082
REVIEW
INFO
FORMATPS4
ETAOUT NOW
PUBKONAMI
DEVKONAMIEFOOTBALL PES 2020
Enough improvements to Piqué your interest
A
fter spending the last few years sitting
on the bench watching FIFA play to
the crowds, this year PES has laced up
its boots, puffed out its cheeks, and is
getting a run in PS4’s first team. And it’s not
wearing a knock-off market stall kit.For the first time Konami has tackled the issue of
licences, or lack of, head-on. That name change?
EFootball.pro’s an eSports company, founded by
Gerard Piqué, that features pro gaming teams
from the likes of Barcelona, Celtic, and Monaco.
So they’re in, as are over 400 other fully licensed
clubs, including Manchester United and Juventus.
There’s even training this year on how to import
edited kits, teams, names, and stadia.
Marketing aside, PES 2020 has had a visual
overhaul. Famous player likenesses are perfectly
recreated, and while lesser-known players like
rising cult star Teemu Pukki can look odd, the
overall impression is excellent. This is particularly
true of animation, which has been expanded to
include new traps, flicks, and blocks – such as
defenders obstructing shots with their thigh. The
overall impression is of a game that evokes the
feelof watching a real football match.The improved animation
feeds into the two new strands
of gameplay for this year’s
edition: lifelike physics and
finesse controls. Players now
barge and bounce off one
another in a realistic manner,
and defenders will hold off
smaller players while burly
attackers can hold their own.
PES has always gamified its
players’ stats, but this year we
can physically see it in action
and it forces you to consider
your positioning on the pitch.
The new finesse controls are
an adaption of the traditional
special moves players could
perform. While you can still
hold i and wiggle the right
thumbstick for outrageous
flicks and feints, now just using
the stick without the modifier
performs simple dribbles.PES EVOLVED
In-game this means you can
wriggle out of a tackle or
swerve slyly past a defender,
adjusting your run slightly
without changing direction.
Overall it means PES 2020 feels
slower than past editions, withan emphasis on one-on-one
duels with defenders. It does
mean you’ll be seeing more
free kicks, as skilful attacks
can draw fouls. Defending now
is more about positional play
than hammering q to bite at
a rival’s ankles.
Playing PES 2020 feels more
open and creative too, and
go-to ‘cheap’ moves no longer
work every time – low crosses
from the wings are out.
Off the pitch everything has
been streamlined. Menus are
simpler, online eSports modes
and data are clearly signposted,
and even Master League
feels fresher – managerial
conversation choices and better
transfer events deliver much-
needed personality.
The downside? Your choice
between PES and FIFA has just
become even harder. Or has it...LEAGUES AHEAD @IanDean4VERDICTPES has never looked
or felt so good. This
year’s the best it’s been
since the PS2 era.Fantastic improvements on and
off the pitch, from licences to
new gameplay refinements and
a visual upgrade, ensure this
year’s PES is the best it’s been
for a generation. Ian Dean“OVER 400 FULLY LICENSED
TEAMS ARE IN, INCLUDING
MANCHESTER UNITED.”