Already regarded as one of the most anticipated titles of the year, PES 2008 is a landmark in football. Built around a proprietary adaptive AI system entitled Teamvision, the game monitors the movement and passing of the player, and learns to counter them. By constantly analysing matches against the player, Teamvision picks up on particular patterns to each user’s play, and will adapt its strategies accordingly. This results in more open, fluid matches, the perfectly suit the realism the Pro Evolution Soccer series is renowned for.

All versions of PES 2008 will also benefit from the series’ intuitive and realistic control system. As with previous releases, the ball is treated as a separate entity, with the timing of shots entirely down to the player. The movement of the ball, the proximity of the player and their varying abilities are just three factors that are considered when a shot is made, while the new AI ensures that defenders work to close down space and block efforts on goal. Similarly, distribution of passes works along the same lines, with players using the space available to them to switch the ball. Close control has also been enhanced with more control when dribbling the ball, and a number of subtle moves added to bypass defenders and move the ball into space.