Konami‘s incredibly popular Pro Evolution Soccer franchise will be making a return to the pitch this fall with a precise game plan. The Japanese video game giant will be taking Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 back to the series’ roots, by focusing on the unique skills of the sport’s superstars. Fans will be able to enjoy total freedom while on the field, complete with the opportunity to take full control of every shot.
To say that this franchise has a loyal following would be an understatement. Those folks will be happy to hear about those above-mentioned changes, but they’re not the only noteworthy implementations that we can expect from this year’s iteration.
Check out the footie title’s press release to find out more:
Pro Evolution Soccer 2013: A Whole New Ball Game
Individuality and Full Control are Key as Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Moves the Goalposts
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — April 24, 2012 — Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today revealed that the fan-favorite Pro Evolution Soccer will return to the field this fall. Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is returning to its roots, with emphasis on the individual skills of the world’s best players, giving the player total freedom to play any style of ball, to any teammate, anywhere on the pitch, including full control over shots, for the first time ever.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, which is endorsed by renowned soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, continues to maintain the skill and grace of top level soccer that fans of the sport and the video game desire and expect. This will be the most faithful recreation of modern day soccer, with players modeled to match the running motions, the abilities and playing styles, and the flicks and turns of their real-life counterparts.
“We’re excited to take Pro Evolution Soccer back to its roots, which is all about freedom and control.” said Tomoyuki Tsuboi, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is created, in part, by the vocal PES community, and with them, along with some new faces within the development team, we’re bringing in new features and gameplay mechanics that will invigorate the soccer community as a whole.”
Three key elements form the basis of Pro Evolution Soccer 2013’s innovations, with all new additions falling within the fields of Pro Evolution Soccer, which include FullControl, Player ID, and ProActive AI.
The first element, FullControl (PES FC), offers a level of control that has never before been used in a soccer game. The features of PES FC include:
Total Freedom of Control: Pro Evolution Soccer introduced the concept of freedom of movement. The new ‘PES FC’ in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 goes further with total freedom over ball control.
Dynamic First Touch: Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 introduces subtle ways to receive the ball, from traps to gently lifting it past an attacker to run on to or a variety of other moves. First Touch is everything, and players can trap the ball using the R2 button, killing the speed of a well-hit pass and bringing it instantly under control, or using the momentum of the pass to turn a defender.
Full Manual Shooting and Full Manual Passing: Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 offers fully manual passing and, for the first time ever, manual shooting, allowing users to determine the height and power of each. Long, low passes can be sent skimming across the pitch. While shooting, the user has total control over where the shot is placed. Skill and precision are needed to master these, but passes can be made into open areas, allowing lone strikers to thrive, while offering an unrivalled variety in ways to score.
Dribbling: The speed with which a player moves with the ball has been slowed in line with real matches, but using R2 allows players to add various styles to their close control. Players can vary the speed of their dribbling and cushion the ball as they move freely within a 360-degree circle. The new system allows players to knock a ball past a player and collect it, nutmeg them, or hold up play by shielding the ball as teammates find space and make runs.
Full Manual One-Two: Active one-two passes can be made, with the second player being moved in any direction, facilitating various tactical movements.
Response Defending: Countering the attacking options the new dribbling system offers, is a beautifully-balanced defense system. Players can use R2 and X to slow an attack, with a double-tap of the X button prompting a perfectly-timed challenge. Full 360-degree control means that players can check runs and steal the ball from a parallel position, while the individuality element will see world renowned defenders using aerial dominance of physicality to win the ball.
Goalkeepers: Even the game’s keepers benefit from more control. Their distribution is more precise thanks to the addition of a power gauge when they throw the ball, creating opportunities for new, quicker counter attacks.
The second key element of Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is the Player ID, which focuses on the individual characteristics and movements that each player boasts. The components of the Player ID include:
Player Individuality: The very best players in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 will be instantly recognizable via signature attributes, skills and tricks that bring them to life. The way they run, turn, trap and move the ball, shape to shoot, and even celebrate will be noticeably different during play.
Individuality to Goalkeepers: Goalkeeping has been totally invigorated via new animations and play styles. New varieties of saves and reactions have been added to ensure the game’s keepers are in line with the efforts of real shot stoppers. This level of realism also extends to the game’s top-rated goalkeepers, with their moves to close attacks down, fling themselves to tip a shot past the post, and in-goal acrobatics benefiting from all new animations and AI.
The third element is the ProActive AI, which unites the control and realism, with players that will respond and find space as befits those at the top of their games.
Balance of Play: The development team has worked closely with the Pro Evolution Soccer fan base to eradicate any illogical elements to the way players move and run in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, with the ‘ProActive AI’ system enhancing the speed and balance, resulting in a more realistic game experience.
Enhanced Goalkeepers: Improvements to the goalkeepers was voted the key advancement football fans wanted to see in Pro Evolution Soccer 2013, and the team has worked hard with real life goalkeepers to ensure the AI decision process has been vastly improved. Keepers now respond with better reactions, clear their lines more effectively, and push the ball safely out of play rather than into dangerous areas.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 will also boast better connectivity and atmosphere. The popular myPES application will extend the connectivity and communication between Facebook-using PES fans, while the game’s audio effects are being tied closer to the on-field action to provide the kind of buzz seen at top-tier matches, with crowds growing in excitement as their team starts to exert pressure.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 will be available Fall 2012 on the PlayStation®3, Xbox 360®, Windows PC, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo 3DS™, and Nintendo Wii™.
