Pro Evo 4

[Fletch]

Yes it was released today and I rushed off down the shops to get it. A nice shiny blue disc popped it in my PS2. New screens etc, wow can finally call me created player Fletcher on the commentary. Right time for a match.

 

Oh. Dear what a shame. Its pretty much exactly the same as last years. it seems theres no more Evolution in Pro Evolution. The game runs pretty much exactly the same bar a few minor changes and to be honest thus far I much prefer last years effort. Baring in mind I havent tried the "updated" Master League mode which im hoping will be this games saving grace because so far im not impressed. It really is hard to tell if your playing a supposedly new and improved game or the old game. Give or take a few minro details graphically.

 

I'll update this later with my thoughts on the Master League but if thats not brilliant then Im putting FIFA back in the machine.

[Guest Kakarot]

Well, seeing as how I don't have last years offering, I'll probably think a lot more of it than you do. But I have the first ps2 Pro offering, and I still think that's better than any subsequent Fifa game, so I say if it aint broke, why bother fixing it? And the Master league is suppoesd to be sh*t hot in Pro 4, so i think it will boost your opinion.

[Guest The Crippler]

I agree with WS, the gameplay was brilliant in Pro Evo 3 and only needed some minor alterations really. I'm quite glad they haven't done wholesale changes. Money is a bit tight at the moment. Maybe pick it up in a few weeks.

[Guest Russ]

The game was actually out in most stores earlier in the week. I picked my copy up on Wednesday and I've played it nearly non-stop since.

 

I think the game is as good as any football game is going to get. It's realistic, but not too slow, and you can construct beautiful goals out of nothing with smart passing moves. I'm not surprised to see that every single review of the game so far has been calling it tremendous, and giving it great ratings.

 

Unfortunatly, there are a few people who have played FIFA so long that they consider anything new to be a cheap immitation. The FIFA series starting going downhill a long time ago, and having played every version of the game for a decade now, I'd say that in a perfect world, EA would have stopped making the game a while ago. They can add all the bells, whistles and fancy skill moves they want, it's still FIFA. It plays like FIFA, it looks like FIFA, unfortunatly, it sucks lick FIFA.

 

The graphics in PES4 are without doubt the best effort by Konami so far. The gameplay is still top notch, and my only complaint is the default camera is too zoomed out. I'd still give the game an easy 9.5/10, compared to 6/10 for this year's FIFA, albeit that I've only had a few goes on it. But a football game is a football game, the match mechanics will be the same from 5 minutes to 5 months.

 

If you're attracted by high scoring games, pretty graphics, more recognisable commentators, English licenced teams and lots of fancy skills that Ronaldinho would try being performed by every player on the pitch, go get FIFA.

 

If you like football and want to recreate it as accurately as possible, even if it means a 0-0 every now and then, and you see no problem with having Man Red in the corner of the screen instead of Man Utd, go for PES4. The Master League will have you coming back to the game until next October, you have to earn goals, and only the cream of the crop can play great football. You need a good footballing brain to put together decent passing moves to break down a good defence, so don't go for PES4 if you want to score 17 goals a game by running with your best player through the whole opposition.

 

Until Konami start letting things slip in an EA-esq fashion, I'll keep buying PES and trying to convince the FIFA buyers I know that they made a mistake. Thankfully, the numbers get smaller every year. In the late 90s, it was like trying to convince everyone I know to buy ISS. In 2004, everyone was going crazy for PES, and only one person I know bought FIFA.

 

Anyway, download both demos and see what you like. If you watch football often, I'm sure you'll agree that PES is more realistic, has a longer lifespan and at the end of the day, is where the wise money is going.

[Guest Jack]

When you compare Pro Evo to FIFA I think the gap between the games is getting bigger. FIFA haveeverything spot on aprt from the gameplay whereas Pro Evo has had brilliant gameplay for ages. So now FIFA just update the game and Pro Evo are now updating. Soon Pro Evo will beat FIFA in evry categarie. The only thing konami have done wrong is no online play. IMO that is the only thing PES need to add into the 5th game. The kit editor is seriosuly good too

[Fletch]

Ive had every FIFA game since 1994. Ive also had every single ISS and Pro Evolution Game since well they started. On ps1 continuing onto Ps2.

 

Im not saying theres anything wrong with the game but its more of the leap PES2 made from PES1 than the one they made between PES2 and 3. It just feels so similar in the way that theres nothing new for me gameplay wise. Obviously Ive not played the Master league yet but I shall later so I wont make comments towards that yet.

On what jack said I actually think FIFA may perhaps have closed the gap this year. I was very unimpressed last year and in fact Ive not played my copy of it since the day I had it. But this year its very playable and in many ways I dont think you can possibly compare it to PES because the only thing they have in common is that theyre both football games. They are completly different and well in a strange way they appeal to different audiences. Everyone says you either like PES or you like FIFA. This year is the exception, I certainly dont mind playing PES4 because well I have no choice anyway now my PES3 Disc is scratched to high heavens and wont load. So im stuck with PES4. So its just replacing an old friend with a new one that feels the same. FIFA is a very different game in my eyes at least and I also have no quarrels about playing FIFA 2005 at all this year as like i said its very playable.

[Guest c0ma]

I also picked up the game today and as far as I'm concerned this is possibly the best football I've ever played, It's taken last years game, tweaked the graphics alot, The gameplay is as fantastic as ever, Some of the moves you can do chances you can create are nothing short of beautiful, What more can they possibly do to make a football game any better?.

 

As for FIFA, I've played FIFA for many years, I've also noticed how poor the series has become...That being said I bought last years attempt and as far as I'm concerned, I'm not buying another FIFA game, They add one little addition to the game every year, Last year it was Off The Ball...Which was a very annoying addition. This year it's one touch football...Which Pro Evo 4 recreates fantastically and has done so for a long time even in previous versions.

 

I've seen a lot of people say FIFA is the more realistic of the two...Load of rubbish. FIFA is ridiculously easy every year, Added to the fact it was easier to score from long range than it was to score from a one on one last year. Pro Evo 4 on the other hand can be somewhat difficult on the easy settings, Especially since the shooting seems to have been made a little more difficult this year.

 

Graphically Pro Evo is catching up...The licensed teams in the game look fantastic, Especially Real Madrid.

 

In conclussion, Pro Evo 4 for me is about as good a Football game as you're ever going to see, It does the job and does it brilliantly.

[Guest V.ONE]

what other licensed teams have been added this year?

 

was going to buy this tomorrow but having read f2k im not so sure.

 

As there is some top new releases soon a good question to ask is if you only could buy 1 game this month and you have PES3, would you buy PES4?

 

Adding to the FIFA debate, there is no competition, im still creating original attacks/moves since the day I bought PES3.

[Guest Russ]

The licenced teams are...

 

Every team from Serie A (Italy).

 

Every team from La Liga (Spain).

 

Every team from the Eredivision (Holland).

 

Erm, there could be more, but I can't remember, I've mostly been playing with the English teams. While they're not licenced, there's still every Premiership team and you can play a full English season in League mode.

[Fletch]

Ive been playing this with my dad this evening and its growing on me. Ive only got this version of PES that works now but its very very very similar to PES3. Still not tried master League but I may well play that later tonight/early tomorrow

[Guest rvd_king]

im gonan have to disagree witht he guy hu made fun of fifa

il always liek fifa more than pro evo for obvious reassons

beter graphics

real names

real kits

and fifa 2005 will out do pro evo 4 any day

[K.J]

I'm not gonna be getting this, I believed all the hype I heard from OPS2M, Russ, Pab and others and went out and bought Pro Evo last year, played it for about 2 weeks and it hasn't seen the light of day since. I believe my brother has it at the moment, but I simply couldn't care less where it is.

 

Just a matter of preference I suppose, didn't like it on the PS1 didn't like it on the PS2, everyone has different opinions, personally I prefer FIFA for reasons stated in the other thread.

[Guest Jack]

beter graphics

real names

real kits

and fifa 2005 will out do pro evo 4 any day

 

In my opinion the graphics are about the same

PES are getting more real names every time

The kit editor is brilliant and the kits look good before editing too

 

Plus the most important thing, the PES gameplay is better

[Guest Simon]

Sampdoria are in it so I have one thing to say...... Whooooooooooooo.

 

Also, I'm glad they didn't change it too much, if it ain't broke don't fix it, and all they did was remove the niggling little faults from the 3rd one. It's still miles ahead of the pretend football fan's favourite, Fifa 2005.

 

Quick question though, since I haven't had any luck on the net so far, has anyone edited all the team names properly yet? If so could ya post what they are here? Cheers.

[Guest Russ]

First of all, I hate Bazzani, he scored a 35 yard screamer into me today on level 5, and I only drew 1-1 with an updated Lazio, when Paulo Di Canio replied in stunning fashion after chipping the keeper from the edge of the area. I demand that Sampdoria are removed from future PES games! :)

 

Anyway, essential edits, stolen from the PES4 message board from Gamefaqs.com

 

North London - Arsenal

West Midlands Village - Aston Villa

West Midlands City - Birmingham

Lancashire - Blackburn Rovers

Middlebrook - Bolton Wanderers

South East London - Charlton Athletic

West London Blue - Chelsea

Crisisbless - Crystal Palace

Merseyside Blue - Everton

West London White - Fulham

Merseyside Red - Liverpool

Man Blue - Manchester City

Man Red - Manchester United

Teesside - Middlesbrough

Tyneside - Newcastle United

Northluck C - Norwich City

Pompy - Portsmouth

Soton - Southampton

North East London - Tottenham Hotspur

Nextbaumedge - West Bromwich Albion

Corse Sud - AC Ajaccio

Azur - AS Monaco

Bourgogne -AJ Auxerre

Haute Corse -Bastia

Aquitaine -Bordeaux

Kalm -Caen

Equpris -Istres

Pas de Calais -Lille

Rhone -Lyon

Moselle -Metz

Loire Océan -Nantes

Alpes Maritimes -Nice

Bouches du Rhone Olympique -Marseille

Ile de France -PSG

Nord -RC Lens

Bretagne -Rennes

Somesterrine -Saint Etienne

Franche-Comté -Sochaux

Alsace -Strasbourg

Garonne -Toulouse FC

Wizland Arminia -Bielefeld

Rhein -Bayer Leverkusen

Rekordmeister -Bayern Munich

Pott -VfL Bochum

Westfalen -Borussia Dortmund

Fohlen -B. Mönchengladbach

Breisgau -SC Freiburg

Hanseaten -Hamburger SV

Niedersachsen -Hannover 96

Mecklenburg -Hansa Rostock

Haupstadt -Hertha Berlin

Pfalz -FC Kaiserslautern

Naunz -Mainz

Mulenbalok -Nürnberg

Ruhr -Schalke 04

Neckar -VfB Stuttgart

Autostadt -VfL Wolfsburg

Weser -Werder Bremen

Patagonia -Boca Juniors

Pampas -River Plate

FC Belgium -Club Brugge

Bruxelles -Anderlecht

Belo Horizonte -Cruzeiro

Praha Sparta -Prague

AC Greek -AEK Athens

Peloponnisos -Olympiacos

Athenakos FC -Panathinaikos

Lisbonera -Benfica

Puerto -FC Porto

Esportiva -Sporting Lisbon

L.Mossubann -Lokomotiv Moscow

Valdai -Spartak Moscow

Old Firm Green -Celtic

Old Firm Blue -Rangers

Balvidan -Partizan Belgrade

Bejutassle -Besiktas

Byzantinobul -Galatasaray

Marmara -Dynamo Kyiv

 

Stadiums

 

Lombardi Colosseum - San Siro

Catalonia Stadium - Nou Camp

North East Stadium - Highbury

Orange Arena - Amsterdam ArenA

Bayern Stadium - Olympiastadion

Monaco Stadium - Stad Louis II

Trad Brick Stadium - Old Trafford

Nakhon Ratchasima - Seoul World Cup Stadium

Estadio Gran Chaco - Estadio Alberto J. Armando

Cuito Cuanavale - Vodacom Park Stadium

Amerigo Atlantis - Estadio Nacional

Old Lady Stadium - Stadio Delle Alpi

Cesar Stadium - Stadio Olimpico

Emelia Stadium - Ennio Tardini

Blue Bridge Stadium - Stamford Bridge

Red Cauldron - Anfield

Lutecia Park - Parc des Princes

Massilia Stadium - Stade Velodrome

Borussia Stadion - Westfalenstadion

Stockholm Arena - Råsunda

Magpie Park - St. James' Park

Rotterdam Stadion - De Kuip

Kanji Dome - Sapporo Dome

Dietro Monte Stadium - Kashima Soccer Stadium

Porto Folio - Yokohama Int'l Stadium

Queensland - Park Nagai Stadium

Haze Hills - Olympic Stadium

 

Transfers

 

Forlan Man Utd to Villareal

Ibrahimovic Ajax to Juventus

Cannavaro Inter to Juventus

Miccoli Juventus to Fiorentina

Woodgate Newcastle to Real Madrid

Luis Garcia Barcelona to Liverpool

Rooney Everton to Man Utd

Eto'o Mallorca to Barcelona

Saviola Barcelona to Monaco

Murphy Liverpool to Charlton

Diouf Liverpool to Bolton

Xavi Alonso Real Sociedad to Liverpool

Jeffers Arsenal to Charlton

Trabelsi Arsenal to Ajax

Di Canio Charlton to Lazio

Yorke Blackburn to Birmingham

Djorkaeff Bolton to Blackburn

 

International Retirements

 

Zidane

Thuram

Makelele

Desailly

Lizarazu (All France)

Nedved (Czech)

Figo (Portugal)

Rui Costa (Portugal)

Scholes (England)

Speed (Wales)

 

And thassit. Your PES4 is now up to date. :D

[The Icon]

Sounds like another good update but that's all it is an update I will get it in a few months when it's cheaper.

[Guest c0ma]

I officially love this game...

 

Scored an amazing goal today...Cross from the right by Beckham, Headed away, Nodded back across the goal from 30 yards out by Guti, Which was then in turn volleyed by Zidane from at least 25 yards out right into the top right hand corner of the goal...All the keeper could do was watch it fly past him.

 

So satisfying.

[Guest Simon]

Cheers Russ, muchos appreciatos.

 

I have to say without Pro Evo life wouldn't be as fun. Don't you just hate people who play FIFA?

 

Btw Bazzani rules all, Forza Doria!

 

Still ridiculous that no Celtic Park or Ibrox even though they're 2 of the best stadiums in Europe... whats up wit dat?

[Guest The Genetic Jackhammer]

pro evo 4 is a brillant game the gameplay didnt get changed much because as people said it doesnt need to be, but they have slowed it down a bit to make it harder to do things like run down the wing, they have also added 6 stars which is pretty sweet

[BRM]

Now then, i'm taking a bit of a risk here but i'm waiting for the x-box version in a couple of weeks. It's about time that the microsoft machine had a great football game and i'm hoping it will beworth the wait. Apart from maybe a slight improvement in the graphics from the ps2 from what i've heard the game should feature x-box live but i've had no confimation of this. If anybody knows any better could they let me know?

 

Only 2 weeks to go.

[Guest Clarkey]

At Gamestars Live I among alot of others had a scour around the options and it had an XBox live option on the front end. I'm pretty sure I read a while back that Seabass had confirmed that it would be going on Live but it maybe me getting muddled. The gameplay translated really well to the XBox pad, but the graphics are exactly the same as the PS2 version.

[Guest Alan]

I was never too much of a fan of the Pro Evo series, and PES3 exemplified my distaste as i deemed it to be quite poor. But i was persuaded by my younger brother (as he wants it if i dont) to buy it and see how it has "improved". Well it hasnt by much anyway.

 

The graphics have had the usual update and look slightly smoother than last year, the controls are exactly the same which bugs the hell out of me. Mainly because if you change a defence button, it changes the attack one as well, which doesnt allow me to get the control config that i like! The master league is a good format, and thats about the best feature of the game. The commentary is as abysmal as every other football game, but it is good to see them getting more official names now.

 

Slightly better than PES3, but not enough to warrant buying this instead of the older version. I made a mistake there, and i will be welcoming back FIFA with open arms.

[Guest Vaile]

i think PES4 is better thn PES3 as it actually has some REAL teams and REAL players for once. all the minor updates like kits, the ball type, stadiums and so on make it a lot better. i prefer fifa 2005 to this game as fifa has an easier career mode n without a career mode, most games are pretty borin.