Pro Evolution Soccer 2009

On 17th August 2008, 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."

PES 2009 will be released for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, PlayStation 2, PSP (PlayStation Portable) and mobile phones in Autumn, followed by a Wii version in spring 2009.

GAMEPLAY

Close control more intuitive
* Manual cursor control
* Adjusted trick control for easier control - more within natural control parameters than via special movements

Ball movement more realistic
* Ball has always been treated as separate entity, but 2009 has new air resistance calculations for trajectory of ball
* Instant control. Buttons presses are no longer stored, making for a crisper playing style
* Heavier foot-in tackles, depending on the length X is depressed
* New friction routines to affect ball movement in terms of ground conditions
* Backspin routines calculated so ball slows accordingly
* The bounce of the ball can be used more effectively: players can flick the ball up to tee a shot, or to lift it over a defender's trailing leg
* Skills are now integrated more into the game. If a player has the ability, they will be able to perform deft turns others cannot and will be able to feint and shimmy within the confines of the control system
* Player has to compensate for heaviness of ground when weighting passes in wet conditions or frozen ground

Teamvision enhanced
* Tactics change according to situation
* Better off-the-ball movement - running to receive passes, etc
* AI recognizes strategies that work and accumulates data on an ongoing basis within Master League and League modes

VISUALS

Stadiums
* Graphic depiction of weather conditions unique to each stadium
* Much more detailed lighting effects that mimic the time of day more closely
* Key new grounds like Wembley, in total about 20 stadiums
* LED hoardings (PS3 and 360 versions only)
Players:
* All new players models in game: everything reworked for additional detail
* Specific new animations to make the game flow more: players now stumble, place a hand down so as to keep running
* More individuality to movement of players: running and kicking styles, for instance: Ronaldo's stance before a free kick

Camera
* New vertical camera, allowing end-to-end view including 'Player Focus' zoom, panning in on key one-on-one situations
* New distance drawing techniques using adjusted chromatic fields

Front End - Menus
* All new, clearer menu system
* Match stats now on sub-menus if required
* Much improved music choice

EDIT

Sound
* In addition to the importation of graphic data, music and crowd chants can also be added

Graphics
* Pixel Paint function allows users to create team badges from scratch

GAME MODES

Become a Legend
* New long-term mode sees player guiding one player to glory
* Control the destiny of a midfield/striking star
* Player works within team structure, akin to popular 'Fix' mode - assisting play, scoring goals, etc
* Default vertical view
* Dedicated development data for player as game progresses
* Full range of transfer opportunities: but fail to play well and you will be demoted to bench or even transferred
* Based on popular Japanese mode, first time in Europe

Legends
* Online version of 'Become a Legend'
* Use player created in solo mode
* Play online with other 'fixed' position friends
* Intricate play and teamwork rewarded with PES points
* Upload finest moments for others to view and rate

Master League
* More intuitive menus
* Easier to understand two-tier negotiations: team level and individual terms
* Loyalty: players unhappy with terms, etc, will not play as well. A happy player will play better

I have gathered some information related to the stadiums featured in Pro Evolution Soccer 2009. EA Games confirmed these stadiums:

1 Konami Stadium, Asia
2 Estádio da Luz, Benfica
3 Estádio do Dragão Europe , FC Porto
4 Estàdio José de Alvalade, Sporting Clube de Portugal
5 Allianz Arena, Bayern Munchen
6 Bristol Mary Stadium, Schalke 04
7 Ville Marie Stadium, France
8 Mohamed Lewis Stadium , Sierra Leone
9 Antlion Colisseum , River Plate
10 Teatro Blanco, Paraguay
11 Orange Arena, Ajax
12 Grolsch Veste, FC Twente
13 Catalonia Stadium, FC Barcelona
14 Santiago Bernabéu ,Real Madrid
15 Stadio Olimpico , AS Roma & Lazio
16 San Siro, AC Milan & Inter Milan
17 Stade Louis II, AS Monaco
18 Wembley Stadium, England
19 Old Trafford , Manchester United
20 Anfield, Liverpool
21 Råsunda Stadium, AIK Fotboll

New in Pro Evo Soccer, is the inclusion of the Champion's League mode, which brings UEFA spirit to PES, with official teams and licensed sponsors to bring a bigger level of realism to the series. Thirteen teams from this year's competition are included in the tournament, which has more of a broadcast feel, featuring video clips from actual television broadcasts while starting up and shots of some of the sport's premier athletes in their most recent shining moments. For a game series that has long lacked any feel of official licensing compared to FIFA titles, hopefully this will be the beginning of a more genuine soccer feel reflective of what's actually happening in the sport for the PES franchise.