Football Manager 2007 (360) review

[garyfitz]

I was rather unsure about getting FM on a console, because without the keyboard and mouse I really didnt know how fun it would be. But to my surprise, the 360 version is just as good as it's PC counterpart this year.

Design
The layout and design of the menus is nearly exact to the PC version. The interface is a very clean with the greenish theme, although the text is very small and can be hard to read. If you sit further than 5 f eet away from the telly you'll really have to strain your eyes to read it. And I've got a 32" 720p btw. The controls are extremely hard to get the hang of, and it will take a few hours of getting used to. Different buttons will do totally different functions on different pages, and it is hard to keep track. I'm still mixing up buttons after playing for well over 5 hours now. PC and keyboard support next year please SI. As for the Achievements, well there's 50 of them, but the worthwhile ones will take you a fair bit of playing to get to them.

7/10

Graphics
Well, the 2d engine isnt exactly gonna put the 360 to the limits but as I said, the entire interface is very cleanly done. For what the game is, graphics are not an important factor, but what graphics there are work very nicely.

8/10

Sound
You'll only hear sound in matches with the crowd noise, and when you're flicking through the menus you'll hear a gentle little pitch as you fly through the menus. That's it! The crowd does sound much better though, compared to previous FM games. They're chants and boo's reflect what's going on on the pitch, most of the time anyways. My advice, turn off sound in the Preferences and stick on some music.

6/10

Xbox Live
After a series of attempts in around a 5 hour spell I couldnt find a single Xbox Live game to join. Very disappointing, but not too surprising considering how many people who actually have the 360 version. And it was a weeknight, so you'll probably get more people on during the weekends as the game does require a lot of time to get a good game going. I did create a game just for heck of it, and everything went smoothly enough. So cant complain too much. The game does support 16 players on Live btw.

EDIT: If you're looking for somebody to play with see here to get some gamertags - http://community.sigames.com/eve/for...2/m/5142027022

6/10

Gameplay
This is obviously where the game shines. After your first hour of playing, when you've finally got an idea of how the controls work, and where everything is, you'll begin to enjoy it. While in all truth SI hasnt added many features since Football Manager 2005, they have chucked in a fair new nice features each year. So the game hasnt changed much, which is probably for the best. And the game runs very fast, with match results generating almost instaneously.

I'm only as far as October in my current season (managing Liverpool in the EPL), but I've already experienced those times of ecstasy where you're team makes a dramatic comeback to score a couple of late goals to grab all three points. Which proves that the 360 version does a great job at drawing you in, just as the PC version has for many years.

9/10

Overall
At the back of my mind I thought I would be disappointed with it when I first bought it, but I thought it was worth the risk, as my PC wouldnt of been capable of handling this years PC version very well at all. (Windows 2000 specs ) But I'm really enjoying the game.

If you love football, have played and loved previous FM or CM titles, then give it a shot.

8/10

[Metal Warrior]

What I was wondering is, how well does the 360 handle a huge database? I'm currently playing it on a pc with 2 Gigs RAM, with some 20 playable leagues turned on, and I have to say it still takes a while to progress. FM really shines when you can move from one league to another in the same game, creating your own history as a manager.

[Xaor]

I have to say this has become one of my favourite games on PC;

I don't usually play on my own, basically always online with some people, and its a real treat.

Its realistic, in depth, frustrating, and has its own wonderful realism, and difficulty which is perfectly balanced for me.

[garyfitz]

What I was wondering is, how well does the 360 handle a huge database? I'm currently playing it on a pc with 2 Gigs RAM, with some 20 playable leagues turned on, and I have to say it still takes a while to progress. FM really shines when you can move from one league to another in the same game, creating your own history as a manager.

In the 360 version you're restricted to picking leagues from 3 nations only, and when you set up a new game you cant select what type of game databse you can use. You're restricted to using a small one. So the database is actually quite small on the 360 surprisingly. You would of though it'd of been bigger considering the specs of the machine. So who knows, maybe SI just got lazy with the 360 version and werent arsed putting in bigger DB's, or maybe the 360 simply hasnt enough RAM to play with more than 3 leagues at a good speed. I'm not entirely sure though.

I have to say this has become one of my favourite games on PC;

I don't usually play on my own, basically always online with some people, and its a real treat.

Its realistic, in depth, frustrating, and has its own wonderful realism, and difficulty which is perfectly balanced for me.

I'm yet to get a game going on the 360 online, but how does it work for PC? Can you join a game in progress at any time, or do you have to be in the game at its starting point?

I'm hoping to get a game going on Saturday if I can find a game.

[Xaor]

In the 360 version you're restricted to picking leagues from 3 nations only, and when you set up a new game you cant select what type of game databse you can use. You're restricted to using a small one. So the database is actually quite small on the 360 surprisingly. You would of though it'd of been bigger considering the specs of the machine. So who knows, maybe SI just got lazy with the 360 version and werent arsed putting in bigger DB's, or maybe the 360 simply hasnt enough RAM to play with more than 3 leagues at a good speed. I'm not entirely sure though.


I'm yet to get a game going on the 360 online, but how does it work for PC? Can you join a game in progress at any time, or do you have to be in the game at its starting point?

I'm hoping to get a game going on Saturday if I can find a game.

Online, on the PC its like going back to 1990s online gaming in some ways.

The problem is the obvious fact, which is that you can probably do a season in 4 hours by yourself.... 2 people, and its gonna be 6 hours.. easily.

The way it works is basically, EVERYONE has to have continued to make the game process (Or you can set a countdown type thing), also, the game stops processing more because people get more news.

For the PC, you generally find a clan, for instance I'm in a clan called 'Total Tacticians', and the clan has its clan nights where you play.

The thing is you really do have to play a lot, I probably play 4 hours a night 3 or 4 nights a week, and we usually do a season in 3-4 sessions.

The transfer windows take a HUGE amount of time, both of them almost take a session with the 6 people we have. January is especially bad, because the game slows down for the transfer window to make signings, PLUS! You have all the matches.

Its a long time arrangement, and a big commitment for most people, there are about 10 clans which run a decent amount I'd guess.

It doesn't have any ACTUAL matchmaking on PC, you have to find people on the forums, talk to them through MSN, play through Hamachi (VPN program) usually, or IP.

So its crude, but its GREAT when you get it going.

If only my team was good (Playing VERY badly at the moment with Crystal Palace)

[Karma24]

OFF TOPIC:

But if you guys are into hockey at all try EHM by the same guys very good game.

[corwin]

I have it on a PC, I would love to have it on PS3...

[mtk-1]

I looked at it on the pc, But didn't think it was worth my money.