Having played the other soccer title, where a lot of AI players seem to do some odd things, the off ball players in PES 2012 seem to have a more logical way of not only their moving but also their more active gameplay like attacking and vying for position.
Controls are vital to these games and if they feel sluggish or overly complex it draws away from the gameplay and experience. If you’re familiar with the series of soccer games in general you’ll know what to expect.
There are some things about the game that bother me. In Become a Legend mode, you can�t just have the game simulate the rest of a game when you�re removed from the pitch. On top of that, they set specific rating goals for you but don�t tell you how to achieve them nor give you the opportunity to check them while you are playing. Finally, auto save was not on be default and I lost my first go at that specific mode.
Overall PES 2012 has far less big changes and many more behind the scenes changes this year round which some would say it really needed. The AI movements from past iterations were quirky at times. I know this even not having done reviews on them or played them all that much. It was plainly obvious even in limited gameplay. In this year’s game the AI players actually seem to function more as a team than in the past. No, it’s not perfect, nothing ever is and in a game as complicated as soccer where you’ve got almost two dozen players to manage on the field at any time it’s probably never going to be perfect. Much improved is a step in the right direction though.
PES 2012 is chocked full of ways to play and good solid soccer. No it’s not perfect, nothing ever is but this is a good version of soccer and whether you want to guide the life of a single footballer or manage the entire operations of a team, PES 2012 will let you do that.
While I like the game experience it is definitely a different one from the FIFA games in many respects. The gameplay seems a bit more aloof and less visceral to me but it doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. If you’re trying to decide between them, the best bet is to rent and playstest them both or decide what teams and leagues you want and go from there as there is some difference in the teams and leagues.
