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 | Pro Evolution Soccer 4 PS2 Konami  Ah, rivalry. Oftentimes it forces those playing off against one another to improve at a much faster level than they otherwise might have. This has been the case with the 'Pro Evolution' series, constantly assailing its closest rival, the 'FIFA' series, year after year with intriguing improvements to a genre that 'FIFA' ruled with unparalleled dominance not too many years ago. Both are in-depth soccer sims, but that's where the similarities largely end; where 'FIFA' goes for exemplary detail, realism through authentic licensing and arcade-like scorelines, 'Pro Evolution' tends towards realism and innovation in gameplay and more settled (not to mention, arguably, much more realistic) scorelines while shifting the focus away from authenticity in other areas. Both succeed on their own merits, and 'Pro Evolution 4' is, as expected, a worthy new recruit to the ongoing soccer war. Naturally, to succeed it must bring something new to the field, which it does in the form of more realistic ball movement (bouncing in a more realistic fashion, as well as more accurately rolling across the grass and deflecting off those pesky opposition players). In addition, this installment has more of a team feel to it than 'FIFA' often does; 'Pro Evolution 4' rewards progressive play and clever field arrangements with solid back-up from other team members and excellent controls to break the lines and kick the goal you feel that you've worked so hard to get. It's not always an easy game as the A.I. is a step above what 'FIFA' offers on its lower difficulty levels, but once you master it, it's more fulfilling for the effort. There are other mild changes that enhance the experience as well - you're much more likely to hang onto the ball when changing direction in 'Pro Evolution 4' than in previous games (one advantage 'FIFA' did have over 'Pro Evolution'), and headers, ever the annoyingly random passes, now have an added degree of control about them. Tackling is still a contentious issue - push it too far, and expect a card, do it well and it may swing the game your way - but unlike 'FIFA', 'Pro Evolution 4' offers the ability to bring a player out of position and help the player you're currently controlling close down an attacker with the square button. This brings the feel of the game much closer to real soccer than 'FIFA's regular lone-man running defenders. Umpiring is more level-headed than before, and a new and improved injury system has come into play for the newest installment in the series: instead of injured players immediately having to be subbed off for the entire game, they can now go off for a few minutes to receive treatment and then come back on later in the game if their injuries are not too severe. This proves to be an especially good feature if you're playing in two-player mode and your wily opponent attempts to injure your star players whenever humanly possible. Otherwise, 'Pro Evolution 4' contains all the modes that have become standard across most soccer sims - various leagues, cups and training options are all there. Graphically, however, 'FIFA' definitely has the edge; although the animations are more fluid in 'Pro Evolution' the players generally look nothing like the players they supposedly are and have a rather squarish look about them. The commentary is competent if unremarkable, but if these are the biggest complaints you can make about a game then the developers should be toasted for their efforts. With 'Pro Evolution 4', Konami has raised the bar for soccer sims once again.  | |
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