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.
Plays like an almost kick-for-kick perfect pocket-sized port of the home version.
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