Recommended system specifications

OS: Windows XP/Visa/7/8
Processor: Intel Core i3, 1.6Ghz or above, AMD Athlon
Memory: 1GB RAM
Hard drive space: 2GB (free)

Ratings:

Design: 9/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Graphics: 7/10
Design: 8.5/10
Overall score: 9/10

There are many features that have changed and evolved about the Football Manager series, (originally Championship Manager), since it was first introduced to the gaming world in the early 1990s. However, its cult following and near mythical status amongst football fans looking to replicate their football knowledge and prowess onto a managerial scale, have only grown and surpassed all previous expectations.

Football Manager 2013 for PC and Mac comes with a number of new options, each one designed to engage and enthral both the first-time user as well as someone like myself who has been playing the game for the better part of the decade.

While some discerning users may scoff at the relative lack of gameplay inherently present in the game, the reality is far from what it seems.

The goal of the game seems simple enough; manage a team of players to glory on the field and bask in their achievements as the head coach. What is critical about success in the game are the myriad of ways which you can utilise and exploit to achieve this goal. While Football Manager may not offer the same thrill as a first-person shooter, the same level of graphics as a role-playing game or even depth in missions, its incredible attention to detail, vast database of leagues and players, as well as longevity will keep an interested gamer hooked on to it for hours at a time.

There simply is no single ‘formula’ for success; each situation demands a different approach, tactics, and analysis of the opposition. Unless you are meticulous in your planning, be prepared for disappointment.

Once you load the game for the first time, the opening screen will prompt you to choose from four different options. You can opt to play the regular Football Manager game, select a quicker and speedier ‘classic’ mode, take on a number of pre-set ‘challenges’ or play online versus friends.

Both the ‘classic mode’ and the ‘challenge mode’ are new additions to the Football Manager franchise and are designed to attract a wider audience, particularly those who may be playing the game for the first time. This tactic seems to have worked, as by May 2013, the game had sold almost a million copies in the US and Europe alone.

I opted to start the game with the new ‘classic’ mode, as it promised a similar level of gameplay and attention to detail as the full version, but with less focus on international leagues and friendly matches, thereby allowing the game engine to speed through matches and save time from the hours of preparation that each match in the full version demands.

Sports Interactive claims that under the ‘classic’ mode, it is possible to finish an entire season within seven hours of gameplay, allowing your assistant manager to take control of matches and provide an ‘instant result’, saving your time spent during the match itself.

At the start of the game, you are prompted to choose up to three different countries, and determine which leagues you want to load in them. Almost all the leagues of the world are included, from major European and South American leagues to more obscure leagues in Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, India and Australia. There is truly a wealth of detail for the football purist.

After selecting your league and making your manager profile, you are free to choose the team you want to manage within the countries and leagues that you initially selected. I started off by opting to be the manager of Manchester United, an inherently risky move as the expectations that come with the job are enormous, and the board is likely to fire you if you fail to live up to what the fans demand from you.

The board will also, at the beginning of the season, outline their minimum requirements for the season. For me it was necessary to win the league and progress at least to the Champions League semi-finals. I was handed a small transfer budget and told that I would need to sell players to raise funds. This is where the reality of the game engine starts to kick in. Football Manager realises that although Manchester United is one of the richest clubs in the world, their heavily indebted financial situation does not allow for extravagant and wasteful spending.

The attention to detail is simply mind-blowing. Players will respond and react to your every move and decision. If you set a high training workload, it may help some young players in polishing their skills, but cause injuries in veterans and a gradual decrease in fitness levels as the season wears on. Similarly, press conferences play an extremely important role, as the responses that you give to journalists can be interpreted in different ways by the players.

As the title of the game suggests, you are ultimately responsible for each aspect of the club that you manage. This includes tactics, training, scouting, transfers, friendly matches, injuries, and man-management. In-game controls also allow the manager to switch from defensive to ultra-attacking modes of play, as well as quick substitutions and emphasis on a direct mode of passing.

The game’s artificial intelligence (AI) is quick, intelligent and senses your tactical changes by making its own. There are no easy matches whatsoever, and even games against seemingly inferior opposition can spring plenty of surprises. If you are not prepared to carefully analyse your opponent (which your assistant manager does an admirable job by presenting pre-match reports), and selecting a team and style of play designed to break them down, then be prepared for plenty of disappointment.

Fans will voice their discontent when your team plays poorly or loses to a local rival, thereby putting pressure on the board, which has the ultimate right to fire or retain you. There is pressure on your shoulders from the day you start the job, and a string of good results does not necessarily equate to success in the long-run.

Your players are also moody and their morale is an indicator of how well they are responding to your tactics and training regimen. Low levels of morale may indicate an unwillingness to adhere to the instructions you have given them, translating into poor results on the pitch. Ultimately, your job as the manager is to determine how best to work with talented footballers, otherwise you will soon find your own job at stake.

Besides desktops, it can also be enjoyed on Android and iOS devices for $9.99. An intensely addictive game, I simply cannot get enough of it!