Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 43
  3. Negative: 4 out of 43
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  1. drlowdon
    May 3, 2020
    6
    Pro Evolution plays a pretty good game of football as per usual, but Konami haven’t really evolved this series since it’s PlayStation 2 days. As a result I lost interest in this game quicker than I have done with previous iterations...
  2. PhilipD.
    Nov 1, 2007
    6
    As a lifelong Pro Evo fan and a firm believer that Konami have brought us not only the best football simulation series ever by a long, long way but also one of the best games series I have ever played, it is with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat that I have to say that Konami seem to have finally given away posession of the ball. It seems that Konami are aiming for a bigger slice As a lifelong Pro Evo fan and a firm believer that Konami have brought us not only the best football simulation series ever by a long, long way but also one of the best games series I have ever played, it is with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat that I have to say that Konami seem to have finally given away posession of the ball. It seems that Konami are aiming for a bigger slice of the gaming market by attempting to downgrade the PES games into a fast, easy-to-pick-up, easy-to-score, arcade-like football game. If this is your cup of tea (which it may well be) then PES 2008 is the football game for you. Little skill is required as you pass the ball to Ronaldinho (or Eto'o or Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo or anyone with half-decent dribbling and pace) and run merrily through the entire screen of players and slot the ball in the bottom corner on the hardest computer setting. Furthermore, you no longer seem to be able to aim your shots except with the most accurate of players hence, shooting has become a button-bashing, precision-less task. Free kicks are far too easy to score with and the hardest AI setting is all too happy to illustrate this. A large amount of lag tends to ruin gameplay online although this is definitely the best way to play the game. The graphics are a let down - if you don't agree just put it next to any of your other 360 titles... it just does not measure up. The soundtrack is full of hideous independent music obviously comissioned by Konami to make 'football lyric' songs - whoever does their localisation testing for the U.K. should be shot. The commentary has been slightly improved although I can still rarely bare to listen to its inaccuracies. The international challenge mode has been removed and the only real addition to the game is a 'dive' action which never works. How on earth can I (a LIFELONG PRO EVO FAN) find this many wrongs?!? Quite frankly, I am disheartened, disappointed, shocked and thinking of buying Fifa 08.… Expand
  3. MarcD.
    Nov 1, 2007
    7
    Plays a good game of football but is not much of an improvement on the last. Every aspect that has improved on pes6 is then balanced out with something else thats broken on this version. A rushed annual release that PES fans don't need.
  4. fifafifa
    Aug 27, 2008
    5
    fifa = better graphics and look
    but pes has a better hardness and gameplay with the altering of tactics and annoyingly running it into the corner
    fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa fifa
  5. exfifahater
    Nov 3, 2007
    6
    If this was the first release in the franchise, it would get a 9 - but the apparent lack of effort to bring anything really fresh to PES for long-time fans drops it to a 7 immediately. Drop another point for total lack of next-gen ambition in terms of original presentation, menus, and online aux features as creative as FIFA's already old sports tickers and online league features. If this was the first release in the franchise, it would get a 9 - but the apparent lack of effort to bring anything really fresh to PES for long-time fans drops it to a 7 immediately. Drop another point for total lack of next-gen ambition in terms of original presentation, menus, and online aux features as creative as FIFA's already old sports tickers and online league features. Certainly not a BAD game, especially if you only want an unrealistically fast-paced arcady experience that bears more similarity to hockey than football. But I can't understand those reviewers who claim that this is a great SIM - wake up people, regardless of how much you hate EA in general, FIFA 08 is much more sim-like in terms of team AI and the necessity to use the entire team and strategic thinking to beat the defense. I personally don't see the much touted improvement in PES AI this year (it's only incremental), whereas in FIFA there has been a massive improvement over the past 2 years. Where is the ambition? Why do I feel like PES is WAY down the priority list at Konami? Yes, FIFA does feel slow compared to PES, and it would be nice if the overall contrast between fast & slow players was more evident in FIFA. But w PES, everyone is fast, period. You could probably run John Terry solo right through the pitch to scorch the back of the net if you felt like it, and that's just not a sim in my books. Too bad - used to bash FIFA and love Winning 11, but now it's reversed for me. Hoping for a comeback in 09, but not holding my breath.… Expand
  6. TimB
    Mar 13, 2008
    6
    The game is fun and all, but it simply feels so last gen. The controlls are really the only good thing about it, everything else is just par for the course. I was actually expecting a major gameplay upgrade from FIFA08, but I didnt find it here, the two games are actually pretty equal.
  7. freddorais
    Mar 17, 2008
    6
    i cant call a winner between Fifa 08 and pes 2008 i love them both , gameplay wise pes 2008 is strong ,graphicly wise fifa 08 is the strongest.
    i played about 10 games online and i can defenetly say that PES have a bug , IT LAG all the time even playing with a good ping , to bad that the best aspect of PES 2008 is that bad
  8. ApocalypseB.
    Nov 21, 2007
    7
    True it isn't worth the upgrade on the xbox 360, but it still is miles better than Fifa. Finally the proof that GamesTm reviews are a joke and that they are in the pocket of the money-men in gaming is clear when they plug Fifa over this. GamesTm, you lot are a joke and a disgrace! Thats why I will never buy your rag and will stick to a magazine that has just reviews - Edge!

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
53
#53 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 29
  3. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    80
    More than any other Pro Evo, this one spits in your face and laughs at your pathetically predictable attempts to play it, again and again, until your old ways are eventually stamped into the dust...It still plays a beautiful game. [Dec 2007, p.80]
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  2. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    92
    Even with its faults, PES 2008 is still unquestionably a better game than its predecessors. It may be lacking in a couple of areas (hell, they needed to justify making next year's PES 2009 after all...), but PES 2008 remains far more than a yearly update; it's the first true next gen iteration of Xbox World's most played game. [Dec 2007, p.64]
  3. VideoGamer
    90
    PES 2008's gameplay is a big improvement on last year's effort. PES fans can forgive the poor graphics, the God-awful music, the embarrassing presentation and lack of licensed teams because the core of the game is so mind-bogglingly brilliant.
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