When I reviewed "Football Manager 2007" it was the first time I had played a management game since '99...
When I reviewed "Football Manager 2007"(http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/sports/footballmanager2007/player_review.html?id=436671)it was the first time I had played a management game since '99 & even then I was fully aware of what to expect form the game.
So now only 1 year after the last instalment as opposed to the aforementioned 8 I expected no real differences at all & needless to say I was not wrong but however subtle the changes are they still make for a better game. I initially had mixed reactions to the 2007 version of the game, praising its various options but at the same time disillusioned by how complicated it was to navigate through the various choices but here we see that the game has been streamlined & consciously so rather than just filed away in various nooks & crannies with unnecessary parts being dropped which helps the game significantly.
Design - 7
The layout has not dramatically changed & in essence it remains the same as previous instalments but with a softer more comforting image & with a smooth glossy feel. Everything is neatly arranged in "tabs" which makes navigation very easy whilst still maintaining the detail & control of the game. Infact control has improved with more options allowing you to change things here & there & you can see the outcome of your decisions. You can control your team with such precision it is far more enjoyable than one expected. The arrangement is neat & easily accessible making but the sheer fact is that this is not a console game & as such without the "point & click" motions of a PC there will always be times when frustration overcomes you when you feel that the time it takes you to get things done could so easily be cut down if you could just ruddy "point & click". But once you know you're way about the damn thing you can get on with it with relative ease even if you don't have a mouse.
Gameplay – 7
Gameplay? What sodding gameplay? IT'S A MANAGING SIM! There is no gameplay, you select the players, if they are good you win, if they are bad you lose. Ok, so maybe not that simple. Well actually that is quite a harsh thing to say as the game is immense – some might even say as deep as the sea. You can select your set piece takers & direct those darting runs & force your defenders into the final third of the pitch for corners only to concede a late goal & **** about it for the next 40 minutes. In fact there is nothing more satisfying than scoring a last minute winner from an orchestrated set piece of your own design. But after a while it gets a bit samey but with tactics, scouting, training yada, yada, yada there is plenty for the die-hard football fan to do but if you're just a casual follower of the beautiful game and "kinda" support Watford because your gran used to take you shopping there maybe give this a miss for a while.
Audio/Visual - 6
Usually in review I'd separate audio & visual into 2 different sections but in this one I have combined the 2 in order to save time. Ok, so pay attention. Management sim only has 2 images, football pitch & spreadsheets. Management sim only has 2 sounds, crowd cheering & ball being kicked. Yes these look/sound good but how the hell am I supposed to review them. Pfffft!
Multiplayer - 6
Again – Management sim. Not really designed for multiplayer but should you so feel the urge to use it as a multiplayer game then there are some undeniable laughs in beating your mates within the game itself or in your own tournament that you've set up but nothing outstanding here.
Longevity - 8
If you like managing it will last a long, long time. If you don't then it won't but having said that you probably wouldn't have purchased the game in the first place if you didn't like it that much.
Achievements – 7
Gone are the ridiculous amounts of 1g for signing a player & now come the nice simple 5's & 10's which is nice to see. Also gone are the ridiculously hard things like "Get 75% of global Scouting Knowledge" thank god. Still winning the league & undefeated seasons can prove quite challenging but if the points matter that much to you then it is quite easy to cheat using the save feature but there are so many more games that are a lot easier to whore than this one.
Overall – 8
It is (as I've mentioned once or twice in the review) a football sim & thus it does not provide to much in the way of stimulation for the typical console gamer & those of you who are interested in it will probably buy it for the PC. So the big question is would you pay £50 for it? I sure wouldn't but then I get it for free so what do I care