Football Manager 2013

There's no doubt that Football Manager 2013 arrives as part of a series that remains the unchallenged king of sporting management simulators. It's firmly established itself as a title to invest in year-upon-year because of its expert approach and well-designed gameplay that touches on the realities of managing an association football team.

But the most significant aspect for fans of the series is what this year will deliver. The franchise has consistently improved and added additional features with each release, where every title tends to earn widespread acclaim. So now, the year is 2013, and once again, Football Manager 2013 will have to live up to its hype and high expectations.

The Beautiful Game

In case you're a sports game fan and have been living under a rock, we'll recap what the Football Manager series is all about. Players are given the role of an association football club manager. You'll pick a team to start a budding career, working your way from a scrappy young lad to a world-class head honcho. While you don't control your team, it's up to you to manage the best playing strategies, motivate players, and keep your team's integrity in check.

Football Manager 2013 improves on the intricate management gameplay the series has become famous for. There are slight improvements in the visuals and interface, making it more manageable for casual players to understand the ins and outs of sports management without becoming overcomplicated. Generally, the title retains the same immersive experience as the previous title with no radical changes.

However, the game is making more effort to attract a casual fanbase. The 'Football Manager Classic' mode simplifies gameplay, making it easier and quicker to complete seasons and retaining a new player's attention span easier. There's also a set of pre-defined challenges that can deliver swift satisfaction to players looking for goals to accomplish.

So, what can you say about Football Manager 2013? Yes, it's the same game as the last in the series. But one feels there's a drive to attract a player base outside the traditional management sim fans. The title exploits its already well-established gameplay to deliver new, simplified experiences that may not reel in a massive new demographic. Still, it's on the way to doing so.

Don't Fix What's Not Broken

It's easy to question the lack of innovation in Football Manager 2013, but how can you fix what's already an excellent sports management simulator? There's only so much you can do, and whatever needs to be done, the game has delivered upon. It's a testament to why this series is the best out there and presides supreme over similar titles like PES Club Manager.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• It's still the best sports management sim on the market
• New features and improvements cater to new and casual players
• Enhanced game-day visuals bring more immersion

Cons:

• Not much changed from the previous title