PES Unites!
Konami unveils new modes and gamplay additions as PES 2009 strives to
band together PES players in the quest for football perfection
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has revealed further details of the
many gameplay additions in its forthcoming PES 2009 title, and has
explained its unique ‘PES Unites’ slogan that has been designed to band
together fans of the beautiful game via its new game modes.
Due for release on PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PlayStation®2, PC-DVD, PSP®
(PlayStation®Portable) and mobile phones in Autumn 2008 (followed by a
Wii version in spring 2009), PES 2009 has been reworked from the ground
up. New player models, AI elements and physics routines all combine to
create the most advanced and realistic football game ever, but at the
heart of PES 2009 are two new modes designed to make players rethink
the way they approach the game.
‘PES Unites’ is the key phrase Konami is using to sum up the ethos of
the new game. PES 2009 also improves on its many existing game modes
and adds a number of new ways to play the game. Central to this is the
new ‘Become a Legend’ solo mode, which casts the user as a midfielder
or striker within a match. Using a default vertical camera view, the
player starts as a rookie pro at the start of their career, and charts
the many highs and lows of becoming a professional player. An extension
of the popular ‘Fix’ mode, the ‘Become a Legend’ mode sees the player
operate in their favoured attacking position, and work as part of the
overall team as opposed to controlling every member as in a normal game.
If successful, the player must first cement their place in the starting
line-up with strong performances, before catching the eye of bigger
clubs and earning a move to top flight teams. Of course, results are
everything in modern day football, and players must force their way
into contention or face lengthy stints as a substitute or eventually be
forced to take a step down to a smaller club if performances are not
good enough. The ‘Become a Legend’ mode has already proved a massive
hit in Japanese versions of PES since 2007, and is certain to enjoy
similar status across Europe.
PES 2009 also boasts an online variant of the ‘Become a Legend’ mode,
entitled simply ‘Legends.’ Players can use their saved player in online
matches with like-minded friends, and can show their skills on the
larger online stage.
The PES series has always been famed for its deep yet accessible
control system, but the new game is aiming even higher. PES 2009 offers
an unprecedented level of control, redefining the intricacies of first
touch, close control and ball distribution, while also enhancing its
shooting and AI mechanisms to create an all-round footballing
experience. Konami’s Tokyo-based Pro Evolution Soccer Production Team
has introduced new control systems wherein the player can now perform
tricks and feints without the use of special moves, but within the
context of the player’s run and via rapid turns and movements of the
Dpad or analogue stick.
Likewise, the way the player guides the ball has been changed. The PES
series has always treated the ball as a separate entity, but new
calculations related to the air resistance and friction of the ground
make passing and movement in PES 2009 a great deal more realistic.
Different weather conditions will now have a more pronounced effect on
the weight and movement of passes, with players having to compensate
for more heavy conditions in poor weather.
Producer Shingo ‘Seabass’ Takatsuka and his team have also worked to
extend the remit of their Teamvision AI routines, with on-screen team
mates adapting their tactics according to current situations, and
moving into space to assist the player in attacking and defensive
situations. Teamvision also recognizes strategies that work for or
against it, and will accumulate the data for use in Master League and
League mode.
“It is an honour to know that our game is enjoyed by so many people
from different backgrounds,” said Takatsuka of the new additions. “From
top professional players, to football enthusiasts and kids who just
want a kickabout in the streets, its appeal is widening all the time.
The new Become a Legend and Legends Modes are designed to convey the
pressure and pace a real pro experiences, with players working as part
of a strong side and working to prove their merit as a player. I feel
great and motivated when people enjoy our games, and feel the new modes
will open up new ways to enjoy PES.”
The ever-present Master League has also been reworked, with
negotiations now a lot simpler and conducted on a two-tier club and
personal basis, while loyalty now plays a part with disaffected
players’ moods having an adverse affect on their performances.
Adding an all-new layer of gloss to PES 2009’s much-enhanced realism,
the game has also undergone a radical aesthetic upgrade. Stadiums now
have more realistic environment and atmospheric elements, while the
PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360 versions will also showcase LED hoardings.
Likewise, the way distance is shown has been changed, with the use of
contrast adding a depth field to the action, while there is also a new
vertical camera angle that automatically switches to a closer proximity
during key one-on-one situations.
Every player in the game has also been totally redefined, with all new
face and body detail, with further facial animations and kit detailing
adding to the realism. The game’s Edit mode has also been boosted with
the ability to create bespoke matches via the importing of faces, kits,
and even sound files for specific music and crowd chants for any team.
A new Pixel Paint system has also been integrated, allowing players to
create their own club crests and badges to add to their home-grown kits.
“We have pulled out all the stops to make PES 2009 a landmark in
footballing games,” commented Jon Murphy, PES Project Leader for Konami
Digital Entertainment GmbH. “From the most basic controls, through to
the wide-ranging additions to game modes such as ‘Become a Legend’,
all-new visuals, sound, and the Edit mode, Seabass and his team have
strived to cram as much as they can into the new game. And with more
online announcements to follow, there is every reason to believe that
PES 2009 is the football game everyone has been waiting for.”
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