Does This Manage To Improve On This Great Series? (Football Manager 2009 (PC))

Member Name: Robin_Hod12

Product:	Football Manager 2009 (PC)
Date:	02/02/09 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Game With The New 3D Engine And Other Improvements

Disadvantages: 3D Engine May Not Work On Lower End Computers

Football Manager 2009 is the annual follow-up to the 2008 version, and well let me just start by saying that this sis one of the biggest updates ever. Yes, the time has finally come for the introduction of the 3D match engine, and let me tell you, life is good. This has been one of the major issues with the football managers of the past, as many couldn't really 'feel' the match when watching it played by a bunch of circles, although admittedly I did like those little circles and I have always enjoyed watching the matches themselves. But I will start with a word of warning, if your computer or laptop is not up to specification and doesn't have the speed to keep up with the new engine, then this will be a big let down, as one of my friends has to use the 2D engine only due to the age of his computer.

But, if you do have a new-ish computer then the game should run fine, and you can enjoy the new additions nicely. The 3D engine itself is no graphical masterpiece, but the players look real enough and it is just like watching the match from the stands, with the players running around the pitch. This enables you to better check the performance of your team and decide for yourself who is playing well and who isn't. The main issue that I do have though with the new engine is that often players miss or just hit the goalkeeper too often, and you find yourself still at 0-0 despite a he spell of dominance and a number of shots. But perhaps this is more realistic, and anyway the scores do seem to keep I line with those that you would expect in real life. There are occasionally some graphical faults or a player kicking the ball after it has already left their boot, but much of this was fixed in the updates ad it is hardly a problem. And as it is the first outing for the engine, you can expect there to be a couple of niggles, but all in all much better than some earlier iterations.

The other improvements in the game consist of press conferences, which run like you would expect with questions posed and multiple choice answers provided. You can add in little comments of your own, but they are not understood and you could really put anything you want. This is a nice addition and sometimes pinpoints what the media and the fans think of recent players' performances and allow you to boost your players' morale. Elsewhere, you have more basic improvements, like improved display for matches and tactical changes, as well as better information screens and basic changes to the way you play the game, which thus far I feel are well integrated and make it a better overall game.

In conclusion, with the main introduction of the 3D match engine, this is a big leap in terms of the football manager games, and help makes this a more absorbing game, allowing you to get a better feel for the players and any matches you play. The game will make you cheer, make you groan, but it will also provide you with hours of enjoyment. If you are anything like me, then you won't be able to get enough of this, and your addiction will either begin, or it will continue to thrive. Well done SIG Games, another great addition to the football manager canon.

Summary: Great Game That Is An Improvement On Last Year