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Pro Evolution Soccer 4 Review - PS2

The Pro Evolution Soccer series was born a number of years ago and since then has been the number one choice in the world of soccer games for many. The fourth PlayStation 2-based Pro Evolution Soccer game - titled Pro Evolution Soccer 4 - has just hit PlayStation 2 game shelves ahead of Xbox and PC game shelves, but can it hold its ground amongst the recently released FIFA 2005 and This is Soccer 2005?

Gameplay

Pro Evolution Soccer 4 is presented strangely at best. Its menus - complete with developer Konami's trademark chime tones, bold text and the like - convey the impression that the game is going to deliver a poor and arcade-like reproduction of one of the most popular sports in the world. Rather, the gameplay is entirely realistic, and you can't help but think how much better the game would have both looked and felt if Konami presented polished and simplistic menus; mixing arcade with simulation doesn't work at all in a game like this.

Featuring all of the modes that you'd expect from a soccer game - such as standard match modes and a number of championship or league modes - Pro Evolution Soccer 4 delivers the whole package. In fact, it even comes complete with a Training mode that runs you through every aspect of controlling your players on the pitch and performing tricky moves in order to work your way up to the goals. Unfortunately, though, the Training mode is not hands-on, meaning you're left to memorise the ridiculous amount of button combos required to pull off all of the different moves and tricks that Konami has thrown into the game. Sure, it makes it that little bit more realistic having almost every soccer move known to man at your fingertips, but having to compile a list of moves and their button combinations to keep handy so that you can get the most out of the game by performing different types of passes and feints simply isn't fun.

The game's main mode is titled Master League and, like This is Soccer 2005's Career mode, it throws you into the deep realm of soccer team management at the top ranks, complete with countries, teams, uniforms and players. A hub presented as a menu is used to help you organise and set up your team of men before beginning your next league match. Here, you're able to buy and trade players on the market, check your players' development and skill improvement, alter your team's field formation and even have a kick-about with them in order to get them warmed up. The deep level of team management that Pro Evolution Soccer 4 offers in its Master League mode gives you great control over how each match - and ultimately the league - pans out. Throughout the mode you'll earn 'PES Points' that can be used as currency in the game's 'PES Shop'. Here you can purchase and subsequently unlock bonuses such (continued next page)