Pro Evolution Soccer

The award winning and trend setting soccer game.

Pro Evolution Soccer 4 is the fourth in the long line of Konami Pro Evolution Soccer football game series. It was also the first Pro Evolution game to appear on the first Xbox. It was first released in August 5, 2004, and won the BAFTA Games Award for Sports. The developers are Konami of Konami Computer Entertainment (Tokyo), and it was released on the Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows

A Rose By A Different Name

Ever heard of the “World Soccer: Winning Eleven 8?” That is what Pro Evolution Soccer 4 is known as in Japan. It was the first game in the Pro Evo series to feature licensed leagues.

What Did People Hate About It?

Many people hated the fact that it was too easy, and yet some said it was too difficult to score a goal. You can basically run past the players on the game without being tackled, and yet when you get into the box it is almost impossible to get a good shot in. Some said it was dull, and others said it lacked any form of realism. Some said that scoring was too frustrating, others said it was too difficult to master with any real skill.

Many People Loved It

There are more master league teams than in previous editions with a total of 138 teams, and there are more than 200 club and national teams within the game. They added more elements to the development/retirement of players, and there are new modes for through passes and centring, which allows for more control when playing. There are new feign turn and control techniques, along with new soccer rules, plus game control help screens.

They have a user-friendly pause menu that has quick control views, and referees may be seen on pitch whilst the game is playing, which was not true of previous instalments. You can also see wear, tear and dirt on the players depending on the pitch conditions. Many of the club players have their real names, and there are new stadiums.

You can judge your through-pass and how much speed it has, and there are even post-tackle brawls. There is no online play, but in 2004 and 2005 there was little call for it. There are also a few complaints about how sliding tackles usually end up with bookings, but many consider this one of a few teething problems that early soccer games needed to go through.

Pros

• Started a lot of trends with soccer games that exist today
• A first person perspective was added
• There are more soccer actions
• There are new effects, actions, banners and stadiums
• Repeatedly pressing the dash button makes players run faster
• Pace and acceleration differences can be seen

Cons

• Getting pushed off the ball is unfair
• Keepers don’t dive for balls shot outside the box
• Getting a shot in is very difficult and frustrating
• The game is dull when compared to previous versions