PES 2013 announced with new gameplay video
Player dribbling, goalkeepers reworked.
Konami has announced PES 2013, due out this autumn. It launches on Nintendo 3DS, PC, PSP, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360. No mention was made of PS Vita.
Konami said the game sees the series returning to its roots, with an emphasis on individual skills. Included for the first time is full control over shots. The result of this, Konami said, is "the most faithful recreation of modern day football to date".
This is described as PES FullControl, or PES FC (see what they did there?). Within it are a number of key pillars: Total Freedom of Control; Dynamic First Touch; Full Manual Shooting and Full Manual Passing; Dribbling; Full Manual One-Two; Response Defending; and Goalkeepers.
The first touch determines how players receive the ball. Using the R2 button (on PlayStation), you can kill a drilled pass dead or use momentum to turn a defender. The speed of players moving with the ball has been slowed to better reflect real matches. R2 here lets you vary the dribbling speed and move freely within a 360 degree circle.
While defending, you can use R2 and X to slow and attack. A double tap of X initiates a challenge. Again, you have full 360 degree control. Goalkeepers now have a power gauge when they throw the ball, so you can trigger quick counter attacks.
All this is supplemented by a Player ID system, which focuses on individual skills of the best players. Players such as Real Madrid goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo have signature attributes, skills and tricks, and move as they do in real life. Celebrations, too, will be unique.
Goalkeeping is said to have been "totally invigorated" with new animations and play styles. The game's top-rated keepers benefit most here.
Elsewhere, Konami said it has worked closely with PES fans to eliminate illogical elements to the way players move and run. There's greater organization, too.
European PES Team Leader Jon Murphy said: "This is an exciting time to be part of the PES community, and PES 2013 marks a new level of playability with the return to our key ethos of utter control and freedom.
"Football is all about making magic happen with skill and precision, and PES 2013 truly encapsulates this. Fresh faces within the development team and some very exciting ideas will breathe new life into the PES series, and we look forward to showing what we can do in the coming months."
A gameplay trailer lies below.