It's partly this paranoia which explains why PES 2017 feels like such a breath of fresh air. If key parts of the game work less well in 2016 than they did in 2010, what faith can we have that the series is really getting any better? While the game was universally well-received, its flaws - such as lenient referees and dodgy 'keepers - hadn't been apparent in its predecessors. (I have a theory about the most talented developers not being interested in sports - but we'll save that for another time.) In what other iterative releases are the core mechanics in such a state of constant flux? One year it's too easy to score, another too hard. One year the game might feel too slow, the next too fast. What is it about football games? While fans of other genres can expect not just consistent output but steady improvement from their favourite series, those of us to whom pressing X means pass rather than jump have long known it's best to approach our major releases with trepidation. Despite a lingering scrappiness, this is the best PES in an age (provided you're not playing on PC).
