Football Manager 2024 is a wonderful simulation, something we have come to expect from Sports Interactive after continuously putting out top quality products. Even with some of the early bugs that accompany newly released games, the game represents the best of what is the beautiful game at its highest level. The only downside to this title is the amount of sleep you'll put off when you're trying to just get through the transfer window so you can finalize your squad to meet the demands of the business end of the season.
With UFC not being a yearly release like Madden or NHL, I would expect a little bit more polish by now. Sure there a plethora of modes that I briefly touched upon earlier, but there doesn't seem to be any freshness to the game. Simply put, everything seems a bit…familiar. That might not be a bad thing for those who put in serious hours with UFC 4, but if you're looking for innovation, UFC 5 misses the mark in that regard.
It's almost as if the only noticeable difference between FIFA 23 and EA Sports FC 24 is the actual name change. While everything away from the pitch mostly shines (apart from the aforementioned bugs), the action on the pitch does its best to remind us that EA is not serious about making a football simulation. Instead, EA just wants to monetize their cash cow. If there's one thing we know, it's that EA will patch this game to smithereens, but this year's game is going to have the slider makers working overtime to squeeze something out of EA Sports FC 24.
Only the most loyal PES diehards and those desperately searching for an alternative to FIFA/EA Sports FC are still checking for this game despite whatever download numbers Konami throws out there. I just hope that they don't wait too long and give us something to look forward to when it comes to more expansive modes.
Despite the somewhat inflated price, Tiny Football is a fun, bite-sized football game that doesn't take itself too seriously in its quest to bring back that vintage feeling when pixelated graphics dominated and games were supposed to be about fun. The developers have committed to pushing out updates so don't be surprised to see even more items added. For now, we'll definitely continue to come back to this one and play a few tournaments to see if we can top the digital table.
Another hidden gem from New Star Games, Retro Goal's super affordable price, throwback graphics, and surprisingly deep modes make it a great game for both the soccer enthusiast and kid who wants to get into the sport and/or video games. At its core, the game's simplistic controls lead the way to an addictive obsession that can see you breeze through half a season before you know it. While perhaps not as fun as its cousin, Retro Bowl, there's still a ton of enjoyment to be had with this one.
With a pretty strong community online and daily bonuses, there's enough to keep most coming back, but only if they exercise patience as waiting for certain upgrades/tasks to complete leaves gamers with a lot of dead time that could put some folks off. Even the most sim of sim games, Football Manager, has worked tirelessly over the years to eliminate the amount of dead time with popups and little helpful hints to aid you in your journey. While this game does offer something unique to fans of rugby, it will be hard to envision casuals becoming too invested in this title.
As usual, FIFA 23 was reviewed on default sliders against Legendary AI
The ball is in Konami's court as to what kind of game they want eFootball to evolve into. Will it be a mobile-based game with online play being the driver like it is in its current state, or will they get back to their roots with a more robust experience? Only time will tell.
Small meaningful improvements to nearly every aspect of the game is where you want to be as a gaming company, regardless of the genre, and Sports Interactive delivers with Football Manager 2022.
Even the decision to take a year off was universally applauded, but after two years of development this is the game Konami has released? The next big update is supposed to bring in some new modes and game mechanics, so I wouldn't fault anyone who deletes the game and gives it a go then because, at this point, there's only one direction eFootball 2022 can go, right?
FIFA 22 will no doubt change over the course of the next couple months by way of patches stemming from community feedback, but if you're looking for a solid soccer title to scratch your footy itch then FIFA 22 is your game. There are plenty of modes to enjoy, online is solid as ever, and the gameplay is finally good enough to propose a rewarding challenge thanks in large part to the attacking/defending balance.
Video games are supposed to be about fun, and Super Arcade Football accomplishes exactly that. Whether it's bending the rules in a custom tournament or playing through the story mode, Super Arcade Football is a cool 16-bit throwback with enough there to keep you entertained. With its simple control scheme and challenging AI, it's a game that's easy to pick up yet hard to master. Five years in the works, it's clear that there's a market for indie footy titles and not just FIFA or eFootball.
When it's all said and done, World Soccer Strikers '91 is a fun game, but like a lot of indie soccer titles, lacks sufficient depth and long-term value to warrant a purchase for any serious soccer fans. Even at its cheap price ($6), there isn't enough here to keep you coming back once you win a tournament or league. While I appreciate the approach and attempt to create a footy game with true freedom, there are just too many other indie soccer games that offer deeper gameplay with just as much fun.
The developers over at Unfinished Pixel did a tremendous job with both Super Sports Soccer and Super Sports Blast this past year, even patching the game to feature improved AI. While we often get caught up in the intricacies within FIFA and PES, it's good every now and then to just have some fun. I had a smile on my face the entire time I played this game, and unlike a lot of indie sports games, this one will be staying on my PS5 for quite some time.
Simulation games aren't for everyone. Neither are cycling games. What happens when you combine both of those into one game? You get a game that's meant for a niche audience, so if that's your cup of tea then PCM 2021 is the game for you - even despite the reported negligible yearly differences. If you're looking to get into cycling by trying PCM 2021, you're probably going to be a bit overwhelmed. Don't worry though, there are plenty of guides floating around, as well as tutorials on YouTube to help bridge the learning gap. PCM is moderately priced at $39.99, and with PC mods as well as continued support from Cyanide Studios (a patch has already been released), the true fans should be able to keep this game alive. If you're breaking into cycling, it's probably worth it to wait and catch this one when it goes on sale.
The developers over at Unfinished Pixel did a tremendous job in June bringing us a fast and fun footy game. Bringing back the volleyball and tennis games and offering them in a bundle is even more of a win. While we often get caught up in the intricacies within FIFA and Madden, it's good every now and then to just have some fun. I had a smile on my face the entire time I played this game. That alone is worth $20 bucks.
Now, let me get back to my save!
It's not a system seller, but if you're lucky enough to snag some new hardware and you're even just a casual soccer fan, it's worth checking out (especially because you can find the current-gen version for a cheap price and then just get a "free" upgrade to next gen).
A divided community (offline vs. FUT) and those competing priorities leave the future of FIFA in doubt. Will FIFA make strides in the future towards being a simulation or will it be a flashy card game? We might never know, but the FIFA 21 I'm playing today is simply not good enough.