Pass to Yourself in Pro Evolution Soccer 2012

It’s hard to rub your stomach and pat your head at the same time. Go ahead and try it, I’ll wait. The fluid combination of the two separate motions feels unnatural, but those who can pull it off without hesitation will always have something impressive to demonstrate. Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 has added its own version of the aforementioned feat of coordination with a new control scheme that’s extremely difficult and — believe it or not — much more rewarding: Teammate Controls.

Teammate Control lets you control two on-screen players at once, and in short, it’s a total game changer — but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. While FIFA’ allowed gamers to call players in for help or send them on runs, it never provided full control. After years of relying on AI and semi-controlled breaks into space, gamers can now fully manipulate their surroundings. The only catch: it’s quite difficult to manage. My first attempts at using the new feature caused a breakdown in coordination ending with me sending my teammates running out of bounds as I failed to simultaneously dribble around defenders. Other times a mental hiccup would cause both players to run around in alternating circles. Rather than smoothly kicking a player into a run, I’d often force him to stop in his tracks and lose momentum. But for every handful of missteps, there’s that golden moment when the stars align on the pitch and you pull off an insane pass for a break and an open look at the net. Then it’s all worth it.

For those of us who get their fingers tied in knots over such things, Teammate Control can be turned off if they’d like to toy with it in small doses (or not use it altogether). But for serious players looking to make the perfect play, it will likely become a staple in their virtual soccer career. I’ve cursed my AI teammates a hundred and one times for not sprinting into space for an easy breakaway.
In the PES 2012 demo at E3, Konami showed new AI smarts to combat this frustration, but at this point in development they’ve upped their own ante by giving players full control over their nearby allies. The new maneuver is pulled off with a simple click of the right stick, whilst pointed the direction of the desired teammate.



For argument’s sake, and because Lionel Messi has championed PES for the past few years, let’s arrange a FC Barcelona scenario. Viktor Valdes, the goalkeeper, has just made a save and lobs the ball to the foot of Midfielder Andres Iniesta near the center line. Iniesta beats his mark and carries the ball up the center of the field as striker Messi’s waiting on the cusp of the offside trap. Traditionally, one can punch a through-ball for the striker to catch after passing his defender, but Teammate Control provides options. Imagine an additional defender breaking his zone to mark Iniesta harder and force a pass. Clicking in the right stick in the direction of Messi, you can make him run into space and give Iniesta a clean pass to keep possession with Barca. Alternatively, you can set Messi running at an unorthodox angle and give him a clear shot on goal. Teammate Control means opportunities, and it’s only a player’s imagination (and skill) that causes a breakdown.
While Teammate Control might revolutionize the technical aspects of charging up the field, the additional elements at play in Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 remain mired in the past. Before getting a handle on Teammate Control, every pass, shot, and scenario in the game felt strikingly similar to last year’s outing (as well as the year before).
Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 is sitting on a fantastic new way to play, but are its other elements going to keep it from being great?