
Working from the ground up PES Productions have strived to rework every element of play creating a fresh & energetic new standard for football titles In addition to noticeably enhanced graphics & seamless animation the thrust of the new system’s power has been used to redefine the way football is played on a home system Gone are the limitations imposed by dated animation systems & AI elements & instead PES 2014 boasts a central core that perfectly mimics the skill & awareness that elevates the world’s greatest players above their peers Six central tenets combine to establish PES 2014 as a new benchmark in football simulations governing everything from the way the player receives & controls the ball the physicality of play & the ‘feel’ of match-day the rush & euphoria or crushing lows that experiencing an important games can bring As such the key pillars on which PES 2014 is based are True B all Tech For the first time in a football simulation PES 2014 centres everything on the ball how it moves & how players use it First touch & sublime control are what set certain players apart from others The ability to not only read a pass but to be one step ahead & to know what is needed to gain yards on an encroaching defender True Ball Tech allows the player to trap or knock on a pass using the analogue stick with detailed barycentric physics determining the weight shift of the player & the height & speed of the pass as to how the player’s body will automatically shape to receive it Thus the player has total control in determining how their body is angled to receive a pass whereas previous football titles present the user with scant options Instead True Ball Tech means that it can be chested or nodded past an opponent flicked into space or to a team mate while closer dribbling control is a much more personal attribute in the new game The PES series has long since treated the ball as an individual entity allowing the player huge amounts of freedom to pass into space run on to a knocked-on counter or produced short triangular passes to make space True Ball Tech adds even more freedom with the player’s movements worked around those of the ball & unlike any other football title as opposed to the other way round Players will be able to truly control the free-moving ball use its pace or alter its movement to master close control in PES 2014 Motion Animation Stability System (MASS) The physical combat between players is a vital part of any match & the new MASS component simulates the bodily contact between multiple players within bespoke animations that segue seamlessly into each other Rather than a series of preset animations that occur under specific circumstances MASS acts instantly to any situation with the reaction of a fouled player entirely dependent on the direction & force with which they are tackled Dependent on factors such as their size & power players will stumble but instantly recover if clipped barge others off the ball & use their stature to block players from possession Similarly PES 2014 now has more styles of tackle as opposed to basic foot in or sliding types Tackling also becomes more integral to PES 2014’s quest for realism with clashes of players utilising the True Ball physics to ensure the ball reacts as it would in a real game As players fight for a 50-50 ball their result challenge will see the ball bobbling into space or emerging at the feet of the triumphant player The integration of the MASS element has also facilitated new advances in one-on-one situations The individual battles between key players can determine the outcome of a match so particular emphasis has been made on such battles in PES 2014 Defenders will put greater pressure on the attacking player by tussling for possession standing back to restrict passing opportunities or making the tackle Likewise attackers are faced with ether trying to outpace the defender while retaining possession feinting to gain advantage or passing dribbling or shooting when space allows The result allows for incredibly open games where the attributes & skills of the players come to the fore in personal feuds all over the pitch Heart Defining what makes football so engrossing is difficult It isn’t a technical thing but more an emotional hook Matches can be imposing for visiting teams as home support barracks the opposition & acts as the infamous ‘twelfth man’ by cheering their side on PES 2014’s ‘ Heart aims to recreate the effects of team support both on an individual player basis & across the entire team Each player in the game now employs mental attributes in addition to playing styles & skills & can be adversely affected when having a poor game However if an individual is not playing well his team mates can rally round & will work to support him Similarly one moment of individual brilliance can produce a galvanising effect on team mates The cauldron effect of a vibrant stadium will showcase the mood of the fans with all-new sound effects combining with stunning AI systems to create a palpable match day atmosphere PES ID PES 2013 set a new bar for realism with its inclusion of the Player ID system For the first time players could instantly recognise a player by their faithfully recreated running & play styles The way a player ran moved & spread the ball about would be identical to that of their real-life counterpart & PES 2013 featured 50 players that utilised the system For PES 2014 that number will be greatly expanded with twice as many stars featuring bespoke animations & AI Team Play Via the new game’s innovative Combination Play users can set up a variety of different tactics in key areas of the pitch using three or more players These players will make very different off-the-ball runs to exploit holes in the defence or midfield using the flanks curved runs or overlapping play to make themselves available These moves can be preset to key areas of the field allowing users to exploit defensive weaknesses beforehand The Core PES Productions have undertaken several years of consultation with PES & football fans to reproduce key elements of the series & implement a wide range of additional improvements Visually the game will benefit from an incredible level of acuity from the weave of the kits through to facial movement & a new animation process that offers slick segues from one move to the next with no pauses or restrictions on control Stadia will be faithful to real-life with the entrances to the pitches recreated crowds that move during the course of the game The new system also allows for a new light-mapping effect adding a natural look to the proceedings The flow of a match has also been enhanced with tactical decisions made on the fly & the removal of cut scenes after specific events Free kicks & penalties have also been radically changed Control over free kicks has been expanded with decoy runs added & short passes now unrestricted To counter players can now move the position of their keeper for the kick while the wall will react to the kick instinctively to block or deflect the ball Penalties now use a target guide that is changed according to the kicker’s ability & where they intend to place the ball The goal keeper can now opt to move ahead of the kick sensing when the penalty taker is not particularly strong