Football Manager 2024

This is something of a gap year for the Football Manager series, as the developers have already announced major changes for next year. The biggest is probably that the series will get Unity as a graphics engine, which will give a whole new dimension to the look that is getting pretty tired now. The 3D engine was introduced 15 years ago, so it's really time for something new, but we're not quite there yet because first comes Football Manager 2024, the final game in this era of the series.

Which makes this a strange game to review. All the hype is on next year, the developers are excited about next year, and I personally am very curious about what next year will be like. But yet here we are, with a game that feels like an afterthought. There are some very good additions, but basically it's the same Football Manager we've come to know over the decades. The first new thing you'll discover, as it's right up your alley, is the ability to adjust tactics for set pieces. Instructions that can be given include whether corners should be taken towards the first post, into the centre, or towards the far post, or how many players should be forward for corners or free kicks. Not only that, you can now choose which player should be in which position for set pieces. Prefer to have your strongest, tallest player in front of the goalkeeper? Now you can. With this also comes a new role to fill, that of a set piece coach. An excellent addition that gives further depth to all sorts of tactical tinkering.

The second thing that you will probably also quickly notice is about selling players. New possibilities to use an intermediary have been added. If a player is particularly hard to get rid of, like an FM version of Harry Maguire, you can use a broker to find bids for you. This has both advantages and disadvantages as on the one hand it gives you the extra bids you are looking for, but on the other hand it will cost you a small portion of the transfer fee. "Offer to clubs" has also been replaced by something called TransferRoom. This is a real company, but in the game it's mostly a name change with the same features.

Next year, as I said, there will be a really big change when it comes to everything in terms of appearance and I expect that this will also apply to the game on the pitch. This year, the look is exactly what we have become accustomed to in recent years, but with improved player movement, ball physics, and lighting. Yes, that description was taken directly from their website, but it's actually something that you can also notice if you choose to examine it more closely. Animations and the likes are not something that most people who play Football Manager care about and no one expects FIFA/EA Sports FC-like graphics, but it's nice if it looks somewhat real. And while the animations look slightly better than last year, there are still little problems that always seem to plague the series. The most memorable moment I have from my time with the review copy was a long ball from one half of the pitch where the goalkeeper just ran straight past the ball, gave up and allowed a striker to run from the centre line, take the ball at the penalty spot and roll it into the wide open goal. It's little things like these that make me really look forward to the new graphics engine.

Something else I also hope they change is press conferences and player talk. The former still feels completely meaningless and the questions are repeated too often. The player talk is a good idea, but it is so strangely organised. Players get angry at the slightest thing and it doesn't even have to be criticism. My 18-year-old reserve goalkeeper was given a chance in the cup, kept a clean sheet and saved a penalty. After the game, I had a one-on-one chat with him and I clicked on the "Congratulations on the saved penalty" conversation option, which was supposed to be great encouragement for the junior, but he took offence and was then angry for several months, which meant I couldn't extend the contract for a long time. I don't understand these conversations or the logic behind them. Players can get so angry because you praise him for his performance in training that he wants to leave the club immediately. I understand it if the coach is unnecessarily mean, but not for positive feedback.

Do you need to buy Football Manager 2024 if you already play last year's version? Nah, not at full price. There's not enough new content. Instead, hold on to your money until next year when the game that the developers themselves call the next chapter is released. However, if you already have Game Pass, this is definitely a game you should download when it arrives on Monday, especially as there is now an option to continue on the same save file you used in Football Manager 2023.