08-30-2018, 04:34 PM
PES 2019 Review Roundup
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pes-2019-unveiled-release-date-and-new-features-de/1100-6458829/">PES 2019's release date</a> has finally arrived, and fans are getting their hands on this year's Pro Evo worldwide. The new edition contains improvements in players' energy depletion, meaning you now have to spend more attention to how much you keep that right trigger pressed down.</p><p dir="ltr">Huge advances have also been made in the on-pitch presentation, with new lighting techniques meaning matches look more realistic than ever. Our critic, Richard Wakeling, was impressed by this year's game, and he awarded it a 9/10 in our <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-evolution-soccer-2019-review-in-progress/1900-6416968/">PES 2019 review-in-progress</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">Take a look below to check out what other critics thought of this year's Pro Evolution Soccer. Alternatively, check out GameSpot sister site <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/pro-evolution-soccer-2019/critic-reviews">Metacritic</a> for a wider view of critical opinion on the popular sports game.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><strong>Game:</strong> Pro Evolution Soccer 2019</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Developer / Publisher:</strong> Konami</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Platforms:</strong> PS4, Xbox One, PC</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Release date:</strong> Out now</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Price:</strong> $60 / £50 / AU $97</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">GameSpot -- 9/10 (Review-In-Progress)</h2><p dir="ltr">"For as long as EA continues to develop FIFA and hold a monopoly over official licences, PES will be the scrappy underdog just hoping for a surprise upset, even when it's fielding the likes of London Blue and PV White Red. The lack of licences for top-tier leagues remains a disheartening sticking point, but PES continues to make brilliant strides on the pitch, building on what was already an incredibly satisfying game of football to produce one of the greatest playing football games of all time. It might be lacking off the pitch, but put it on the field against the competition and a famous giant killing wouldn't be all that surprising." -- <em>Richard Wakeling</em> [<a href="https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-evolution-soccer-2019-review-in-progress/1900-6416968/">Full review-in-progress</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">IGN -- 8.2/10</h2><p dir="ltr">"You shouldn't buy PES 2019 for its new modes--there aren't any of note. Nor should you buy it for major changes to existing modes--the ones made are minor. If you do opt in this year, it should be for the focus on player individuality that sets this iteration apart from all previous years. It's not just a case of introducing bespoke animations, but accurately reflecting each player's ingrained habits, too. Football, after all, is a battle that's both physical and psychological. From PES 2019's crisp and robust action to the mind games unfolding behind the scenes, this is a game successfully capturing both sides." -- <em>Benjamin Griffin</em> [<a href="http://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/08/28/pes-2019-review">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">Game Informer -- 8.5/10</h2><p dir="ltr">"It's easy for me to sit and revel in what I love about PES, jogging through instant replay just to gawk at a foot flick a ball on to a teammate or charting out the future of my Master League club. But occasionally that reverence is broken by an ill-suited moment that illustrates that more work needs to be done. The franchise is steps away from greatness, which makes some of its foibles frustrating." -- <em>Matthew Sato</em> [<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pro-evolution-soccer-2019/moments-of-magic">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">GamesRadar+ -- 4/5</h2><p dir="ltr">"PES 2019 is still very much a hard sell to all but the most ardent who will religiously buy Konami's newest entry and the quantifiable new features are very much lacking this year. Hardcore FIFA fans, too, will find little here to tempt them outside of the handful of exclusive leagues and features; Master League is very much mired in the mid-'00s with its bland menus and odd quirks, and MyClub but a pale imitation of Ultimate Team.</p><p dir="ltr">"Regardless, of all that, PES 2019 is a game you'll like, and very much enjoy in extended spells. The nagging feeling, despite the superb football, remains: more could have been done to set it apart from its contemporaries, and even past Pro Evo entries--but you'll be having too much fun to care otherwise." -- <em>Bradley Russell</em> [<a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/pes-2019-review/">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">Eurogamer -- No Score</h2><p dir="ltr">"The harsh, inescapable truth about PES 2019, though, is that quality on the pitch can't make up for the disappointment of the overall package. Even if you were to fall in love with its more sim-like gameplay, PES 2019 as an overall offering falls flat. Off the pitch, PES remains a shambles. Konami's licensing problems are well documented, but the addition of the Scottish, Russian and Turkish leagues, among half a dozen other officially-licensed leagues that appear in the game, does not make up for the loss of the Champions League license, which had been a PES mainstay for a decade. There are no new game modes. No new game modes! Beyond that, there are some basic, fundamental features PES lacks that do not sit well in 2018. Where are the women teams, for example?</p><p>"Despite it all, I keep thinking about the football. You know, the actual football. It really is a marvel and it matters so, so much. So much good comes from it--gorgeous passes, stunning shots, realistic tackles--but it finds itself stifled by a football video game that's stuck in the dark ages." -- <em>Wesley Yin-Poole</em> [<a href="https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-08-28-pes-2019-review-patience-on-the-pitch-a-shambles-off-it">Full review</a>]</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pes-2019-unveiled-release-date-and-new-features-de/1100-6458829/">PES 2019's release date</a> has finally arrived, and fans are getting their hands on this year's Pro Evo worldwide. The new edition contains improvements in players' energy depletion, meaning you now have to spend more attention to how much you keep that right trigger pressed down.</p><p dir="ltr">Huge advances have also been made in the on-pitch presentation, with new lighting techniques meaning matches look more realistic than ever. Our critic, Richard Wakeling, was impressed by this year's game, and he awarded it a 9/10 in our <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-evolution-soccer-2019-review-in-progress/1900-6416968/">PES 2019 review-in-progress</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">Take a look below to check out what other critics thought of this year's Pro Evolution Soccer. Alternatively, check out GameSpot sister site <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/pro-evolution-soccer-2019/critic-reviews">Metacritic</a> for a wider view of critical opinion on the popular sports game.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><strong>Game:</strong> Pro Evolution Soccer 2019</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Developer / Publisher:</strong> Konami</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Platforms:</strong> PS4, Xbox One, PC</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Release date:</strong> Out now</li><li dir="ltr"><strong>Price:</strong> $60 / £50 / AU $97</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">GameSpot -- 9/10 (Review-In-Progress)</h2><p dir="ltr">"For as long as EA continues to develop FIFA and hold a monopoly over official licences, PES will be the scrappy underdog just hoping for a surprise upset, even when it's fielding the likes of London Blue and PV White Red. The lack of licences for top-tier leagues remains a disheartening sticking point, but PES continues to make brilliant strides on the pitch, building on what was already an incredibly satisfying game of football to produce one of the greatest playing football games of all time. It might be lacking off the pitch, but put it on the field against the competition and a famous giant killing wouldn't be all that surprising." -- <em>Richard Wakeling</em> [<a href="https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pro-evolution-soccer-2019-review-in-progress/1900-6416968/">Full review-in-progress</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">IGN -- 8.2/10</h2><p dir="ltr">"You shouldn't buy PES 2019 for its new modes--there aren't any of note. Nor should you buy it for major changes to existing modes--the ones made are minor. If you do opt in this year, it should be for the focus on player individuality that sets this iteration apart from all previous years. It's not just a case of introducing bespoke animations, but accurately reflecting each player's ingrained habits, too. Football, after all, is a battle that's both physical and psychological. From PES 2019's crisp and robust action to the mind games unfolding behind the scenes, this is a game successfully capturing both sides." -- <em>Benjamin Griffin</em> [<a href="http://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/08/28/pes-2019-review">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">Game Informer -- 8.5/10</h2><p dir="ltr">"It's easy for me to sit and revel in what I love about PES, jogging through instant replay just to gawk at a foot flick a ball on to a teammate or charting out the future of my Master League club. But occasionally that reverence is broken by an ill-suited moment that illustrates that more work needs to be done. The franchise is steps away from greatness, which makes some of its foibles frustrating." -- <em>Matthew Sato</em> [<a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pro-evolution-soccer-2019/moments-of-magic">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">GamesRadar+ -- 4/5</h2><p dir="ltr">"PES 2019 is still very much a hard sell to all but the most ardent who will religiously buy Konami's newest entry and the quantifiable new features are very much lacking this year. Hardcore FIFA fans, too, will find little here to tempt them outside of the handful of exclusive leagues and features; Master League is very much mired in the mid-'00s with its bland menus and odd quirks, and MyClub but a pale imitation of Ultimate Team.</p><p dir="ltr">"Regardless, of all that, PES 2019 is a game you'll like, and very much enjoy in extended spells. The nagging feeling, despite the superb football, remains: more could have been done to set it apart from its contemporaries, and even past Pro Evo entries--but you'll be having too much fun to care otherwise." -- <em>Bradley Russell</em> [<a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/pes-2019-review/">Full review</a>]</p><h2 dir="ltr">Eurogamer -- No Score</h2><p dir="ltr">"The harsh, inescapable truth about PES 2019, though, is that quality on the pitch can't make up for the disappointment of the overall package. Even if you were to fall in love with its more sim-like gameplay, PES 2019 as an overall offering falls flat. Off the pitch, PES remains a shambles. Konami's licensing problems are well documented, but the addition of the Scottish, Russian and Turkish leagues, among half a dozen other officially-licensed leagues that appear in the game, does not make up for the loss of the Champions League license, which had been a PES mainstay for a decade. There are no new game modes. No new game modes! Beyond that, there are some basic, fundamental features PES lacks that do not sit well in 2018. Where are the women teams, for example?</p><p>"Despite it all, I keep thinking about the football. You know, the actual football. It really is a marvel and it matters so, so much. So much good comes from it--gorgeous passes, stunning shots, realistic tackles--but it finds itself stifled by a football video game that's stuck in the dark ages." -- <em>Wesley Yin-Poole</em> [<a href="https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-08-28-pes-2019-review-patience-on-the-pitch-a-shambles-off-it">Full review</a>]</p>