The news that Konami secured the rights to UEFA Euro 2016 sparked a mixed reaction by gamers who enjoy sinking ours into the latest football games, as the Pro Evolution Franchise has struggled to gain a significant share of the market compared to its big rival, EA SPORTS FIFA.
While traditionally the European Championships would receive a standalone game or downloadable content for the current FIFA title as was the case in 2012, Konami announced late last year that the Euro 2016 game would be free to download for PES 2016 owners, and released as a standalone for those who wish to buy the game purely for the Euros.
When PES 2016 launched back in September the Irish player likenesses were a disaster, but things can change.
The DLC dropped last week, and rather than be a dedicated Euro 2016 game, it merely adds the official tournament to 'Cup Mode' from the PES 2016 main menu. The update did, however, offer a significant upgrade in the likenesses of the players that will be participating in the tournament.
That's a good thing for Ireland fans, because the players looked nothing like their real-life counterparts in PES 2016.
Sadly, the reports that Ireland would not be one of the fully licenced teams became entirely apparent at the kit selection for the very first game, as the kits for the boys in green, along with 7 other teams, don't look up to scratch at all. Be sure to scroll down for our best effort at editing the look kits to look better, but first and foremost, the player faces.
On the left is a screenshot of the Irish player without the Euro 2016 update, and on the right is the same player post update:
Shay Given
From a witness sketch off Crimecall to a slightly gothic Shay Given.
John O'Shea
The original looks like something from This Is Football 2003, which funnily enough Sheasy was on the cover of.
Marc Wilson
Sweet Jesus those eyebrows. From really bad to really good.
Seamus Coleman
If it ain't broke don't fix it, Seamus was one of the only Irish players who mattered enough for the full treatment in PES 2016.
Robbie Brady
A drastic change from 'nowhere near' to 'spot on'.
James McCarthy
Surely due a touch-up, he looks chubby as hell.
Glenn Whelan
Hilarious. From the scaldiest auld lad in the pub, to a freshly moisturised Glenn Whelan.
Wes Hoolahan
Poor Wes. A terrible attempt, both times.
Aiden McGeady
Amazing. From a sassy woman with short hair, to Aiden McGeady.
Robbie Keane
The young lad badgering strangers for smokes on the Luas on the left.
Jon Walters
Wow. He almost looks like Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder on the left, and a decent effort but a bit too 'Michael Schofield' with the end result.
David Forde
It's funny how Konami had made David Forde a priority from the start.
Ciaran Clark
The updated face is scarily accurate.
Stephen Ward
The left looks like Keith Andrews smoking 40 a day with a bowl haircut, and the right is closer, but they didn't do the nose justice.
David Meyler
Meyler doesn't matter to PES. Aaron Rodgers anyone?
Jeff Hendrick
Crazy detail in the updated face, the left wasn't too bad considering.
Darron Gibson
That may be the creepiest footballer in a video game on the left. Dear God.
James McClean
WTF!? McClean looks like some sort of albino tribesman on the left, ridiculous!
Shane Long
A much, much needed improvement.
The following players were added to the squad in place of Alex Pearce, Stephen Quinn, Anthony Pilkington, and Kevin Doyle.
Darren Randolph
Good to see Darren get the recognition he deserves.
Cyrus Christie
Erm... Try again?
Richard Keogh
That's an unflattering angle.
Daryl Murphy
Is that Stephen Ward again?
As for the jerseys, here is what you will be greeted with when you go to play without editing the kits:
And after 10 minutes in the editor, we crafted a much better showing, although it's still quite underwhelming:
For those who were already playing and enjoying Pro Evolution Soccer 2016, the UEFA Euro 2016 update is a very welcome addition, and fair play to Konami for making it free, but in reality they had to, as you can't really charge for such minor changes.
For those wondering, the standalone Euro 2016 edition of PES 2016 that you can buy in the shop is the full game with the update added, mainly for those with a slow internet connection.
In the end, it's weird that there will be no EA Sports UEFA Euro game, but least we had a good laugh.
