PES 2011

Had someone forced me to play PES 2011 while I was wearing some sort of magical blindfold that managed to block my vision of the game's title, chances are I'd have assumed I was playing last year's version.

That could easily be a sign, of course, that my powers of deduction are lacking.

More likely, however, is the explanation that - besides the usual aesthetic twists to menus and so forth - what was good about PES 2010 features just as prominently in PES 2011.

To put it crudely, it's pretty much the same game.

Footie fantastic

Luckily for Konami, that's no bad thing.

Given PES 2010 verged on perfection at times, playing its open, expansive take on the game for a second time is hardly what you'd describe as punishment. As far as simulating the flow of a real football match goes, PES has remained largely unsurpassed on mobile for the last two seasons.

It's also a game that's palatable to all abilities, thanks to Konami's continued deployment of its one-touch control setup.

While you can use standard controls – '5' to pass, '0' to shoot, and so on – it's also possible to assign every move to the '5' key. Differences in the number of presses, length of presses, whether in or out of possession, and your position of the field determine what action you take.

PES 2011 also comes with the now standard line-up of UEFA competitions, delivered with typical sheen and adding the one unique selling point its main rival – EA's FIFA – just can't boast. On the other side of the coin, however, Konami's series still doesn't come with a full roster of official teams.

If that's the kind of thing that matters for you, then PES 2011 makes no inroads.

Pass and prove

Where it does lead the pack, however, is in the grace of its matches.

PES 2011 continues the series' tradition of focusing on smart passes, giving you the space to piece together intricate moves that look great on screen without necessarily making it easy to waltz through the opposition's defence – assuming you play on a setting above Easy, of course.

It's an approach that allows it to keep matches tight without letting pace get the better of play, finding the sweet balance between appealing, yet competitive, contests.

All such compliments can be and were paid to PES 2011's predecessor, of course.

Though you can hardly blame Konami for wanting to stick fairly rigidly to its successful formula, those looking for an update to push the series along might well be disappointed, with PES 2011's seasonal highs and lows coming with an especially familiar feel.