is more frustrating to play than anything else, not entirely enjoyable. Like I said a couple of times now though, I'm expecting big things at Gamescom. Hopefully it will show us a much improved game from this preview code.
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