Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 Reviews
Although Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is giving away potential in many respects, it is convincing on the pitch once again, so that annoyed FIFA players are welcome to consider a change.
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As an online and local multiplayer game, PES 19 is definitely worth playing, however the AI problems are so bad that you shouldn't even consider purchasing the game until these issues have been addressed. Football fans will need to wait for a patch or wait a few weeks until FIFA 19 comes out.
Outgunned by FIFA's club licensing deals and star power, PES starts a new season still on the back foot
PES 2019 is a marvelous soccer sim on the field, and remarkably dated off of it. Those willing to forgive its still-awful user interface and simplistic modes may find magic, but its ramshackle presentation doesn't do justice to the hard work put into the gameplay.
The work that Konami have put into MyClub over the last few years is a clear indication of where they see PES going - we only have to hope that they appreciate what was once so compelling about PES was more than just spins and wins.
A mostly fun, realistic football sim with wonky AI.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is solid enough in its footballing fundamentals, but it seems to have regressed in terms of its polish and immersion. Picking up nine more minor league licences is a consolation, but now that football games have reached a point of extreme high fidelity, with lifelike player models and animations, the fickle issues of its lack of aesthetic consistency is more jarring than ever. With the loss of the Champions League licence, it might have been expected that Konami would nurture the neglected elements of the series, such as the Master League, and the sloppy presentation and online connectivity issues. That doesn't seem to have happened, though. Consequently, it's difficult to sing the praises of the core gameplay as much as last year. That's especially the case as the AI isn't as sensible as it was previously, with too many reckless challenges and questionable keeper decisions. PES 2019 underperforms, despite its quality.
PES is always such a hard game to review and a frustrating one to score. Pro Evolution Soccer 2019, despite the issues mentioned previously, is by no means a bad game. In fact, this is a very good game. It is probably the single best representation of the sport of football that someone has created in the videogame medium. It represents the beautiful flowing moves and the tough as nails tackles. It represents the skill and movement of a variety of different types of players. It makes it a challenge to score great goals past strong AI defenders and rewards putting time and dedication into developing teams and tactics. All of this is wonderful and just what a football title should be. The issue is that whilst people can appreciate this for a few years, standing still is not acceptable when charging full price for a new version every year. There are some glaring flaws that need real focus and attention in order to elevate PES back to the glory days as the king of football.
Every year I see a major evolution From PES Production Team, but in return the continued loss of the real life football licenses "Teams Kit, Logo, Tournaments Etc" by the competition and the continued weakness of the game's Online servers makes this year Launch of PES 2019 Not So Impressive , but still does not diminish the fun of the gameplay and the realism that is developed in every part of the Pro Evolution Soccer Experience
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That said, there are aspects of the game that don't need that kind of money to be made better – be it gameplay that's stuck in a weird balance of realism and arcade-y fun, the nonsensical transfers or the lacklustre presentation – but it's starting to feel like PES might have conceded one too many.
Konami will be able to appease the PES fanbase with PES 2019.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is absolutely amazing on the pitch, proving that as far as pure simulation goes, Konami's franchise still reigns supreme. But in all other areas, its refusal to improve is starting to become increasingly frustrating, to the point where several such flaws are actively damaging the experience in many ways.
If you take a step back and look at the big picture, it's hard to shake the feeling that Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 may actually be taking a step backwards this season. However, upon closer examination, a vast majority of the criticism consists of minor problems in an otherwise stellar football simulation. Unless the loss of Champions League is a deal breaker, at least on the pitch, this remains the premier choice for the discerning hooligan.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is a great entry in the franchise, even if it's held back by a few organization and licensing issues.
Whether PES 2019 is a good proposition will depend entirely on the gamer. For me, I can forgive its jankiness. The football, especially going forward, is just so good. Despite this, my admiration of the series will always be stained with a bit of disappointment, wondering what it could be with just a little more evolution.
Rather than overhauling the experience, PES 2019: Pro Evolution Soccer continues to refine its gameplay loop with intricate features that fans will come to appreciate in the long term. With no major additions in terms of modes or licences, however, this 2019 edition feels a little light in terms of real talking points. What Pro Evolution Soccer is known for returns, but it's not stocking many new bells or whistles.
Pro Evolution Soccer 19 is a fun one to play. Unfortunately, I'm already thinking of ways Konami can improve it for next year's version (I'll still be playing PES 19 though!).
PES 2019 makes minor tweaks to the formula, mostly for the better, and still strives to offer its own take on soccer simulation. However, that alone is not enough to overcome the obvious weak spots that seem to grow more noticeable year after year.
With fantastic action on the park and ever improving graphics, it does feel like PES is moving in the right direction. With a few more tweaks to the little things such as menus and team management screens, I see no reason why it can’t upset the big boys and one day become the football game on everyone’s lips. For now though it’s still a work in progress. Much like Steven Gerrard’s Rangers.
While I can say, with certainty, that Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 is the best one in the series, I can also say that it’s still not as good as it should be. In theory, all of the problems for PES 2020 would be fixed by not releasing the game next year. Ideally, the next game should be PES 2021.