PES 2011: "Will Reinvigorate The Series"

Konami has announced PES 2011 in a lengthy and involved statement. At the core of it is an effective admission that it needed to do better with the franchise.

Sentiments such as "Konami Entertainment will deliver a completely new footballing experience later this year with the advent of PES 2011, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC-DVD, Wii, PlayStation 2 and PSP, which sees the publisher's long-running series undergo the most radical revamp in its history";

And:

"It was time for PES to transform, and PES 2011 represents the most ambitious redesign in the series' history. We've continued to work closely with the fans to pinpoint what it is about football that PES didn't do", from Jon Murphy, European PES Team Leader indicate that Konami has taken the challenge laid down by FIFA 09 and 10 seriously.

Additions to the title for the 2011 season include:

* "Total Control: PES Productions has enhanced the 360-degree passing ratio, offering unprecedented levels of control over every pass, shot, throw-in, through ball and lofted through balls. This allows users to pass the ball into space, and move their play with total freedom. Players must precisely weight their passes and second-guess the runs of their team-mates and exploit their movement. Players even can apply pressure on opponents to force them off the ball."

* "Shot & Stamina Gauge: In addition to the generic power gauge, the Shot & Stamina meter details the player's exact level of fitness. Constantly sprinting will affect the player's movements and will have an adverse affect on his stats, with passes going awry and a loss of pace."

* "New Defender AI: Defenders now hold their positions naturally, no longer chasing any ball that enters their area; preferring to close down the attacker and force them into a mistake."

* "Animation and Player Physics: PES Productions has totally reworked every element of
in-game animation. These additions will become clear before even kick-off, with the players enjoying fluid, natural movements, with more realistic acceleration and inertia than ever before. The physicality between players is also improved, which was a priority requested in PES forums. Jostling and blocking now looks stunning, while there is a larger variety of convincing tackling styles. Ambient animation also adds immensely to the in-game atmosphere, as players behave realistically when off the ball, and walk and run with a variety of individual styles."

* "Speed of Play: The new level of control means that PES 2011 enjoys a more considered pace of play, which varies dependent on situations. The game will burst into life as counter-attacks come into play, but players can dictate the pace via slow build up or exploiting available space to surge forward. It is harder to make long runs from midfield, and successful play will depend on making quick passes to make room."

* "Aesthetics: PES 2010 showcased the best likenesses in a football game, and PES 2011 ups the ante further. Facial animation has been enhanced, but the key advances are over 1000 all-new animations which have been recreated from the ground up using over 100 hours of motion captured footage. Every aspect of player movement has been reworked, with more organic runs, turns, throw-ins, tackles, and interaction. The way players speed up and slow down is also more natural, while replays display elements of motion blur that bring your saved goals to vivid life."

* "Tactical and Strategy: The sheer number of options available in the PES series has established it as a remarkably flexible simulation, allowing players to stamp their playing style on each match. The PES Productions team has implemented an all new 'Drag and Drop' mechanism that can be used in every aspect of team management, not just substitutions or formation changes. These settings are also animated to promote better understanding of the plays that have been altered."

* "Feint settings: PES has always offered a wide range of subtle skills, feints and turns, but PES 2011 allows users to map their favourite move sequences to the right stick, making them more accessible than ever before."

* "Master League Online: Master League will offer an all-new challenge, as users are invited to try their hand against other managers online. PES 2011 will mark the online debut for its much-loved Master League element, with players bidding against each other for the world's best players, and attempting to build a squad that can compete with the best against online peers all over the globe."

It's all wonderful on paper... but so was Liverpool's 2009/10 season before it kicked off.