There were four layers for the shirt one each for the neck and sleeves, and two for the torso, plus the choice of a plain neckline or a collar. Previously, you were given numerous shirt templates that had three components you could change the colour of – shorts and socks maintain that concept. In Edit Mode, the most notable new feature was shirts having individual layers and the ability to combine them. They didn’t get the same attention to detail as the representatives south of the border but compared to their last outings, having properly-named squads at the very least is a huge welcome. Chelsea lose points here for the plain captain’s armband.īritish representation was further bolstered by Celtic and Rangers also being licensed. This is already a vast improvement on its prequel, where all properly kitted-out clubs used the game’s default typeset. Minus any infringing third-party branding Arsenal are bang-on, right down to the currant number on the shorts.
My Option File was started from scratch and I made all assets on show by myself, something I didn’t have the hindrance of almost 15 years ago, as too you will find out why.įirst off, the biggest news was the inclusion of English licenses for the first time – Arsenal and Chelsea.
5 got almost everything right in the customisation department there are areas it could be improved but compared to its predecessors and immediate successors, there were no steps back.Įven though I’ll be reviewing the PC version with its endless modification capabilities, I will be treating the game like the PS2 version I received from during the half term holiday of late-October 2005. It in 4 was a big improvement from the previous instalment but certain aspects did leave a lot to be desired, which will duly be explained. Who knows where that closing door will lead to, kids.
That Yuletide episode would turn my researching of football kits into a hobby, later titles in the series had me mapping out the shirts, which would eventually get me work illustrating the entire kit history of Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. I recovered from that setback soon enough and went to set things straight, as I had no internet access at home I did the next best thing – got a copy of FIFA 2004 for the original PlayStation from Woolworths to use as reference. If it wasn’t for a mate’s suggestion of getting that game for Christmas 2003, 12-year-old me wouldn’t have been crying on the day at the state of Trad Bricks and their front four (by today’s standards) including Gils and Von Mistelroum. FIFA had this very problem in its early days – and still does with, for example, Italy’s second tier and some South American teams – but no one talks about that.Īs a result, PES3 has the notoriety of actually impacting my life. You had to laugh at the furore caused by the inclusion of ‘ Piemonte Calcio’ in FIFA 20 those fanboys will never know the struggle of putting up with that on a mass scale, year-in year-out.
It was the licensing – or lack of – that the series was infamous for, from the Oranges in 2 to the near-complete omission of the ‘German League’ in 6. The wooden commentary of Peter Brackley and Trevor Brooking was grating but time has elevated the duo to cult status – you’ll be glad to know that they have indeed worked together. PES’s heyday on the sixth generation of consoles was some of the best virtual footballing action there has been but it wasn’t without its quirks. Controversially, 6 comes third for essentially being a watered-down 5, 4 seemed a step backwards but I don’t think anyone disagrees with that statement. I think in terms of raw gameplay, PES3 was better but taking everything else between the two into account, 5 takes the crown.
There are very few video games I hold in such high regard than Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 5, let alone just football simulators.