PES 2018[1] doesn't release for another month or so, but Konami is giving players a sneak peek into the new iteration thanks to an online beta that's now available for free (without the need to pre-order) on the PS4[2] and Xbox One[3]. The reason it's being called a "beta" by Konami is because it's meant to test the online component of PES 2018 - a traditional "demo" of the game will be available closer to launch.
Nevertheless, the PES 2018 beta is an indicator of what we can expect from the game upon its release in September. The PES beta started on July 20, and having spent some time with it, we came away with the feeling that Konami seems to have created a game that stands at odds with the improvements it’s trying to make.
PES 2018 Beta Release Date and Time, Platforms, Game Modes, and More[4]
On paper, PES 2018 comes touting two new gameplay features: Strategic Dribbling, and Real Touch+. The former is supposed to help players control possession, and mix it with features such as "contextual shielding" to protect the ball. But in practice, tackles are still way too easy for the most part, and the inability of AI players to locate space to run into - something FIFA 17 has gotten quite good at - means it's tough to play the tiki-taka style.
Real Touch+, on the other hand, is meant to make players use every part of their bodies to control the ball. But that wasn't the case in our experience with the PES 2018 beta, with the ball bouncing off players as if they were made out of rock. It could be forgiven if these players were...