With football's finest in your back pocket, you truly will never walk alone...

As the Playstation 2's premier football game, Pro Evolution Soccer 5 on PSP should by rights be one of the portable's biggest killer apps. And for many it will be. Konami have managed to condense the home console version onto Sony's pint-sized system with surprising subtlety. The game engine has been ported completely intact and renders the series' flowing football in impressive fashion for a handheld. It also exhibits a compromise in detail that befits the smaller screen without shirking on player likeness, and retains the same combination of arcade approachability and realism found in past Pro Evo titles.

The problem is that, despite playing like an almost kick-for-kick perfect pocket-sized port of the home version, hardcore PES players may feel slightly underwhelmed by the game's options - or, to be more specific, the lack thereof.

Let's get the biggest negatives out of the way first: There's no Master League, no Cup mode, significant minute-plus loading delays when booting up the game and starting matches, and the much-hyped PSP to PS2 linkup merely allows for edited player data to be swapped between the systems. What fans wanted was a way to continue Master League seasons on their travels; what they've got instead is a similar balancing act to other PSP titles. Like GTA: Liberty City Stories' use of an already existing PS2 gameworld, this is more a re-appropriation of a PS2 IP than an established series being tailored to portable play.

Thankfully, the game's options are the only extreme compromise in Pro Evo's translation to handheld. There are other aspects of the port that differ from the home version, but all hamper enjoyment to minimal amounts and are understandable given the nature of the console.

The control scheme has been shifted to the miniature machine as well as could be expected, with just a single sacrifice; a choice of using skills, manual passes or player movement on the analogue stick. Going with one means the other two fall by the wayside, but in honesty you really are less likely to miss the fancy flicks of the home version on PSP, and the freedom of full analogue control feels like a very small compromise. It could be argued that the analogue stick's position can mould larger hands into a semi-permanent claw, but the PSP's hardware design is hardly Konami's fault, and anyone that finds it too uncomfortable can always become accustomed to the surprisingly intuitive D-pad control. Overall, then, it's the sensible tradeoff for a control setup with two less buttons and half the analogue sticks of the Dual Shock pad.

While the control balance is pretty much spot-on, the framerate is sometimes less so, and can stutter considerably in the busiest of instances. Corners especially can cause proceedings to slow to a crawl, but thankfully this only lasts a few seconds before the normal fast-flowing action returns. This is made all the more acceptable by some detailed player models which, on the surface, retain much of their PS2 quality detail. Admittedly, a close-up camera view does expose some more angular edges than on the home release, but in the ongoing to-and-fro of a tense game of footy, you'd honestly be hard pushed to notice or care.

In fact, we'd say that you'll be concentrating on the screen with extra intent, as the game's considerable amount of motion blur does take some getting used to. Given time however, the compromises made with controls, framerate and visuals find a fine medium, and give way to the established elegance of Pro Evolution's schooled, skilful approach to the beautiful game.

Secret ingredients

Elaborating on what exactly makes each new Pro Evo iteration such a triumph is undoubtedly one of the harder tasks in videogame punditing. Each new release furthers the series without actually altering the core gameplay, introducing needless gimmicks, or deviating too far from the basic ethos of its famed pass-and-move football. The hallmark of the series against its rivals has always been its ability to contrive those breathlessly exciting instances that football fans thrive on; frantic goalmouth scrambles, nail-biting extra time exasperation and passing moves that would leave 1970's Brazil in awe. Pro Evo 5's tweaks to turning, passing, volleys and keeper control combine with improvements in licenced team and player names, animation and all-around more believable A.I. to continue the trend.

And that really is what you're getting for your money with Pro Evo 5 on PSP. Despite the lack of the home game's options, and some extra-long load times in between matches, it's still by far and away the finest football simulation on Sony's handheld. In fact, it wouldn't be going too far to say that the reality of PES in public is its own reward; it's both the ideal Wi Fi multiplayer title, and the perfect in-pub accompaniment to your half time scampi on a Sky Sports Super Sunday. With a battery saving option that turns off unnecessary sound, and the added bonus of a merciful lack of commentary, you'll be able to play Pro Evo in peace any place you choose, without the embarrassment of exposing others to the typically comedic comments of Peter Brackley and Trevor Brooking.

In all then, Pro Evo 5 on PSP suffers the same drawbacks FIFA fans have levelled at the series since its first outing: a comparative lack of modes, licences and surface gloss. Such complaints however, won't be anything new to franchise followers, and though all are exacerbated in the handheld release, the game still has the quality at its grass-roots level to effortlessly outplay its rivals on the pitch. If you're looking for a portable footy title that's less Carlton Palmer and more Johan Cruyff, Pro Evolution Soccer 5 on PSP has to be the first name on the team sheet.

GAME's Verdict

• Hugely ambitious and mostly successful portable version of PS2's finest footy game.
• Controls and visuals have made the transition as well as could be expected.
• Lag free Wi Fi multiplayer, Battery Saving setting and no commentary!

• No Master League or Cup modes.
• Noticeable slowdown on corners and set pieces.
• It's The Claw! No, wait… he's just been using the analogue…

Review by: Mark Scott
Review Published: 08.12.05