The devil is in the detail (Football Manager 2009 (PC))

Member Name: RedBen

Product:	Football Manager 2009 (PC)
Date:	08/01/09 (174 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Comprehensive set of features, same addictive gameplay

Disadvantages: Comprehensive set of features, same addictive gameplay!

Football Manager is back, and remains the only viable option for those wanting to cut their teeth in the makebelieve world of football management, and this year's installment further separates SI's creation from the crowd of would-be successors.

The continual question regarding Football Manager (previously known as Championship Manager before Sports Interactive's split with Eidos in 2004) is always whether it has improved enough over the previous year's version to justify its purchase.

The Great Leaps Forward this year consist of the availability of a 3D mode (the fluidity of which is dependent on your graphics card), greater depth of player and press interaction, much improved regenerated players allowing for greater longevity, and improved opposition AI.

Not all of these things will appeal. In particular, the 3D engine appears to be a love it or hate it addition - I personally prefer the simplicity of the top-down 2D view, but others swear by it, saying it enhances the game's authenticity and better highlights where your tactics are failing or succeeding.

Other additions, such as attending press conferences, may or may not suit you, depending on your preferred level of investment, but those who like management by minutiae will revel in all the features and interactions available to you.

And therein lies the crux: Football Manager is moving further and further away from simplicity, and it will be loved and loathed for it. There are just so many features to tackle and master that it becomes prohibitive for anyone who isn't already well-versed in the series. Fortunately there is an in-game guide to calm the nerves of newbies, but even so it is an overwhelming experience for first-timers.

Part-time players will be ostracised, whilst fully-fledged pros (such as myself ;) will continue to love the ever-hardening challenge.

And it IS harder this year, noticably so. Constant tweaks in tactics are necessary to ensure prolonged success (even if you start as Arsenal or Manchester United). If you have a weakness the opposition will flaunt it! Of course this is no bad thing - the challenge is more important than the victory.

FM2009 is a fantastic addition to the series, and will please those already familiar to the game. It will struggle, however, to win over new initiates due to its level of complexity and difficulty setting.

Summary: Still the best.