Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Published on: 13th May, 2009

Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007  | read this item

Related News

• Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

First, the bad news. Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer 2007′s licensing has got worse. Chelsea (now London FC) have been replaced by Manchester United (formerly Man Red), the Welsh team is captained by Gils and, most incomprehensibly, the Bundesliga has been completely erased – with Bayern Munich the only survivors.

Yet despite losing Germany, WEPES2007 retains the country’s key attributes – from the mathematic efficiency of the gameplay, to the surging, unpredictable, passing movements reminiscent of Jurgen Klinsmann’s gung-ho World Cup team to – sadly – the almost depressingly functional presentation, with the minimalist ‘charm’ of a Bauhaus industrial estate.

In fact, it’s a sufficiently mixed bag for the much-improved FIFA 07 to take the contest to penalties – where WEPES2007 triumphs more emphatically, and predictably, than a German team that has only missed one spot kick in 24 years.

Put simply, WEPES2007 feels better. Passing movements are simultaneously crisper and messier than FIFA 07 – read: more realistic – since they’re a direct result of the clarity of your thinking and the abilities of your players. Off-the-ball movements are more fluid, intelligent and, once again, aggravating, depending on your fellow players’ ability. Shooting feels more responsive to the point of being too exacting, once again, relative to the ability of your players. Do we need to go on?

WEPES2007 feels like masterminding a team of 11 unique individuals, where each attack, agility, balance, shooting point, or playmaker ability star makes a difference – or, more importantly, feels like it makes a difference – and requires unique handling to maximise their worth. While initially intimidating, it’s this scientific precision that makes it a more demanding, skillful and ultimately rewarding game.

Biggest surprise? Pace. WEPES2007 is much slower than its Japanese forebear Winning Eleven 10. It’s a sim of real football and everything good and bad therein implied.

Games often descend into gritty midfield battles, defenders sometimes inexplicably screw balls into touch, stumble or get pulled out of position, and shots mysteriously float 30 yards over from decent positions. The dependence on middle shooting, resulting in myriad goals from 25-30 yards, has been scaled back so once again it’s all about working the ball into the box. You can still score from range, but the defense closes you down quicker. Now, perhaps more than ever, there’s no more chance of exploiting a ‘certain goal’ technique than there is in real-life.

On the flip side, defending is more fun. Defence leaders with great reactions, like Spain’s Puyol, always seem to be in the right place, mopping up loose balls and smashing weaker players out of the tackle. That said, it’s also easier to accidentally pull a defender out of position – there’s less computer assistance – so by blindly running forward with a centre back, you can leave gaping holes for wily OMF’s to play cutting through balls.

Goalkeepers are erratic – though way less exasperating than in WE10 where the ball would frequently screw off a keeper’s body/arm/bum into the net. They’re more athletic, making some unbelievable diving saves, even though the ‘force field’ effect when they come to claim high balls proves maddening when you’re attacking.

It touches on a higher, almost unprovable, point – that WEPES2007 ‘bends’ the game to create exciting stories: be it a star striker wildly screwing the ball wide, a chunky defender being brushed aside like a baby or a keeper making an incredibly unlikely save.
via

Readers Comments