Anybody who has played PES for a long time knows, or at least suspects, that Master League isn’t always entirely fair to the human player. There are some fixtures—individual games against specific opponents at certain times of a season—that absolutely stink. Somehow the AI team, whoever they are, seem unplayable. They’re faster, stronger, luckier, more skilful. There seems to be nothing you can do to avoid a puzzling defeat (or an unwelcome draw) that completely goes against the form book.
I’ve certainly played lots of those games down the years. So have lots of other PES fans. I’ve read occasionally of people who have experimented with reloading these offending games and replayed them just to see what would happen, with interesting results. But I’ve never done it myself. I have a strict NO RELOADING rule that I have fanatically adhered to, split infinitives notwithstanding, for as long as I’ve played Master League. Reloading is just plain wrong. I never play with Master League’s ‘cheat prevention’ save option switched on because I don’t need it. Because I never, ever reload—not even for an experiment…
But finally, after all this time, I have made an exception. I have noted several times already that Osasuna seem to be the mother of all bogey teams for me. It happened last season and the season before that and the season before that. It also happened this season. I met Osasuna in the league and I played out of my skin but the game wouldn’t let me do anything. I’ll spare you the fine details—if you’re a diehard Master League player you’ll know exactly what I mean, and if you’re not then you won’t believe me anyway, so I won’t waste pixels detailing exactly how things went down. I lost the game 2-1. I could and should have won it 10-0. This has happened too often to me now. It was time to conduct a little experiment.
In the last seconds, just before the final whistle was going to blow (after a certain time playing PES you end up knowing exactly when that’ll happen), I paused the game. I went down the Pause Menu and hovered over the ‘Return to Top Menu’ option. I had never done this before. Was I really going to go through with it now? Yes, I was. I hit X.
After a short period of dizziness (what was I doing?!), I reloaded the previous save and restarted the Osusuna game. Here we go. This time, things were slightly different. I went into a 2-0 lead, and it was easy… Scripting in PES is a myth! I really am just a terrible, careless player, and scripting is a myth! It was all so clear to me now.
Then it started. Suddenly, the ball was bouncing off my players’ shins. Osasuna seemed to have a permanent swarm of players surrounding mine. They got one goal back. Then they got the equaliser. In the last ten minutes, they got their winner. How very odd…
So I did it again. I paused the game, reloaded the save, and restarted. Come on, Osasuna. Let’s be having you.
Attempt number 3 was the worst of all. This time, it stayed 0-0 until a long way into the second half. Osasuna have got two players with distinctive blond pony-talils—their goalkeeper, who is easily the greatest goalkeeper ever; and a preposterously busy, skilful, and strong attacking midfielder called Gottwald (pictured here in all his annoying, pony-tailed glory).
Gottwald played like a one-man team throughout this sequence of games. He was everywhere, doing everything, all the time. In this game he scored a hat trick in the middle of the second half. I lost my discipline and went down to 8 men. There was no way back. I didn’t count this game as a proper attempt. I’d clearly been sulking. I restarted again.
I’ll keep the rest of it short. I replayed this one fixture a total of six times before I managed, somehow, to pull off a 1-0 win. And it was truly miraculous, believe me. The pressure they put me under in the last twenty minutes was the most intense I’ve ever seen on PES. Nothing on earth would keep the ball at the feet of any of my players. Now, I certainly am an average PES player—but I am not a terrible, clueless PES player; I am not a noob. I know how to keep the ball when required. I know how to run down a clock. I do it routinely in the majority of games where I’m not blatantly handicapped and prevented from doing so, as I blatantly was in these six games.
It was the first time I had ever carried out an experiment like this. One of the reasons I’ve never done it before is the time factor. It took up my entire day’s playing session. But I think it was worth it. Finally I can agree with all of those forum posters—on PESfan and elsewhere—who have carried out similar experiments. It really, really is true that, sometimes, the game really, really is out to get you.
Of course, I didn’t accept that eventual 1-0 win. In the last seconds, I paused the game and went back and restarted it. Then I deliberately lost, making sure that the final result was the same 2-1 scoreline that I’d originally suffered in game #1 of the series. I have principles to uphold. I hadn’t started reloading the fixture in order to get a different result. It was just an experiment.
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Very interesting experiment! I would have expected your results mind you, I have had similar games. For some reason it’s Newcastle for me, they tear me to shreads on some games- matches that I know i’d lose 9 times out of 10. Very fishy.
On a pro evo front I am back to 6. I prefer this to 2008 at the moment, it doesn’t seem as aggreassive and insane as the AI on the new one. Really want FIFA 08 but can’t afford it with MGS4 on the horizon.
Can I say “I told you so”?
Now to the philosophical question: if the game’s cheating you, is it really cheating to restart?
Naughty, naughty. Interesting outcome though. I always use the prevention option myself, could maybe have done with it off after that match which sent me over the edge.
Not Given - Give it another month or so and you should be able to get a pre-owned FIFA08 for a tenner or fifteen quid.
I’m with you on the Waiting For MGS4 front. This game is one of the two big reasons I got a PS3. (Let’s not talk about the other reason.) I’ve even booked two days off work just to play MGS4. It’s not sad at all…
Adriano - Indeed, and I have to say I’ve only ever been against reloading because it disrupts the history of my marathon MLs. I like the story of my long, long careers too much to want to mess them about, even if the game transparently cheats me. It’s difficult to explain in a few words (at work right now). But to answer your question: yes and no. Personally I never reload, except to carry out a scientific experiment of course….
heraldo - Even after I eventually won the fixture, I went back and replayed it to make sure my original 1-2 defeat was once again the ‘official’ result, so my conscience is completely clear. I dislike the cheat prevention save because it takes up so much time. It takes long enough moving from week to week as it is. Another layer of saving would just aggravate me more. I don’t need it anyway because I never reload, except when I want to carry out a scientific experiment of course….
Greg
Don’t know if you’ve read PSM3’s article on FIFA 09. I bought magazine today, I took out the key elements from article, and posted on my blog.
here it is PSM3’s FIFA 09 ARTICLE
Interesting from PES fanboys, could be the best year for football titles. Come on Konami, give us what we want.
Not Given
I bought FIFA 08 for £17.93 out of ASDA mate, 2 weeks ago. BARGAIN, I love both titles.
I also have Metal Gear pre-owned, still got a months leave left. Happy days.
Has anyone seen the recent pics of Resident Evil? This is my favourite game, the mercenary levels must be the best side game ever on a console after you initially complete game, I still play it. Not out till start of next year.