PES 2008 patched

By Tom Bramwell Published 28 November, 2007

On 360 and PS3.

Konami has released patches for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

"The free download addresses the online lag and the slowdown that affects the game in both online and offline modes," the publisher says on its website, which rather fittingly sports a sidebar image of a blonde Castlevania man chasing footballers with a whip.

"The PlayStation 3 update also fixes problems associated with downloading the game to the console's hard drive."

That's good news, because as you may recall the PS3 version of PES 2008 is a bit shonky. A recent Konami FAQ update revealed that you could circumvent some of the problems by running it off the Blu-ray disc rather than the hard disk, and that you could sort out some of the stuttering problems by, er, buying an HDTV.

Early reports from the relevant threads in our Xbox 360 and PS3 forums suggest that it's at least had some effect.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Skooch #1 4 years ago

    The PS3 version needed this rather badly!

  • Artemis_Matsas #2 4 years ago

    I wonder how these things passed through the qualification process...

  • Skooch #3 4 years ago

    ^ I think you mean certification process :)

  • BM #4 4 years ago

    Do Konami just test Pro Evo's online capabilites via a LAN? It's the same every single year.

    I know SWOS has been delayed for an age, but I bet playing online is solid as a rock

  • Artemis_Matsas #5 4 years ago

    @Skooch

    Ooops... i bet you are right :) - My Greek is better than my English anyway ;)

  • Darren #6 4 years ago

    I played the 360 version yesterday (offline) and didn't notice any difference in performance. The main game didn't suffer from slowdown anyway (not to the extent of the dreadful PS3 version anyway), only the replays but that doesn't appear to have been addressed at all. So there's no change for me with the patch and I don't play this game online anyway.

  • manic_mouse #7 4 years ago

    There's significantly less slowdown in the PS3 version, it's mile better.

  • Darren #8 4 years ago

    EG said "That's good news, because as you may recall the PS3 version of PES 2008 is a bit shonky."

    It's a shame you never bothered pointing that fact out when you reviewed the PS3 version... it was bloody obvious to me the game was broken within ten minutes of playing it!!! ;)

  • merf #9 4 years ago

    i was going to say exactly the same, couldn't decide if the Pro Evo review here was just lazy or had been 'paid for' by Konami.

  • Ignatius_Cheese #10 4 years ago

    The only issue with the Xbox 360 version is the niggling slowdown on the replays... Hopefully this patch will sort that.

  • Bonus #11 4 years ago

    From what I could tell this patch made no difference to the 360 game, although the lag actually seemed worse last night.

  • DonnieDarko333 #12 4 years ago

    Jesus, the PS3 version wasn't 'that' bad, it needed the slight slowdown to be addressed but overall i think people are just jumping on the 'slate the PS3 game' bandwagon.

  • sd99 #13 4 years ago

    The improvement when playing on xbox live is tiny - it's still an unplayable teleporting glitchfest of a game. There is no skill or timing, it just jumps around like a mess. It's unplayable. I have a fantastic net connection, and PES6 plays like butter. Eurogamer - you should contact Konami and get a statement as to why it isn't fixed properly. I've emailed them but have had no response. I want a refund now... isn't fit for purpose.

  • Darren #14 4 years ago

    @DonnieDarko333 - You're entitled to your opinion but as an owner of both the PS3 and 360 with no bias to either format, I made the mistake of purchasing the PS3 version, purely for the ease at which I could get hold of the edited Option files. I could have cried when I played it - tearing and horrendous slowdown plagued the game unless you played in certain stadiums from a specific camera angle. IMO it was a broken mess.

    I returned the game for the 360 version, which still has horrid slowdown in the replays but plays near perfectly ingame, where it matters, with little or no slowdown and absolutely NO tearing regardless of which camera angle or stadium I choose. Thus it is the better game. Period. ProG gave the PS3 version of PES 2008 7/10 and the 360 version 9/10 with good reason and it's not because they're on the "slate the PS3" bandwagon either. ;)

  • syphaa #15 4 years ago

    I played last night after updating.

    It does seem better online, but its still not 100%.
    Still a bit laggy/warpy. But definatly better.

    As for the tweaks to the replays, it doesnt seem to be any different.
    But this was online, I have not tested offline yet.

    This is regarding the 360 version. Not PS3 :)

  • malteaserhead #16 4 years ago

    Darren
    28-Nov-07 09:53:57

    I played the 360 version yesterday (offline) and didn't notice any difference in performance. The main game didn't suffer from slowdown anyway (not to the extent of the dreadful PS3 version anyway), only the replays but that doesn't appear to have been addressed at all.
    ___________________________________________________

    I agree 100% with this.
    It was really good of Konami to release a 'fix' for non-existent tearing and slowdown issues on the 360 (well on mine they aren't ...) ;)

    The real problems have been totally ignored (replays) or found only marginal improvements (online).

    Well, real problems apart from re-using crappy old engines, etc ;)

  • valensi #17 4 years ago

    still a waste of time trying to play online on 360. good patch....... nawtttt

  • Putty-Man #18 4 years ago

    EG said "That's good news, because as you may recall the PS3 version of PES 2008 is a bit shonky."

    Yip, I do recall that from the Pro-G review alright.

  • Steroyd #19 4 years ago

    The only slowdown I had with the game offline was when I went to make substitutions, it'd stutter for half a second, other than that it was rock solid for me bar the replays. (PS3 version btw).

    The replays I've seen a difference now and again, it doesn't turn into a slideshow all the time, but it still occurs from time to time.

    Online play I played against someone with 2 going onto 1 bar and it was mostly solid not near as bad when i played against a 2 bar'd person a week ago.

  • Trigga_Tybalt #20 4 years ago

    played it online last night and the lag still messes up games. the game itself has too many goals and way to easy to dribble. hence everyone chooses brazil or barcelona so they can just walk the ball in. like oh fifa? this year's pro is bad. even before you factor in the slowdown. which hasn't been fixed...

    the. patch. does. nothing.

  • Tweakmonkey #21 4 years ago

    in this update they did increase the stability of the framerate but the reduce the texture quality of the game, like grass, adboard etc

    This is appalling. Konami should be doing a recall now.

  • anonim1979 #22 4 years ago

    Eurogamer doesn't review PS3 versions. Only X360 ones.
    So they don't heve to anger advertisers.

    Like Need for Speed : Pro Street

    [link url=http://www.gamersreports.com/forum/i ndex.php?showtopic=13618&pid=59579&st=0&
    ]http://ww w.gamersreports.com/forum/index...[/link]

    IF they Reviewed PS3 version they would have to give ir 1/10 instead 5/10.

    God God - what a SHIT that version is!
    "Incredibly blured, framerate problems, cut out spectators etc."

  • RustyBullet #23 4 years ago

    Some of you guys need to get rid of youre Tesco's Broadband.
    I cant recall ever having a laggy game on this edition of PES on the 360.

  • sd99 #24 4 years ago

    @RustyBullet: Some of you guys need to get rid of youre Tesco's Broadband. I cant recall ever having a laggy game on this edition of PES on the 360.

    If there were no connection problems, why would they attempt to patch it?
    Edited by 1 at 28/11/07 @ 13:49

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    This Is Patching!

  • Physically_Insane #26 4 years ago

    I'm surprised nobody thinks the replays have a better frame rate.

  • clean515 #27 4 years ago

    They turned down the texture resolution and anti alising.. Haha last time i buy pes..

  • zedzee #28 4 years ago

    This is shocking and disgraceful behaviour.

    All these problems and posts prove is that consoles with on-line capability are becoming a target for lazy/greedy developers who'd rather release shoddy game code and not miss a release date, than to take more time to perfect their products.

    Patches LITERALLY open the door for developers to use the 80-20 Rule; release something at 80% complete, while you work on the 20% left. By the time the complaints come in, we'll have the 20% ready to ship as a patch.

    As for EuroGamer's review...Well, they should be ashamed for not reporting it as they see it. If the problems on both versions were so obvious on both versions, how come it's been left to the general public to play Beta Tester yet again?! Pathetic.

    Edited by 1 at 28/11/07 @ 15:18

  • Darren #29 4 years ago

    Physically_Insane - "I'm surprised nobody thinks the replays have a better frame rate."

    Personally, I haven't seen *any* improvement whatsoever on the 360 version, the behind the goal cinematic at the start of some matches still runs at what appears to be a single digit framerate and replays are still very prone to slowdown depending on how much is onscreen and what angle they're shown from. If they've been improved then it's so slight as to be unnoticeable.

  • Darren #30 4 years ago

    @Zedzee - I was astonished to read EG's review of PES 2008 and see no mention of the issues. I was convinced that they'd actually reviewed the 360 version but, no, it clearly stated it was the PS3 version. The only honest review I've read was ProG's who went to town on the issues (sadly too late for me to cancel my PS3 pre-order). Even IGN, who are advertised ingame, barely made any mention of it yet still gave the game a frankly preposterous 92% score, the same score as the 360 version.

  • StrayBezza #31 4 years ago

    What game/update are you lot buying/looking at???

    I have copies of the game on PS3 and 360 and whilst there are framerate issues on each they are MINISCULE - slightly, and I mean slightly, worse on PS3.

    The game is still miles better than Fifa 08.

    I agree it should have been better but I don't understand all the complaints about stuttering etc -even b4 the
    update they hardly impacted on the gameplay.

    And what is all this guff about the update worsening graphics and AA ????

    Seriously I am convinced some people just mke shit up.
    Edited by 1 at 28/11/07 @ 17:03

  • Darren #32 4 years ago

    @StrayBezza - You must either have a graphically enhanced PS3 or a working copy of PES 2008 then if you think the differences between the games are miniscule. For starters, the Xbox 360 version doesn't have any tearing whatsoever whereas the PS3 version had plenty along with some attrocious slowdown when using certain camera angles, specific stadiums and/or when the penalty area is packed. The tearing should tell you that the PS3 version has framerate issues because v-sync is usually disabled to increase the framerate when there's a serious risk of slowdown. All these were noted in ProG's 7/10 PS3 review of the game and not mentioned in their 9/10 360 review. If the differences really were minor do you think they'd have given the PS3 version 20% less? ;) LOL

    P.S. I have played both versions. I owned the PS3 version for two days before sending it back to Gameplay in disgust for a refund and getting the 360 version instead. If you think the PS3 version is acceptable then you need your head examining. Seriously. /shocked

  • tcrawford2 #33 4 years ago

    What about the ps2 version, can that even be patched.

  • kentmonkey #34 4 years ago

    Darren wrote: "The only honest review I've read was ProG's who went to town on the issues (sadly too late for me to cancel my PS3 pre-order). Even IGN, who are advertised ingame, barely made any mention of it yet still gave the game a frankly preposterous 92% score, the same score as the 360 version.
    "

    Cough, Splutter, Mumble

    ;o)

    (EDIT: No idea why that opens up on the existing window and not in a new one. o_O)
    Edited by 1 at 28/11/07 @ 20:29

  • StrayBezza #35 4 years ago

    Darren - I understand your point but I have been gaming for 25+ years now (saddo) so I know what I am looking at. I can only speak for my system and own eyes clearly but I am telling you its fine on my PS3. Yes, would probably agree it is a little better on 360 (I have that too).
    However, I really cannot see massive slowdown or tearing (slight I would admit) but nothing that ruins the game.
    Also - reference the patch downgrading the graphics.....delete the patch and and load it up - no difference.

    Some people just look through microscopes for a chance to moan.

  • asharkman #36 4 years ago

    I though MS wouldn't allow publishers to release patches for off line play?
    This is a throwback to PC gaming if ya ask me.
    They release tripe and then fix it up over the coming months.
    Its a bad show by MS and konami.

  • Darren #37 4 years ago

    @StrayBezza - Sorry if my post came across a bit harsh and/or condescending but I honestly cannot see how you can say that the differences in performance between the two games is minor when the PS3 version has tearing and lots of slowdown unless you stick to a certain camera angle (maybe that's the one you're using?) then it's tolerable but still worst than the 360 version.

    That's why ProG and BoomTown (thanks kentmonkey) rated the PS3 version poorly. The version to own in my honest opinion is the 360 one as it has the least slowdown by far ingame and absolutely zilch tearing. You can also use any camera angle and play in any stadium you choose, even with rain, with no loss of performance (as it should be) and only minor slowdown from time to time in packed penalty boxes. Oh and the crowd in the replays aren't blocky pieces of nastiness, etc., etc. You only have to go on the PESFan forum to see how many complaints there are about the PS3 version, it was definitely the version which needed patching the most IMO. The fact that Konami's response to the PS3 issues on SDTVs was for people "to buy an HDTV to play it on" is absolutely ridiculous (note: it wasn't suggested for the 360 version.... ;) ). LOL

    P.S. I never play these games online so I cannot comment on lag issues.

    P.P.S. I've been playing games for nearly 28 years... :p

  • Darren #38 4 years ago

    @StrayBezza - Taken from Boomtown:

    ""Konami Digital Entertainment is aware that some players of PES2008 are experiencing stuttering by their machine when playing on PS3. (This does not occur on other formats)," said a Konami statement. "After checking the matter we have found that the problem is primarily taking place where the user is not playing the game in high definition. The solution to this problem is to play the game on an HD TV (high definition screen)."

    I find this explanation rather weak. I've only played the PS3 version of PES 2008 on a HDTV and it really did appear very broken. Does that mean on SDTV it's even worse?"

    Perhaps you just tolerate issues of this sort but I find them completely unacceptable in a £50 RRP game.