Football Manager 2022 is a game all about storylines. While there’s no laid-out plot or narrative, the engrossing gameplay and hyper-realism leaves you helpless to fall into a spiral of sheer obsession. With new additions and a formula more refined than ever before, this is the definitive entry in the long-running simulation series. If you’ve taken time away from Football Manager in recent years, or you’re an annual buyer, there’s more than enough here to invest hundreds of hours into.
Of course, Football Manager 2022 is ostensibly very similar to the entries that have released every year since Championship Manager back in 1992. The core gameplay fundamentals remain the same: you take control of any team you like — or even build your own — and lead them to glory. Whether that’s back-to-back Champions League titles or simply survival in a competitive league, it’s in many ways a blank slate. The game can be whatever you want it to be, and that’s the sheer beauty of it.
For years, the Football Manager series has garnered a reputation for simply overtaking the life of players, and this year’s entry is no different. It’s a game as engrossing as ever, with play sessions easily able to far surpass your expectations. We recommend blocking out any important engagements or meetings for the foreseeable future, as you’ll be far too busy on the virtual touchline to take notice.
New additions to the squad
But worry not if you’re a Football Manager 2021 owner — this isn’t a simple copy-paste job. While it may aesthetically look very similar to last year’s entry, there’s plenty new here to warrant the upgrade. Most notable of all is the vast overhauls to statistics. The Football Manager series has always been one to meticulously break down every element of your team’s performance. This year takes it to the next level. At full-time you’ll be able to see team momentum metrics alongside familiar stats like xG and heat maps, giving you an idea of how your team performs in general terms, and how they gel as a collective.
You’re also able to see a range of statistics mid-game, with the performance tablet. It gives you a more detailed insight into your opponent’s setup, with details on each player’s performance and mood, as well as any changes to their formation. On top of that, it’s good to see a more streamlined approach to the matchday user interfact, with your starting eleven appearing at the bottom of the screen, where it’s easier to track individual performances and body language.
That’s on top of more intuitive player values, which will adjust based on current form and market surges. It all goes towards making FM22 as realistic as possible — and with a tweaked Deadline Day that’s designed to mimic the frenzy of the real thing, it certainly works.
Running like a dream
As ever, it’s impressive to see just how well Football Manager 2022 runs on even the most weathered of machines. The most advanced graphical setting, Director, will perform very smoothly on laptops and older PCs, with no noticeable slowdown or lag. However, many will opt for the classic 2D camera that feels like a virtual game of Subbuteo. Of course, that’s as nostalgic and reliable as ever.
However, it should be noted that character models are still pretty choppy. The first thing you’ll do when starting a Football Manager 2022 save is design your avatar. These can look particularly plasticy on less advanced setups. Actual match footage lacks the photo-realism of something like FIFA 22 as well. However, seasoned fans know that Football Manager isn’t here to rival those games. These graphical complaints are something you’ll rarely, if ever, notice. That’s because Football Manager 2022 is about a lot more than 90 minutes on a pitch.
Unrivalled narrative strength
Yes, more than anything, it’s a virtual sandbox for your wildest football fantasies and storylines to come true. The opportunities to craft exciting mini-narratives is limited only by what you’re willing to experiment with. I started with a Crystal Palace save, looking to uncover their missed potential. A tough run of early-season games set up a scenario where wins were desperately needed, and key players weren’t happy. It’s so gripping that you’ll truly struggle to tear yourself away after a tense win or a nerve-racking draw. That’s one element in which Football Manager has excelled for decades. However, it’s never been as fleshed-out and immersive as this year’s entry.
It’s a game that is perfectly accommodating to new managers, too. If you’ve never delved into Football Manager before, then an extensive on-the-job tutorial will bring you up to speed with key gameplay components. The ability to delegate tasks like setting individual training and dealing with the backroom staff to your assistant is also an intuitive way to ease new players into the experience — albeit, not a new one.
Football Manager 2022 Review: The final verdict
All in all, Football Manager 2022 is another sublime sports simulation. It once again proves that you can enjoy football games without directly controlling the players. Its new additions add to an experience already brimming with depth, and the refinement of the gameplay style means that you’ll struggle not to lose yourself within Sports Interactive’s digital training ground. Its proficiency on even the oldest of hardware means there’s really no excuse not to dive in. This is Football Manager at its best, the virtual equivalent of a top-corner goal.
Football Manager 2022 reviewed on PC. Code provided by publisher.
