It’s amazingly uncanny how you can tell the changes taking affect when the opposition. You can either choose to play the games yourself, or sit back and watch your tactics play out on the field. This allows you to track your in-form players as you take the mantle of team coach and develop strategies and formations based on your players’ strengths. Player progression notification stats can either delight or annoy as they pop up after every game. Master League isn’t the best offering of single or optional co-op mode out there, but it got the basics right. Perhaps we’ll see a more intuitive system introduced in future editions, but for now it kind of does what it needs to? Sometimes? It’s not a game breaker, more an annoyance. It’s not exciting and you don’t know what you’re going get.Įach transaction is a guessing game with no substantial feedback or info giving you a general direction of your transfer request. Here, it feels like that transition from one grade to the next in high school. I remember there being continuous drama during transfer window periods. All negotiations went well up until the last hour when the player decided to stay in Madrid. Arguably the best player in the world going for the fraction of the price Neymar Jr got for his transfer to PSG. For instance, I nearly purchased Cristiano Ronaldo for a mere $17 million. Each transaction is a guessing game with no substantial feedback or info giving you a general direction of your transfer request. The system feels bare and for lack of a better word, mechanically flawed. Speaking of transfers, it is still a long range shot that’s traveled far wide of the goal posts. Unfortunately, the goalkeepers have not received the same grey matter enhancements and can do things that either amaze you, or make you add them to the transfer list post haste. Penalty kicks seem easier and indicative of how best to take a shot with indicators giving instant feedback based on your shot choices. Improved spot kick options makes it that more sweeter when you have a chance to put a thorough drive or swirling curler into the back of the net with the ability to pick your shot. Running down the left flank on more than one occasion will see some of your wingers get crowded with 2-3 defensive players to thwart your march toward goal. There’s no overpowered shielding and the way players move around the ball, simply put, it speaks volumes of the word ”Intelligence” in AI. Unlike its rivals somewhat simpler system of pass- pass-run-shoot, one tactic does not fit all. Every pass, every dribble and every tackle has the opportunity to turn the game on its head in this dynamic system. The same goes for the opposite where if your back line stays static for too long on the halfway line, that dreadful long ball or precision though pass could set you on the back foot. Running down the left flank on more than one occasion will see some of your wingers get crowded with 2-3 defensive players to thwart your march toward goal, implying that you’ve been caught out and will need to change things up. The off-the-ball AI have somehow attended Footy 101 classes and developed near human ability to read the game in both attack and defensive formations. Your midfield generals play a bigger role in the game in this regard where you essentially dictate the pace of the match by strategically holding the ball and playing those well timed pinpoint passes. You can either rely on just tapping the button to pass in a general direction in which you point the left stick, or place that ball exactly where you want with marksmen precision ensuring that your intended play meets the runner. Tackling feels solid and there’s no unusual ability to outrun or out-skill any outfield player. This isn’t a disconcerting issue though as ball control, passing and defensive action have had a rework where it’s all about precision and timing. And boy, you will notice a definite change when the tactics get switched. This also allows you to take a look at the opposing team’s strategy and accommodate for either frenetic tiki-taka or searching long balls. Everything feels in place and the overwhelming feeling of control sets you up for an enjoyable kick about. This has made the game feel just that bit more real. The first thing you’ll notice is that the overall pace of the game has been deliberately slowed so the player can absorb everything that happens on the field and make the right pass, dribble, run and defensive action. This year we see its return to the playing field with some enhancements, the impressive controls we expect and seamless online play that complements its character animation fluidity. PES 2018 has come a long way over the past decade and has become the only contender for the best football game on the planet.