Guess what? The most famous bench in played football (in an armchair) is back. Football Manager 2022 is finally available, this is our review of the football manager that made history
The Sports Interactive manager again this year is back to the delight of digital managers around the world. Continuing the campaign of innovations and improvements undertaken with the previous chapter, FM22 is enriched by a lot, indeed a lot, for an even more complete and meticulous gaming experience. Are we facing the best football manager ever? Is it possible to do better? Let’s find out together in ours Football Manager 2022 review!
Road to glory
We start from a fundamental assumption to be specified already from the first bars of this review. Football Manager 2022 is the second stage of a development cycle aimed at disrupting the game. Already last year Sports Interactive had introduced a completely redesigned match engine and a much more orderly and intelligible interface. This year the work was less revolutionary, but not for this to be diminished. Let’s not hide the fact that Football Manager 2022 may seem, at first sensation, very similar to last year. In fact, this year the development has focused on making the game even more intuitive on the surface and deep under the hood. In particular, if the game seems essentially unchanged from the avatar creation phase to preseason, just step on the pitch to realize excellent work carried out by Sports Interactive to further improve the “simulation” factor. Curious huh?
Even better – Football Manager 2022 review: is the work complete?
Football Manager 2022 therefore hides a surprise, with a compromise that leaves the interface almost identical in favor of an even better engine. Beyond the technical and graphic sector on which we will return later, the tangible upgrade is above all remarkable regarding the conduct of the match in all its factors. The AI that controls the pressing, the readings, the non-possession phase and much more has been profoundly improved and retouched. In this new edition of the game, players press in a much more sensible way than before without getting lost in blunders out of any logic or causal accidents.
There are still some things to be fixed in truth such as the overflow of the game on the flanks compared to the central streets or some excessive ducks on the part of the goalkeepers, but given the progress we absolutely cannot complain. Also because, in faith to the guys at Sports Interactive, with the next patches and the next bug-fixes the balance and the trifles should no longer represent a mole. In addition, this year, much more than past editions, the FM22 match engine gives a very high verisimilty to the game. This, combined with the overall quality of the game, represents a respectable starting point for tapping even higher points with the next patches.
Off the pitch – Football Manager 2022 review: is the work complete?
Let’s take a step back and go back to the step before every self-respecting game: planning. The key component of Football Manager, and what makes the game a milestone, is everything that happens off the pitch. This year to further enrich the managerial component of the game, the Data Center. This is a new section that collects all the statistics of the club. This data will be produced by our staff, which means surrounding yourself with better staff will return more accurate and valuable data. The data includes analysis of the game (offensive or defensive), the progress of the team in the competition and reports on individual players. This section is probably the most substantial novelty and allows you to have an even more precise overview of our work.
In addition to this, there are the new meetings with the staff, much more orderly than before. This year making requests or receiving more or less reliable information from the staff has become even easier. Also the section relating to the transfer market has been (again) changed, with the entire interface reorganized to follow the negotiations in real time much more simply. In this way, staying up to date on what the other teams are up to is much more intuitive.
Technically – Football Manager 2022 Review: Is the work complete?
There has never really been much to say about the technical and aesthetic aspect of Football Manager. In the midst of tradition, graphics still count for the right this year (assuming you use the 3D engine for games). Compared to last year, however, the game returns actions definitely more realistic and sensible from a purely football point of view. Furthermore, thanks to what has been said about the in-game artificial intelligence, it is possible to witness few errors from the investigation office compared to the past. Forget therefore defensive blunders on high balls or serpentine from the defense by the opponents.
Regarding the animations, assuming you always use the 3D engine to watch the game, the situation is different. This year they have been implemented numerous new animations related to dribbling, defensive tackles, goalkeeping movements and much more. In addition to this, the graphics have been slightly improved to reduce that “skidding” effect that returns to make coaches turn up their noses every year. Nothing revolutionary, but all very pleasant.
Lots of meat on the fire
Net of what has been said in this review on Football Manager 2022, we can not do anything else highly recommend the game. Assuming that the game is featured on Microsoft’s Game Pass (hence a big incentive to download), the improvements introduced this year by Sports Interactive are so important that it would be a shame to miss them. Football Manager 2022 is naturally the next step in improving an already excellent but not yet perfect title. The match engine, already profoundly revised a year ago, has been further improved with care. The feeling of general control over the game that we already had last year has been further amplified, thanks also to the new analytical tools available. We can not help but enjoy this little managerial masterpiece, and hope for a Football Manager 2023 even better.
Football Manager 2022 is available on macOS, Android, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch in the Touch version. As always, we greet you and invite you to stay tuned to TechGameWorld.com for more reviews, guides and much more from the world of video games. Furthermore, we remind you to consult the Instant Gaming catalog for always discounted games. Bye!
Again a big step forward.
Points in favor
- Another step towards perfection
- Hugely improved in-game engine
- Data center and many hub improvements
- Game included in the Game Pass
Points against
- Technically, even more can be done
- Game on the flanks too decisive