What a year 2017 has been for football fans! Both Konami and EA Sports have delivered yet again with Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 and FIFA 18 respectively. The latter even more because it takes the series a few more steps ahead compared to its brilliant predecessor. Last year’s iterations of both FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer were exceptional games, however FIFA 17 was graphically ahead of Pro Evolution Soccer 2017. Things, however, are a bit different this time around.

So, we recently got hold of the PS4 versions of both games and ran them on the PlayStation 4 Pro. Both versions render at native 1080p resolution and run at a smooth 60 frames per second. The on field action looks largely similar in both games, however, just like last year, the biggest difference comes in the form of lighting and shadow quality, with FIFA 18 taking the lead once again. However, the difference is reduced this time with the developers making impressive improvements in the FOX Engine’s lighting support for the Pro Evolution series. This results into better looking character models and skin shaders compared to last year’s iteration.

However, when compared side by side, FIFA 18 takes the lead with better skin shader quality, better looking character models, realistic cloth simulation and beautiful tress effects. Seriously, the tress effects in FIFA 18 are a sight to behold and this is all down to Frostbite’s strong support for physical based renderer pipeline.

If there is one area that Pro Evolution Soccer excels, then it has to be the on-field animations. Players’ reactions look authentic and much more realistic compared to FIFA 18 whose players seem like sliding around at times.

So overall, FIFA 18 nudges ahead of Pro Evolution Soccer 2018, but it’s a very close victory for EA Sports. Pro Evolution Soccer 2018, on the other hand has showcased big improvements. Next year’s comparison between the two series will definitely be interesting as both series will aim to push the visuals further.

While Konami has openly admitted that it cannot compete with EA’s huge cash reserves when it comes to licensing, Pro Evolution Soccer has still been able to carve out a space for itself due to its gameplay. Now, Konami has also been partnering with clubs such as Valencia CF and Fulham FC. The latest of these partnerships is with Arsenal, and the aim is to capture the individual styles of each of the players on the team.

They will achieve this by digitally scanning players from the team, and by taking into account each player’s quirks and even reproducing a player’s behavior pattern in the game. There will be a huge emphasis on portraying a team’s style and form accurately. According to Konami, “the team’s famous free flowing style of play will also be accurately implemented to the game.”

Vinai Venkatesham, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal stated that, “Our working relationship with Konami to date has been extremely successful from a licensing perspective and we are delighted to extend this and welcome them as an official partner. We look forward to getting started in the next phase of our relationship with Konami and creating some fun and exciting content that both Arsenal and wider football fans will enjoy.”

“We are determined to work with the very best clubs football has to offer and are delighted to partner with Arsenal,” stated Jonas Lygaard, Senior Director – Brand & Business Development for Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. “The relationship we formed last year has gone from strength to strength, most notably when Emirates Stadium played host to the PES LEAGUE World Final. As such, we were keen to work even closer with such a highly regarded club and the new agreement will allow us to perfectly recreate and feature Emirates Stadium, and the club’s many stars, within PES 2018.”

Hopefully, Arsenal will have a better time in the game than they do in the real world right now. PES 2018 is out right now on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.

If you like football (soccer to our North American friends), then you are in the right place this September, because two football games launch this month. There is, of course, FIFA, which comes later- but the opening volleys were by PES.

PES 2018 is now out- and it continues the tradition of having slick, refined gameplay that the series has come to be known for in recent years. If you are picking it up this week, then know that we are here to help- in fact, in this guide, we walk you through some of the best tips and tricks to master PES 2018. We also talk about a process for restoring the actual players and teams to the game, as well as the best players.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Learn the Free Kick and Corner systems. Konami have changed the Free Kick and Corner systems in PES 2018, and while the jury is out on whether or not they constitute an improvement this time around, if you want to do well at the game, you might as well come to grips with the new system- they help you leverage whatever advantage you can get
• Keep a track of the empty triangles over your players. The colored triangle is, as fans of sports games should know, the player you are currently controlling- but the empty triangle that shows up over another player denotes the player you will control next upon making a pass or a lob. Keep track of this! It can be useful
• Try out different formations until you find something that suits you. As fans of football know, formations on the field can make or break your chances of victory- so try and experiment. Find something that works for you by experimenting
• Play as different teams. If you play as just Barcelona or Manchester United, then sure, you have far better chances of winning, but because you are basically playing the game on Easy Mode, you are less likely to learn its intricacies- rather, play with less capable teams, so you are forced to learn the game’s mechanics to be able to hold your own.

Master League Tips

The Master League is the manager mode in PES 2018– addictive, and the centerpiece of the game for its millions of players worldwide. It’s actually been overhauled a bit this year- so even if you are a veteran, you’ll probably find that you can use some help. That’s where we come in!

• Keep track of your finances! Don’t go on a spending spree, signing on as many players as you can- because when the time comes to pay salaries, you will find yourself in a pinch. Use the finances screen to budget yourself and pace your spending better
• Train your squad. The players you get in PES‘s Master League mode will often be raw and pretty mediocre- especially at first. It’s your job to hone their skills. Train your players not just in general football skills, but also to perform a role on your team, with the Training Screen.
• Keep your owner happy! This goes without saying, or you will lose your job…
• Keep your players happy! This also goes without saying, especially since if your players are unhappy, their performance will drop, and they may not feel compelled to renew their contracts with you.
• Don’t just stick to the big names! Try some of the lower rated players, or even the made up ones- they’re cheaper, and you can train them to be unstoppable anyway, to achieve the same effect.

RESTORING REAL PLAYERS AND TEAMS TO THE GAME

Owing to licensing deficiencies, PES games have long been known for lacking the authenticity that the FIFA games have, and instead resorting to transparent fake names, logos, and kits for their teams. Obviously, this can be jarring and it can take you out of the game.

Thankfully, workarounds do exist to restore actual team names and players back to the game- but only for the PS4 and PC versions.

PS4:

1. You will need a USB drive for this. Format it to FAT32.
2. Create a new folder on your drive titled WEPES
3. Go to either PESUniverse or PES World- they are among the best known sites who distribute user made PES content
4. Follow the instructions on the sites to download an options file
5. Unzip the files into the WEPES folder created in step 2
6. With the USB drive in your PS4’s USB port, boot up PES 2018. Go to Data Management (from Edit), and then Import/Export
7. Select ‘Import Team’. Make sure all the boxes are selected.
8. On the next page, the Detailed Setting page, make sure both boxes are unselected.
9. Wait for the process to be completed- this may take up to 10 minutes
10. If you also downloaded logos, return to the Import/Export screen, and select Import Images.
11. Find the Competition Emblems option, and select all of the logos you want to import. And that’s it, you’re good to go.

PC:

•  Find a PC-specific PES 2018 patch- because the PS4 version is more popular, PC specific ones may take a while to begin cropping up on the internet.
• Download and install the file- save the files to /Steam/SteamApps/Common/Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 folder.

And that’s it!

BEST PLAYERS

Midfielders

1. Modric (MD White): 89
2. Kroos (MD White): 88
3. Pogba (Man Red): 88
4. Vidal (Free Agent): 88
5. Ozil (Arsenal): 88

Defenders

1. Ramos (MD White): 88
2. Bonucci (AC Milan): 88
3. Marcelo (MD White): 88
4. Silva (PSG): 88
5. Boateng (Free Agent): 88

Goalkeepers

1. Neuer (Free Agent): 91
2. Buffon (PM Black White): 89
3. Courtois (London FC): 88
4. De Gea (Man Red): 88
5. Oblak (Altetico De Madrid): 87

Forwards

1. Messi (Barcelona C.F.): 94
2. Ronaldo (MD White): 94
3. Suarez (Barcelona C.F.): 92
4. Neymar (PSG): 91
5. Lewandowski (Free Agent): 90

ACHIEVEMENTS/TROPHIES

Comeback King 
Won after coming back from 3 goals down

Possessive Streak 
Had the ball 65% or more of the time and won the match

Super-Sub 
A substitute scored

World Class 
Scored in open play from 35m or more (excluding set pieces)

The Sniper 
Scored a free kick from 30m or more

Phantom Striker 
A defender scored a goal

Impregnable Fort 
Faced 20 or more shots on target and kept a clean sheet

Final Twist 
Pulled off a win by scoring in stoppage time

Played Exhibition Match! 
Played Full Exhibition Match

VERSUS (COM) 
Got match data against COM in VERSUS Mode

VERSUS (2 Players) 
Got match data in VERSUS Mode

Random Selection Match Kickoff! 
Played a Random Selection Match to the final whistle

Won in UEFA Champions League
Awarded for defeating COM in an [UEFA Champions League]

Won in UEFA Europa League 
Awarded for defeating COM in the [UEFA Europa League]

Won in AFC Champions League 
Awarded for defeating COM in the [AFC Champions League]

Pro Debut 
Awarded for making an appearance in [Become a Legend]

Championship Winner 
Awarded for winning the League Title in [Become a Legend]

League’s Best Eleven 
Awarded for being picked for the Team of the Season in [Become a Legend]

Best European Soccer Player
Awarded for winning the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award in [Become a Legend]

Best S. American Soccer Player 
Awarded for being named South American Player of the Year in [Become a Legend]

Best Asian Soccer Player 
Awarded for being named Player of the Year in Asia in [Become a Legend]

World Player of the Year 
Awarded for being named World Player of the Year in [Become a Legend]

Won in Master League 
Awarded for earning a win in [Master League]

To Pastures Anew 
Awarded for moving teams in [Master League]

My Favorite Players 
Registered a player to My Favorite Players in Master League

A True Star 
Team Roles in Master League: Obtained a Legend or Bandiera

Owner’s Trust 
Fulfilled your owner’s demand in Master League and raised your Owner’s Trust

League Champions 
Awarded for winning the League Title in any of the Top Leagues featured in [Master League]

European Treble Winners 
Awarded for winning the League, UEFA Champions League, and League Cup in a [Master League] season

Latin American Treble Winners 
Awarded for winning the League, LATAM Champion, and League Cup in a [Master League] season

Asian Treble Winners 
Awarded for winning the League, AFC Champions League, and League Cup in a [Master League] season

Leading the Nation 
Awarded for becoming a national team manager in [Master League]

World Champions 
Awarded for becoming an International Cup Winner in [Master League]

Silver Collector: Basic 
Awarded for obtaining Silver in all [Basic] level Skills Training

Silver Collector: Intermediate 
Awarded for obtaining Silver in all [Intermediate] level Skills Training

Silver Collector: Advanced 
Awarded for obtaining Silver in all [Advanced] level Skills Training

Silver Collector: Expert 
Awarded for obtaining Silver in all [Expert] level Skills Training

Give Online a Try 
Kicked off against another user in Quick Match

Lobby Host
Kicked off as the host in a Player Match Lobby

First Online Divisions win 
Awarded for winning your first [Online Divisions] match

Promoted in Online Divisions 
Awarded for being promoted to a higher division in [Online Divisions]

First Glory: Competition 
Awarded for your first win in an [Online Competition]

Team Play 
Kicked off while taking part in a Team Play Lobby

Win a Casual Match 
Won a Casual Match in Online CO-OP

Win a Clan Match 
Won a Clan Match in Online CO-OP

myClub: 1st Divisions win 
Awarded for winning your first [Divisions] match in myClub

myClub: Promoted in Divisions 
Awarded for being promoted in myClub [Divisions]

myClub: 1st Divisions (SIM) win 
Awarded for winning your first [Divisions (SIM)] match in myClub

myClub: Divisions Promotion(SIM) 
Awarded for winning promotion in myClub [Divisions (SIM)]

Training Match 
Kicked off while taking part in a myClub Player Match

Legendary Streak 
Awarded for winning 2 in a row in myClub VS COM with Match Level set to Legend

The Journey was one of the most popular additions in last year’s FIFA 17, and FIFA 18 will be continuing that story with style. Players will once again follow the story of young football starlet Alex Hunter, and we can expect things to be just as dramatic, engrossing and all-round entertaining as they were in last year’s The Journey mode. There will also be several upgrades to the mode of course…

The latest UK charts from Gfk Chart-Track for the week ending September 16th are now available and Bungie’s Destiny 2 is still in first place. Despite sales dropping by 71 percent from the previous week, the shared world shooter still managed to dominate charts in the UK despite so many new games debuting.

NBA 2K18 was in second place on its debut and managed the biggest launch week for a basketball game ever in the region. Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 wasn’t too far behind – roughly 1,500 units in fact – as it arrived in third place. Fallout 4 rose up to fourth place while Uncharted: The Lost Legacy fell from second to fifth place.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is also new at sixth place followed by Grand Theft Auto 5 in seventh. Metroid: Samus Returns on the 3DS debuted at eighth place while Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Forza Horizon 3 rounded out the top 10 charts for the week.

The net result is undoubtedly a positive one. PES 2018 is not a complete overhaul of the series, rather an evolution of a winning formula, and while there are definitely significant issues that hold the game back from hitting the same heights as its predecessor, the game is still very much an absolute blast where it actually matters- on the football pitch. Konami have made several tweaks to the moment-to-moment on-pitch gameplay in PES 2018, and while most of these changes might not seem too significant on paper, all of these come together to contribute towards making the action a lot more fluid, a lot more entertaining, and a lot more authentic.

The most important change to gameplay in PES 2018 is that the on-pitch action has been slowed down a bit as compared to its last year, which is something that fits in rather well with the kind of gameplay the PES wants to propagate. You can take more time to choose your passes, to decide whether to float in early crosses or drill in low, hard ones, to organize your defence better in the event of a counter-attack, and a great deal more. The gameplay, thanks to this, becomes more tactical, more methodical, a change that is decidedly in favour of audiences who are more than just casual fans of the sport, but one that ultimately works out for the best. Thanks to this slower, more deliberate pacing of on-pitch gameplay, matches in PES 2018 feel a lot more like the real thing, and the fact that the game actually tries to reward you for using your footballing brain rather than just using strikers or wingers who can blaze past the opposition defence is definitely appreciated.

"Thanks to this slower, more deliberate pacing of on-pitch gameplay, matches in PES 2018 feel a lot more like the real thing, and the fact that the game actually tries to reward you for using your footballing brain rather than just using strikers or wingers who can blaze past the opposition defence is definitely appreciated."

Real Touch + is another subtle yet important addition that contributes a great deal towards making PES 2018’s gameplay feel as good as it does. Thanks to Real Touch +, dribbling is now a whole lot tighter and much more responsive. Players now use all parts of their bodies to control balls, from their chests and and thighs to even their heels and toes. On the other hand, the ability to be able to use your players’ backs and their bodies to shield the ball from their opponents is also a welcome addition. Both these things obviously seem quite simplistic and rudimentary on paper, but when you actually get down to playing the game, you realize that they are anything but.

Shielding the ball allows you to slow the game down, bring more teammates into your plan of attack, to take time and think about your next pass, while the tighter, more fluid dribbling lets you do all the stylish showboating and delicate weaving and zig-zagging that you could possibly want. Of course, how effective these actions are depends on the stats of the player performing them, so while someone like Neymar or Anthony Martial might be great at speedy dribbles, other forwards such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Harry Kane would be much more effective at holding up the ball and bringing their teammates into play. It also helps that a lot of the players in the PES 2018 roster have been further customized and developed by Konami to make them more like their real life counterparts, so that their strengths and weaknesses and other characteristics align with the actual real-life players. Of course, equal attention and work haven’t gone into all the players in the game, but it still goes beyond just the obvious choices- your Rooneys and Messis and Ronaldos and the like.

It all works very well, helping the game accomplish a prime sense of authenticity in terms of the on-pitch action. In spite of that, however, there are a few instances when that authenticity gives way to frustrating moments. Goalkeeper AI, for instance, has been a problem for the Pro Evolution Soccer series since as long as anyone can remember, and it continues to be a problem in this year’s iteration as well. While goalkeepers in PES 2018 are much more prone to making flashy, blockbuster saves than they have been in recent installments, they are also incredibly inconsistent. All too often they simply parry shots directed at them back into the box, leading to a disappointingly simple and lame tap-in goal, while other times they manage to get their gloves on a shot, only to let it bounce off the ground and meekly dribble past the goal line.

"Goalkeeper AI has been a problem for the Pro Evolution Soccer series since as long as anyone can remember, and it continues to be a problem in this year’s iteration as well."

Matches on the lower and medium difficulties are almost ridiculously easy, and while on the higher difficulties the game is definitely a lot more challenging and, as a result, a great deal more enjoyable, you will still see ridiculous 5 or 6 goal games more often than you’d want to. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with 5-0 demolition matches or 3-3 thrillers, but when they come around as frequently as they do in PES 2018, they lose their novelty and end up breaking the immersion and authenticity that the game otherwise builds up so well.

So yes, on-pitch action in PES 2018 is as good as you’d want it to be, despite a few minor issues which are not all that hard to ignore, but outside of the bounds of the football pitch, the game falters a great deal more. Flashy TV-like presentation has for long been the forte of the FIFA series, while PES attempts to offer its players an engaging, authentic football experience, and in that regard, not much has changed with PES 2018. Licenses are, of course, still an issue, and it’s a bit jarring to be seeing major teams such as Juventus, Manchester United and Real Madrid under different names, but these are mostly issues that will only bother you if you’re a core fan of the sport itself.

Other old issues that have plagued Konami’s football series persist in PES 2018 as well. For instance, commentary is as stilted and awkward as ever. Oftentimes it’s drab, other times its poorly written, and often, it is just poorly timed. The commentators’ sudden shouts and yelps don’t even come close to generating any sort of excitement or tension, while their remarks and comments lack insight or anything that can pique the listener’s interest, and that fact does the game no favours. Atmosphere has never been a strong suit of Pro Evolution Soccer, and the poor commentary is partly responsible for that. Menus, too, are as bland as ever, muddled with clutter and unattractive blocks.

Do these presentation issues hurt the actual on-pitch gameplay? Not at all. That is the one area where PES 2018 is at its peak, and issues with the presentation, atmosphere and licenses don’t do much to change that fact. They remain cosmetic, superficial issues that do not really have much bearing on the gameplay itself, but for a sport like football where the presentation and atmosphere aspects are so vastly important, these issues end up mattering more than they should, which is why it’s such a shame that these tiny niggling flaws have been persisting in the series for so long. But weak presentation doesn’t mean weak visuals- far from it. Like its predecessor, PES 2018 is built on the Fox Engine, and it takes full advantage of all of its refinements and capabilities. Players faces and models are, for the most part, quite lifelike, animations and smooth and slick, and the stadiums and grounds themselves look very good.

"Like its predecessor, PES 2018 is built on the Fox Engine, and it takes full advantage of all of its refinements and capabilities. Players faces and models are, for the most part, quite lifelike, animations and smooth and slick, and the stadiums and grounds themselves look very good."

Another area where PES 2018 disappoints is the Master League, or the career mode, where, if you are playing offline, you’ll be spending the bulk of your time. The Master League has been in need of an overhaul for a long time, and it’s sad to see that that change still isn’t here. There are some improvements and additions- there are pre-season tournaments, transfers have been improved and are now more realistic, and there is a difficulty setting that makes off-pitch managerial matters much more life-like, challenging and, as a result, much more entertaining. These changes and additions are enough to sure that the manager mode is still enjoyable, but these are all additions that seems pretty basic for such a game, and beyond these changes, the Master League mode at times feels stale and lifeless.

Thankfully, there’s plenty of content on offer here even outside of the manager mode, and some of the new game modes are an absolute blast. The highlight, of course, is Random Selection, which makes a comeback to the Pro Evolution Soccer series after a long time. Random Selection essentially lets you customize four pools from which the game makes up a randomly selected combined squad for you to play a single match with, and you can vary the range of your customization from something as broad as their nationalities to something as specific as what club they play in. Random Selection also packs a mini-transfer saga gameplay element to it, and has you trying to keep a hold of your best player (or players) before a match begins, while trying to snatch good players away from your opponent. It’s a simple and effective concept, and Random Selection works very well thanks to this bite-sized, multi-faceted gameplay loop. It’s great fun when you’re playing solo, and it’s even more enjoyable if you’re playing it with a friend.

The game’s online component, disappointingly enough, is riddled with a number of issues. The online component of the Pro Evolution Soccer series has never been one of its best features, and it continues to falter in PES 2018. There are quite a few instances when the game freezes or lags during the middle of an online match, which is obviously an issue with a game such as Pro Evolution Soccer, while matchmaking is also inconsistent at best and frustrating at worst.

"There are quite a few instances when the game freezes or lags during the middle of an online match, which is obviously an issue with a game such as Pro Evolution Soccer, while matchmaking is also inconsistent at best and frustrating at worst."

And so it turns out that after a number of years of continuous and consistent year-on-year improvement, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer has slowed down the momentum a little bit- in more ways than one. The slower, more methodical approach to matches is a subtle yet vital tweak to the gameplay, making it as much of a blast on the pitch as anyone could want it to be. On the other hand, however, numerous issues that have been plaguing the series for a long time have either only been modified slightly, or haven’t been addressed at all. But while these issues certainly come together to bring down the overall experience just a notch or two, PES 2018 is still an excellent game for football fans who want to see an addictive and authentic video game realization of the beautiful game.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4. 

At the same time, however, PES 2018 isn’t a bad game either. The aesthetic look of and around the stadiums have gone up noticeably. Now, I’ve never actually been to any of these stadiums myself, but if Konami isn’t possibly exaggerating, the stadiums look like they should be 1:1 of their actual self. I played a match as Liverpool FC against Atletico De Madrid in the Camp Nou stadium. I found it very exciting that I could change the time of day to anything I wanted; along with the weather, season, length of grass, and field conditions.

As the lights came on and the camera panned through Camp Nou, I was astounded to see the stadium lit up while it was dark outside the stadium. The stadium seating was packed with onlookers and fans who were no longer flat (like cardboard boxes) and nothing like they had been in previous versions of PES. These fans were much more diverse than I’ve ever seen before. The stadium walls were jam-packed with onlookers; and the architecture of the stadium itself was fantastic. A real sight to behold.

"The coolest feature that isn’t new but rather enhanced is the additional facial scan renderings many of the players received this time around."

Before the game actually started, it was cool to see the players march out from the locker room with various animations. When my formation was decided it was ready for play. A few closeups of a few different characters, of the ball, and the game goes into its standard isometric angle. While surfing through my athletes, switching between angles and corners, many of the controls felt the same: a little stiff, a little unbalanced at times, but they worked for the most part. Apparently, with the new addition of using the body and head a little more sufficiently, the flow felt better.  I wouldn’t consider it a complete success just yet as this was just a preview version of the game.

The coolest feature that isn’t new but rather enhanced is the additional facial scan renderings many of the players received this time around. Compared to the FIFA franchise, players in previous PES players were slightly inferior. This time, however, improvements include sweat that flow from their foreheads and cheeks, actual stubble shadows that fall across their face, and a real geometric shape to each curve of their face. The technology that Konami have embraced is phenomenal and should, if anything, skyrocket this franchise to one of the better looking soccer games out there. And though this facial scanning was implemented to a limited extent in the 2017 edition of the game, PES 2018 has gone a lot farther this time around.

"PES 2018 is shaping up to be a good game but it needs to do more before it catches up with EA’s FIFA franchise."

We’ve also been promised some ultra super stars, some of which aren’t even soccer players (I’m looking at you, Usain Bolt); some interesting dynamic weather mechanics that can change during the game at any given time; beautiful stadium conditions and a good amount of stadium options. Walking away from PES 2018, I’m slightly confused on where they’re trying to steer this massive franchise. Konami obviously wants to surprass EA’s FIFA franchise, but brushing over the stadiums with a new coat of paint, or adding in facial features are not enough. They’ve got to focus on the flow of gameplay, the flow of athletes, and the feel of their body contact. PES 2018 is shaping up to be a good game but it needs to do more before it catches up with EA’s FIFA franchise.

This game was previewed on the PlayStation 4.

Knack 2

When the first Knack released, intrigue gave way to disappointment as the story and gameplay were just…meh. Let’s not forget about the erratic difficulty. Knack 2 is apparently looking to fix all of that by offering more complex combat, better gameplay balance, improved platforming and so on. It also doesn’t hurt that co-op returns with the ability to drop in and drop out. It obviously remains to be seen how the final product pans out but Knack 2 is still worth watching out for when it releases on September 5^th for PS4.

The PC versions of PES  have been disappointing many for a few years now- however, it seems like that is set to change with this year’s PES 2018, which finally looks to be getting a proper, equivalent PC version. This is also reflected in the game’s specs for the PC version, which are significantly higher than they have been in the years past.

You are going to need 2GB of video memory and 8GB of system RAM at minimum now just to play the game; it also seems like support for lower end CPUs and GPUs has been dropped. If your PC is decked up for the latest and greatest, you should be okay. If it is not, however, you may have to skip out on this year’s edition, and stick to last year’s release.

PES 2018 will launch on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One,, and PC on September 12 this year.

Minimum

• OS: Windows 7 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core i5-3450 3.1 GHz or AMD FX-4100 3.6GHz
• RAM: 8 GB System Memory
• GPU RAM: 2GB Video Memory
• GPU: GeForce GTX 650 or Radeon HD 7750 2GB
• HDD: 30GB Available Hard Drive Space
• DX: DirectX 11

Recommended

• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• CPU: Intel Core i7-3770 3.4 GHz or AMD FX-4170 4.2 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB System Memory
• GPU RAM: 2GB Video Memory
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7950
• HDD: 30GB Available Hard Drive Space
• DX: DirectX 11

We had a chance to sit down with Global Product Manager Adam Bhatti to figure out just what magic they’re hiding out on the field.

Can you tell us how the new career mode will work in PES 2018, especially after the acclaim that EA’s FIFA 17 received for The Journey?

We have Football Life which is the master league, which is the game’s career mode. We have the single player mode which is called Become a Legend. What we’ve done with those two is we have added the presentation element, scenes where players are talking to you. I think what you see from The Journey from EA is a huge focus on the single player story, which takes you away from, I guess the football side of it. It brings kind of a world element. Our focus is to keep the action on the pitch. Keep it around football for now. Those in the storytelling are not where we’re at right now. That’s where we’re a little bit different. Our tagline is “The pitch is ours.” So that’s probably where we’re going to be going for the next few years as well.

Besides Usain Bolt, which teams, stadiums, players, etc. can we look forward to this year’s PES 2018, and what are the new additions?

Nothing to say right now, but I can assure you we’ve got a lot to announce. We just wanted to focus on some really, really big announcements. Let the game have its moment and then we can start talking about different players and legends. Legends are really important to us. We recently brought them in last year, and were really going for a big second year.

The PES 2018 interface will apparently have more of a broadcast feel this time. Could you explain its overall look and how it will differ from last year?

The biggest thing is when you first play the game it’s a brand-new mode, which is where the scores and the teams are kept. What you’ll notice with that is how, during a match all the information , how it’s given to you, it’s given to you in different ways. Usually when you’re playing a sports game, as soon as you do an action something related to the action will sort of pop up and say, “you’ve had five shots on target.” This year we’ve kind of rebuild that whole system, where you actually get the commentators talking to you about it. You’ll get the real player images popping up as well giving you a more authentic feel. We have brand-new replay angles, and presentation within the replays. What that means is leading up to a goal when someone is making a decisive past, or a key pass, the counter will slow and turn and go normal speed again. It’s all about making it feel like you’re watching TV.

"I think what’s really important with strategic dribbling, is making it extremely responsive and instinctive how you play. While there’s new systems, brand-new animation systems, brand-new logic systems, the AI, the brand-new system is working with player abilities and individuality of them as well."

How are PES 2018‘s animations and lighting systems improving in this year’s edition?

It’s a different world. In terms of difference as well as how much work we have done to those setting, it’s all about really looking at how we can utilize this engine even more. So we had three years where we kind of got used to it, but we knew there’s a lot of other companies out there working on a new engines. We had to raise the game to sort of keep up. We spent a lot of time, a few years working on that. The result was brand-new lighting tech. What really helped was going to the stadiums themselves. Capturing it during  different times a day, and being then able to replicate that against a game. It’s always super accurate to see it in real life.

What new changes and features can be expected for myClub?

So myClub right now, what we’re talking about is its  integration into PES league. eSports, as I mentioned, is really important to a lot of people, not just us. But myClub is a key mode that we brought into PES a few years ago. And it’s gone from strength to strength. So what we’re doing with myClub is that, obviously is all the new player images which makes myClub seem authentic as well. And we’ve change the auction system as well. We’ve gotten a lot of feedback from our fans.

How do the new control systems, including strategic dribbling, add on to the overall fluidity of the game? How does this improve the overall ebb and flow of matches while maintaining realism?

I think what’s really important with strategic dribbling, is making it extremely responsive and instinctive how you play. While there’s new systems, brand-new animation systems, brand-new logic systems, the AI, the brand-new system is working with player abilities and individuality of them as well. What we wanted to do was make everything extremely contextual. So you’re not really thinking about these things going into play, but you feel them. So you’ll feel when your dribbling with a superstar, you’ll feel what you can and can’t do based on the way you feel with the player, based on the control. So I think that the new system is completely a changed game, because it just makes you think in a completely different way. But it doesn’t complicate things. It’s not about holding a button and doing that. It all happens as you’re moving the player.

How has the artificial intelligence changed in PES 2018 this time around? What improvements were implemented to make it more realistic?

With the AI we’ve had a lot of feedback that the players kind of played the same. Their abilities didn’t seem to matter. The covering was sometimes too hard-core. So it was really difficult to break teams down and it wasn’t kind of a natural flow. As soon as the teams lost the ball they tended to go into a shape. Because of the space pitch, one key thing is that we made the player small and the pitch bigger. So that mobility between the space is much more exaggerated. So you can’t see players  at the halfway line and zoom all the way back to the edge of the box, and make it super difficult. Another thing the users wanted us to do was to change how the AI, not only defended but attacked as well. Meaning attacking space, taking a risk, running towars the ball, and leaving the space now and again.

It seems that the PC version will finally get the love it deserves for PES 2018. What kind of enhancements we can expect so it shines above the console versions?

Not in terms of feature set. But certainly in terms of visuals and fidelity. We are working with Nvidia a lot and using their GeForce office cards, which are quite expensive. But if you do have one your PES game will be in a whole new light, well above PS4 and Xbox One.

"We haven’t been able to provide an [online] experience where everyone is happy. And this is the key reason why we’re doing an online beta this time."

Do you have any plans to support the PS4 Pro version with improved visuals? May be higher frame rate or resolution or improved graphical effects?

Right now we’re committing to 4K for PS4 Pro. Any of the other features we are not ready to announce right now, we are still testing but we are guaranteed to launch with 4K.

Is that including Xbox One X when it launches?

We haven’t made any announcements about Xbox One X. Microsoft made a really cool announcement about Xbox One X. But it’s something that as we get closer to Xbox One X’s launch we will be able to talk about it a little bit more. But right now we can’t really say anything.

What will be the frame rate of PS4 Pro?

1080p at 60fps, and 4K at 60fps as well.

Will the PS4 and Xbox One versions both run PES 2018 at 1080p and 60fps?

Xbox One isn’t at the level right now. That’s not to say it won’t reach it. But right now it’s not.

Do you have any plans to bring PES 2018 to the Nintendo Switch? If not, can you tell us why? Is it due to its weak processing power?

 On a personal level  I would love to. I personally love the Switch.  Right now, we have only announced the game. I don’t want to say, “no” because that’s not true. And I don’t want to say, “yes” because that’s not true as well. So it’s a difficult one to answer. I guarantee you every developer would be like this. Everyone is now, “hmm,” because it’s doing fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

The addition of 11v11 online matches in PES 2018 sounds good but there must be some serious hurdles to implementing this in terms of matchmaking, netcode, etc. How have you worked through these issues to provide a strong user experience?

It’s been difficult actually. We haven’t been able to provide an experience where everyone is happy. And this is the key reason why we’re doing an online beta this time. The online beta is coming at the end of July, mainly because you’ve heard people complaining for the last few years about the stability not being good enough, the matchmaking not being good enough. We’ve had to, at times widen the matchmaking window to get more people in and just so we can catch people. That obviously will match you against people that you don’t want to be matched with because they have a different style or different connection. And that causes your experience to lower as well. So it’s something that we’re working on a lot right now.

PES 18 will have eSports integration but what does that mean in terms of spectator options, match options, etc.? What is Konami doing to ensure its smooth transition into eSports?

In terms of spectator options we are working with a few eSports companies. I can’t actually named them. What we focused on this year, when it comes to PES league is the integration across all our modes. When it comes to the spectator mode and all of the expected functionality from the user watching it…there is nothing to announce right now. I’m not sure if it will be integrated at launch. It’s something we will be able to talk a little bit more at Gamescon. Gamescom is when we’re hoping we are on track to announce everything that we’re doing with eSports.