PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer

PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer is a professional soccer simulation game that serves as an interim improvement over its predecessor, PES 2016. The game features updated rosters for the 2016/17 season and introduces several key gameplay enhancements including improved first-touch mechanics based on individual player statistics, refined passing systems, and advanced team instructions that allow for elaborate strategies like Tiki-Taka. The AI and visual presentation have been upgraded, goalkeepers show improved reactions with new deflection and fingertip save animations, and the myClub mode now includes Scout and Auction options.

PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer: Review

Introduction

In the fiercely contested arena of annual football simulations, where the titanic clash between EA’s FIFA and Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer defines a generation of virtual sports fans, a single entry can either be a mere roster update or a genuine evolution. PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer arrived in September 2016 not as a revolutionary upheaval, but as a masterclass in refinement. It was a game that understood its strengths and polished them to a brilliant sheen, all while grappling with the persistent, well-documented weaknesses that had come to define the series. This review posits that PES 2017 represents the absolute pinnacle of the Fox Engine era for Konami’s football franchise—a title whose sublime on-pitch authenticity and tactical depth created a footballing experience so pure and rewarding that, for many, it momentarily eclipsed the glossier, more commercially dominant competition.

Development History & Context

Developed by the internal PES Productions team at Konami, led by Producer Manorito Hosoda and Executive Director Naoya Hatsumi, PES 2017 was the fourth mainline entry to utilize the proprietary Fox Engine. By 2016, the team had moved beyond the initial teething problems of transitioning to a new engine (seen in PES 2014 and 2015) and was now focused on perfecting its vision.

The gaming landscape was one of clear, lopsided competition. EA Sports’ FIFA franchise, with its vast financial war chest, had secured an almost unassailable lead in official licensing, broadcast-style presentation, and the cultural phenomenon of Ultimate Team. Konami’s strategy, therefore, had to be different: it had to win on gameplay alone. The vision for PES 2017 was not to match FIFA’s spectacle but to surpass it in footballing realism and mechanical satisfaction. The technological constraints were evident in the stark divide between platforms; while the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions benefited from the full power of the Fox Engine, the PC port was infamously a repackaged last-generation (PS3/Xbox 360) build, a decision that drew widespread criticism and highlighted Konami’s prioritization of the console market. This was a game built by football purists for football purists, a deliberate counterpunch to the commercial juggernaut.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

As a sports simulation, PES 2017 does not feature a narrative in the traditional sense. Its “story” is instead one of emergent drama and personal legacy, told through its two primary career modes.

The Master League mode is a saga of managerial prowess. The theme is one of rebuilding, strategy, and long-term growth. You are not just a player; you are a director of football, navigating the transfer market, managing player morale and fatigue, and implementing a tactical philosophy. The new “on-the-fly” tactical instructions allowed players to live out the fantasy of being a Pep Guardiola or a Jurgen Klopp, dynamically shifting between aggressive pressing, a parked bus, or a tiki-taka style mid-match. The drama unfolds in a promoted player’s first goal, a last-minute winner in a cup final, or the heartbreaking departure of a club legend. The dialogue is the language of the sport itself: the roar of the crowd, the shouts of players on the pitch, and the painfully generic commentary that, while a weak point, does little to dampen the emergent narratives players create for themselves.

Conversely, the Become a Legend mode presents a more personal, yet tragically underdeveloped, story. It themes around the individual’s journey from prospect to icon. However, critics rightly pointed out its stagnation. The mode lacked the cinematic flair and depth of its FIFA counterpart, offering a “static boredom” that failed to capture the modern athlete’s experience. The true narrative depth of PES 2017 is found not in scripted events but in the countless hours of organic, unscripted footballing stories that play out on its pitch.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

This is where PES 2017 carved its name into history. The core gameplay is a symphony of finely tuned mechanics that work in concert to create an unparalleled sense of authenticity.

• Real Touch + Strategic Dribbling: The touted “Real Touch” system meant a player’s first touch was no longer a guaranteed perfect trap. It was calculated based on the player’s individual skill, body position, and the velocity of the pass. A miscued touch by a clumsy defender under pressure could instantly turn into a scoring opportunity for the opposition. This added a layer of thrilling unpredictability and immense satisfaction when a world-class attacker seamlessly controlled a driven pass.
• Precise Pass & Goalkeeper Intelligence: Passing felt weighty and deliberate. The improved AI ensured teammates made intelligent, contextual runs. The most lauded improvement, however, was to the goalkeepers. Once a glaring weakness, they were transformed into credible last lines of defense. They made spectacular fingertip saves, reacted smartly to deflections, and showed improved positioning, forcing players to truly earn their goals.
• Advanced Instructions & Tactic Fluidity: The addition of advanced tactical settings, including the ability to assign specific player roles and implement complex strategies like Gegenpressing or Tiki-Taka, was a game-changer for tacticians. The new in-match quick options allowed for four dynamic shifts (e.g., aggressive pressing, false fullbacks), creating a deep, chess-like battle of wits against the AI. As one critic noted, it created a “scissors-paper-stone” dynamic that elevated the game beyond mere execution of skill moves.
• The myClub Evolution: Konami’s answer to Ultimate Team received meaningful additions with the Scout and Auction systems, adding a layer of strategy to team building. While it still lacked the polish and content of its rival, it offered a compelling alternative for those seeking a more gameplay-focused team-building mode.
• The Flaws: The mechanical praise is not universal. Defending could still feel awkward, with a noted inability to physically shield the ball effectively. The user interface was consistently criticized as “ugly” and dated. Most damning was the state of online play, which suffered from persistent connectivity issues that marred the otherwise excellent core experience.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The “world” of PES 2017 is the world of football, and its art direction is one of gritty, television-broadcast realism.

• Visuals & Atmosphere: On current-gen consoles, the Fox Engine delivered stunningly lifelike player models, animations, and stadium atmospheres. Player faces, especially for stars, were incredibly detailed, and animations flowed together with a naturalistic grace that avoided the robotic feel of some competitors. The lighting in particular was superb, capturing the specific mood of a rainy night match or a sun-drenched afternoon kickoff. The atmosphere in grounds was electric, making every match feel meaningful.
• The Licensing Elephant in the Room: The art direction is, however, fundamentally hamstrung by Konami’s infamous lack of licenses. While the partnership with FC Barcelona (evidenced by the iconic cover featuring Messi, Neymar, Suárez, Rakitić, and Piqué) was a coup, most leagues were populated with fictional team names and jarringly generic kits. This pushed the community to rely on fan-made option files to rectify the issue, a necessary hurdle for players seeking full authenticity.
• Sound Design: The sound of the game is a tale of two halves. The on-pitch audio is excellent: the thud of the ball, the crunch of a tackle, and the reactive crowd noise all contribute immensely to the immersion. The soundtrack featured a curated selection of international indie and alternative tracks that provided a distinct identity. The overwhelming weak point, unanimously panned by every critic, was the commentary. Described as “repetitive,” “weak,” and “schwach” (weak in German), it featured stale lines delivered with little energy or contextual awareness, quickly becoming a background nuisance.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, PES 2017 was met with critical acclaim for its gameplay, garnering an impressive 84% average critic score on MobyGames. Publications like Push Square (90%) and Use a Potion! (93%) hailed its mechanical brilliance, with the latter stating, “PES is getting closer and closer to footballing supremacy with each new release.” The praise was universal: this was the best-playing football game on the market.

The criticism was equally consistent and focused on its ancillary features: the lack of licenses, the poor PC port (“a disgrace” according to German critics), the dated menus, and the unreliable online infrastructure. The commercial reception, as ever, lagged behind FIFA, but PES 2017 solidified a dedicated fanbase that valued gameplay above all else.

Its legacy is profound. PES 2017 is now remembered as the high-water mark for the series. In the years that followed, as Konami began to shift focus towards the free-to-play eFootball model, fans looked back on PES 2017 as the last truly complete, premium, and masterfully refined entry in the series. It proved that a game could triumph on the strength of its core mechanics alone. Its influence is seen in the continued reverence for its tactical depth and player physics, a benchmark against which subsequent football games, including Konami’s own, are still measured. It is a cult classic, a title that represents a specific moment in time when the underdog delivered a flawless performance on the pitch, even if its boots were the wrong colour.

Conclusion

PES 2017: Pro Evolution Soccer is a fascinating artifact and a phenomenal video game. It is a title of stark contrasts: moments of breathtaking beauty and authenticity on the pitch contrasted with off-pitch presentation that often felt embarrassingly dated. It is not a perfect game—its technical shortcomings and lack of licenses are undeniable and significant.

However, its triumphs are what define its place in history. By focusing relentlessly on refining the most important aspect—the feel of the football itself—Konami created what many consider to be the most rewarding, tactical, and genuinely beautiful game of virtual football ever made. It is a love letter to the sport’s strategic heart and a testament to the idea that gameplay is king. For that reason, PES 2017 secures its legacy not just as a great entry in a long-running series, but as an all-time classic of the sports genre.