Football Manager 2010 Review

Extra Time and Penalties

While Football Manager 2010 can’t really be said to be a big step on from last year’s predecessor in regards to features or content, it’s an undoubted improvement on a number of levels and that’s realistically enough for fans of the franchise and new players alike.

The new interface is a big improvement over last year's, and combines a simple, clear and memorable layout with drop-down menus and sub-menus to provide the necessary level of detail required for a game predominantly concerned with never-ending stats.

The upgrades to the tactics and coach feedback are invaluable too, especially for players who might otherwise have been overwhelmed by the underlying detail in the Football Manager series. Putting your unique style of play into effect is easy, while still leaving room for the anoraks to tweak those slider bars to their hearts content.


FM2010 never gets too bogged down in the stats and information though, and there’s still a lot of excitement to be found in the match day experience. While the match engine might look worse than a Playstation game circa 1996, it’s surprisingly evocative. We found ourselves screaming at the little men rather too often than we’d like to admit – cries of frustration as strikers waste another chance, disgust as you concede an easy goal and sheer elation as your side go one up in the last 4 minutes are all on the cards.

There’s also a lot of fun to be had wheeling and dealing on the transfer market, which is as robust as ever. Buying, selling, cutting the chaff and bringing in new players never gets old. It’s just as fulfilling to watch a player with potential grow as it is to snatch that transfer coup too. You’ll need to be wary though, as rival teams are now much more proactive in chasing transfers and won’t think twice about stealing away your youth players if they show promise.

Conclusion

While Football Manager 2010 doesn’t bring any earth-shaking changes, it’s hard to complain when it nails the basics of the game so convincingly. Sports Interactive seems to know exactly what we love in a footie management game and has played to those strengths – transfers and the 3D match engine are both superb – while keeping the more boring aspects such as training simple. The result is a game that offers a hugely entertaining, polished and well rounded experience to fans.

The improved feedback from your backroom staff, and the helpful explanations that accompany the new player role system in the tactics section also make the game much more approachable to the uninitiated. While there’s still room for improvement, FM2010 is an automatic first team selection for any football fan - just be ready for the huge amount of time it's able to swallow up!

Score Guide