New game modes!
The new game mode does offer something different to the standard gameplay that we’ve come to expect from PES and it's an enjoyable experience learning how to time your runs and react to your team-mates around you, but still, it's a mode that lacks in options and depth. If you’ve played FIFA’s ‘Be A Pro’ mode, then the lack of features in ‘Become A Legend’ stick out like a sore thumb.First up, you can’t play as a defender in the team, only a midfielder or a forward. Granted, playing as a defender may not be the most appealing of options, but still there’s absolutely no reason why it couldn’t have been implemented. We should have been given the choice.
Secondly, unlike FIFA, you can’t call for a pass from your teammates or encourage them to take a pop at goal. This means that in some games you spend the majority of it just running around trying to find spaces on the pitch in the hope that someone will pass to you, or even worse, chase after the ball like a child on a school play-ground. Inevitably, this means that when you do get the ball, you’ll just want to hold onto it as long as possible and selfishly take players on. It defeats the point of the game mode to a certain degree.
In the new online version of ‘Become A Legend’ things improve and you can team up for a 2 vs 2 game. Bizarrely though, you can’t chat to each other! Instead you’re restricted to pressing the LB button to choose from one of four text messages, such as ‘Pass’, in order to relay your message to your opponent. It’s great that we get to play this mode online, but having to use text chat is absolutely ridiculous.
Still, at least Konami has endeavored to add a new game mode and offer a new experience this year. It's just a shame it all feels a little half-baked.
Away from main new game mode, Konami has secured more licenses than ever before, including the UEFA Champions League license. This four year deal with UEFA has led to another new inclusion in PES this year, the 32 team official UEFA Champions League tournament.
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