Football Manager 2014

No summary available

The sheer magnitude of areas that Sports Interactive can and did patch up has lifted my confidence in the franchise somewhat. Little improvements to game flow here and there have taken the edge off of the tediously slow calendar transitions, allowing me more time to actually play the game rather than watch a static image of an opposing manager’s smug grin.

As I mentioned earlier, this year’s edition is building on what was already established; it will please longtime fans and keep them engaged as Football Manager 14 gives them all the depth and options they would want. There could still be more done to ease new fans into the series but that will maybe have to wait until next year.

Another year brings another version of Football Manager, the nerdiest sports management game on the market. Here's our review...

A poor substitute.

It feels almost unfair and premature to be rushed into reviewing such a grand proposition but even with so much left to experience – the personal stories we all develop from situations that are unique to each of us – it’s clear that this is the best Football Manager game so far and that makes it entirely unmatched in its field.

And that fully-featured behemoth is still Football Manager through and through, despite the changes discussed above. The sensation of playing the same excellent simulation from a slightly different angle is rewarding however, and it’s refreshing that after so many years of upping the complexity levels and surfacing detail that most games keep behind the scenes, Sports Interactive has taken a long look at their primary tactical setup and made changes to make it more relatable to their audie...