PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2018

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,186 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • optimization
PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2018 Game Cover
PES 2018 betters its predecessor making it the best in the series to date
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The FC Barcelona Edition of Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 offers exclusive myClub content for fans of the club. The game features improved gameplay with strategic dribbling, real touch+, and new set pieces. Enhanced visuals, PES League integration, and new modes such as online co-op and random selection match are also included. MyClub gets an upgrade with new pre-season tournaments, improved transfer system, and presentations.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,186 reviews
gameplay146 positive mentions
stability10 negative mentions
  • The gameplay is fluid and realistic, making it enjoyable to play.
  • Graphics have significantly improved, providing a visually stunning experience.
  • The game offers a variety of customization options and modes, enhancing replayability.
  • Online play is plagued with connection issues and lag, making it frustrating to play.
  • The AI can be inconsistent, often leading to unrealistic gameplay moments.
  • The lack of licenses for many teams and players detracts from the overall experience.
  • gameplay360 mentions

    The gameplay of PES has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fluidity, realism, and tactical depth compared to FIFA, while others criticize it for being repetitive, sluggish, or plagued by AI issues. Players appreciate the improved graphics and mechanics, but some express frustration over the lack of significant innovation and the presence of glitches. Overall, while PES is often seen as superior in gameplay mechanics, it still faces challenges in AI behavior and online performance.

    • “Gameplay is quicker, responsive.”
    • “The gameplay is great, graphics are wonderful.”
    • “The gameplay is the best till date.”
    • “Gameplay is a joke.”
    • “It's absolutely stunning visually, compared to past iterations, and the gameplay itself is much better.”
    • “The gameplay is horrid at higher levels.”
  • graphics242 mentions

    The graphics in PES 2018 have received widespread praise for their significant improvements over previous versions, showcasing stunning visuals, realistic player animations, and detailed environments that elevate the overall experience. Many users noted that the game finally matches or surpasses console graphics on PC, with options for high resolutions and customizable settings. However, some critiques highlight that while the graphics are impressive, they do not fully compensate for gameplay issues and other shortcomings.

    • “Beautiful graphics, accurate player faces and moves, and a lot of real soccer moments on the pitch!”
    • “The graphics are amazing.”
    • “Graphically; the game looks almost photorealistic at times and the attention to detail is phenomenal in places.”
    • “The loading times overall are just not acceptable, the game's graphics don't appear to have improved since the last one I played, which was in 2007 on an Xbox 360.”
    • “If they truly want to match or compete with FIFA, they really need to step up their graphics game, because honestly I felt like I was playing an old PS3 game with the graphics it presented, and this is a PC.”
    • “Waited a long time for this, was very disappointed with the graphics and gameplay immediately, especially when compared to FIFA.”
  • optimization33 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews from users. While many praise its overall performance, particularly on PC, noting smooth gameplay and impressive graphics, others report significant issues such as stuttering, lag, and crashes, indicating that optimization is not consistent across all systems. Some players have found that despite high specifications, they still experience performance problems, suggesting that further improvements are needed.

    • “Overall, looks, feel, game performance, and control all feels great.”
    • “The game runs smoothly with my old i3 4130 + r9380x (I got 75 fps and never found any lagging), last year I found a few fps drops with the same machine.”
    • “Not only is the PC version finally on par with its PS4 counterpart; it is actually far superior with excellent technical performance and astonishing visuals thanks to the latest Fox Engine build.”
    • “I don't know why this game has a big problem with stuttering, and looking for solutions in the forums hasn't worked. I already tried updating my NVIDIA driver to the latest version, but it didn't have any effect at all. In the game settings, it says everything is good.”
    • “Never seen a PES title so unoptimized.”
    • “Multiple game crashes during matches; bad optimization; there is always some sort of delays in matches which disturb game pace.”
  • music25 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the inclusion of popular tracks and a generally good soundtrack, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Many players prefer to mute the game and listen to their own music, as the commentary and sound effects are often deemed mediocre or annoying. Overall, while there are some standout tracks, the limited selection and presentation detract from the overall experience.

    • “Awesome soundtrack.”
    • “Pros: smooth animations, better UI these days, pace of game seems more realistic, awesome ball physics, good soundtrack.”
    • “Nice soundtrack, although it doesn't match my taste, but still very good choices.”
    • “The soundtrack is laughably bad.”
    • “The soundtrack gets really boring after some time.”
    • “The game overlay is from 2008 as well, the soundtrack with something about 10 tracks gets annoying pretty fast.”
  • story13 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game lacks a compelling narrative, with many players noting that it primarily focuses on gameplay rather than a traditional story mode. While some appreciate the competitive aspects and challenges available in modes like "my club," others express disappointment in the overall storytelling experience, suggesting that it falls short compared to other titles like FIFA. Overall, the consensus is that the game is more about gameplay mechanics than a rich narrative.

    • “Story mode doesn't lock you into one guy like FIFA has the last two years.”
    • “You know the story, you have to practically walk the ball into the goal, while being wary that your opponent might only need one opportunity to score.”
    • “Online is a different story.”
    • “☑ no story”
    • “Main story, one more year with a product that is worse than many free games you have over there.”
    • “End of story except if you like to play with just a couple of teams in order to compete.”
  • stability12 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized due to numerous glitches, crashes, and AI issues that significantly hinder gameplay, leading to frustration among players. While some users report smooth performance on high-end systems, the overall experience is marred by bugs and server problems, prompting calls for urgent patches to improve stability.

    • “The game runs great on an i7 4770k with a GTX 780, achieving 60fps at 1440p.”
    • “The game runs smoothly and features several licensed teams.”
    • “So many glitches the gameplay becomes very frustrating.”
    • “A buggy game, not worth the money.”
    • “The game crashes at random points or freezes with the sound blasting as loud as a fighter jet passing by.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is a mixed bag; while the graphics and player models are praised for their realism, the overall stadium ambiance and fan engagement fall short compared to competitors like FIFA. Players appreciate the authentic feel of iconic venues, such as Anfield, but note that the crowd dynamics and audio elements need improvement to create a more inviting and immersive experience.

    • “It's very similar to the atmosphere of a real football match.”
    • “Players look fantastic with wonderful looking stadiums and atmosphere.”
    • “Being a die-hard Liverpool fan, playing at Anfield gives me all the atmosphere of the stadium and the feeling of really being there.”
    • “The atmosphere is still lacking when you compare it to FIFA, but face details and gameplay are just the best.”
    • “There is only one thing that I consider a con so far: the stadiums do not seem to have much of an atmosphere from the fans, something I hope a future update will resolve.”
    • “More annoying stuff: it seems that all the effort for creating atmosphere was put into the presentation of some licensed clubs.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization in the game is heavily criticized for its reliance on microtransactions, particularly in the "my club" mode, which many players feel promotes a pay-to-win model. Users find the system confusing and suggest that it detracts from the overall experience, despite some positive features allowing for customization. Overall, there is a call for a reevaluation of the monetization strategy to achieve better balance and fairness.

    • “The introduction of microtransactions in 'My Club' is affecting gameplay, promoting a pay-to-win model.”
    • “If they want to keep microtransactions and maintain balance, they need to change the system.”
    • “If they want to keep microtransactions and a balance, they need to change the system.”
    • “The Konami version of FIFA's Ultimate Team mode is rather confusing and built around microtransactions.”
    • “The introduction of microtransactions in 'My Club' is affecting gameplay by promoting a pay-to-win model.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing antics of the goalkeepers and the exaggerated player emotions, which some find entertaining despite the overall frustration with the game's lack of recognizable teams and names. However, the humor is overshadowed for some players by the game's stress-inducing elements, leading to mixed feelings about its comedic value.

    • “The goalkeepers in this game are hilarious.”
    • “Someone should remind Konami that a game is a game, and it should be funny—no stressing.”
    • “They can be incredibly intense and funny.”
    • “I regret buying this game; it's not enjoyable at all. You can't really recognize the teams, and it's not just 3 or 4 teams—there are like 40 teams with fake names. This makes it not funny at all because you have to check the players to understand it.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat. The jokes feel forced and unoriginal, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the humor is stale and lacks creativity. It feels like they tried too hard and missed the mark completely.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in online matches where finding opponents can be a slow process. Many express frustration over the need to grind in the midfield to overcome speed and reaction time disadvantages, and there are concerns about the fairness of GP farming.

    • “In the end, it's a lot of grinding in the midfield to compensate for the disadvantage in speed and reaction time.”
    • “I like to play online, but finding a match is tedious.”
    • “I think fair GP farming isn't allowed in this game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Users express frustration with the emotional impact of gameplay, citing issues like unrealistic AI interactions, scripted goals that disrupt the flow of critical matches, and inconsistent foul calls that can feel arbitrary. These elements contribute to a sense of irritation and disappointment, detracting from the overall emotional experience of the game.

  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, enhanced by a new co-op mode that allows players to combine their myclub teams for collaborative gameplay. While there are some minor issues to address, the overall experience is smooth and engaging, making it more enjoyable than competing titles.

    • “95% of the time the matches are great and smooth online. With the new co-op mode, it has even more replayability, and you can mash up your MyClub team in a wonderful MyClub co-op mode and play with players you both achieved together.”
    • “The game lacks significant content updates, making it feel stale after just a few playthroughs.”
    • “Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to dive back in, as side quests feel repetitive.”
    • “The limited variety in gameplay modes means that after a few sessions, it becomes hard to stay engaged.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

39hMedian play time
131hAverage play time
11-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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