Pro Evolution Soccer 3 Review

Overall Rating

Realistic gameplay, that improves in all areas on PE1 to make gameplay more challenging.
Excellent master league option that incorporates a cup competition.

Corner kicks are too high and slow.
No official club names and competitions, although this may be a bit petty.

Ever since I have played Po Evo 1, I have become an ardent fan of this soccer game series for its challenging and realistic gameplay aspects.
The great thing about PE is that you also feel a sense of achievement when you score a goal or win the world cup (without cheating on the meomory card, that is).
I missed out on PE2, so my comparison of PE3 will be against PE1 :
1) The commentary has improved in leaps and bounds and is at least relevant to the gameplay.
2) Graphics have improved as you would have expected and the level of player resemblance is acceptable, if not quite remarkable.
3) At first I thought gameplay was a tad slow, but this was because I was so used to PE1, and now I think the speed of play is just fine. Also, you can't just keep running at defenders and side step while still running to beat the defender and score regularly in a one to one situation with the goal keeper (as you could in PE1). Now you have to find the correct balance between jogging with ball, running at full pace and dribbling around defenders (which can't be done at full pace, as in PE1).

At first the gameplay is extremely difficult to come to terms with as a whole new strategy has to be formulated and defending can be a nightmare as you always feel vunerable under attack. This in itself makes PE3 a success as you feel absolutely gutted when conceding after a lapse in concentration. You can become despondent when this happens game after game after game.
Fortunately, when you are playing in the master league, the variety of game options allows you to play at a level 2 in division 2 and change to level 3 when promoted in divion 1. This allows you time to get used to the gameplay and the flexibility in options gives you a greater sense of control in setting your own goals. Winning the championship one season and fighting against relegation the next can be addictive because of its sense of realism.
The presence of a cup competition in the master league adds to the addiction of gameplay.
Outfits are acceptable in resemblance.
Buying and selling players is an enjoyable experience, but be careful not to overspend in a bid to build up your team as quickly as possible, as this will end your managerial and playing career rather abruptly (just ask Leeds Utd).
Goal scoring can be scrappy at times, but I feel this makes the gameplay more intriguing as there doesn't seem to be any loopholes for scoring and one is always trying different avenues to penetrate the defence. Also, on the occasions when you play the perfect through ball and drive a 20 yard blinder into the roof of the net, you feel like actually runing around the lounge and pulling your shirt off in utter excitement (just make sure nobody else is home).
Free kicks at goal are as difficult as ever and I am still waiting for my first goal from such a set piece (although I have rattled the woodwork a few times).
Corner set pieces is the one area I find irratating as the balls seem to come in too high and slow (even when using the low trajectory control button). This is also true when taking free kicks in open play.

PE3 has all the excitement you will ever need to get out of a soccer game.