Review: Pro Evolution Soccer 6   01 Dec 2006

The latest match-up between Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer and EA Sports FIFA series kicks off once again, but with fans loyalty equally divided, it seems there's little scope for either side to achieve a comprehensive victory.

Gameplay-wise, Pro Evo 6 still comprises of the same great Cup competitions that feature in the European and world leagues, plus all the major teams and players (international and club – excluding Australia’s A-League). But in the first instance of the 360 version being below sub-par; the International Challenge mode, quick multiplayer matches, memorial matches and the ability to edit player’s and team names have all been omitted from this version.

The game is also now more physical, with defenders jockeying for position and strikers working to turn their opponent as they receive the ball. The game's shooting system has also been refined, letting players take more snap shots, while volleys have been updated for more player control.

Being the first time this series has graced a ‘next-gen’ console, we were all hopeful that we'd be treated to some spiffy eye candy. Sadly, Konami obviously thinks that the image quality is not that more important. Slowdown during gameplay is actually worse in the 360 version, and while the stadiums look better, you only get eight of them.

After each game you'll notice differences too, or, to be more accurate, you won't notice them. The post-match stats pages that the PlayStation 2 offers are nowhere to be seen in the 360 game, so analysing performances isn't possible. Another popular feature missing from the 360 is the ability to save replays. While the game's manual claims you can do it, you most certainly can't, which is a real shame.

Summing up, Pro Evolution Soccer 6 is still worth your money for the sixth year in a row, even if you’re not a fan, but hardly the massive leap that it has been in the past. If you have a choice of formats, PlayStation 2 looks to come top of the ladder, with better features in almost every department - including online, despite Xbox 360's superior service over Xbox Live.

Developer- Konami
Publisher- Konami
Classification- M
Formats- PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
URL- Pro Evolution Soccer 6