More control, more realism

May 5, 2010 21:41 GMT  ·  By

Konami has officially announced that Pro Evolution Soccer, its long running football simulation series, will be arriving in the fall on the Xbox 360 from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 from Sony, the Nintendo Wii, the PC, the PS2 and the PlayStation Portable. Konami is promising that the fresh game will not just improve the graphics and add more players but will also be the most “radical revamp” in the history of the series.

The big addition to Pro Evolution Soccer 11 is the new power bar, specific for each player, which allows the gamer to determine the strength of each pass and shot and exactly where it will go. Konami says that the new system will allow players to be more precise and to put together more game sequences, which mimic the real sport of football. The Artificial Intelligence of the game has also been worked on in order to allow the player to have more control over what their team does on the pitch.

PES 2011 also places more emphasis on players’ stamina, with those who do a lot of work, moving round the pitch a lot, being significantly less capable of passing accurately and seeing a drop in all their stats. Defenders are also smarter, learning not to chase every ball and focusing on taking down attackers that pose a threat. The overall pace of the game has also changed significantly, with midfield runs less likely to happen and passes needed to always open up an organized defense.

Konami adds that PES 2011 will include more capable goalkeepers, who both make more instinctive saves and are more inclined towards initiating quick counterattacks. There are also changes to the tactical area of the videogame, with animation used to make clear how tweaking any setting will affect the way the team actually plays. More feints are available and easier for the player to perform.