PES Chronicles

It’s day 3 of PES5 week on PES Chronicles…

Ah… I’m only joking about it being a PES5 week instead of a permanent switch. Or am I?

The peculiar thing about the past few days is that I have not immediately (re)taken to PES5 in the way that I thought I would.

I thought that by now I’d be re-immersed fully in what I still believe is the greatest version of the game ever.

Have next-gen PES2008 and next-gen FIF08 spoiled me for all other football games? Despite both games’ numerous faults?

I’m playing International Tournaments on PES5 at the moment. It’s all designed to re-acclimatise me.

I’ve played a full tournament as England on the default difficulty (3 stars). It’s interesting to look at the scorelines and remember how things used to be on Top Player on PES2008:

Group games:
England 0 - Russia 0
England 0 - Romania 1
England 1- Paraguay 0

I was amazed to qualify from the group in second place with just 4 points.

Quarter final: England 2- Ireland 0
Semi-final: England 0 - 0 France (France won 4-5 on penalties a.e.t.)

Here’s a nice goal I scored with Joe Cole along the way:

I love the grace and style of that diving header. PES has always had that: grace and style. Who says video games can’t be art? Or if not art, then at least convey the flavour of art? Another discussion for another time.

So I was eliminated from my first tournament in the Semi-final. That’s about par for the course for me and a new PES. I really am approaching PES5 as if it is a brand-new PES game that has just been released. I’m trying to ignore the rather dull, chalky graphics, and the crazy speed of the gameplay. Again, I have to say how shocked I am by PES5’s speed.

I’m still (re)learning the ropes on PES5, so you’d expect goals to be at a premium right now. But it’s starting to come back to me. I’m starting to remember some of its little quirks and oddities.

PES2008 had more of an effect on me than I ever would have thought possible. The legacy of those last few weeks of constant attacking, attacking, attacking, and effortlessly dribbling through entire teams, and finishing matches with an average total of 7 goal between the teams - all of this has infected my PES forebrain. I’ve forgotten how to defend. I’ve forgotten that I have to defend sometimes.

Whenever I get the ball I want to charge forward and get a goal or create a good chance to get a goal. That was PES2008, where it was possible to do that. This is PES5, where it isn’t possible. Not for me.