GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 12/21/2006
- Released on: 11/03/2006
- Originally published on GameSpot: FIFA Manager 07 (PC) Review
FIFA Manager 07 is the second game in EA Sports' football management series, with German outfit Bright Future again handling development. Like other EA Sports titles, FIFA Manager 07 is highly accessible, attractively presented, and boasts a wealth of official team and player data. Because of this, FIFA Manager 07 is a great introduction for newcomers to the genre and is a gentler start than something like Football Manager 2007 might be.
Like the origins of most football management games, the idea behind FIFA is to start out as the head of a football club and begin a career in the profession from there. Who you choose to manage is up to you, and while many of you are likely to choose the real-life team that you support, some will relish the challenge of taking a struggling side and transforming its fortunes. FIFA Manager 07 offers 52 leagues from 29 countries, covering most of the major European teams and some of the Asian and American ones, too.
While this list should keep most football fans happy, it's by no means as comprehensive as the 116 leagues that feature in Sega's recent Football Manager 2007. FIFA Manager 07 still has an ace up its sleeve, though--access to FIFA resources means that the game boasts an incredible feeling of authenticity. Endowed with an abundance of official imagery, including stadiums, logos, and players, FIFA Manager 07 does a stellar job of making you feel like part of the real footballing profession. Even better, it doesn't feel like a showy gimmick, as FIFA uses the licensing to support the game underneath.
At the beginning of the game, any team in the world will accept your application for the manager's position. Once appointed, you can get down to the nitty-gritty of making a championship-winning squad. If you possess a basic knowledge of football then you'll certainly find it easier to understand the general demands of being a manager. And if you're a fan of the club in question, you should also know a little bit about the individual players in the team. However, you can choose to delegate practically every aspect of the game to your assistant managers, freeing you up to concentrate on key areas such as signing new talent and managing the first team.
Depending on which club you sign to, the board and fans will have different expectations of what you need to achieve during your time there. While it's always tempting to control a top club and have access to world-class players and huge resources, you'll be expected to maintain a high position in the domestic league as well as bring home trophies from continental tournaments. If you're not performing, the fans and the media will be the first to call for your dismissal, and as the confidence of the board dwindles, you may well be sacked or forced to resign. However, you can always apply for other jobs at clubs with vacancies, and you may even be courted out of your current contract by other clubs interested in your management skills.
Just like in real life, in FIFA Manager 07 you'll need to create a team of players that can function together to succeed. On a basic level, you do this by setting training regimens, choosing formations, and adapting tactics to each team you play. On an advanced level, you also need to worry about individual and group morale, resting players, and giving substitutes experience, as well as setting up international training camps. While all this is happening, the future of the club needs to be secured by scouting for new players and encouraging junior players through your youth team. Another new addition, and one that made its first appearance in Football Manager this year, is the ability to set up business partnerships with other clubs to loan players and give them more experience--something that definitely pays off in the long term.
In this respect, FIFA Manager 07 offers a decent amount of depth for those of you who want to sit there and tweak things to death. As well as choosing from the regular formations, such as 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, you can read the opponent reports of your chief scout and adapt the team accordingly. This includes telling individuals how to play in 10 key areas, such as passing and crossing. You can also drag players around to dictate their default playing position on the pitch.
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