Pro Evolution Soccer, Konami’s rival to the EA Sports FIFA franchise, will be celebrating its 16th edition this year, and PES 2017 looks set to give FIFA a run for its money.
After watching the official launch trailer, I can confirm that I close my eyes and see Andres Iniesta’s 3D photo scanned face. I’m equal parts impressed and horrified.
Look at that dome piece. Photo: @MirrorRowZed | Twitter
It almost looks as though Konami have superimposed photographs of the actual players faces onto their virtual counterparts. Is this a giant step forward for video game graphics or something we should obviously be concerned about as members of the human race? To put it in another way, is this a threat to our species?
If you’ve played Fallout 4, you’ll know the dangers associated with mechanical models that are indistinguishable from human beings. The same goes for anyone who’s watched Ex Machina or 2001: A Space Odyssey.
This just doesn’t sit right with me. Luis Suarez looks genuinely imposing, like there’s something he’s thinking about doing to you. Ivan Rakitic, however, appears to have been given a mouth like Garfield. As for Jordi Alba, he’s somehow managed to stay 2D regardless of the advances in tech.
PES was once the king of soccer video games, but FIFA has owned the domain for the last five years. PES is once again looking to gain the advantage by upgrading their graphics, capturing the rights to Barcelona's Camp Nou and releasing on September 15th — almost two weeks before FIFA.
Follow me on Twitter: @ConmanFleming
