PES Chronicles

It’s been an interesting couple of days on the PSP version of PES2008. I haven’t even been tempted to go back to the PS3 version, and I don’t think I ever will go back to it. I gave the next-gen version a much greater chance than it ever deserved.

The so-called last-gen version of PES is the true version. It’s where the action will be, if it’ll be anywhere, from now until PES2009. (And if PES2009 is just an updated next-gen PES2008? I don’t even want to think about it.)

I regret starting my PSP Master League on Top Player. Last-gen PES2008 is a wholly different game from next-gen PES2008—different passing, different shooting, different tackling, different through-balls. Everything is different. I already knew this before I started, but after playing a few warm-up games I confess that I thought I could handle it.

I’m not handling it at the moment. I’m mid-table (in a league of 12) in the middle of my second season. I get pummelled in every game, lose most of them 1-0, and have only scored about 6 goals in an entire season and a half so far!

The CPU seems to be extraordinarily aggressive in PES2008. It’ll snap at any loose balls, regardless of whether you have a player in between or not. It’s also pretty skilful, and has scored some great goals. I rarely post CPU goals on this blog, but I had to post this one:

A 35-yard volley from a cleared corner. I’d have been proud of that goal. The CPU scores long-range shots against me for fun in the PSP version of PES2008—something I am very happy to see. The better the CPU opposition, the happier I am, and the more longevity the game will have.

There are some downers. Here’s some shocking collision detection, as showcased by my goalkeeper:

What’s remarkable about this clip is how unremarkable this kind of thing has come to seem. Collision detection in PES2008 (all flavours) is as bad as it has ever been in the franchise’s history. When did PES players just start to accept things like this as being normal?

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The competitive league season of Football Manager Live (Beta) has started today. I’m about to play my first proper game, after several days of largely meaningless (but useful) friendlies.

My team’s profile in the game is pretty poor. Most of the other new players were cannier than I—they spent a longer time exploring the menus on Day 1 of the Beta. FM Live uses a database of real players, not made-up ones. Everyone else found all the good players before I knew where to look. I played a friendly last night against a guy who had David Beckham and Gilberto in his team, among others. My best player is a non-entity striker called Robbie Simpson. It’s still too early for me to know how I can go about catching up, but I’m sure there is a way.

POSTSCRIPT:

Doh. The season starts tonight, not this morning. I won’t play my first proper game until tomorrow morning, Thurs 6th March. FM Live features a host of playing options suited to the time of day you can play. Due to my working hours and other commitments, I joined a daytime league where I can play all of my games in the mornings.

When I was logged on just now I took the opportunity to play another friendly. I was 1-2 down going into the last few minutes. I rejigged my formation to beef up the midfield, and instructed my players to start thumping long balls into the box. It worked, and I came away with a 2-2 draw despite being the inferior team. I think I am going to love FM Live.