The Football Manager series is the stuff of legends. It has inspired several books, a documentary, several real-life careers, and a legion of obsessed fans. Every fall brings a new edition of the management game and for those fans, it is something to look forward to all year. Yes, it’s a game, but it is also a lifestyle that makes you part of a worldwide collective.
The great thing about FM is that is something that has lasting appeal; you can literally play it for a year and still be as engaged as you were on day one. Frankly people are still playing older editions of the game and still enjoying every minute of it. The anticipation behind Football Manager 2019 was intense, but it was well worth the wait. Sports Interactive and SEGA have outdone themselves once again, making the best game ever created even better.
It certainly feels fresh and renewed, starting with the opening credits. The Bundesliga, including all 36 teams in Bundesliga and 2 Bundesliga, is fully licensed and that is big news. German soccer has never been more popular and this license is a very welcome addition to the series.
Interactive inductions help newbies get acclimated to this highly addictive and engaging game. This is so important because there are many people here in the States that haven’t come to enjoy this series. While EA Sports’ FIFA rules the console world, football fans have a better alternative on PC, mobile, and high-end tablets and that is Football Manager, which has so much more depth, is more challenging, and offers a more customized experience.
The training overhaul gives you more control (if you want it) on the training pitch, while tactical styles allow you to become the next football strategy genius. You create your own playing philosophy with complete control and customization of attacking, defending, and transition situations.
You have plenty of options to choose from: Career, Fantasy Draft, Online Career, and Create-A-Club. Each offers something special. We are old school at heart and opt for the classic Career mode, where you pick a team and take them through many, many seasons.
Fantasy Draft allows you to build a unique team and go head-to-head with other managers. You can host an online game and invite friends to join with Online Career . Create-A-Club, which is quite self-explanatory, has an eye for the creative as you build your own club from the ground up and lead them to glory. While FM 2019 has so many leagues, big and small, from all over the world, they may not have your favorite non-league club here in the U.S. Yes, you can now become the giant killers over at Cal FC or legendary clubs like Detroit City FC or Chattanooga FC. It is literally up to you.
Football Manager 2019 allows you to be part of something special, a football wonderland that can be enjoyed all year long. It will be your favorite game until, well, Football Manager 2020 comes out next fall.
You certainly have to admire the work of Sports Interactive as they continue to put out great games year after year. They never take their foot off the gas, never put out a subpar game. They don’t even put out good games, the status quo; they only make great games. SI prides themselves on perfection and it takes the tireless work of hundreds to pull it off. It’s literally a worldwide network of passionate football fans working together to create something that will bring joy to gamers and managers around the globe.
Yes, we did say that Football Manager 2018 was perfection, but Sports Interactive seems to have done the impossible. They have perfected perfection.
