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Pro Evolution Soccer 4 for PlayStation 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 4 for PlayStation 2 is football in which a good attack starts before the decisive pass is played. You bring a midfielder forward, find space along the touchline and decide whether a short passing move or a high cross will achieve more. Players differ in technique, speed and finishing, so the same action is not equally reliable with every footballer. A through ball can unlock a defence, but a poorly chosen run immediately gives the opposition a chance to strike back.
Alongside individual matches, you can play leagues, cup competitions and Master League. There, transfers, training and player development shape your team over several seasons. You must consider age and changing abilities when replacing an experienced striker or developing a young midfielder. The training section helps with passing, shooting and set pieces. Editing screens let you change players and teams, among other things, so you can also build your football world outside matches.
A visible referee follows play on the pitch, and kits can become dirty during a match. This makes contests feel more coherent without distracting from teamwork. Locally, you play alone or with up to eight participants: three to five require one PS2 Multitap and a controller per participant; six to eight require two PS2 Multitaps. Attacking together then calls for clear agreements about positioning and the right moment to release the ball.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 2 games are PAL editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
Pro Evolution Soccer 4 for PlayStation 2 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of Pro Evolution Soccer 4
Konami brought Pro Evolution Soccer 4 to European PlayStation 2 systems in 2004. Led by producer Shingo Takatsuka, Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo continued developing the football series that had established itself alongside FIFA in Europe. Development focused on the movements between gaining and losing possession: receiving, turning, combining and reacting to players seeking space off the ball. Additional animations were intended to help different actions flow naturally into one another.
Official club licences marked an important step. The Italian, Spanish and Dutch leagues received their real clubs and kits, while not every other league was fully licensed. PES 4 therefore combines recognisable football names with the editing tools that were already important to the series. The visible referee and increasingly dirty shirts were also part of Konami's presentation of this edition. These were changes to the match itself, not just to the surrounding menus.
Meanwhile, Master League broadened its focus from a single season to a squad's life cycle. Development, ageing and retirement made transfer decisions more important in the longer term. This combination of direct on-pitch action and continuing club management became a recognisable part of the series. The PS2 release must be distinguished from the Xbox version: the online feature announced for that version is not part of this PlayStation 2 game. Here, matches on your own console take centre stage.
Similar games for PlayStation 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 3 on PS2 already provides the teamwork, tactical choices and Master League that PES 4 builds upon. The difference is most apparent in the broader player development and on-pitch presentation. PES 4 adds a visible referee and dirty kits, and has fully licensed Dutch, Spanish and Italian club leagues. PES 3 shows an earlier stage of the same approach to football.
Pro Evolution Soccer 5 on PS2 retains direct control and the multi-season Master League. Contests feel more physical, and the referee often stops play when you challenge carelessly. PES 4 therefore places a different emphasis within the same kind of football: finding space and controlling a passing move's tempo remain essential, but you need not adopt exactly the same timing as in the following instalment. Arsenal and Chelsea also only became officially licensed in PES 5.
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 on PS2 develops the same foundations with revised dribbling, goalkeepers and a referee who stops play less often than in PES 5. It also adds International Challenge and Random Selection. PES 4 focuses on the earlier set of matches, tournaments and club development. Both reward reading players' runs, but PES 6 gives you more ways to guide national teams or try an unexpectedly assembled squad.
Pro Evolution Soccer Management for PS2 puts you in the coach and manager's role. You also build a squad and consider line-ups and transfers, but do not directly control the footballers during matches. In PES 4, those decisions remain connected to your own passes, tackles and shots. Choose Management if you primarily want the view from the touchline; PES 4 lets you carry out your tactical plan yourself on the pitch.
RedCard on PS2 also uses football teams, goals and head-to-head matches, but makes heavy fouls and exaggerated moves part of its arcade football. PES 4 instead demands controlled defending within normal football rules and carefully constructed attacks. Master League, with transfers and player development, also gives it a different rhythm from RedCard's direct confrontations. PES 4 additionally supports more local participants, provided you connect the required PS2 Multitaps and enough controllers.
