Overview 

It’s March, you know what that means? Yes, another Winning Eleven release from KCET and yet another asinine game name! This time it’s not Winning Eleven 8: 'Final Evolution'. Nope, thanks to the addition of online play KCET’s newest baby is Winning Eleven 8: Liveware Evolution. *sigh*  The online play is ‘technically’ Japan-only (though if you have a Japanese PS2, can work out Konami’s sign up process, and deal with the stupid fee scheme then you could play online). Anyway, stupid names and silly payment schemes aside, WE8:LE addresses many of the problems present in WE8/PES4, changes the game speed and even rips off Fifa 2005 to produce the best game in the series thus far.

Graphics 90/100

Since this is a ‘Final Evolution’ update to WE8/PES4 the graphics are largely the same as the previous version with a few notable exceptions;

1)  The slowdown present in the PS2 version of WE8 (but not in the X-Box version)has been greatly improved. Now the only in-game slowdown occurs when lining up free kicks, goal kicks and corners – basically, when the game automatically switches to the low to the ground player view. Fortunately, once you’ve lined up a set piece and the camera reverts to the gameplay view the slowdown is gone! The slowdown that plagued corners when the ball is in play has been fixed which is a relief since it’s because of slowdown like that in WE8 that I switched from the PS2 to the Xbox version. Still, that there’s any slowdown is annoying and though I would say that the PS2 is showing its age, after looking at GT4, God of War and MGS3 I’m not so sure.

2) A whole host of new animations for the new first touch and shooting features. These animations range from simple once-touches past a defender to sublime flicks and turns. Ronaldhino & Ibrahimovic’s ‘elastico’ move is included in the game and the animations for it are fantastic. There are also many new animations for players pushing and jostling for position that reflect the more realistic player interactions. Finally, KCET included a few new goal celebrations and better net/mesh animations.

3) Presentation has been given a polish with neater icons for the menus and less grandiose entrance sequences for matches, especially for friendlies.

Sound 70/100

Oh how I’ve missed Jon Kabira’s exciting (and hilarious) commentary! After playing the Xbox version of PES 4 to death I was ready to throttle Peter Brackley and Trevor ‘Comatose’ Brooking for their uninspired and often inaccurate commentary. Of course, inaccuracy is not something I have to worry about with the Japanese commentary since I don’t understand much of what Kabira-san says (save ‘Shooto!’ and a select few others) but I appreciate his energy and excitement.            

The rest of the game sounds are the same as in WE8/PES 4 though I did notice some new crowd chants. I think the crowd chants and the crowd reactions are an area that KCET need to work on as the crowd reactions have largely been the same since WE7. For Winning Eleven 9 I’d like to hear a much more dynamic crowd that responds to the ebb and flow of the game, not just goals and fouls.

Options 80/100

The options are the same as in WE8/PES 4, with the exception of the online play (though I’m not counting it since I can’t use it), and as a result the same problems are there with respect to game modes and licenses. The Master League is the same and while it’s a lot of fun (especially with the player development and retirements) I’d much rather have Fifa 2005’s real leagues with several divisions for each nation. I appreciate that, like in WE8, that you can unlock the ability to edit the ML divisions so that you can have ‘real’ divisions but you’re still only limited to 4 domestic leagues with a division each. I won’t belabor the point too much as its not as if I was expecting a change for a ‘Final Evolution’ version of the game but it seems as if every foot KCET moves forward with their gameplay, they take an inch forward with their licenses and leagues. I understand that licenses are expensive and Konami aren’t the behemoth that is EA Sports however Konami could still include more divisions per league and just use pseudo-names. Its pathetic when a game like Sensible World of Soccer 96/97 on the Amiga, which comes on two 3.5” floppy discs, has 10 times as many teams and divisions as the newest Winning Eleven

Like its most recent predecessor, WE8:LE has a variety of refs with varying strictness between them as well as home vs. away bias. While I love the home and away bias as its somewhat realistic to hardly ever win a penalty away at Old Trafford, KCET really needs to show the name of the bloke refing the match before the match starts, otherwise you have to sit through each match’s intro sequence till you see his name! I’d also like to see KCET including season statistics for the refs (like most fouls called, most red and yellow cards given, etc.). Furthermore, it would be incredibly realistic if KCET could include an option where you bitch to the press that you saw the opposing coach go into the ref’s dressing room at half time (even when you didn’t actually see it) and then you get said ref to retire because of the death threats he receives! How neat would that be!

Of course, despite my bitching WE8:LE still has a plethora of quality options that still earn it a solid score in the options department such as an excellent training mode, awesome player and kit editors, and player stats that are, for the most part, spot on

Gameplay 90/100 

I’m liking that point-form thing I did for the graphics so I think I’ll use that here since the core of WE8:LE’s gameplay is the same as WE8 but there are a few well placed changes and tweaks that make the gameplay far superior;

1) Decreased Game Speed. Though WE8/PES4 wasn’t soccer on speed, it was still a tad too fast (especially when compared to Fifa 2005) and there weren’t many situations when a match slowed down to a Serie A pace. Fortunately, KCET have decreased the game speed to an almost perfect level which greatly increases the sense of realism.

2) Improved Ball Physics. It bounces, it spins, it brick’s off Titus Bramble’s feet but gently cushions to a stop off Zidane’s toes – I don’t know how the hell KCET manage to make the already awesome ball physics better but they have and there are even more variations in deflections, rebounds, passes and shots.

3) Improved Player Jostling. Imagine my surprise when I pushed Zanetti off the ball with Emerson that instead of stumbling off balance, the Argentine stayed right with me for another 10 yards before shoving me back and winning the ball! Due to a mixture of new animations and improved player interactions you get much more of a sense of the physical nature of soccer. Larger, stronger players also seem to carry more weight. For example, if a smaller player like Defoe has his back to you to control the ball and you rush him from behind (mind out of the gutter, please) with a bigger player like Terry little Jermaine will go flying and you’ll concede a foul. However, if it’s someone like Kanoute controlling the pass then you likely won’t knock him down.

4)  Annoying cross-blocking is gone. One thing I absolutely hated about WE8/PES4 was the fact that when you got to within 15 yards of the goal line with an eye to cross it in but you had a defender within a yard he would always (regardless of how good or crap he is) stick out a leg and block the ball. Thankfully, this has been fixed and if you’ve got a skilled winger up against a less agile defender you don’t have to get a full yard on them to whip in a cross.

5)  One touch control. My favourite addition to WE8:LE is KCET’s ripping off (and vastly improving) the one-touch system of Fifa 2005. Now by pressing R1, R2 or just the d-pad alone you can do all a variety of flicks and turns. The efficacy of these flicks, turns, touches is all dependant upon not only by the skill of the gamer but also on the stats of the player you’re controlling. The one touch control not only works for when you have a player rushing at you as you’re about to receive a pass, but for when you have your back to the goal and have a marker on you – with the right timing you can take one touch to flick the ball on and spin off into space. You can also use the one-touch moves to push a loose ball or poor pass into space with a pacey striker.

6)  Turning without touching the ball. In previous games, when you had your back to the goal and had a pass coming at your feet, if you wanted to avoid controlling the pass and instead let it pass for you to run onto (so in effect making a normal pass a kind of through pass) you had to either use the ‘super cancel’ to move said player out of the way, or hold down R1 to let the ball go through your legs and then run on (which didn’t often work because you were stationary). Now, if you just hold down R1 and the direction opposite to the way the ball is approaching the player will sidestep (open his body to the ball) and let it run on. Not only does this look f’ing cool it helps with the flow of the game since it doesn’t have to be done on a breakaway situation – if you just have a regular (non through) pass from the winger into a midfielder, instead of the midfielder controlling it and then move, he can turn and let it run on but still maintain control.

7)   Goalies now take their Ritalin. Remember how your world class keeper would just stand there and watch as a shot would float by him and smack the outside of the post? Remember how you had a heart attack and swore violently at the TV? Remember how you tried to plug in your GunCon2 and tried to shoot him? Okay, maybe that last one was just me. Anyway, the goalies no longer have ADD. Thank God.

8)   Goalies are less spectacular 1 vs 1. Another problem I found with WE8/PES4 was that the CPU controlled keepers were just too damn good when one on one in cramped quarters (e.g. with players around you) - you almost always had to either lob it over them or deke around them to score. This has been improved in WE8:LE and breakaways are more realistic with only the top keepers pulling out the amazing one on one saves.

All of these additions serve to make WE8:LE the most realistic game in the series. In previous years the J-League Winning Eleven games were lauded for being the most realistic in terms of pace and flow of the match however, that was mostly due to using J-League players with lower stats – the game engine was essentially the same. WE8:LE is different because the slower pace and the increased mistakes are due to changes in the game engine. You can still have killer counter attacking play and wing play, but there are also the most realistic midfield battles I’ve ever seen in a videogame. The new ball physics and one touch moves mean that there are tons of new types of goals that can be scored (on top of the dozens upon dozens that already exist).

            So what’s wrong with the game?

1)   Throw-ins are still crap. Which genius at KCET decided to ditch the old system of controlling the pass receiver? Like WE8/PES4 you have to wait for your CPU controlled teammates to run into space which means long throws (i.e with Okocha or Riise) are a crapshoot and throw-ins in general are a chore.

2)   Why can’t I rotate the camera 360° when I have a free kick? Is this ever going to be fixed? Will a short pass to player from a free kick ever be easy?

3)  There needs to be more team strategies. Sure you can make an unlimited number of formations but the strategies such as ‘counter attack’, ‘opposite side attack’ and so on have been the same for years. How about some new ones? I’d love to actually be able to control when my keeper comes up for a corner, rather than let the CPU decide.

4)  Still not enough variation GK styles.

There are more things that KCET need to tweak and implement for Winning Eleven 9 but the changes already implemented in WE8:LE do an amazing job of increasing the realism and fun factor of what was already a solid game.

Longevity/Replay Value 90/100 

Between multiplayer, the master league, playing as a single player on a CPU team and just mastering the new gameplay additions there’s more than enough here to keep you occupied till WE9 comes out. If you’ve got a Japanese PS2 and can figure out how to get online then the replay value probably goes through the roof.

Overall 90/100

Ninety percent, eighty percent, ninety five percent the score doesn’t really matter. The real question is whether or not you should bother to import WE8:LE if you already have WE8/PES4, and the answer is a definite yes! Despite the fact that, options-wise, the game is the same as it’s predecessor the tweaks to the game engine make it not just a fine-tuned version of Winning Eleven 8 but a much more realistic and fulfilling game of football.