Pro Evolution Soccer 2012

 PC
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. GameStar
    Sep 30, 2011
    90
    Konami has improved the AI a lot and everything just feels smoother and more direct. It's not a revolution, but a more polished and improved version of the game.
  2. Multiplayer.it
    Sep 30, 2011
    88
    PES 2012 delivers a better gameplay than its prequel: it's more funny and succeed to satisfy the player. It's sad that the AI ruins all of this and there aren't any big major steps in the gameplay modes.
  3. PC Games
    Sep 30, 2011
    88
    It's been a terrible year for Konami, they had to suffer through incredible hardship during the catastrophic tsunami events and were under constant critique for the disappointing PES 2011. But instead of despairing they just gave it all all and returned with the most precise, most fluid and most ambitious PES in years. What the game lacks in terms of licenses and presentation it more than makes up for by sheer supremacy on the pitch. Forget last year's letdown, Konami is back in the race, PES 2012 will give FIFA 12 a serious run for its money.
  5. PC Gamer
    Nov 9, 2011
    84
    An overhaul of the match engine and lively attacking play bring PES back into contention, but don't expect much from the AI.
  6. 3DJuegos
    Oct 7, 2011
    81
    PES 2012 is more than just an update for the forgettable PES 2011. It's a huge step forward for the Konami series. The best Pro Evolution Soccer game this gen.
  7. Everyeye.it
    Sep 30, 2011
    80
    PES 2012 is a true Evolution for this famous brand. Despite the horrible IA of the goalkeepers, Seabass delivers a distinctive soccer experience based more on a spectacular and more immediate -while less realistic- gameplay. A solid title for every soccer fan.
  8. PC Games (Russia)
    Oct 27, 2011
    75
    PES 2012 will make you feel like a talented football coach. If you want to actually play football, FIFA 12 is a better choice. [Nov. 2011, p.73]
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  9. GRYOnline.pl
    Oct 21, 2011
    75
    New PES is a significant step forward in terms of gameplay and defensive actions, but it has some minor flaws and unnecessary solutions that allow to easily gain field on the opponent's side. It's a pity, that the developers decided to introduce simplifications in offensive actions - dozens of goals and faulty opponent defensive aren't the things we want to see.
  10. CD-Action
    Nov 9, 2011
    70
    PES 2012 fails to shift the balance – even if it's the best Pro Evolution Soccer to date it's still far behind the FIFA series. What PES desperately needs is a deep change. [November 2011, p.62]
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  11. Eurogamer Italy
    Sep 30, 2011
    70
    Although there are some improvements, PES 2012 doesn't innovate as much as fans were expecting, proving that Konami doesn't currently have what it takes to win the match with EA Sports. The game, anyway, is fun to play and represents a good alternative to FIFA 12.
  12. GameSpy
    Sep 30, 2011
    70
    It may not have every team, every stadium, every tournament, and every player out there, but there's plenty enough in its gameplay to satisfy any video game soccer fan.
  13. Absolute Games
    Nov 15, 2011
    65
    Pro Evolution Soccer is like Kaka – in mid-noughties it was cherished and loved, but today it's just a pale shadow of its old glorious self.
  14. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 15, 2011
    60
    New Konami football sim will please and annoy you in one minute. Lifelike football actions and visuals are spoiled by robotic AI, restricted moves and raw physics engine. [Nov 2011]
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Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Best PC Game of 2011
62
#62 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 120 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 120
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 120
  3. Negative: 24 out of 120
  1. pedroivoar
    Oct 3, 2011
    5
    Before I justify my score, I want to point a couple of things. First, I'm a huge PES fan, that played the franchise since the beggining,Before I justify my score, I want to point a couple of things. First, I'm a huge PES fan, that played the franchise since the beggining, except for the web based stuff. Second, I want to point that something has changed in the game, maybe since 2010 edition, but especially with 2011 edition, and I think that change ocurred when Konami lost a portion of the market to EA, so they decided to "fifalize" PES a bit, by throwing spammable feints in, super atlethes and lots of other stuff that catch the attention of the majority of the regular players, to try to regain that portion of the market. This ruined the gameplay, as PES was regarded as being a simulator and not an arcade; frustarted the fans of the series, because playing PES 2011 was liking playing a worse version of FIFA; and, finally, it made me feel like Konami was lost, because PES 2011 didn't had anything of the previous versions, it was a complete new game, and much worse one. So, in the name of PES I decided to face PES 2011 as a scratch to PES 2012, nad just ignore how bad it is. But now, when I played PES 2012, I saw only minor improvements when compared to the previous version, but also new and renewed bugs. It is like this game was rushed, because I never saw that many bugs in a soccer game before - not even in the much worse 2011 version. Anyway, here is a short list of cons of the new version: catch up system still works inside the area, regardless of what Konami devs says; passing is almost random (ie: being excruciating in the defense, perfectly acurate when playing defense to attack and being DUMB when in attack); players often trot all over the field with the ball in their feets, and markers just trot around; defense is very poor, even with tackling "working" in this version; to mark "properly", you have to play with the mark button on, like in the 2011 version; transitions between attacking and defending are very bad (ie: you're attacking, and then cpu steals the balls and kick it to one of their attacker: as soon as you loose the ball, your cursor will change to your defender, and you'll probably holding it forward, since you was attacking, in a way that in many times your defender will just left the cpu attacker alone); goalkeeper still take forever to get on his feet and kick the ball away, and this kick now is much moree random then before; player support was marginally reintroduced - because it was there from the beggining, then subtracted from version 2011 -, but its not like you see in the game ads. Well, there is some improvements to the game that doesnt fits in the gameplay aspect, like the introduction of a in game player search mechanism, but ill not evaluate it here, since here the gameplay is important. Well, after playing a few matches, I think I'll quit playing PES till the next version, when maybe Konami will have this new concept more mature. I'll give it a 5, since the game is a improvement from the last one, that I would have rated zero if I had the opportunity. Thanks for your attention. Have fun!… Full Review »
  2. skillszone
    Oct 2, 2011
    4
    Really not up to the mark.. i was expecting a better game from Konami.. The players look too robotic, which spoils your mood.. Yes theReally not up to the mark.. i was expecting a better game from Konami.. The players look too robotic, which spoils your mood.. Yes the graphics are good on close up, but in gameplay they suck.
    Lighting effects from konami are mind blowing, EA (FIFA12) should learn from konami ..
    But other than that, it lets you down. :(    … Full Review »
  3. vishavjitsingh
    Oct 26, 2011
    10
    A wonderful game.Nice graphics and gameplay.This game is much better than FIFA 12.Refereeing has also been improved. Also,teammate controlA wonderful game.Nice graphics and gameplay.This game is much better than FIFA 12.Refereeing has also been improved. Also,teammate control system has been introduced which allows to control a secondary player,either during play, or at a set piece or throw-in Couldn't wish for more from Konami.… Full Review »
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