Play attended a media-only Pro Evo 2008 tournament in October, and aside from getting our arses kicked, meeting an apathetic Mark Lawrenson and getting really, really drunk, we noticed something: all of the games were being played on the Xbox 360 version, implying that Konami recognised the degree to which it botched the PS3 experience. It wasn’t an unplayable disaster, by any means, but after playing the PS2 version of PES 2008, which is faster, better animated and technically stable, it’ll open your eyes to how bad the next-gen one really was.

Not that this money-spinning PS2 port is anything special, however. With the entire PES team stretched over half-a-dozen ports for every console, there’s an air of simple retreating here. It’s surprisingly spry for a PS2 football game – alright, maybe this is because the PS3 version seemed so sluggish when we played that, but the pace feels right. The baffling referee continues to amuse and confuse in equal measure, but the game is still solid and enjoyable. Perhaps the production values are slightly depressed, given that the PS2 is more of an afterthought now than a lead format, but the basic mechanics and habitual Master League maintain a certain draw.

The PS2 version hasn’t bitten off more than it can chew, and there are no expectations to meet – PES 2008 performs its duties as a football simulator, but it also manages not to squander the series’ progress as the next-gen version did. We’re in familiar territory with PES 2008, but for once this feels reassuring, rather than anguishing. Conceptually, we’re well past the relevance of the series on the PS2, but aside from the obvious scripting of the AI and the existing issues that we’re just bored of writing about at this point, PES 2008 is more than acceptable.

It’s inoffensive, now, and since an inferior machine has usurped the so-called technical upgrade, we’re now confident that the PS2’s PES is the more valid purchase. Otherwise, though, we’d recommend revoking your franchise loyalty, and simply opting for FIFA on the PS3. Until Seabass and his team provide an overhaul that is in line with what the PS3 can do, this is a comfortable recollection of what was once a great football simulator. It’s still a lot of fun, and for the right price it’ll placate the unknowing fan base for another year.

Samuel Roberts