[PS3] PES 2016: Pro Evolution Soccer ROM Download

PES 2016: Pro Evolution Soccer ROM Description

Gameplay

PES 2016 is all about playing football. The game modes are great, and the whole game performs to a high standard, but it’s on the pitch where PES 2016 shines. It isn’t easy to describe why the gameplay is so good, but it feels right. There are no complex button combos needed on the pitch to beat players. Instead, timing and instinct will be the combinations you require. Players will jostle and skip over challenges, and this will be dependent on your quick movement and player stats.

Passing is fluid, and players control the ball like trained professionals. Teammates make exciting runs. Defenders track opposing strikers. Defending is fun; players clash with full force on the floor and in the air. When all of these factors merge, the results are staggering.

PES 2016 asks you to be a patient player and maintain possession, but every touch ultimately leads to that well-deserved goal-scoring opportunity. You can take even more control of your game with one of the shoulder buttons to unleash manual passes or manual shots. Sometimes, you’ll see an opportunity to tear open the defense with a perfectly weighted through ball, and you can achieve this with this skill.

PES 2016 rewards you for being creative and courageous, and that’s the way it should be. Players’ stats will have a significant impact on the game, too. You will recognize players on the pitch from the fantastic graphics and their behavior. You’ll see Yaya Toure steam through the defense with a decisive run or Vincent Kompany dominating the backline with his strong presence.

Recognizing a player based on how they play instead of how they look is quite a feat. My only complaint about the actual football is the shooting. Long-range shots feel powerful and speedy. However, the small finesse finishes in the box feel weak. A tap of the shoot button will usually always result in a goal. It feels like a disappointing payoff after an excellent buildup play, but it’s a minor blip you will soon adjust to.

Simply put, on the pitch where it matters, PES 2016 rules supreme.

Licenses and Game Modes

FIFA is renowned for its licenses, and the Pro Evolution series has always struggled here. The Champions League and Europa League are fully licensed, but you never know what teams will be included in PES. Thankfully, the players are all there, but it isn’t enjoyable to see my favorite team, Southampton, called Hampshire Red.

Worse yet is seeing the kits look nothing like their real-life counterparts. If you have the time, you can use the edit mode to adjust the team names and even create custom kits for them all on the PS4. You can download custom files from the internet, including teams, kits, and even badges. Unfortunately, this feature is unavailable on Xbox One, but hopefully, it may be in the future.

PES 2016 has also upped its game with game modes. The classic Master League mode returns better than ever, and myClub is the equivalent of FIFA’s Ultimate Team mode. Although similar, the modes in PES 2016 have their own twist, and I think they are the better versions.

Master League has a big focus on player improvement and developing your squad. The menus are slick and fast. You have coaches, and their input is genuinely valuable. They’ll inform you of player progression and new abilities they may have learned. Transfers are also assigned to staff. You tell them what player you want, and they will attempt to get the best deal for them, which you can push further if you risk it.

MyClub is the online portion of the game. As you play PES 2016, you will amass GP points, which can be redeemed here. You can spend these points attempting to acquire the best players in the world. Every match you play online or off will reward you with more GP and a chance to get a new player for your team. I think this mode excels over FIFA’s Ultimate Team because your players will gain experience and improve. You build a rapport with your team, so you are not so quick to trade them out for new players.

Graphics and Conclusion

Finally I must tell you just how good PES 2016 looks. The game runs at 60 frames per second, which I love. The game runs the FOX engine, the Metal Gear Solid series. The high frame rate makes the whole game run smoother than I’ve ever seen a football game run.

The replays, in particular, look like a dramatic Hollywood movie in slow motion, and it’s great. I hate to compare PES to FIFA, but everyone is going to anyway. That being said, PES 2016 is an incredible game in its own right. It has everything its competitive sibling has, and I think it does most of them better. If you love football, then you need to try PES 2016.