PRO Evolution Soccer 2017 Preview : First extended play of potential FIFA beat

 

FIFA has been sitting on the footy games throne for a fair few years now, with little or no competition of note, but it could very well be replaced this year. We've played PES 2017 and it is good. Scrub that, it is superb.

Considering we've only had access to a first-look build so far, that's a bold statement. But we did have hours with it, amounting to around 13 to 14 matches, so feel comfortable that we've seen a lot of what it has to offer. On the pitch at least.

The preview build offered exhibition matches for one or two players, using any of four teams: France, Germany, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.

We played with all of them many times, and in both single and two-player versus games, so have experienced all the options available to us at this stage. Naturally, that means that we didn't get to see the main user interface, other modes or the overall presentation, but all of the new in-game features were present, so have a good understanding of the most important aspects of any football game. And it is here that PES 2017 excels.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 was a significant return to form for a series that had lost its way in recent years, but this year's game steps up several gears more.