It's back, and this years Pro Evolution Soccer has been reworked from the ground up! New player models, AI elements and physics routines all combine to create the most advanced and realistic football game ever, but at the heart of PES 2009 are two new modes designed to make players rethink the way they approach the game.

'PES Unites' is the key phrase Konami is using to sum up the ethos of the new game. PES 2009 also improves on its many existing game modes and adds a number of new ways to play the game. Central to this is the new 'Become a Legend' solo mode, which casts the user as a midfielder or striker within a match. Using a default vertical camera view, the player starts as a rookie pro at the start of their career, and charts the many highs and lows of becoming a professional player. An extension of the popular 'Fix' mode, the 'Become a Legend' mode sees the player operate in their favoured attacking position, and work as part of the overall team as opposed to controlling every member as in a normal game.

If successful, the player must first cement their place in the starting line-up with strong performances, before catching the eye of bigger clubs and earning a move to top flight teams. Of course, results are everything in modern day football, and players must force their way into contention or face lengthy stints as a substitute or eventually be forced to take a step down to a smaller club if performances are not good enough. The 'Become a Legend' mode has already proved a massive hit in Japanese versions of PES since 2007, and is certain to enjoy similar status across Europe.

PES 2009 also boasts an online variant of the 'Become a Legend' mode, entitled simply 'Legends.' Players can use their saved player in online matches with like-minded friends, and can show their skills on the larger online stage.

The PES series has always been famed for its deep yet accessible control system, but the new game is aiming even higher. PES 2009 offers an unprecedented level of control, redefining the intricacies of first touch, close control and ball distribution, while also enhancing its shooting and AI mechanisms to create an all-round footballing experience. Konami's Tokyo-based Pro Evolution Soccer Production Team has introduced new control systems wherein the player can now perform tricks and feints without the use of special moves, but within the context of the player's run and via rapid turns and movements of the Dpad or analogue stick.

Likewise, the way the player guides the ball has been changed. The PES series has always treated the ball as a separate entity, but new calculations related to the air resistance and friction of the ground make passing and movement in PES 2009 a great deal more realistic. Different weather conditions will now have a more pronounced effect on the weight and movement of passes, with players having to compensate for more heavy conditions in poor weather.