PES 2020 - Sponsored by Maradona in a Suit

[Mike]

https://i.imgur.com/MlsdwoJ.jpg


https://youtu.be/fK3_uf8FLHc

[Pepe]

Legend manager. :harold:

[Shindig]

I'm going to assume that means players can retire and move into management. Or they just throw the classic players in as managers.

[Baz]

I'm going to assume that means players can retire and move into management. Or they just throw the classic players in as managers.
Definitely won't be the former.

[7om]

Still not touching PES until they improve the regen system. Can't believe they've never addressed it actually.

[Baz]

Still not touching PES until they improve the regen system. Can't believe they've never addressed it actually.It's my favourite part of the game.

[SincereTheRebel]

Still not touching PES until they improve the regen system. Can't believe they've never addressed it actually.

What is the problem with it? I havent touched PES since 2011

[John]

What is the problem with it? I havent touched PES since 2011

It's the CM3 system, where a retiring player will be recycled back into the game as a young one. So the year Ronaldo retires a young Portuguese striker will appear with bonkers stats and growth potential.

[Danny]

FIFA does the same thing but atleast you can buff it out with the ‘scouting’.

Do they not even come out with the same name on PES :face:

[Shindig]

They do, which takes scouting out of the equation. "Oh, Totti's in my youth team. Deal."

[John]

I didn't know that part. :D That's fucking pathetic.

[Mike]

Means Dirk Kuyt became the best player to ever play. We’re aiming to get Peter Crouch to be the fastest player in the world on ‘19 if he ever retires.

[Shindig]

I remember James Beattie leading the line for me in 2013.

[Baz]

Means Dirk Kuyt became the best player to ever play. We’re aiming to get Peter Crouch to be the fastest player in the world on ‘19 if he ever retires.42 years old and still going strong. :moop:

[Shindig]

Reinstalling PES 2019. I needed the space but now I need something to do.

[7om]

PES 2019 announced as one of the free games for PS plus users in July. Looks like I'm back in the game after all.

[Mike]

It’s £34 to pre order.
https://www.thegamecollection.net/special-offer-discount-pre-orders-software-only/efootball-pes-2020-ps4/?tduid=2b2a825435a29db986871459dbc2c2dd

[Giggles]

This is meant to be good this time isn't it?

[Giggles]

Is there an Xbox demo and where can you get it? It doesn't show in the Xbox store.

[Shindig]

The demo is out on July 30th.

[Mike]

Demo is out.

[SincereTheRebel]

Demo is out.

Is it good?

[Giggles]

Where? It's not in the Xbox store.

[Giggles]

Ah I see now. Had to Google it and install it via the phone.

[Shindig]

Hmmm ... they've given the demo a slice of edit mode. Should give the option files a head start. Not a fan of the new camera angle. Typically, the first goal I concede is from a backtracking defender running straight into the keeper. I probably could've avoided it but it felt inevitable, like two tankers colliding.

[Giggles]

It all looks nice but those collisions are still the same old shite PES collisions and make it unplayable.

[Danny]

https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingDetails/comments/cpv980/in_efootball_pes_2020_star_player_neymar_jr_was/

:D

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

https://infomark.hr/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/PS4-PES-2020.png

Messi, Gnabry, Pjanic and McTominay...

Also Serie A is fully licensed.

[Baz]

Euro 2020 will also be fully licensed.

[Shindig]

Neat. Out of the box or do they patch it in like they did with 2016?

[Baz]

Neat. Out of the box or do they patch it in like they did with 2016?Patch it in.

1163707422353035264

[Mike]

Any word on budget adjustments in Master League?

[Mike]

Our PES 2019 Master League has officially come to and end.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o8O0Sna9N4

[Shindig]

Sunrise, sunset. As for the budget adjustments, I'm sure I've seen an option where you can tweak wage / transfer budgets in 19. Is that not what you're after?

[Gray Fox]

That actually looks like it plays a better game than FIFA. Decent variation of goals scored too, not just abusing a single mechanic.

[Mike]

Sunrise, sunset. As for the budget adjustments, I'm sure I've seen an option where you can tweak wage / transfer budgets in 19. Is that not what you're after?

You can adjust where money comes from or goes, so any prize money I think we put into wages and any loans are paid via the transfer budget rather than adding to wages, but you can’t move money from one budget to the others.


That actually looks like it plays a better game than FIFA.

That’s why we play it over FIFA. Takes about an hour, including finding and downloading the files, to fix the lack of real kits and names and it’s super easy to do.

[Shindig]

I'm having a lot more fun with this on Regular instead of bashing my head against Top Player. Top of the table with Newcastle. 3 points clear of Arsenal but we've just shat out a 1-1 draw with Palace. You definitely see the gears turn with the adaptive AI toss. 3-0 wins become 3-3 draws or 3-2 wins. I really missed Rondon and Pacqueta in that Palace match. Muto is shite.

[Gray Fox]

That’s why we play it over FIFA. Takes about an hour, including finding and downloading the files, to fix the lack of real kits and names and it’s super easy to do.

Despite the years of playing FM it never occurred to me that you could do this.

I may have to try the 2020 Demo if there is one.

[Giggles]

Despite the years of playing FM it never occurred to me that you could do this.

I may have to try the 2020 Demo if there is one.

There is. Unless they fixed it in the full version, the gameplay is very broken.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I find PES to be so much slower than FIFA that it annoys me.

[randomlegend]

There is. Unless they fixed it in the full version, the gameplay is very broken.

I've not played it in a while, but back when I did the demo builds were very old compared to the release build. The gameplay was often very different.

[Giggles]

I've not played it in a while, but back when I did the demo builds were very old compared to the release build. The gameplay was often very different.

The collisions are the issue though and they’ve been there since very close to the beginning. I doubt they’ve finally fixed it this year when the demo was rancid with the same issues.

[randomlegend]

The collisions are the issue though and they’ve been there since very close to the beginning. I doubt they’ve finally fixed it this year when the demo was rancid with the same issues.

Fair enough.

[Giggles]

That said, it’s only an issue vs the CPU which makes it a pisser for me but no problem at all for most players.

[Shindig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xL15zK9GYk

You can imagine how this review was received. He looks bad at it. Like, completely lost.

[John Arne]

Great...

https://gyazo.com/24fd10819bf305235e98470ab73df739.jpeg

[SincereTheRebel]

VPN purchase.

[John Arne]

VPN purchase.

Not so easy with Stream, as there are some stupid rules whereby if you change your country, you have to wait 12 months to change it back.

[Shindig]

I wonder how gifted games from another region get handled.

EDIT: Well, a week after release our review code turns up. Huh.

[Shindig]

Okay, wasn't expecting every UEFA member to be in this. Only Hungary, Israel and Luxembourg are unlicensed, too. Transfers are still out of whack. Coutinho's loan to Bayern got through but we still have Perez, Kenedy, Barreca and Rondon.

None of the leagues from last season are missing with Serie B now back and unlicensed. Spain's Second Division is in (unlicensed) and Brazil's Serie B is fully licensed. Oddly, Brescia aren't licensed in Italy. Still, more teams > less or the same teams. Squad sizes are bigger, too.

[bruhnaldo]

Wait so which teams does PES not have these days? Is it still London Blue or Red for half of the Prem for example?

I always wanted to try PES but idk i can't get over that shit for some reason.

[Shindig]

They have United and Arsenal licensed but the rest of the league is the usual EVERTON BLUES etc. You can import all the right stuff pretty easily, though.

[Baz]

... unless you’re on Xbox. :harold:

[Giggles]

Another reason not to buy it, though not as big a reason as the gameplay and overall presentation.

[Shindig]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/484455710

Kosovo are fucking mint. Seriously, I want that front three in my Master League. The slower pace plays into my ponderous eejit ways.

[Luke Emia]

Where can I get a decent option file for this?

[Shindig]

I've went with PESWorld again. So far they've got the Premier League, Bundesliga Serie A and La Liga sorted. I had no idea Karth was so massive.

Ive given the Master League a shot and I think having actual manager likenesses instead of creating your own is a bad idea. Naturally, I went with Ruud Gullitt. The transfer negotiations don't add a lot (it's just a chance to string a transfer out and penny pinch) and the expectations you're set still don't match the team you're playing as. At least it looks like, as a manager, you have some influence over that. The generic chairman might think we're top six material but he's talking out of his arse. Also, he seemed really mad we lost 1-0 to Liverpool on the opening day.

At least we don't have the stupid pre-season shit.

[Boydy]

Which ship that I can buy this in today has the best price? I'm fucking sick of FIFA.

[Baz]

Which ship that I can buy this in today has the best price? I'm fucking sick of FIFA.

https://www.console-deals.com/games/efootball-pes-2020/?platform=Xbox+One £34.85

[Limoutsonik]

I got this about 5 days ago and i have been immersed into myclub. So good. I'm on xbox so if anyone fancies a game,add me at GTR JuularDT.

[Shindig]

Turns out Konami are going to patch in a licensed Serie B. And PESWorld have their J-League patch up.

[Shindig]

£24 for PS Plus subscribers at the moment.

[Boydy]

Shindig or anyone else who's playing master league on this. Are you getting any more money to spend at the start of each season?

I'm playing as Middlesbrough, got promoted in my first season by finishing second then finished seventh in my first season in the premier league but I've not been given any extra money at the start of my seasons. I've got fuck all to spend.

[Shindig]

Weird. What's your chairman been giving you in terms of objectives?

[Boydy]

First season in the premier league was just to stay up. He said the same again this year but I said 'nah mate, top half' thinking I might get more money that way but nothing.

[Shindig]

Decided I need to play some PES to finish out Newcastle's season.

https://www.twitch.tv/shindigpsc

I'll be on in five.

[Gray Fox]

You wos robbed with that free kick against United.

[Shindig]

Nah, it looked like it was hitting the woodwork. Long-armed De Gea was just showing off. Plus I can't really call it robbery when I shat that accidental back-pass. :D

[Gray Fox]

https://clips.twitch.tv/DeadObliviousCasetteDoritosChip


You have to feel for him.

[Shindig]

:D I was caught in a trap and I couldn't get out.

[Shindig]

Season's finished now. It's on my twitch but we met the modest 'top half finish' relatively comfortably. Caciedo's turned into a bit of a dud. Good job it was just a loan.

[Shindig]

£16 on PSN at the minute. My tight-fisted transfer dealings are kinda backfiring.

[Shindig]

Might as well kick this thread up the arse one last time. PES is shit. I've seen my Newcastle side shit the bed massively with a squad-wide goal drought. We hit the woodwork in every game of the session but can't seem to score unless we're 1-0. PES demands it. Fuck off.

This series was better when developed by a terrified Japanese workforce. EDIT: Lazio are fun. Smashed Inter 5-2 in a proper end-to-ender. I need to get a proper man up top to partner Immobile but the rest of the squad seems decent.

[Shindig]

I cannot stay away. I've tried the Euro 2020 DLC and it's fine. I wish they didn't bob their mouths like fish over the anthems, though. Especially Spain and their entirely instrumental effort. I'm back on Master League after a failed look at the defaults. I've tried to help myself with the largest transfer budget but, at the very start, you want everything going into wages. And God help your teamwork numbers.

I didn't realise how much of that shit plays into recruitment and tactics. Having to cross reference your tactics with 'the shit these players like to play' makes perfect sense but it kinda stifles any freedom to pick a formation you want. You can do that but you're taking months out of the season for them to bed in. I've returned to Newcastle's normal squad and fiddled their default tactics just a bit to try and boost teamwork. I've settled on something I'm happy with. 4-4-2. Possession with some frontline pressure for defence. Means that we're muscular in defence and I've allowed some fluidity when we're attacking.

The big switch has been placing Saint-Maximin as a second striker. It works great as he turns up everywhere. He'll pick it up deep and then charge forward to support Joelinton. He's still a little iffy. I'm not that confident when he gets his back to goal but he's scored 3 times this season. I've also brought in Gabriel Barbosa on a free to partner him. He's doing alright and they will wind up getting assists for each other. Carroll's been sold (he's not mobile), Manquillo's moving in January and I've loaned some of the kids out.

Results wise, I had a horrible start to the fixture list. 3 straight losses to Arsenal, United and Liverpool. Since then we've hit 7 straight wins (including a cup win against Leeds). It's all stuff by the odd goal. Only my last match against Bournemouth had any daylight. I'm conscious of the fact we can't put sides to bed so I've resorted to passing it amongst ourselves if time's good. Chelsea next so that's probably the wheel's coming off. One of the things that I think is patch related is how many teams now allow me to pass goalkicks to my defenders. I used to always go long by necessity.

[Giggles]

Any way to fix the teams on a console for this or is that only doable on PC?

[Mike]

PC and PS4

[Giggles]

PC and PS4

Uninstall so. Thankfully it was just a download from a €1 trial of game pass.

[Lofty]

Just stick an option file on a usb stick and follow a 10 min youtube clip, it's professionally done these days though the United FM lawsuit might have consequences for PES.

Impressed with the Euro 2020 stuff, dont the usually release a fully licensed game for tournaments instead?

[Shindig]

EA haven't put out a tournament game since 2010.

And United can't sue Konami for their usage in PES. They're already licensed. :D

[Lofty]

If United win their case against FM, especially on the point about modding etc then surely another big team will come sniffing.

[Giggles]

Just stick an option file on a usb stick and follow a 10 min youtube clip, it's professionally done these days though the United FM lawsuit might have consequences for PES.

Impressed with the Euro 2020 stuff, dont the usually release a fully licensed game for tournaments instead?

So you can then?

[Lofty]

On PS4, are you Xbox?

[Giggles]

Yeah, a One S. I’ve got rid of it now as those team names sicken my hole.

[7om]

I bought this as it was on sale on Amazon. I have a bit of a dilemma as I smash the AI on professional but then really struggle on top player difficulty.

[Shindig]

Welcome to my world. I've stuck with top player but any wins are narrow and I really can't create a lot of clear cut chances.

[Baz]

I bought this as it was on sale on Amazon. I have a bit of a dilemma as I smash the AI on professional but then really struggle on top player difficulty.Stick to the harder one. Only way to improve.

[Shindig]

Yeah, persist with it. I've just powered through a UEFA Cup campaign with Liverpool on Top Player. One defeat came at Roma but we smashed them in the return leg 4-0. I know the players are a big factor but I want to replicate that formation and that style for a Master League. Beat Sevilla 2-1 in the final but it was more comfortable than that.

[Shindig]

Next season's game is apparently an update to the existing one. EDIT: False info, it seems.

[Shindig]

So I've given Newcastle a shot with Liverpool's 4-3-3, high defensive line, compact tactics and the gegenpress. It works, in a fashion. Joelinton's the middle but I use him more to play the wingers into positions (Saint-Maximin and Ritchie) but Joelinton's bagged 6 goals so far.

Awful start with 2 defeats and 2 draws (Dropped a 2-1 lead against Crystal Palace but held Liverpool in the next game). Since then, we've been scoring decently and taking wins. Could've done without extra time to see of Luton in the Cup 4-3 but I'd rather that than penalties. As you can guess, the high line can catch us out but can get us back on the attack quicker.

[Shindig]

Okay, that season is done. At the half way stage, we were leading. 60 points, followed by Liverpool and Man City, also on 60 points. With 9 games left, we were 7 points adrift in 4th. The game decided we'd struggle to 1-0 defeats and a dip in form would be a chasm.

So I whacked the difficulty down to Beginner and smashed the remaining games. Here's the problem: City only dropped five points so I finished second. 87 points to our 85. Third was Liverpool with 84, Chelsea finish with 81. This is the closest I can probably get without doing a whole season on pisstake difficulty. The top end of the league is far, far too ridiculous. My only opportunity to win a league is going to be in direct competition because the AI does not want to drop points.

[Baz]

Sounds like that version of FIFA on the DS where your only hope of winning the league was winning every game. Thankfully there was a near post corner exploit that saw Louis Saha and Gary Neville far and away the league top goal scorers. (The Reid made us be United and we took turns.)

[Shindig]

I think it's more to do with the seasons City and Liverpool had in 18/19. That and the idea that, on paper, oil rich superclubs are unbeatable. Barcelona were kind of 'it' for years. It's annoying because we beat City to go three points clear and held Liverpool to a point when we last played them. Then we shat the bed against West Ham and Burnley. And Brighton who are always turgid to play against.

My hope is that the old guard die off and the AI replaces them with tripe. Andy Carroll went to Leicester after a 1 goal season so there's hope for that.

[Shindig]

Won the Charity Shield on penalties. My life is complete. A decent match against City that was pretty breakneck. Sane's a nightmare to contain but the rest were alright. We gave away a penalty but Joelinton levelled things. Remi Oudin seems lively in the front three. I've brought in some German defenders for free and Roy Krishna because ... why not. Not sure about my cover up front and the first game shown up my wing backs' fatigue. Karth and Willems are my first choice options but I don't see the latter lasting a full match often.

The Liverpool job came up but I opted to stay put. Wijnaldum, Bale and Origi were all on the transfer list and I might regret not taking the latter for £18m. It's hard to tell given how Joelinton becomes a foil for the wingers when he's not in scoring positions.

Also, I don't know what they're doing with the 2021 season update. It's £25 on the store which makes me wonder if it's 2020 with the update applied. They don't specify that you need 2020 to play it so it might go down as a new game in your library. Strange times.

[Shindig]

Konami gave us a code for the 2021 Season Update. It is, in fact, a separate game rather than DLC for last year. I'm going to imagine they had to do that out of a contractual obligation to the license holders. I.e. "You must put out a game each season."

I've played a couple of games and it does have a different feel. The free kicks from close range might not be a death sentence this time as I saw Sir Chesney really stretch to keep one of those out. No new leagues but Columbia's top flight is now licensed. Oddly, Hull, Charlton and Wigan are in the Other European teams section. The transfers are miles off. They're probably up to date to the conclusion of last season but no new bodies are in for us. We still have Willems, Lazaro and Bentaleb on our books.

2 new stadiums. Gazprom Arena is new but I can't spot the other one. It might be one of the Allianz Arena's. The Juventus one?

So they've done stuff to this. Not as much stuff as a proper sequel but more than I was expecting from a product called 2021 Seasonal Update.

HOLD EVERYTHING Frank Lampard is in this game as a manager.

[Baz]

I’m going to be playing Master League as Wycombe Wanderers on my Xbox Series X. I’ve edited the youth team to contain myself and 11 of my friends, as 69-rated sixteen-year-olds. I let my mates choose their positions, attributes, skills, playstyle, kit-style etc. and I did my best to make them look like they do in real life. I’m hoping it will make the game even more fun to play.

Normally when I play Master League I use the default squad + loans, until some real players retire and I fill my squad with regenerated players and just use them forever. This once meant I had a 104 rated Dirk Kuyt playing for me, which was awesome. However, it meant he absorbed the majority of my wage budget and I had to stop playing the game as it wasn’t feasible to keep all my players despite having hundreds of millions in the transfer kitty. Good old PES. This time I plan on just keeping the 12 players I have created, forever. This will hopefully mean that no matter how good they get, I’ll always have enough money to pay for all their contracts cos I can sell almost everyone else.

I’m yet to play a single game on PES21 as I’ve been editing it to make it more immersive. One perk of this will be I’ll get some achievements ticked off, using my mates. As I played previous versions on PS4, I was used to just using a pre-edited option file. Unfortunately, they aren’t available for Xbox so I’ve been manually editing all the English team names, rivalries, stadiums and, most time-consuming of all, kits. I’m finally ready to play though!

I figured I’d give a rundown of my players in case anyone wants to follow their path to greatness and watch Wycombe Wanderers hopefully eventually lift the Champions League trophy.

Goalkeeper: Baz
With real life claims of being able to hold his own in at least League 2, because “so long as you concentrate, and don’t mind getting hurt, you can be a class keeper,” Baz volunteered to go in net. He’s only 5’10” and most of that is his neck, but possesses a long throw and a whopping big kick, so offers plenty of distribution options.

Right back: The Reid
As one of only three people who has played a decent amount of Pro Evo, and knows the most about stat weighting and worthwhile skills, I was hoping Reidy would be the saviour and take the sting out of anyone choosing useless stats. However, his lack of commitment and refusal to create a Google account (it’s 2021!) meant he couldn’t edit the Google sheet I used to record everyone’s stats. As a result, he’s essentially a Trent Alexander-Arnold clone with 15 knocked off each stat. Should be excellent for crosses, but less so for freekicks. Can also play all down the right wing, which could come in handy.

Left back: Rob
Our only non-Englishman, Rob wears the Scotland flag on his boots with pride. Also more than capable of executing a Scotch Move, whatever that is, and is a master of the Robona (sic). Has the most impressive forearms known to man and as a quick little bloke with decent all-round stats, he can happily fill in on either wing or as a centreback if needed.

Centre halves: Tom & Joe
Tom and Joe are brothers, with Joe being a few years older. Both are built like brick water closets and certainly won’t shy away from a header or a tough tackle. They’re not the fastest but they’re quick enough, and with lots of time to improve they could end up as England’s centerback pairing, as well as Wycombe’s, for years to come. Joe’s signature move is a “power toe bung” and Tom is the self-assigned team captain, which I’m more than happy with. I expect many cards.

Defensive midfielder: Andy Mac
Wants to be the English Pirlo or the Wycombe Roy Keane, judging by his stats, and could well be. Hopefully being a bald lad with a big ginger beard won’t be the only reason he stands out in the centre of the park. Can play all through the middle and never goes any wider than the centre circle due to a crippling fear of breaking a sweat. Should work well linking the central defenders to the central midfielders, and will no doubt keep himself and everyone else entertained in the process.

Centre mids: Mike and Andy
Mike wears glasses. Since Edgar Davids retired, Pro Evo removed the ability to wear glasses on the game, so not only is he almost unrecognisable, he also mightn’t recognise his teammates. Aesthetics aside, Mike’s a quick-moving destroyer who is just as capable defensively as he is offensively. Alongside him is his former housemate, Andy, who is perhaps the more attack-minded of the two. Andy’s a bit of a showboater who considers himself as the team’s orchestrator, always on the lookout to start an attack while looking the business. A bit of a Jack Grealish character on the pitch, only with his socks pulled up to his thighs.

Right midfielder: Doward
Set himself as a destroyer, despite it being a playing style for defensive mids, so not a great start, but his attributes set him up to be a decent threat down the right side, with good dribbling skills and great pace. He did question the [bad hairline] hairstyle he’d been assigned but recognised it was the best fit and is now ready to take on the likes of Rico Henry, Pervis Estupinan and Adam Reach in his first season in the Championship.

Left wing forward: Allan
A creative playmaker and our only left-footer in the team. Maximum aggression and minimal heading ability. Very fast and an excellent dribbler, could cause havoc against the likes of Andy Yiadom, Kiko Femenia and Adam Smith. Has a decent camaraderie (well, a love-hate relationship disguised as bants) with our centre forward, so could link up well, and can also play as a second striker or even a centre forward if needed more centrally.

Centre forward: Simon
Christian Kabasele won’t know what’s hit him when Watford play Wycombe this year. A beanpole of a neanderthal with a grizzly beard and hasn’t showered since the millennium bug broke his Gameboy lurks up front for us. Originally requested his goal celebrations be something muted and subtle, wanting to be cut from a similar cloth to Eric Cantona. He then watched all 162 available celebrations on YouTube and has ended up with a flamboyant double flip and an Irish jig. Typical Si. Slow on the ground but powerful in the air, will hopefully be able to get on the end of Rob and Reid’s (R&R) abundance of crosses and convert chances to goals. Just as likely to be superstar as a complete disaster, so looking forward to playing with him.

Substitute right wing forward: Ryan
12 people were asked to create players. 11 did. Ryan did not. Others stepped up and filled in his stats for him, but his lack of commitment has seen him end up on the bench, despite being one of the better real-life players. Can fill in in a multiple of positions on the wings, and also as a second striker so will be a good utility man to bring off the bench and to cover for anyone suffering from poor form. Small, fast and ready to play. A very good option for the 12th man.

Feel involved? Wish this was actually a new series of Dream Team you could watch on TV? Well, you can watch everything unfold LIVE on Twitch, most evenings from 8pm onwards: https://twitch.tv/baz9torres Apologies in advance for any long pauses of nothing, where I’m talking to my wife, replying in my mates group chat or making a cup of tea.

Or, you know, just read future posts or whatever. Chairboys, lessssgo!

[Mike]

I had over 200 texts when I picked up my phone earlier due to this. Great stuff.

[Baz]

Turns out playing with a team of 69-rated players, whose attributes were chosen by people who’ve never played PES, makes the game quite hard. Plus I’m not very good. Only playing on Professional too!

Changed formation now to a 4-4-2 narrow diamond (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/957551346), because no amount of tweaking the instructions will get my wingers and fullbacks to automatically run down the wings, so going down the ‘pass around in midfield and hope a through ball gets my striker a chance’ route.

Also feels like every freekick the computer has a shot with, goes in. Any tips to stop that Shindig / Limoutsonik? There was something to do with Y/triangle but I must’ve misread it cos it’s doing nothing.

[Shindig]

The free-kick thing is quite shit. I try to get someone guard the post I think they're going for and try to time the wall jump. From close range, it's nailed on to go in.

I want a proper go with the defaults. I've been doing great with Newcastle so I know I can get by with a decent unit. I've kept the Liverpool tactics but the high defensive line will absolutely crush me. I've started with the biggest budget I can which just gets me £2.8m in wage budget. I want to use that to get the most players possible, rather than betting big on a couple.

What's your teamwork number like? That's crucial for your team to start doing thing.

[Baz]

Between 66-68 :henn0rz: I guess it’s just gonna take time for them to not play like they’re scared of the ball and each other.

And yeah I’ve started running a man to the post (and allowing two opposition players to follow me, onside) which will hopefully work in defending freekicks.

[Shindig]

That's not a bad start if they start clicking. Switching to a 4-3-3 has me at 36. :D Two games down, D1, L1. We're gaining one or two each match so the second half of the season might be alright.

Our first XI with overall ratings:

GK: Perina - 68

LB: Giorza - 66 (default)
CB: Danso - 73
CB: Valentine - 68
RB: Apodi - 73

DM: Hettich - 69 (default)
CM: Arcas - 70 (default)
CM: Anuar - 73

LW: Ankersen - 73
CF: Drmic - 73
RW: Alex Collado - 74

Which looks kinda alright. Not complete dogshit but not troubling the Championship much either. Drmic is dangerous but he's not getting much in the way of chances. Perina wound up Man of the Match on his debut against Reading. Clean sheet and his offensive keeper status means he's charging out when our defence gets caught high up. He also has a penalty saving perk which would've come in handy against Preston where I lost 2-1 and conceded an early pen. Melikov was in goal for that, went the right way but was just beaten by power.

I'm intending to play for draws using possession until I'm confident at the back and going forward. Preston scoring forced us to come out a bit and Drmic scoring helped keep it respectable. Reading were terrifying because they really went after our midfield. I can't be as cavalier as I am with Newcastle. On the plus side, high possession stats keep fatigue from draining so that might protect the full backs a little. I've fiddled the budget to make sure everything goes into salaries. I really wish I could funnel some of the £98m transfer pot into that. Stupid, stupid game.

[Limoutsonik]

Turns out playing with a team of 69-rated players, whose attributes were chosen by people who’ve never played PES, makes the game quite hard. Plus I’m not very good. Only playing on Professional too!

Changed formation now to a 4-4-2 narrow diamond (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/957551346), because no amount of tweaking the instructions will get my wingers and fullbacks to automatically run down the wings, so going down the ‘pass around in midfield and hope a through ball gets my striker a chance’ route.

Also feels like every freekick the computer has a shot with, goes in. Any tips to stop that Shindig / Limoutsonik? There was something to do with Y/triangle but I must’ve misread it cos it’s doing nothing.

There is a button to press that makes the wall jump but you need to time it to the nanosecond.Other than that,there is a manual GK control that you can make the GK move freely before and during the process. I am not that familiar with that though. I mostly do myclub and attend to avoid tackling or fouling close to my penalty area precisely for that reason.

[Baz]

Well I blasted through the season and managed to finish...

https://i.imgur.com/lWXvdcP.png

...5th, so got the playoffs to play tonight. :cool: Bournemouth first.

The goal that got us there: https://www.twitch.tv/baz9torres/clip/DeterminedMotionlessVultureKappaClaus-2pWna99Fdk1fKyyJ

My salary budget is minus 20k per week, cos I extended the contracts of all 12 of my players by 3 years, so could do with getting promoted to get as much money as possible, as I fear I'll get sacked if it's still minus at the very end of the season. :happycry:

[Shindig]

Team Default is going alright. I might sneak into the play-offs but, at the half-way stage, I've hit a patch of draws. Teamwork is up to 50. Wage budget is currently at £700k. I'll nibble into that in January with some more freebies. I really need to bolster my second string.

[Baz]

Yeah freekicks from outside the area are a joke. Even having a man on the line doesn’t stop them.

Also turns out you get a load of money at the end of the season so I didn’t need to worry about my salary. Also made a note of which player roles give a boost to training (of players in the same position) and loaned in a few lads to sit on the bench and boost my no 17 year olds growth. :drool: Zhirkoc and Jovetic watching Wycombe every week from the sidelines.

Did you make the playoffs? I lost the semi 2-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg 1-0 (and my guy saving a pen) so was very disappointed. Should easily promote this season though, now I’ve got the hang of it. However even with passing assistance on level 3 (max) most of my passes go to the wrong target. I blame the game.

[Shindig]

I'm still only half-way through the season. I'd say I have an outside chance but wouldn't mind missing out to concentrate on automatic promotion next year. I'm just happy to be meeting the top-half expectations. It's shit you start Master League with chairmen that can't be realistic.

[Baz]

Yeah. No way I’d have come anywhere near 8th if I wasn’t playing with an edited team full of 69-71 rated players, with specifically weighted stats for the majority.

[Shindig]

Well, I've put a run together and we're currently 5th. 9 games left. I've taken a few offers for the second string so I'll hopefully raid the youth team and free market to get some squad depth. Drmic is still crucial to all of it. 19 goals, 8 assists. Ankersen's second in the league for assists with 12. He should have more goals but he keeps hitting the woodwork. :D

Perina's starting to flap us into trouble so I need a steadier pair of hands in goal.

[Shindig]

https://youtu.be/xXAAXwQz6cc

All done. Drmic had 29 goals for the year but was marked out of the playoffs. Ghilas found a hat-trick to see us past Brentford. 78 points was enough for fourth which was alright. Teamwork is now up to 77. It does seem to accelerate when you start winning matches. Ankersen, Drmic and Hettich wound up in the team of the year. Ankersen topped the assists ahead of Collado. I'm happy with that. Watford and Norwich ran away with things at the top. Now to build a second string. And probably replace Apodi who is the old man of the first XI.

[7om]

I’ve got into a Master League save with Ajax and I’m about halfway through the first season. I noticed I got four or five kids into my youth team who weren’t regens of retired players. Have they finally got round to spawning new players or am I going to have Jermain Defoe appear in a few months? Shindig Baz

[Shindig]

They give you a handful of fake players half way through the season, on top of the retirees you get at the end. I don't know if that happens every season or just the first one as a 'hey, youth players happen' tutorial. Also, I am shocked the board have given me a sensible target for next year: "Just stay up, mate."

[Baz]

Shindig, did you get Fraser Forster in your youth team at the start of the second season? Wondering if it’s random or preset.

I’m a few days away from January and hoping Zlatan miraculously wants to sign for me, when he turns up.

[7om]

I signed Zlatan in the Christmas window. He’s a nice little upgrade on Ryan Babel.

[Shindig]

Shindig, did you get Fraser Forster in your youth team at the start of the second season? Wondering if it’s random or preset.

It'll probably be him. If his height, weight and nationality match up. I've got Ben Foster in mine.

https://www.pesmaster.com/f-forster/pes-2021/player/36768/

[Baz]

I signed Zlatan in the Christmas window. He’s a nice little upgrade on Ryan Babel.Yeah Zlatan came to Wycombe too! Hoping someone loans him regularly cos he ain’t getting a game for me, but will be a nice financial boost when he’s sold. Same with David Silva and Nene. Fraser Forster has gone out on loan.

Finally managed to loan someone in every position I have, with a team role that provides +training performance. It’s looking likely I’ll win the league this season so hoping I’ll have a team of 73-76 rated players to stay in the premier league next season too. :)

[Shindig]

Having £8m for wages has just blown my squad wide open.

GK: Gori / Foster (71)

LB: Willems :cool: (76)
CB: Danso (74)
CB: Mendez (75)
RB: Ruthenfranz (77)

DM: Oriol Busqets (75)
CM: Anaur (74)
CM: Riqui Puig (77)

LW: Schurrle (77)
RW: Alex Collado (74)
CF: Drmic (73)

Ankersen, Hettich and Apodi went. They aren't going to improve at their age. Drmic is heading that way but I've got Terra ready to replace him. The defaults are becoming an endangered species, slowly being replaced by Barcelona reserves. The fakeys find their way back, though. Ruthenfranz not a real boy. The second string is sort of there. I've padded it a little with Lee Catermole's regen.

2-1 win against Chelsea on the first day. Terra came off the bench to score twice, including a 94th minute winner. Alex Collado had a goal ruled out. At the other end, Gori was .... really, really keeping us in it. Absolute hero.

[Shindig]

Second season done. They need to find a better way to show who's shitting the bed when the team collapses. 3rd in the Premiership doesn't tell the whole story. Our first defeat came against Leicester in Week 11. At that point I'd already beaten Spurs, Chelsea, United, Liverpool and City. I was 9 points clear with 10 games left and considering changing the difficulty up. Then the slump happened.

2 wins from 10. :moop: With the last game of the season being a dead rubber, the game handed us a comfy 3-1 win over Fulham. Rigged as fuck. 3 Mags made their way to the Team of the Year, at least. Gori, Oriol Busquets and Terra.

[Shindig]

And now a 3rd season is finished. 7th in the league and royally buggered a 3-1 lead in an FA Cup Quarter Final. Lost on penalties to Wolves after a 4-4 draw. Also went out to Benfica in the Champions League second round. Awful.

So changes are made and our squad looks mostly like this:

GK: Foster (because I've forgotten the name of our Portuguese keeper. It might be Miguel)

LB: Willems / Texiera (Jethro hasn't got the legs for it so I grabbed a youth player to fill in)
CB: Danso (Likes to clear using overhead kicks. I'd like him to stop doing that)
CB: Mendez
RB: Ruthenfranz

DM: Oriol Busquets
CM: Gendouzi (The only central midfielder we have with any real presence)
CM: Riqui Puig

LW: Saint Maximin
RW: Kluivert
CF: Esteves

I'm hoping that front three clicks. Collado's still great at getting goals and assists but I wanted something more. Schurrle was getting on so Saint Max was bought. A rare cash buy because the game still thinks we're minnows. 3 wins from 4 so far. Using the youth team feels like cheating but, when nobody outside the freebies wants to sign, I can't do much else. How long before Buffon usurps Ben Foster?

EDIT: Won the league with a game to spare. Saint Maximin was a clear difference although Kluivert's not getting into the side as much as I'd like. Collado's just a better goal threat. Estevez banged in 23 but I still don't think I can rely on him. You know what he's good at? Finishing. I kind of chance my arm with him which has probably led to his better numbers. The league was won at the back, though. Danso and Mendez look real solid, despite Kevin's overhead kick attempts. Behind them, Buffon felt like a cheat code in goal. I only use him in the big games and I don't think he's conceded yet. Second choice now behind Foster. Miguel's stats are going the other way but he's not bad.

The real test of this side will be trying to advance in Europe.

[Shindig]

Won the treble in the following season. Won the league with 4 games to spare and then lost them all. :D Still won by 8 points. Best defence again and we only lost once until the league win was confirmed.

The FA cup jinx was finally been killed off and there wasn't much drama until the final. Took on Man City and hit the woodwork 3 times in 15 minutes. They took the lead, Saint Maximin sneaked an immediate equaliser and then Kluivert won it with his first touch off the bench.

Champions League was a similar story. Our route in the knockouts went Rangers > Juventus > PSG > Bayern. Aside from the Scots, we beat them by the odd goal. I didn't feel especially under threat until the final. Esteves and Kluivert did the job in a 2-1 win.

So that's about it. I've reached the top of the mountain. What struck me this year is how Kluivert suddenly started scoring. He had 4 goals total before the start of this season. He added 19 this season. Esteves felt relatively quiet but still wound up scoring 30. I'm still amazed he got European Player of the Year last season despite no European football. :cab:

Might as well leave you with a big stat dump. Appearances, goals and assists for the whole squad.

Goalkeepers
Miguel Silva (69 appearances)
Foster (64 appearances)
Buffon (31 appearances)

Centre Backs
Mendez (118 apps)
Danso (154 apps)
Nacho (37 apps, 1 assist)
Gaultier (87 apps)
Marc Batra (5 apps)

Full-backs
Ruthenfranz (144 apps, 1 goal, 8 assists)
Willems (143 apps, 1 goal, 17 assists)
Oakley (152 apps, 1 goal, 4 assists)
Marcus Rocha (78 apps, 2 assists)
Texeira (69 apps, 7 assists)

Defensive Midfielders
Oriol Busquets (126 apps, 4 goals, 3 assists)
Cattermole (54 apps, 2 goals, 1 assist)

Central Midfielders
Borja Valero (53 apps, 1 goal, 2 assists)
Gendouzi (111 apps, 4 goals, 6 assists)
Til (34 apps, 2 goals, 3 assists)
Riqui Puig (124 apps, 2 goals, 4 assists)

Wingers
Kluivert (85 apps, 24 goals, 12 assists)
Saint Maximin (69 apps, 28 goals, 16 assists)
Alex Collado (159 apps, 54 goals, 48 assists)
Blaszykowszki (67 apps, 11 goals, 11 assists)
Younes (74 apps, 12 goals, 15 assists)

Strikers
Esteves (94 apps, 79 goals, 37 assists)
Grot (39 apps, 23 goals, 12 assists)
Obrovksy (30 appearances 14 goals, 11 assists)

Esteves' numbers are quite mad. He doesn't develop but he doesn't get any worse. 75 forever. Buffon didn't renew his contract and neither did Gaultier. Shame to see those go but I've let Willems and Younes leave because their stats are going backwards. I don't know what I'll do next, to be honest. I could step up to Superstar but my memory of that difficulty is you are winning by the odd goal and every game is tight.

[Baz]

Willems assists are pretty mega, especially compared to the others. No goals for your centrebacks is lol.

Collado’s numbers are very good, but jeez nowhere near Esteves.

[Shindig]

Yeah, there's perfectly logical reasons for it, though. I play a lot through the left with ASM and Willems so more assists come down that flank. With the centre-backs, I'm not sure I've got them set to come up for corners. :D If anyone connects with them. Puig and Busquets find the net. Collado's a great lad. Seems to have a really good eye for goal and you can spot him a mile off with his stupid haircut. Unfortunately, he only operates on the right side so Kluivert shares the load with him. I still haven't got a free-kick specialist either.

[Shindig]

Okay, I'm stepping up to Superstar difficulty. I still hate it. There's a definite hint of your players being worse and things that would work a step down, no longer do. Shots go narrowly wide and the AI is ruthless. On top of that, the tempo I play really crushes my players' stamina.

Also, despite being a Euro 2020 product, squads are limited to 23 and you're stuck with 3 subs.

[Shindig]

More Superstar bollocks. I've decided there's too much in the way for me to enjoy it.

- I can knock some attacks together but the defending or keeping steps up a notch. Although I have scored a few, it's usually to rescue a point or as a consolation.
- You're chasing the game more so the knackered virus that would only usually infect a central midfield and the widemen is more of a squad problem. I'm never in a lead to really control possession and take it easy.
- Urgency. There's lots more of it from the opposition. I still don't feel they run away with the game but they're clinical.
- To the point where they will take advantage of rebounds, pressure your defence into errors and make you look like fucking idiots.

Crucially, my Master League squad isn't good enough. Estevez can't lead the line at this level and, despite winning a treble, the game doesn't allow me to buy top talent. So I'm stuck getting freebies. The way they handle the transfer list is absolutely useless. Harry Kane's been on it for three years. Spurs still see him as a key player so don't sell. :moop: What I need is Bayern or PSG levels of depth but it just doesn't come together. Even in the youth ranks, I've got proper ringers but, if you're not playing them every week (Buffon, for example), he walks. It's rare to have someone in the youth squad that's ready made and they never have the legs for a full season. So you're knackered on that front. There's a reason why Cattermole's still here. He's shite and he'll settle for it.

Back to Top Player, then.

[Danny]

Shinners they massacred your boy!

[Gray Fox]

1443551018743177226

[Shindig]

I'm downloading it. You could've had PES 2021 for £3 last week.

EDIT: Two games down. It's an improvement over the online beta but you can tell they've had to start from scratch. Unreal Engine pop-in is all over the shop. Seems like some players look alright but it varies from scene to scene. If it wasn't free, I'd be skipping it. They might get somewhere with it but you only get one chance to make a first impression. If you're going to make a F2P sports title, you have to hit the ground running.

[John Arne]

It's being absolutely rinsed online, which is a shame - because y'know PES>FIFA :)

[Shindig]

I don't get the point of battering a free-to-play product on release. They're always rough and you know, in a year's time, it'll be a different thing.

[randomlegend]

Mate the players all look like they have foetal alcohol syndrome. That's not just acceptable day 1 teething issues.

[Ian]

If the issue was the infrastructure of it then sure but the people who've been in charge of a football franchise for however long it is now shouldn't be turning out something that just looks like such an enormous turd.


I'm downloading it. You could've had PES 2021 for £3 last week.

EDIT: Two games down. It's an improvement over the online beta but you can tell they've had to start from scratch. Unreal Engine pop-in is all over the shop. Seems like some players look alright but it varies from scene to scene. If it wasn't free, I'd be skipping it. They might get somewhere with it but you only get one chance to make a first impression. If you're going to make a F2P sports title, you have to hit the ground running.

Once they think it's in better nick they just have to bung a few streamers to play it for a week and they'll pull some fanbase back. I wonder if it'll get a bit more patience on PC. People are already accustomed to Early Access and whatnot which I feel like is more a PC thing? Am I just making that up?

[Danny]

I don't get the point of battering a free-to-play product on release. They're always rough and you know, in a year's time, it'll be a different thing.

I imagine its being battered because last year was a data update to give them an extra year to work on this.

[Shindig]

That's the thing. It wasn't. They called it a Seasonal Update but actually did work on it to improve keepers, set-pieces and so forth. It wasn't just a copy and paste of 2020. Calling it Seasonal Update kind of ruined it before it hit shelves. Konami's a bit fucked.

[Baz]

PES20 will be the last PES I'll play.

[Shindig]

2021 might be end of the road for me. I've played a couple of more matches and, I know it's a glorified demo, but it just feels like something not ready for human consumption. I've played worse but not for a very, very long time.

[John Arne]

Yeah, I played 2 games last night, and just wanted to stop. I was fairly terrible. Back to ISSPro or Winning Eleven :D

[Shindig]

I've just edited together a Sheriff Tiraspol which means I've got no more fake European teams in 2021. Given that this might be the last proper PES, I'll probably sort out South America and Asia.

EDIT: Nah, there's only one Asian fake side left and the fake naming convention of 'Place name colour scheme' makes the Latin American lot sound relatively plausible. :D

[Baz]

Given that this might be the last proper PES, I'll probably sort out South America and Asia.I was like this when I realised I spent about 10 hours editing all the English teams to have correct names, kits and stadiums on PES20. Worth it considering that's basically PES forever.

[Shindig]

Yeah, I've used option files to cover off the majority of it (Almost all of Europe, the J-League) but I think I've hit the limit on kits. So I either knock together something basic or give the new teams some borrowed kits that match their colour scheme.

In the meantime, I started a new Master League with an aim to venture into somewhere other than Newcastle. Londrina in Brazil's Serie B is the first stop. Roberto Larcos is my binman of choice. Our run in the cup ended at the third round so all I'm left with is league duties. It's honestly nice to have the cup games in one big chunk. No real surprises about Brazilian football in general. I'm sticking with the Liverpool formation so we look good on the ball but play with a dangerous high-line. Luckily, Brazilian opposition seems to love playing in daft areas. Basically, it's a league of mistakes.

Not doing much in the transfer market until I know where our problems lie. Our keeper looks quite solid and I've got a striker called Geronimo.

[Baz]

Didn’t realise they took PES 2021 off Gamepass but managed to find an Xbox code on g2a for £15 so been playing tonight. Great game, honestly.

[Ben]

What's the deal with PES now? Have they stopped making it or something?

[Limoutsonik]

It has reverted to a free-to-play title moving forward,however this year's title is actually unplayable. As in the performance in consoles is abysmal,there is no content and there is a big update patch that has been delayed since december.

[Ben]

Shame, because it was always the king.

[Shindig]

Yeah, they've pushed updates back until March-ish. At least 2021's still being supported/sold.

[Gray Fox]

Felt like Konami had enough of putting money into it and sack package this up and send it out F2P.

A little like how they'd had enough of MGS5 mid development so told them polish it up and send it out in whatever state it was.

[Shindig]

Something like that. They also ditched the Fox engine and scrapped their development team a couple of years back. The switch to Unreal Engine has been a car crash. Even if things were working, the way they're piecemealing licensed content makes me think they really want to downsize this into the microtransaction-heavy modes. Much like how EA would probably love to just sell you Ultimate Team each year. Hell, the door's open for them to do that now that the FIFA license is dropped.

[Baz]

Yeah, they've pushed updates back until March-ish. At least 2021's still being supported/sold.

It’s not. I had to buy it off some dodgy website cos I couldn’t buy it legit. On Xbox at least.

[Shindig]

Looks like they've pulled it. Probably not long after it went on sale last month. Oof.

[Shindig]

Gentleman, I bring news from the colonies:

eFootball works now.

Netcode still looks shit in a Konami way but I can play matches against the AI fine. Shame it's just an Ultimate Team clone but I'll live with it if the economy is balanced.

[Baz]

Gentleman, I bring news from the colonies:

eFootball works now.

Netcode still looks shit in a Konami way but I can play matches against the AI fine. Shame it's just an Ultimate Team clone but I'll live with it if the economy is balanced.https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWEKNiyWIAEl_MN?format=jpg&name=small

[Shindig]

Got my first XI together. Despite them giving you a million to start with, I've spent 200k in the free currency on this lot:

GK: M. Perin 77

RB: Matty Cash 74
CB: P. Schuurs 74
CB: J. Tah 76
LB: A. Sasaki 77

DM: R. Gravenbach 74
CM: Bruno Guimaraes 75
CM: E. Camavinga 75

LW: Mateus Castro 85
CF: F. Inzaghi 84
RW: D. Beckham 79

The big hitters were all freebies. Luis Enrique is coach because I needed a binman. Joelinton's still down as a centre forward in this. Newcastle's ratings are generally a bit grim.

Doesn't look the most together in terms of chemistry but I can force that into existence, probably. Player contracts appear to last a year so I don't have to worry about a purge after 13 matches or whatever. Other consumables all seem to be related to training boosts.