PES 2010: Messi fronts exclusive E3 trailer Konami showcases new visual enhancements and gameplay elements in exclusive footage premiering at Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009

Argentina and FC Barcelona maestro Lionel Messi stars in an all-new trailer as Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH showcases the first incredible footage from its forthcoming PES 2010 title at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles. Every element of PES 2010 is being transformed and improved, as Konami strives to create the most realistic football simulation available. The trailer will be shown for the first time during the June 2nd-4th event in Los Angeles, and is designed to show off the stunning new graphics of PES 2010. The new trailer serves to detail the huge advances the new game enjoys, and major advancements in how it plays. PES 2010’s new visual realism brings the beautiful game to vivid life, with unique skin textures for individual players, and a level of detail that allows users to see the different weaves used in the various kits, their animated faces, and even the hairs on their arms! The game also boasts an all-new dynamic lighting system, wherein shadows are cast in real-time, creating a photo-realistic look to the new game. At the centre of PES 2010, however, is an amazingly close representation of the pace and skill of top-level football. The PES Productions team has worked to recreate the pace and tactical approach of a top-flight game, with mature skill and vision needed to create space and scoring opportunities. No longer can users score soft goals via overly-familiar means, instead PES 2010 counters such play and constantly forces the user to spread the ball around as they would in a real match. To this end, an all-new tactical system has been implemented. A new ‘Power Gauge’ system features an easy-to-use sliding bar system with several categories; half for defence, and the others for attacking play. These allow users to change their overall style of play with ease, and adopt strategies related to support for the player in possession, the space players leave each other, how often players change position, and the pressure put on the opposition when they have the ball. The new footage focuses on PES 2010 cover star, Messi, who fronts the new game having enjoyed an amazingly successful season at FC Barcelona. Fresh from the UEFA Champions League final – football’s premier cup competition and exclusively featured in PES 2010 – the trailer also shows some of the many individual skills the new game attributes to specific players. “I am both a professional footballer and a huge PES fan, and am delighted to again be the front man for such an incredible football title as PES 2010,” commented Messi. “Although it has been a successful one, it has been a long and hard season, and I am looking forward to getting to grips with PES 2010 before the real thing starts again this year!”

PESFAN: "Wow; Lots to digest here. I’ll start with the press release. It’s the usual promotional writing and reiterates the desire of the PES Team to develop the most realistic simulation available, as well as the improved visual elements. The ‘Power Gauge’ is mentioned for the first time in relation to the new strategic elements, and was showcased in the trailer. It’ll be interesting to see just how many elements of the game they can influence, and how much effect each one has on the style of play and behaviour of team mates. These are the various power gauge settings I’ve seen from the trailer. I counted 8 in total but some were never brought to the foreground or didn’t appear in full. Perhaps the Photoshop experts will be able to use their magic to enhance the other ones.

* Defensive Line
* Pressure Level
* Attacking Style
* Position Switch
* Receiving Position

The trailer focuses on what the press release was talking about. Skin textures, facial animations, lighting, power gauges. It’s all there, even an untucked shirt or two! If you pause the video at different stages you can see the shirt creases in different positions, something visible on the screenshots as well. At the end of the trailer is a lovely freeze frame of Messi and Torres, who both feature heavily in this latest batch of media released. I wonder what that could be alluding to… For those disappointed by the length, don’t forget that this trailer is actually longer than last year’s trailer and shows us more of the game as a whole. The screenshots really show off the dynamic lighting, both the night games and the daytime shot of Torres. The last screenshot showing the game between Barcelona and Liverpool almost looks like the sweat is glistening on his forehead as he goes up for the header. Even the background players have a good level of detail to them. The daytime shot of Torres looks a good example of the shadows created by the dynamic lighting. From his neck area where his head casts a shadow over the adidas logo, to his leg and even his boot where the ball casts a small shadow over the outside of his foot. So what do you PES Fans think? Has the trailer lived up to your expectations? Have the screenshots whetted your appetite? Are you about to explode with excitement?"