	Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
	Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Release Date: Out Now Players: 1-2	Words By:
The Pro Evolution Soccer franchise has dominated the football sim market for longer than most people can remember, but how does its newest hand-held iteration fare? The first (and best) thing to note is that this is the furthest step Konami has taken to making the PSP feel like it was meant to be: a portable PS2 which boasts games with good graphics and more substance than simple arcade mini-games. In PSP PES 2008 you have almost exactly the same depth as the home console versions. You have access to all the standard stuff such as exhibitions and training sessions but it's great to see the Master League available, with all the same intricate aspects which are laboured over for the PS2 version. Aside from the PSP version of God of War I've never seen this level of production and attention paid to a portable game, and it really feels the better for the extra scale and depth. As some PSP games have done, it supports compatibility with the PS2 version, which means that you can play a Master League at home, then on the commute to work, export your save to your PSP and carry on the same league, importing back onto the PS2 in the evening! This level of compatibility is great, if only for a few reasons. Firstly, I can't remember someone who has been techno-savvy enough to invest money in a PSP without buying one of the next-gen consoles first, so it is unlikely there will be a lot of people who have copies of both the PS2 and the PSP versions. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier the game is almost identical to the console versions (short of technical ability), so why would someone buy two copies? This would really only cater for total PES addicts, or those who have more money than sense. Onto the game itself. The graphics are pleasing for PSP, with some nice player animations and movements, but it often feels like they are pushing the graphics too far, too fast. There are ‘jaggies’ galore and if you move too quickly/whenever you kick the ball you get a juddery 'motion blur' effect similar to what made Vice City Stories so bloody hard to play. Although you're more restricted with the controls on the PSP most of the moves have been transferred from the console versions, albeit in a more complicated sense. The biggest disappointment, given the way the PSP is marketed as a mobile wifi games console, is the lack of wifi multiplayer. It feels like Konami are kicking consumers in the face as they got halfway there with ad-hoc wireless gaming, but no full online wifi modes. This means that by and large PES 2008 will be a solo affair for gamers. This may suit some gamers who want to play through the Master League but the majority of my PES gaming time has been spent playing against mates, as beating the computer is never as satisfying as beating someone else. Especially if they're miles away and you can trash-talk them without the danger of a responding slap. Pro Evo 2008 feels like a PS2 game, and isn't hampered in content by the fact that it's portable. However the graphics do suffer and the lack of online multiplayer makes this game more short-lived than the console versions, where you can extend the playing lifespan exponentially by playing against a mate. Also, being exactly the same as the PS2 version isn't so great an achievement, as the last three releases for PS2 have not shown any real improvement worthy of three years' development time. Let's hope now they have the content sorted Konami don't send their portable title down the same 'business as usual' yearly updates road that they have resigned their console title to.

Best Bits
- Exactly the same content as console versions
- Hugely detailed master league
- Smooth gameplay

Worst Bits
- Exactly the same content as console versions
- No online multiplayer
- Average graphics


by: Crazypunk