Metacritic Games

Pro Evolution Soccer 5 (Xbox)

Arsenal's Thierry Henry and Chelsea's John Terry stare out from the box of Pro Evolution Soccer 5, both men at the top of their game in the Premiership, and both are die-hard fans of the PES series. The retuned controls in the 2005 edition give players more control over weighted passes, one-twos, and so on. This ties in with the improved animation, which not only looks more realistic, but requires you to time kicks and shots perfectly for maximum power - you're more likely to scuff the ball and make weak, inaccurate shots if you attempt to play them while off balance or out of step. In order for you to enjoy the full benefit of the updated controls, Training Mode is extended - rewarding efforts with points used to unlock secrets within the game. The new licensed clubs are all meticulously detailed, including the authentic representation of names and numbers on their backs. Increased detail in all players has been transferred to the Player Design mode, which has been hugely expanded to include more factors determining skill and ability. Master League, in which you guide a lowly team to glory, now allows player-managers to monitor individual players and see when their health declines and includes European teams. In all games, weather conditions can be set to 'variable', leading to patchy rain or snow. The new weather conditions further enhance the realism and unpredictable nature of PES matches. Rain or shine, PES 5 will be the greatest console football you've ever experienced. [Konami Europe]

Konami
Sports, Soccer
Players: 8
RP (Rating Pending)
Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
Released October 21, 2005

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

87 / 100

Critic Reviews

90 AceGamez
Fortunately for me, I found out that the game had undergone a lot of tweaks that will throw even the hardcore Pro Evo player off the ball. The difficulty does indeed keep things fresh for the fans, but I fear that the casual gamer might have troubles with some of new things on offer.
90 Ferrago
The pure footballing pleasure of Pro Evo 5 serves as a reminder of what it all should be about. Some fans of past iterations may not like the tweaks made here to a formula loved by so many, but evolution is inevitable and I think we're just about heading in the right direction.
90 Sydney Morning Herald
This time the AI is a harder nut to crack, requiring more thoughtful passing to open up your opponent before you strike. So long as you're thinking like a footballer, you're going to score goals.
90 Computer and Video Games
PES5 still suffers from some of the same criticisms that get levelled at the franchise every year (lack of licensed teams; stray passes; the utter frustration of losing to someone you KNOW you're better than), but with most of Europe's top clubs now licensed - including Arsenal and Chelsea - they're becoming less and less apparent...This is still the best football title on Xbox by a good country mile. [Official UK Xbox Magazine]
90 Total Video Games
It's simple, Pro Evo IS football and the latest version makes enough enhancements to continue the series onward march to perfection. If you're a footie fan you need this, casual fans however might not necessarily appreciate the subtle modifications compared to previous titles.
84 IC-Games
There are far more offsides than I was used to (negating the through ball), the foul count is horrendous – a whistle every few seconds till you wise up, and passes go astray from even the best of your talent.
78 TotalGames.net
Pro Evo 5 is not as good as its predecessor number 4. This does not necessarily make it a bad game, but "Pro Evolution Soccer 4" was awesome, and when a sequel fails to live up to the previous version, a franchise takes its first teetering steps on the slippery road that leads straight to the bargain basement. [XBM]

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