Reviews// Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (Xbox 360)

SPOnG believes that PES has always made up for the lack of official content with the amazing gameplay. So, let’s talk about the actual playability. PES has always been a series that can provoke delight and despair in equal measure. If you cast your minds back to when you first encountered PES, you may well recall the sound of teeth being gnashed and airborne controllers as the game taunted and teased you for the first few outings. Most of the action took place in turgid midfield battles as you struggled to come to grips with passing, width and the art of the through-ball.

But, lo! The skies cleared and the football gods smiled. Remember the first goal you managed to score? Aha, we see the beginnings of a satisfied grin… PES 6 will give you that feeling all over again. If you’ve left the PES series alone for any length of time, you’ll really dig this. If you’re still playing PES 5 on some outdated console come the end of October 2006, then you’ll still get a kick out of this new, improved version.

When you finally manage to you score a screamer of a goal, you feel that you have really earned it. A criticism of the previous version was that the game was too unforgiving, and so suppressed fluid attacking football. Konami promised that PES 6 would ‘embrace the beautiful game’ – and it was correct. PES 6 is much more fluid and lets you get away with more than PES 5.

However, there lurks a slight quibble with PES games: energy levels. In previous instalments, the energy of your players ran down very quickly – even if they’d been stuck at centre back while you pounded the opposition’s box. PES 6 has eliminated this problem, making the energy levels more balanced to actual player workrate. More realism = more hours of play.

Adding to the overall strengths of play is the capability to play against - or co-op with - up to four of your ‘mates’. This obviously adds to the longevity of the game and represents extremely good value for money.

Graphically, PES 6 for the Xbox 360 is a slight let down, considering it is a next generation game. Don’t think for a second that the graphics are bad; they are far from it. It’s just they could have been so much better. Of course, you can see clearly for example that Rio Ferdinand is Rio Ferdinand, but the players could have been rendered so much better. The stadia and pitches are fine, but nothing special for a next generation game. The watching crowds are rendered well enough and add atmosphere to the game. The English commentary on PES 6 is by Chris James and Terry Butcher, and is decent enough, being both informative and well-constructed. Probably, the worst aspect of PES 6 is the music which is a bizarre mixture of dance and South American trash ( There is nothing wrong with South American trash – Gilberto Gil-loving Ed.) .

Fans of the series will be delighted to find out that the much loved Master League is retained, complete with all its frustrations. This feature is more or less the same as in PES 5, but in the 360 version there is the ability to go online.

In conclusion, PES 6 for the Xbox 360 is a corker of a football game. SPOnG was anything but disappointed. It is a must buy for fans of football and fans of the Pro Evolution franchise alike. This latest version is definitely the most complete and extensive yet. With more real players and official licenses than ever before: get ready for a real treat. All the new gameplay features are welcome, and certainly add to the overall playability of PES 6. Yes, there are some small niggles concerning the graphics and music, but Konami more than makes up for this with the amazing gameplay. Let’s face it, that has as always been PES’ main selling point.

SPOnG Score: B+

PES 6 for the Xbox 360 sees the mighty football franchise make its much anticipated debut on a next generation machine. Fans of the series will no doubt be delighted with the outcome. Much of the game is the same as its predecessor, but the additions that have been made are certainly very welcome. However, with FIFA 07 being an undoubted success, the title of king of football games is more debatable than ever before.