Due for release on PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360, PlayStation®2, PC-DVD, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and mobile phones in Autumn 2008 (followed by a Wii version in spring 2009), PES 2009 has been reworked from the ground up. New player models, AI elements and physics routines all combine to create the most advanced and realistic football game ever, but at the heart of PES 2009 are two new modes designed to make players rethink the way they approach the game.

‘PES Unites’ is the key phrase Konami is using to sum up the ethos of the new game. PES 2009 also improves on its many existing game modes and adds a number of new ways to play the game. Central to this is the new ‘Become a Legend’ solo mode, which casts the user as a midfielder or striker within a match. Using a default vertical camera view, the player starts as a rookie pro at the start of their career, and charts the many highs and lows of becoming a professional player. An extension of the popular ‘Fix’ mode, the ‘Become a Legend’ mode sees the player operate in their favoured attacking position, and work as part of the overall team as opposed to controlling every member as in a normal game.

If successful, the player must first cement their place in the starting line-up with strong performances, before catching the eye of bigger clubs and earning a move to top flight teams. Of course, results are everything in modern day football, and players must force their way into contention or face lengthy stints as a substitute or eventually be forced to take a step down to a smaller club if performances are not good enough. The ‘Become a Legend’ mode has already proved a massive hit in Japanese versions of PES since 2007, and is certain to enjoy similar status across Europe.

PES 2009 also boasts an online variant of the ‘Become a Legend’ mode, entitled simply ‘Legends.’ Players can use their saved player in online matches with like-minded friends, and can show their skills on the larger online stage.

The PES series has always been famed for its deep yet accessible control system, but the new game is aiming even higher. PES 2009 offers an unprecedented level of control, redefining the intricacies of first touch, close control and ball distribution, while also enhancing its shooting and AI mechanisms to create an all-round footballing experience. Konami’s Tokyo-based Pro Evolution Soccer Production Team has introduced new control systems wherein the player can now perform tricks and feints without the use of special moves, but within the context of the player’s run and via rapid turns and movements of the Dpad or analogue stick.

Likewise, the way the player guides the ball has been changed. The PES series has always treated the ball as a separate entity, but new calculations related to the air resistance and friction of the ground make passing and movement in PES 2009 a great deal more realistic. Different weather conditions will now have a more pronounced effect on the weight and movement of passes, with players having to compensate for more heavy conditions in poor weather.

Producer Shingo ‘Seabass’ Takatsuka and his team have also worked to extend the remit of their Teamvision AI routines, with on-screen team mates adapting their tactics according to current situations, and moving into space to assist the player in attacking and defensive situations. Teamvision also recognizes strategies that work for or against it, and will accumulate the data for use in Master League and League mode.

“It is an honour to know that our game is enjoyed by so many people from different backgrounds,” said Takatsuka of the new additions. “From top professional players, to football enthusiasts and kids who just want a kickabout in the streets, its appeal is widening all the time. The new Become a Legend and Legends Modes are designed to convey the pressure and pace a real pro experiences, with players working as part of a strong side and working to prove their merit as a player. I feel great and motivated when people enjoy our games, and feel the new modes will open up new ways to enjoy PES.”

The ever-present Master League has also been reworked, with negotiations now a lot simpler and conducted on a two-tier club and personal basis, while loyalty now plays a part with disaffected players’ moods having an adverse affect on their performances.

Adding an all-new layer of gloss to PES 2009’s much-enhanced realism, the game has also undergone a radical aesthetic upgrade. Stadiums now have more realistic environment and atmospheric elements, while the PLAYSTATION®3 and Xbox 360 versions will also showcase LED hoardings. Likewise, the way distance is shown has been changed, with the use of contrast adding a depth field to the action, while there is also a new vertical camera angle that automatically switches to a closer proximity during key one-on-one situations.

Every player in the game has also been totally redefined, with all new face and body detail, with further facial animations and kit detailing adding to the realism. The game’s Edit mode has also been boosted with the ability to create bespoke matches via the importing of faces, kits, and even sound files for specific music and crowd chants for any team. A new Pixel Paint system has also been integrated, allowing players to create their own club crests and badges to add to their home-grown kits.