Can Konami finally take the trophy from FIFA?
While I have yet to actually play FIFA 18, but from what I can tell it sounds like PES 2018 has to be something really special to compete with it this year. I’ve been playing the game for a bit now and have finally called full-time and declared the score…
As with past versions, PES 2018 features very few licensed football clubs and pitches which is a problem for those looking to play an authentic game with their preferred club. I myself am a Newcastle United supporter and after a turbulent season in the Championship, we are back in the Premier League but still have to settle to be known as Tyneside in PES. But hey, it could be worse…I’m looking at you Sunderland (or Wearside as they are called in PES) stuck in the league below now and potentially staying there for a very, long time…
You’d be forgiven for thinking PES 2018 was a carbon copy of last year’s game and in a way, it’s true in terms of modes, but the gameplay has definitely been improved. I’m usually god-awful at these types of games, but I found myself being able to actually score from cross-ins, something I’ve not been able to pull off in any football game over the past few years. The overall game feels like it plays a bit slower than last year, but with more precision control as a benefit.
Visually, the game is nearly identical to last year’s entry. But that’s not a bad thing considering it looked great anyway, while the commentary is just as standard as before. The framerate is just as consistent and runs smoothly throughout. I would have liked to see some HDR support included for PS4 Pro owners, still the 4K visuals are a nice inclusion. Now if only they’d add 4K to another Konami series…
The Verdict
While not adding a great deal new to the series, PES 2018 definitely improves the gameplay to make it a strong contender and with 4K visuals, it’s never looked better. Some new modes or a deeper single-player experience would have benefited it greatly, but overall it’s a nice improvement over last year’s entry.