PES 2009 demo on Thursday

By Tom Bramwell Published 29 September, 2008

For PS3, 360 and PC.

Konami has said that a Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 demo will be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC this Thursday, 2nd October.

The demo will focus on a five-minute exhibition match, fit for multiplayer, and will also include promo videos for the new "Become a Legend" and online "Legends" modes, where you control one player on a team throughout the match, rather than swapping control between players.

Teams featured in the upcoming demo are Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and the Italian and French national teams - all of whom are licensed with their proper names, kits and players, as Konami boosts PES' authenticity away from the pitch to match the Japanese development team's on-field endeavours.

Konami also recently announced that PES 2009 will include the UEFA Champions League, as well as the usual improvements to controls, visuals and artificial intelligence, which should make for a more fluid, believable game. Yes, they always say that, but at least there's always some truth in it.

PES is also to be supported by Microsoft's new revised Xbox 360 controller, which has a new d-pad designed to work better with the famous football series. You can read more about the pad in our New Xbox 360 Controller hands-on preview, although as PES is one of the first games programmed to take advantage of it, Thursday may be our first chance to really put it through its paces.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 is due out on PS3, 360, PC, PS2 and PSP on 17th October.

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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 (57) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Aretak #1 3 years ago

    I was expecting them to leave it until after release due to how terrible PES 2008 was. Perhaps it means that they want to show how much better 2009 is if they're giving us a demo.

  • JayeM #2 3 years ago

    The day before FIFA 09 is released. Clever.

  • Stu #3 3 years ago

    This will need to be very, very good to convince me not to buy FIFA this year.

  • Bealsy #4 3 years ago

    @ confounder. No you don't.

  • Tomo #5 3 years ago

    Really, you need a Playstation pad to play PES properly anyway. PERIOD. Fuck yeah!

  • IneptPercy #6 3 years ago

    "Really, you need a Playstation pad to play PES properly anyway. PERIOD. Fuck yeah! "

    Snes pad I would say.

  • awb83 #7 3 years ago

    I'm looking for to it.

  • gaselite #8 3 years ago

    Hmm yeah I'll be busy playing FIFA 09 on the 2nd instead.

    Oh how the mighty have fallen.

  • superjag86 #9 3 years ago

    I'll be playing Fifa 09 too - oh well!

  • sonmi451 #10 3 years ago

    has it got Farsley Celtic in it?

  • Zomoniac #11 3 years ago

    You need a separate controller to play PES on Xbox 360 properly. What a joke!

    The only difference between it and the old pad is the d-pad, and since:

    a) if you play football games that allow analogue control with a d-pad then you are a joke, and

    b) if PES doesn't have full analogue aiming of shots and passes it is a completely archaic joke and isn't worthy of anyone's money

    I don't see what the problem is.

  • oreillymj #12 3 years ago

    Sorry Konami, you had your chance on PS3 and you blew it.
    You can stick your bug-ridden crap where the sun doesn't shine along with your Konami/Game ID's.

    I haven't bought a footy game since ISS6 on PS2 but I might be giving Fifa2009 a spin this year.

  • Darren #13 3 years ago

    After getting well and truly burnt by the godawful PS3 version of PES 2008 last year with its horrendous slowdown and screen tearing (I still cannot understand how Eurogamer gave that version 8/10!), I certainly won't be making the same mistake again this year. I only opted for the PS3 version for the convenience of being able to import the edited data files but ended up swapping the game for the much better but still not perfect Xbox 360 version. I won't be pre-ordering any version of this game until I've played the demos extensively. I really hope that the PS3 version is up to scratch this year as I'm getting FIFA 09 for the Xbox 360 and it would be nice to be able to play PES 2009 on the other console.

  • Darren #14 3 years ago

    P.S. I wonder if they've fixed the terrible slowdown in the replays and cinematics too...

  • tmatharu #15 3 years ago

    Fifa 09 again felt soooo floaty and nowhere near as responsive as the Pro Evo series. True, PES 08 was a disappointment, but even that plays better than Fifa. Fifa has improved for sure, but its still never gonna have that instinctive and intuitive gameplay that PES offers.

    Bring on Thursday! :D

  • mcbi4kh2 #16 3 years ago

    The tearing and slow down wasnt nearly as bad as the online, I still can't believe just how shit that was.

  • Arwin #17 3 years ago

    Tom, can you confirm whether that Konami ID thing is true? I hate that.
    Edited by 1 at 29/09/08 @ 13:47

  • stevencole7 #18 3 years ago

    PES has always been the better game to play...... FIFA has improved, but does not seem right. Played the demo and it seems alot less responsive than PES. PES again for me this year ;)

  • Physically_Insane #19 3 years ago

    Stuff that made people cry in PES2008:

    1. Frame rate dropped a bit in replays and when a lot of players were in the box.
    2. Online had lag.

    That was it. You guys really have to get over yourselves. It wasn't half as bad as some of you are saying.

  • onezeonx #20 3 years ago

    should be interesting!

    but ill have fifa 09 tmz so im happy :p

  • mcbi4kh2 #21 3 years ago

    @Physically_Insane


    1. Frame rate dropped a lot in replays and when a few players were on screen.
    2. Online had nothing but lag, not a single second of a single game without it.


    Fixed.

  • Darren #22 3 years ago

    @Physically_Insane - Jeez, if they was ever a poster with such an appropriately apt user name then it's you without a doubt! LOL

    "Online had lag" ... oh well that's OK then! LOL

    The PS3 version of PES 2008 was poor... you had to change the ingame camera angle to certain ones in order to reduce the horrid slowdown and minimise the unforgivable screen tearing, something you didn't have to do on the 360. Sure the 360 version still had slowdown in the replays but the main game was 5X more enjoyable to play than it was on the PS3.

    /shudders at the memory

  • Steroyd #23 3 years ago

    The Konami ID thing won't be so bad, it's not even that bad with MGO other than setting it up for the first time and trying to remember it if you're PS3 gets nuked or trying to buy an expansion. >:(

    Hopefully the introduction of a Konami ID, means Konami are actually going to introduce clan support, a friends list with messaging, and seeing who's active or not, things that were in the PS2 version years ago ffs.

  • Physically_Insane #24 3 years ago

    I had the 360 version btw.

  • Jonesie2k #25 3 years ago

    im a pes fan all the way, but that was on ps2... im an xbox fan myself and have a 360. i had a ps2 but literally only for the awesome pes action. since the next gen versions i've bin nothing but dissapointed with them, still believing however that they were better footy games than fifas. the fifa09 demo however i am somewhat impressed with. i cant wait for thursdays demo, just praying that its a huge improvement on 08 and is better than fifa09

  • andywilkie35 #26 3 years ago

    after playing the FIFA09 demo, this has to be good to convince me not to stray. I've been a pro fan since the ISS Pro Evolution on the PS1 - what I don't like about the new games is that its become more arcadey. The games used to be like a game of chess, always looking for that sneaky throughball or cross field pass that would open up a defence and display your friend's horrific frailty when it came to intelligent football. FIFA which was to me an arcade version of football has been getting closer and closer to simulation for the last few years and I was quite impressed with the demo. I'm praying this pro evo they've sorted it out, apparently they're basing it on Pro Evo 5, which anyone with any ounce of love for gaming and football will know is the ultimate football game, so I'm quite excited.

    in short: I love pro evo

  • tmatharu #27 3 years ago

    again....the gameplay was always tops for Pro Evo......And what people seem to complaining about it the online and the slowdowns......which have all been fixed apparently.....AND even better gameplay this time around.....AND they have the official champions league license....

    "oooo, Fifa looks pretty etc etc etc.....".....zzz, but yeah, it doesnt play no where near as good as Pro Evo....

    Footy is all about gameplay......

    :D

  • stampax #28 3 years ago

    well i've got fifa preordered, so i guess thursday is just in the nick of time - ifit's really good i'll cancel my preorder. Not holding my breath though.

  • Socrates #29 3 years ago

    Just buy both and decide for yourself which is the better one.

  • Darren #30 3 years ago

    @tmatharu - When you buy FIFA you're getting a more complete football package than PES in that it's fully licensed. For me, being able to play as Hull City in FIFA is a huge draw but while PES plays OK, it doesn't feel as realistic as FIFA - it seems to play too fast IMO - and it lacks a certain atmosphere, perhaps because of the poor presentation and weak sound. Also I found the Master League annoyingly unrealistic compared with being able to play the proper leagues in FIFA. Yes you can edit PES but who wants to spend weeks doing that when you should be playing the game? There are pros and cons for both franchises but I believe that FIFA is the game that has come on leaps and bounds this generation whereas PES is pretty much the same game we were playing as PES 3 on the PS2. Despite the name it hasn't really "evolved" at all yet EA are the ones usually who are called lazy!!! LOL

  • Feanor #31 3 years ago

    Stuff that made people cry in PES2008:

    1. Frame rate dropped a bit in replays and when a lot of players were in the box.
    2. Online had lag.
    3. Gameplay was shit, and the ball physics were crap.

  • TheMoonRat #32 3 years ago

    Stuff that made me cry in PES2008 (considering I only play football games online since pes4 on the pc - playing against ai just isn't half as fun)

    * Online lag terrible, effectively making most games impossible to enjoy
    * They took OUT features from PES6: mainly 2v2, which was a fantastic way to enjoy the game

    I won't be buying 2009 until I hear from other people that the lag thing is fine. I wish I had an xbox360, coz then I'd get Fifa09 without any doubt. Shame the PC version isn't next gen still. Well done EA on losing a sale

  • JaysonG #33 3 years ago

    Wow so we speak with one voice then...

    Sort it out Konami or we're buying Fifa.

  • Emth #34 3 years ago

    @tmatharu

    Fifa09 unresponsive? The demo was super responsive in my opinion, more responsive than PES2008. After seeing some videos of PES2009 it definitely looks better, but something still doesn't look right with the ball physics, I can't put my finger on it though.

    If you watch a low quality video of FIFA09 (like http://ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ-077iiy... ) it really could be mistaken for real football.
    Edited by 1 at 29/09/08 @ 15:23

  • tmatharu #35 3 years ago

    Darren....

    I totally respect ur opinion, and yes, Konami have always been behind in terms of licensing, but to be honest its not that much of a huge issue. Yes also to the presentation, EA have always done a top job of that. But, fundamentally, the gameplay of Fifa, although its really improved, it still feels floaty......I have been patient and given the demo of Fifa09 lots of tries, but still, it just feels the players are "skating". Animation are lovely, but too nice, and it affects the whole dynamics of how the character are controlled (blending from one animation to the next constantly).

    Pro Evo has been great in terms of gameplay from way back, and now i guess people are saying they havent changed much or evolved it as much as Fifa. BUT, thats the problem, the gameplay has always been tops, so how can they improve it drastically??

    Konami are being the hurt from their own success and setting the benchmark rather high, and obviously EA are catching up, but its still not quite there yet i think....

  • tinners #36 3 years ago

    too true, game over Konami, you are the new EA, just stick a big 09 to the box and a CBA underneath, times are a changing,

  • rambomarv #37 3 years ago

    in all the years i have played pes only last year was dissapointing they are allowed one mistake .pro evo forever

  • tinners #38 3 years ago

    oh and lol X LOLLLLL at the dont worry its only a big of lag post, yep i said the same thing back when chu chu rocket came out on DC, oh hang on that was years ago wasn't it? awww fcuk it whats evolution anyway eh? :p


    Physically_Insane you must be easily pleased m8.

  • tinners #39 3 years ago

    The one argument i have is its supposed to be a next gen football game and pro has just felt like an updated PS2 port since they went across to PS3 and 360. EA have so much money they can keep plugging away until they copy and technically beat pro evo.

    Just play EURO08 to see how good FIFA09 is going to be. I am all for gameplay but its hard to say pro is better when they still have pre canned animations, no real sense of being in a stadium, and online which is the reason i buy a football game to play with me mates is at best with pro 2 v 2, loads of lag until they patch it as per usual..... months down the line.

    FIFA is by no means perfect but it feels much more like the real game of footy after watching MOTD, on pro moving forward from end to end is rewarded with first time through balls and a goal but FIFA you gotta wait and watch players movement to feed the right *manual* pass something that pro only did half heartedly which made me play the same stlye every time even tho i know manual pass was in the game, but the ball always gets played to feet and again no option of just rolling the ball to a player or weighting a pass or just a different degree of passing etc, something FIFA has picked up from last years version and now feels perfect.

    Pro was once for the hardcore footy fans but id say its the opposite these days, dont believe me just try fifa 09 demo with everything set to manual. Still hope pro is good cos i remember the days when i hated every bone in FIFA's body with its 15-13 score lines. times do change tho :s
    Edited by 4 at 29/09/08 @ 16:13

  • Feanor #40 3 years ago

    PES 2008 was much worse than PES 6. Lumping them in together is rubbish.
    Edited by 1 at 29/09/08 @ 16:48

  • SYheat82 #41 3 years ago

    iv pre order pes 2009 im a true fan, so what if they got pes 2008 wrong!!! fifa 4 girls!!!! :)

  • Feanor #42 3 years ago

    /facepalm

  • bigboibecks #43 3 years ago

    Throughout the years I have always bought both and compared. The positives of having both are that if you have your m8s round, play pro evo, for online play in fifa 08 and season when playing on your own then its Fifa all the way. Sadly dissapointed last year wiv PES.
    Interestingly, i asked Andy Lonergan & Neil Mellor of Preston North End F.C. which they prefered n they both said pro evo!
    For me tho, Fifa is a gr8 solo game, pro evo if you've got your friends round

  • tmatharu #44 3 years ago

    SimakPercce....

    I am not a fanboy, as i have given the last few releases of Fifa a thorough play, and still, Fifa is floaty......Maybe ur reactions on the gamepad are not good enough for Pro evo, hence ur constant complaints about it.

    PES = instinctive and direct solid gameplay
    Fifa = more like Ice hockey gameplay, not to that extreme of course....cause its football....

  • beastmaster #45 3 years ago

    Last one was way to arcady for me. Plus crap graphic and sound. I used to hate FIFA but now it's kind of the other way around. Truth be told, if it's great then I'll probably buy it as well.

  • Dynamism #46 3 years ago

    Regardless of how broken some of the elements of recent PES offerings have been, players always feel individual, whereas with FIFA, speed is the only real notable attribute that differs.

  • Zomoniac #47 3 years ago

    PES is on rails. Its 'responsiveness' is an illusion created by the fact that everything is predetermined. Get over it.

  • wiggy1 #48 3 years ago

    OPM gave pes a higher score than fifa just saying thats all

  • tomski182 #49 3 years ago

    Zomniac, I get what you mean about Pes being on rails. Playing on "Top player" difficulty its incredibly hard to hold off a 5 star team after scoring a goal. You get the feeling the game is slowing you down to give the opposition the rubber band effect. Frustrating, but still light years ahead of Fifa. The one thing I appreciate in PES is that if you can think it, you can do it. FIFA doesn't offer the same freedom.

  • MGG #50 3 years ago

    @TheMoonRat - "Shame the PC version isn't next gen still. Well done EA on losing a sale"

    Errr, have you actually played the demo? Is your PC up to it? It actually scales very well in my experience and is in a different world to last years "effort".

    Oh and "next gen" became "current gen" around 2 years ago, please stop using it!

  • Zomoniac #51 3 years ago

    Tomski;

    That's not what I meant. PES still only has 8-way aiming. You cannot aim your shot perfectly into the corner of the goal, you can aim your shot in the vague direction of the goal and the computer will dictate where it goes. The whole thing is very heavily assisted. FIFA has full analogue control and the option to disable all assists so every ball goes to the degree you're pointing at, and it's much more rewarding.

  • Zebula77 #52 3 years ago

    Looking forward to this very much. I've heard people compare it to PES 5, which is good news indeed.
    Played the FIFA demo earlier and it was definitely the best FIFA game to date, and parts of the game actually felt like PES and that's really the best compliment I can give a FIFA game.
    The short passes were still pretty unresponsive and not particularily intuitive, which annoyed me to no end. But all in all a good game. I see 7/10 and 8/10 scores popping up and that seems fair to me.

    However, I'm confident PES 09 will be this year's all-round best footie game. The gameplay has always felt better and more responsive to me (yes, even in the much-flawed 08 version) and I feel if they fix the online and the frame-rate issues of the PS3 version, this will be the best thing ever.

    The King of footie games is back. Just wait and see.

  • tinners #53 3 years ago

    @ tomski 182

    "The one thing I appreciate in PES is that if you can think it, you can do it. FIFA doesn't offer the same freedom"

    Erm u sure lol? try Fifa on manual you can do the same if not more things with the ball, crossing is a fine example on pro its on a set path but with fifa its different everytime you cross a ball, if anything its pes thats needs more freedom. I agree with zomoniac that trick was used on every ps2 version and was fine for its time, but its next gen time now and nothing has changed.

  • MysticDoob #54 3 years ago

    The demo for Pro Evo was odd. It just didn't feel quite right this time round. I'm a big fan of using through balls a lot, and encouraging more free-flowing football, and I just found that the AI player movements were far better in the FIFA demo. Pro Evo has lost it this year; I've been a hardcore Pro Evo fan and defended it to the hilt on numerous occasions, but another year of minimal improvements and shallow presentation will no doubt be enough for me to buy FIFA this year.

    Kudos to EA; as much as I dislike them, they've raised their game with FIFA this year. Pro Evo, as it is now, is only for the stupidly hardcore, who, with rose-tinted spectacles, reminisce about greater times and fool themselves into believing that Pro is the ultimate football game. It is far from it, even in terms of gameplay.

  • bully2100 #55 3 years ago

    i been playing konami's football games since the snes iss etc,tbh i won a uk competition @ it. EA cant get most gaming decisions right, and the football game they create is for children or people who really havent got a clue about football im afraid to say. iss/pes are/were far from perfect but imo as far as football goes they eat fifa alive,yes pes2008 lags offline on pc if your system isnt up to scratch, ignore the min specs, get a computer that can handle it,the online lag was only because the servers were based in asia isnt it?konami really got 2008 wrong, the pc versions of 4-5-6 were fine online, 4 didnt have it built in, but being able to type on the keyboard a comment when playing,or chat to all users in a room(UK)(French) wotever was fine y take that out!!?!?,because of consoles id guess. if you use 3rd party software to play against someone on pes2008 whos based in the same country the lag is hardly noticable as it should be, but it still seems to me that an incredible amount of bandwidth is needed to play smooth. i will not buy this version straight away and see wot others say.

  • bully2100 #56 3 years ago

    some questions reguarding fifa, can u control the keeper? i mean against cpu or online, can i choose the goalie like a player, come out, tackle /dive , jocky? . can u now kick the ball where u want it to go, not where the computer wants it to go?, is after touch still automatic? just interested tia.
    Edited by 1 at 03/10/08 @ 13:03

  • sizeofyou #57 3 years ago

    Those slating PES for it's bugs - FIFA's been going far longer and look at the various editions that have never improved - and TWO versions with no changes every major tournament year no less. How can anyone enjoy this years FIFA demo? There is no flow or ambition in the game. And the caricature graphics are unconvincing - as usual.
    I shall stick with the footballers GAMEPLAY game and leave the licenses for those who care. Roll on option files.

    Hornets nest. Stirred.. .. ..?!