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Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 UK Review

Konami sets out to right the wrongs made by last year's PES, but is it enough to topple FIFA?

Football's many things to many people, but it's rarely a non-partisan affair. Every fan is born into their allegiances, seeing their given team playing the beautiful game, and sometimes playing the not-so-beautiful one.

That's no less true when it comes to football of the virtual kind; maybe you grew up with a Mega Drive in hand, your first steps on pixelated turf watched from the isometric view of the glorious early FIFA titles. Or maybe you had a SNES in the house and were bound to the dynamic thrust of Konami's International Superstar Soccer series, watching it eventually blossom into the PES franchise. Either way, bonds are made that are hard to break.

With vocal fans rallying behind them, FIFA and PES line up this year for what is surely the closest fought title bid yet. On the one hand there's FIFA, using its financial clout to buy itself to the top of the charts and just like its spiritual counterpart Chelsea it's recently found a touch of flair that's opening people's eyes to its high gloss game. And then there's PES; perhaps much like Liverpool, it's a series that's heavily decorated but has of late fallen on lean times and in place of the affable Rafa Benitez, PES has the equally charming Seabass, reassuring his diehard fans that this year, finally, his team can deliver. Having made a far from convincing start to its spell on the current generation, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 arrives, head-down and determined to match the pace of the HD era, and after FIFA 09's astounding performance it has a lot to prove.

First impressions are unflattering. Lacking the real-life look of FIFA, PES 2009 looks like an outmoded dinosaur, a flabby veteran struggling to keep up with the patina of EA's labours. Player models have been refined little since they ran riot on the PlayStation 2, sporting shabby textures and inconsistent likenesses. Stadiums fare slightly better, an excellent model of the magisterial new Wembley being a highlight, but otherwise it's left wheezing by modern standards. Good job it runs smoothly, then - gone are the crippling frame-rate issues of PES 2008, with PES 2009 running at a steady and impressive chop throughout our time with it.

Sticking with the presentation, Jon Champion and Mark Lawrenson are back on commentary duties, although more often than not sound like they're commentating on a different game from the one you're playing, so much so we doubt anyone will be able to endure them for more than a handful of matches before trekking through the menus to find their dimmer switch. What's left is the exaggerated thud of the ball, a meaty accompaniment to the full-blooded crowd roar. There's a lack of variety in the noises that erupt from the stands, but somewhat cutely there's an option to import MP3s to provide bespoke chants. Indeed, perhaps Konami has taken LittleBigPlanet's recent experiments a little too closely to heart, as it's a feature that's indicative of the DIY ethos that runs through so many elements of PES 2009. Yes, the Champion's League is present and it's a welcome addition, though the implementation is a little eccentric. The famous overture that precedes games in Europe's top flight is stretched to breaking point and with several key licences still missing - neither of the Premier League's top two London clubs officially feature - it still feels half-baked.

The edit mode, then, will be the salvation for those that crave authenticity. Having been strangely stunted over the past few years it's back to its former glory, allowing full edits on players and kits using the myriad sliders available or using either console's camera to directly import images. It's a step above what's available in the opposition, and for the dedicated it's possible to craft a tailor-made game.
