PES 2016 News Post

PES 2016 Review (XB1/PS4)

11:09 AM - September 21, 2015 by RaychelSnr

On the surface, Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2016 looks a lot like the 2015 version which won various awards (IGN Best Sports Game of 2014 & 2015 Gamescom Best Sports Game) and received an “8.0” from this very site. It’s not until you spend a little bit of time with it that you fully realize the improvements the team over at Konami made to this proud franchise. From the initial kick-off to the final blow of the whistle, there’s a lot in between to satisfy your yearly footy fix.

Read More - PES 2016 Review (XB1/PS4)

Game: PES 2016Reader Score: Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 0 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 ps3veron @ 09/21/15 11:48 AM

Great review!

# 2 kamackeris76 @ 09/21/15 12:22 PM

Little to no fouls = no buy for me.

# 3 Fedor_52 @ 09/21/15 12:33 PM

great review

it's a fun game for sure, but the lack of fouls and passive CPU AI is a big problem, CPU plays way too much man coverage, don't even care for the ball, every attack feels so similar because of it

https://vimeo.com/136305347

# 4 mjarz02 @ 09/21/15 01:29 PM

I love the gameplay in PES 16. The game is fluid and lots of fun to play. However, lack of licenses, sliders and fouls is concerning. I ended up buying PES 16, but I'm leaning towards trading it in for Fifa. I didn't mind importing images and editing teams for the Premiere league. Once I realized that the Bundesliga would have to be completely built, along with creating players, it was just too much.

# 5 HenryClay1844 @ 09/21/15 01:35 PM

PES is fun and I love being able to edit the game, but IMO an 8-10 is a bit generous. After playing FIFA 16 and having a very very good foul engine, PES is just not good enough. The champions league music (there are tons of teams missing), the Asian teams and South American teams, along with edit mode are positives, but unless EA patches FIFA 16 to its detriment, I'll only be playing PES occasionally.

# 6 KennyJ1976 @ 09/21/15 01:45 PM

I honestly don't think Konami will do anything to address the lack of fouls in the game. They're getting too much praise on how good the gameplay is, which it is by the way. Maybe, if they release a Euro 2016 game next summer they'll do something about it, but I don't see it happening in PES 2016.

# 7 dubcity @ 09/21/15 02:27 PM

Well, that's easily the most in-depth and (in my view) accurate review I've read. Puts the rest to shame. Good work.

# 8 DBMcGee3 @ 09/21/15 02:32 PM

Now that's more realistic. Saw the 9.5 on IGN this morning and almost choked on my muffin.

It's a really good game, but far too many key flaws to be anywhere near a perfect score, in my opinion.

# 9 BIGE888 @ 09/21/15 02:57 PM

Can't wait to play this. I just hope the AI puts up a decent challenge this year. Only thing that really blows is how my PS4 decided to break during the time of year when my favorite games come out lol

# 10 dubcity @ 09/21/15 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBMcGee3


	Now that's more realistic. Saw the 9.5 on IGN this morning and almost choked on my muffin. It's a really good game, but far too many key flaws to be anywhere near a perfect score, in my opinion.

All of those sites seem to give the same surface-level type reviews, and it makes it seem like the reviewer played the game for like 2 days. It'll be the same when the FIFA reviews drop. They'll spend half the review talking up how amazing the grass looks, or how much Ronaldo looks and feels like Ronaldo.

# 11 RoyceDa59 @ 09/21/15 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dubcity


	All of those sites seem to give the same surface-level type reviews, and it makes it seem like the reviewer played the game for like 2 days. It'll be the same when the FIFA reviews drop. They'll spend half the review talking up how amazing the grass looks, or how much Ronaldo looks and feels like Ronaldo.

Its like that with all sports games unfortunately.

# 12 ty5oke @ 09/21/15 03:25 PM

Good review. Hits just about all the points that I feel most strongly about in the game. With some editing done on PC version, I feel the game could become great.

# 13 dwnz @ 09/21/15 04:59 PM

Easily the best review of the game so far, everything else I have read only scratched the surface of the game.

# 14 mfp @ 09/21/15 05:25 PM

I don't see how a football game can receive a "great" review when it:

* lacks any satisfaction scoring goals unless playing with manual settings;
* has serious referee/foul issues;
* has some major issues with defensive AI;
* every goal is spectacular that it becomes repetitive;
* one-touch passing is ridiculously easy;
* R2 shooting is really, really OP;
* legacy issues with animations, automation, and player awareness;
* still very limited library of animations compared to other AAA sports titles.

And that's just gameplay. What about:

* horrible commentary;
* lack of licenses;
* lack of stadiums;
* lack of proper rosters;
* lack of updates stats for many players;
* horrible menu system;
* technical issues with online play.

PES 2016 might be the best PES ever, but that's not saying much considering what this franchise has done over the past decade, and the only way you can consider this game deserving of an 8 is if you grade PES only against other PES titles and disregard what other games, including other sports titles, are accomplishing with the current technology.

Relative to other PES titles, PES 2016 could be considered great; relative to what we should be expecting in 2015, this game ought to barely receive a passing grade.

# 15 L4velle @ 09/21/15 05:46 PM

My only issues
- GKs are a little weak and need tweaking
- Shooting is overpowered and deadly accurate and needs toning back
- The ball hits the post and crossbar way too frequently. Again just a small tweak required via patch.
This game has the potential to be a classic.

# 16 KG @ 09/21/15 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfp


	I don't see how a football game can receive a "great" review when it: * lacks any satisfaction scoring goals unless playing with manual settings; * has serious referee/foul issues; * has some major issues with defensive AI; * every goal is spectacular that it becomes repetitive; * one-touch passing is ridiculously easy; * R2 shooting is really, really OP; * legacy issues with animations, automation, and player awareness; * still very limited library of animations compared to other AAA sports titles. And that's just gameplay. What about: * horrible commentary; * lack of licenses; * lack of stadiums; * lack of proper rosters; * lack of updates stats for many players; * horrible menu system; * technical issues with online play. PES 2016 might be the best PES ever, but that's not saying much considering what this franchise has done over the past decade, and the only way you can consider this game deserving of an 8 is if you grade PES only against other PES titles and disregard what other games, including other sports titles, are accomplishing with the current technology. Relative to other PES titles, PES 2016 could be considered great; relative to what we should be expecting in 2015, this game ought to barely receive a passing grade.

All great points mfp! I think I touched on most of them in the review and believe me, I REALLY struggled with giving this game a score. I even went back to my review & notes for PES 2015 and ultimately how I came to the score determination was based on a combination of these things:

Is it better than last year's game - Overall Yes. A lot of things have seen incremental improvements (ML, Online Stability, Edit Mode for PS4, Player Responsiveness, Commentary, etc...) while other things have remained the same (fouls, defensive AI lapses, keepers, lack of stadiums/licenses, etc...). Not much has regressed from 2015 although you could argue that the defensive issues this year are worse than last years and I would be inclined to agree to an extent. Same with keepers.

I gave last year's game an 8 and in hindsight that might have been too high BUT that rating was based on PES 2014 which wasn't that good IMO.

Overall I thought the gameplay, with the issues listed in the review, probably warranted a 7.5 but the improvements IMO were worth a ".5" jump to an 8, putting it level with last year.

# 17 RonMexico1992 @ 09/21/15 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfp


	I don't see how a football game can receive a "great" review when it: * lacks any satisfaction scoring goals unless playing with manual settings; * has serious referee/foul issues; * has some major issues with defensive AI; * every goal is spectacular that it becomes repetitive; * one-touch passing is ridiculously easy; * R2 shooting is really, really OP; * legacy issues with animations, automation, and player awareness; * still very limited library of animations compared to other AAA sports titles. And that's just gameplay. What about: * horrible commentary; * lack of licenses; * lack of stadiums; * lack of proper rosters; * lack of updates stats for many players; * horrible menu system; * technical issues with online play. PES 2016 might be the best PES ever, but that's not saying much considering what this franchise has done over the past decade, and the only way you can consider this game deserving of an 8 is if you grade PES only against other PES titles and disregard what other games, including other sports titles, are accomplishing with the current technology. Relative to other PES titles, PES 2016 could be considered great; relative to what we should be expecting in 2015, this game ought to barely receive a passing grade.

Actually relative to any football game, PES is great. Its better then fifa. But I understand, you have been bashing PES since release. I get it, you're a fanboy. But I'm pretty sure FIFA is out, why are you still here? You can leave if you want? Or just go write your own review and quit making counter points to other peoples opinions, which is what a review is, because nobody cares? Just an idea.

# 18 RonMexico1992 @ 09/21/15 08:07 PM

Like I can't even take this guy serious. Lol

Lacks animations? lmaooo

But FIFA when two defenders collide, fast or slow, and they fall down with moronic rag doll effects? Great animations.

Because the finesse shot in FIFA isn't OP? ok.

Because the one touch passing in FIFA isn't OP? ok.

Because that defensive AI in FIFA is spectacular. Game changer.

Because every goal in FIFA doesn't feel the same? offers so much satisfaction. *Rolls eyes*

And them long range shots in FIFA are not OP either.

Horrible Menu System? because thats not what a fifa fanboy goes to? Or because I play a game for Menus.......?

Licenses? FIFA fanboy gotta come up with something better then that. & Rosters and stats will be fixed within the next 2 weeks tops, so you will have to come up with something else to talk about for the rest of the year. Nice try though.

This is from someone who has played countless 100s of hours on FIFA over past 5 years, I'm not hear to bash fifa, but I'm not gonna listen to some guy bash PES and make it seem FIFA doesn't have the same exact problems and has had the same exact problems.

People will be spending the first month on FIFA tinkering with sliders trying to make the arcade football game EA gives them into a sim, but aye, fifa #1 man.

# 19 mfp @ 09/21/15 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonMexico1992


	Like I can't even take this guy serious. Lol Lacks animations? lmaooo But FIFA when two defenders collide, fast or slow, and they fall down with moronic rag doll effects? Great animations. Because the finesse shot in FIFA isn't OP? ok. Because the one touch passing in FIFA isn't OP? ok. Because that defensive AI in FIFA is spectacular. Game changer. Because every goal in FIFA doesn't feel the same? offers so much satisfaction. Rolls eyes And them long range shots in FIFA are not OP either. Horrible Menu System? because thats not what a fifa fanboy goes to? Or because I play a game for Menus.......? Licenses? FIFA fanboy gotta come up with something better then that. & Rosters and stats will be fixed within the next 2 weeks tops, so you will have to come up with something else to talk about for the rest of the year. Nice try though. This is from someone who has played countless 100s of hours on FIFA over past 5 years, I'm not hear to bash fifa, but I'm not gonna listen to some guy bash PES and make it seem FIFA doesn't have the same exact problems and has had the same exact problems. People will be spending the first month on FIFA tinkering with sliders trying to make the arcade football game EA gives them into a sim, but aye, fifa #1 man.

I have no idea what you're going on about. Why are you bringing FIFA into this? I didn't. And for what it's worth, I thought FIFA 15 was a very poor game, and for the first time in a decade I didn't play CM in FIFA last year because of the terrible defensive AI.

So not really sure where you get off going on about being a FIFA fanboy. Don't know about you, but I"m a fan of football games, period. But nice try attacking me that way rather than actually talking about the substance of my opinions. Talk about being a fanboy...

# 20 mfp @ 09/21/15 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KG


	All great points mfp! I think I touched on most of them in the review and believe me, I REALLY struggled with giving this game a score. I even went back to my review & notes for PES 2015 and ultimately how I came to the score determination was based on a combination of these things: Is it better than last year's game - Overall Yes. A lot of things have seen incremental improvements (ML, Online Stability, Edit Mode for PS4, Player Responsiveness, Commentary, etc...) while other things have remained the same (fouls, defensive AI lapses, keepers, lack of stadiums/licenses, etc...). Not much has regressed from 2015 although you could argue that the defensive issues this year are worse than last years and I would be inclined to agree to an extent. Same with keepers. I gave last year's game an 8 and in hindsight that might have been too high BUT that rating was based on PES 2014 which wasn't that good IMO. Overall I thought the gameplay, with the issues listed in the review, probably warranted a 7.5 but the improvements IMO were worth a ".5" jump to an 8, putting it level with last year.

I hear ya. It's real difficult to evaluate this game. On one hand, it's got some true brilliance in the football that can be played, and it's head and shoulders above anything Konami has put out in years.

On the other hand, there's still quite a few legacy issues, and it's painfully clear at times that Konami is creating PES with far fewer resources than other similar titles.

IMO I'd say PES 2015 deserves an 8 if we're talking gameplay alone, which I understand for many people that's all they care about. But if we're being fair and objective, it's hard for me to consider it worthy of that score when so much non-gameplay aspects provide so little, if not detract from the experience.

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