Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (Konami)

This is an important year for the Pro Evolution Soccer series.  This could be the year where PES 2012 makes a serious stand against the immensely popular FIFA series and its latest incarnation, FIFA 12.  FIFA 12 has a ridiculous sales history, a global marketing campaign, a North American experiential tour, along with some of soccer’s biggest names.

How can PES 2012 compete? Exclusive tournaments, incredible visuals, stellar gameplay, and the immensely fun Football Life mode are a start.  Not to mention cover athletes Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar getting behind the title.

First, you have to realize that Pro Evo is the only place where you can get the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores.  And yes the famous UCL anthem and all the bells and whistles come with this title.

The graphics are even better than last year.  The stadium models and pre-game festivities are absolutely breathtaking.  The replay system is great, allowing you to capture your favorite Pelé-like moments and share them with the world. Yes we are talking about Facebook integration.

Gameplay has always been a priority for this series and this year is no exception.  The gameplay is smooth and most importantly realistic. All of the difficulty settings are fair because of consistent AI.  Yet you can always hop online and play against some of the world’s best gamers.

Football Life has to be my favorite; both Master League and Become a Legend are incredible.  Master League allows you to try out your skills as a manager, while Become a Legend allows to strap on your boots and take a stab at the world’s game.  Press conferences, training sessions, agent meetings, and boatloads of stats are a staple in either mode.

Unlicensed teams have always been a downfall for the series and this year’s rendition has the same flaws, even though it is not as bad as previous versions.  Admit it playing as Man Blue isn’t as cool as Manchester City.  Yes, they have licensed teams like Manchester United, but more work needs to be done in this area.

Keep in mind that no video game is perfect, but this one certainly is getting closer. PES 2012 is a great title with incredible gameplay, visuals, and an amazing tradition of excellence.

Score: 9/10

We like to keep things simple here at ISN. We use a 10 point scale for all of our reviews with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest.  This fits in with many of the gamer-specific sites out there on the Web and provides a system that is easy to understand.