Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 Reviews
Despite a lingering scrappiness, this is the best PES in an age.
With smarter AI opposition and an altogether smoother online experience, PES 2017 is close to the complete package. FIFA’s new story mode might be the most headline-grabbing feature of either game this year, but it’s clear Konami is in no mood to relinquish its title as king of the virtual pitch.
A very good football game, but why are we being fobbed off with a console-light experience?
A long-overdue return to form that finally surpasses Pro Evo's PS2 glory days – and, assuming presentation woes are fixed, lays the foundations for an all-new footballing empire.
An absolute joy to play, and with Master League and MyClub coming along nicely, this title is a force
PES is playing its best soccer in years, but it still struggles with features and online matches.
Consider yourself a thoughtful football fan? This is for you.
To this date there has never been a football sim that has handled gameplay the way PES 2017 does.
I want to recommend it heartily but I can’t. Not quite. The lack of licenses doesn’t bother me in the slightest – and it really is stripped down, with just two Premier League teams and no Bayern Munich – but the lack of bells and whistles that exist elsewhere in the same game really does. Imagine Lionel Messi playing in that Colardo Caribous strip from back in the day. That’s PES 2017 on PC.
PES has refined year on year in this generation, continuing to improve, but PES 2017 is the crowning moment. With different tactics and styles that are effective, and unique players, great goal feel and lovely control, PES 2017 just feels so good to play. It may well be the greatest football game ever made.
Strange refereeing aside, PES 2017 is a wonderful football game that just begs to be played. It just wouldn't be PES if it was perfect.
The mission has been accomplished for one half of the aforementioned vast target demographic, but the other half may still have eyes for FIFA 17.
A leap forward in terms of gameplay, stagnating game modes and a clear step backwards in terms of licenses.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
PES 17 is another example of Konami’s football series regaining some of the charm and style that made the series so great in the past. The game controls well, it looks good and it’s a lot of fun to play. It’s a big step forward on the path to reclaiming its crown, but it isn’t quite FIFA’s empire just yet. With a few improvements to the likes of MyClub and some parts of the game, the series could be there soon.
For those interested in more than just one or two games here and there, modes like ‘Myclub’ and ‘Master League’, will be made available. There have been few sizable changes made to really be excited about but at least there are a number of playable options. It will still be interesting to see how far Pro Evolution Soccer can truly evolve, but this 2017 edition has sure made headway for the future. And for Konami, it's a much-needed recovery.
More a refinement than a revolution, but this builds on the achievements of last year’s game to ensure one of the finest sports games ever created.
Pro Evolution 2017 is not a step forward in the evolution of the series. Apart from the huge lack of licenses, Konami has not added new game modes in order to keep the franchise fresh. Besides, the online mode is a mess and gives very negative vibes.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
PES 2017 keeps doing what PES has been doing really well in the latest years: it's a joy to play and to watch, but it needs some new features.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Konami might not be involved in video games for much longer, but they can still put out one heck of a football sim. Pro Evolution Soccer 2017‘s Master League is one of the best career modes I’ve ever played in a sports game, and it’s backed up by incredibly solid gameplay. Once you look at the disappointing lack of team licenses, players will find one of the most rewarding sports games available.
For those who are simply looking for the best football game around, there are few better than Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 thanks to additions and improvements all over the pitch from the previous entries in the franchise. However, with only a small range of licenses and a lacklustre editor, those that value authenticity, an entirely reasonable demand considering that the aim of these games is to recreate the sport to its fullest, may want to wait a few weeks to see how the new FIFA fares before making a purchase.