Although games like FIFA and Madden have their purposes, sometimes the most determined of fans may feel that they are too detached from the reality of the sport in question. That's where sport management sims come in, delivering players a gameplay experience that truly scratches that data-driven itch. The Football Manager games are among the best of the bunch, and Football Manager 2023 from Sports Interactive and SEGA is now here.
Football Manager 2023 is the latest title in SEGA's long-running sports management sim franchise. Taking on a football management career, the player must strategize their way to football glory, be it through sticking with one team and finding huge success or working their way across different clubs throughout their career to win everything they can. There's no direct control here - just outsmarting the opposition and keeping the players, board, and fans onside.
As far as this minute to minute gameplay goes, Football Manager 2023 is an extremely comprehensive experience. The game is a statistician's dream, as the player can deep dive into data and try to make the correct decisions for their club. Football Manager as a series has sometimes been criticized for being a gamified database, but those who appreciate the tactical element of football and outfoxing their opponents through strategic shifts and good off-pitch management will always enjoy what it has to offer.
In of trying to win matches of football, rather than the bigger picture management side of things, Football Manager 2023 does feel like a step up from the previous entries in the franchise. The title promises an improvement to opponent AI, and it's fair to say that this is noticeable in the game itself. The player needs to keep ahead of the curve with their strategic changes, understanding different scenarios in the game and responding accordingly as and when things shift around.
Of course, there's more to Football Manager 2023 than just the matches themselves, and here too there have been improvements to the simulation. The recruitment picture has seen an upgrade, with the player able to better plan out their long-term development options for the squad, such as with updates to scouting and to the role of agents in negotiations. Indeed, dealing with player unhappiness is another one of the spinning plates a manager must contend with, and it's essential to keep players on side.
As well as maintaining player relationships, Football Manager 2023 does get to the heart of some other elements of modern football. As always, keeping the board onside and meeting their targets is essential for success and backing, but this year also sees the introduction of a er Confidence system. Here, the player needs to keep a fanbase happy, understanding fan expectations and delivering on them in a way that seems ever more noticeable in the real world.
Football Manager 2023 has also claimed a major win when it comes to branding. The game includes the UEFA competitions of the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League this year, which will no doubt be a boon for those who want a sense of authenticity in the game. It's not exactly game-changing, as Football Manager has done just fine without these licenses, but nonetheless it's good for those that want it.
That's not to say that Football Manager 2023 is perfect. This is of course an extremely niche game, and it's as dry as can be for those who don't appreciate a major statistical analysis of sport. Equally, although Football Manager 2023 does have some new animations the more intensive graphical elements still feels very stilted - it's certainly more immersive when diving into spreadsheets rather than looking at the action of a match.
Overall, Football Manager 2023 is another strong entry in the series. It's unlikely to convert anyone who isn't already ionate about what it has to offer, but it is brilliant for those who do. Would-be managers take note.
Football Manager 2023 releases 8 November 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile devices. Screen Rant was provided with a PC code for the purposes of this review.
Football Manager 2023 Touch
- Released
- November 7, 2022
