Still good, but a long way from perfection
PES 2010 shows great improvement in detail and quality, this without making it harder for the computer to run it. It is, surprisingly, much lighter than its previous version. Acquiring the Uefa Champions League license was really good and most of the new teams are fully recognizable. But there are still too many with those weird names, boring kits and strange badges. The new update feature is great: it downloads new boots, for example.
Long past due, Konami has finally changed the Master League Mode. It was really a downer to play a competition named "League C" composed of mixed-up teams from several countries. Now you can play the real leagues and choose the currency between dollars, euro, etc. as well as manage its finances and other aspects.
Regarding the playing itself, not much has changed. The first thing noticeable is that now dribbling is harder. Taking fouls and corners requires the same moves as before, but penalty shootout is different: now you cannot hold the directional button for too long or you will certainly miss the goal. There is no help from any kind of indicator whatsoever, except for your own "intuition".
Still, AI is very biased to failure. Take the goalies for example. The are extremely efficient in hard and fast shots, but tend to fail in simpler and slower ones. Sometimes, goalkeepers let slow shots go through and just walk behind the ball. Referees don't whistle just for any regular fouls. The game has clearly turned to a much more European style of refereeing. And it seems a little too much. Violent fouls are just ignored and tackling from behind can easily done by AI players without consequences.
The great Become-a-Legend Mode has a couple of setbacks. Even in the Top Player level, 90% of the teams are really inept at creating plays. It won't do much good to have a player with above 90 of rating if you're not playing in Real Madrid, Man Utd, Inter Milan, or such. Just try and wait in the area for somebody to cross the ball to you to see what happens. If you said "nothing", you're completely right. Besides, most of the teams have the annoying tendency of passing backwards. If you're an attacker, you may not even touch the ball during a match if you don't come back to get the ball and start plays yourself. I had much more fun in Become-a-Legend Mode while playing in Real Madrid, because the other players are really good. Even the Chelsea team is dreadfully inefficient. Well, at least while your player is among them. When you're against any team, their players will really put up a fight.
Don't get me wrong. I love the Winning Eleven/Pro Evolution Soccer series. For the first time I felt like playing a soccer/football match with all its delight and unpredictability. But I cannot say that the game is perfect, for it's simply not true. Despite the improvements of this version, I think Konami still can enhance in-game aspects.