Gameplay
For those who don’t know, this is a game
for people who simply do not have enough stress in their lives. Football
management – even of the virtual kind – happens to be one of the most
stressful things known to man, on par only with the loss of a loved one
or the split-second after you step on a LEGO block.
The difference between Football Manager
and games like FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer is that your role is purely
off the pitch. It’s your job to get the right players at your chosen
club, and then either bask in the fans’ appreciation when you do well
(or feel the fury of the board when your £20,000,000 striker only bags
five goals in a whole season). The game offers tutorials and tips to
anyone new to the franchise, but long-time players are able to jump in
unhindered. Picking a team is simple, protecting them from relegation is
much, much harder. Newbies may find deeper aspects of the game, like
handling personally handling coaching, overly complicated, but there are
ways to learn. You may want to do this straight away, especially if you
hope to learn everything before you have to start collecting your
pension (or at least until FM2014 is released). This is a game that
takes a long time to master. In fact, it’s harder than ever to create a
winning tactic and stick to it. Other teams are quicker to adapt to how
you field your winning 11, so you’ll need to have two or three different
formations prepared for any eventuality.
The generated players are back in full
force, which is actually one of my favourite aspects of the FM series.
You’ll need to work your scouts to the bone if you want to capture the
next Lionel Messi before another team does. Team performance is quite
realistic; there are some surprise packages every season, the big teams
often finish where they should… and Liverpool finish mid-table.
Graphics
This game is a reminder to us all that
good graphics and good gameplay do not always come hand in hand. The
in-match graphics are nothing special, though they do improve from year
to year. The menus are where you’ll be spending most of your time, and
they’re laid out nicely; with an inoffensive colour scheme.
Sound
There’s not much to it. There is the
option to immerse yourself in the generic roars of the crowd, or you
could ask a friend round to portray a Mike Phelan type assistant
manager; to bark orders when you have a touchline ban for slagging off a
referee in a post-match press conference. But the main sounds you hear
are likely to come from iTunes or YouTube playing in the background.
Conclusion
Football Manager 2013 is another solid
instalment in the now established game series. Experienced fans of the
franchise should take to it like a fish to water. Newcomers may find
that they take to it more like a fish to a frying pan. Football Manager
may have a steep learning curve, but if you’re a big enough football fan
like me, then it does feel rewarding to put in the required hours to
win that first trophy. And thankfully, it’s also a game where you can
adjust the level of challenge to suit your level of competence.
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