Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Review – Wii

Graphics

I think the graphics were on par with the PS2 version. We know the Wii is not as powerful as the Xbox 360 or the PS3, but you would think that the developers would try pushing and getting the best out of the consoles graphics. Now some people will say “it’s not about the graphics, its all about the game play” but honestly, if you were asked point-blank if you’d spend £35 on this game would you not want graphics that were better than the PS2, knowing that the Wii is more powerful?

Sound

The introduction music is catchy and the main menu music is reasonable. As usual with all football games, the commentary is not the greatest. You get Mark Lawreson’s “comedic” commentary and thankfully if you can not stand it anymore or if really enjoy the commentary, there is an option which allows you to increase or decrease the frequency of the punditry.

Gameplay

Now the stuff we really want to know about.

“Crucial to PES 2008 for Wii is an all-new control system that truly elevates the level of control available to the player while retaining the depth and intuitive moves of the series. Making use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the player must also consider the movements of their teammates around them. The Nunchuk is used to move the current player, while the Wii Remote is used to pick out players to send them on runs or to receive passes via simple click and drag system which uses arrows to show the path of the run, and a press of the 'B' button to complete the move.
The level of control offered by the Wii system elevates PES 2008 far beyond any other football game. Dribbling is effected by clicking on the player and using an arrow and the 'A' button to guide the ball. The speed of the run can then be altered by extending or reducing the length of the guiding arrow, allowing stunning quick turns and bursts of speed to catch defenders off-guard.
Shooting also benefits from more control over the players, with the Nunchuk used to shoot or head simply by shaking it. As with the real sport, however, timing is everything in front of goal, and the speed of the pass or cross, the ability of the player, the angle of trajectory and the timing of the shot or header will all have differing effects on the resultant shot”. Source: Konami Europe

Closing Comments

I think this game was enjoyable and completely different to usual football games on the other platforms. You now have to be thinking one step ahead before you even get the ball to one of your players. Making off the ball runs and sending players into space and creating those defence splitting balls is the aim of the game. Get that right and you will be creating havoc and beating your mates in multiplayer mode. As a suggestion, practice first through the tutorials to get used to the controls as it’s not like the usual PES.
Personally the only problem with the game is the fact that you need to think a lot more than the usual football games. As said, you need to be thinking one step ahead which sometimes makes you forget about what is actually happening especially when playing multiplayer. By the time you have looked up at the screen ahead and seen where your players are, your mate can quickly get in and tackle you.
But I am not going to leave it on a negative note, PES is definitely a good buy for the Wii and I would recommend it to anyone that loves football games.

Picture Source: Konami Europe

Article by Pardeep Singh Virdee