A lot of us have the wannabe-manager keeda in us. We all like the sense of absolute power, where men will run errands at a mere sound of our voice. Most of us are MBA aspirants. The rest are just into managerial games.

Talk of managerial games and the big players are SEGA’s football manager and FIFA Manager. Fifa Manager 12 (FM12) is the latest addition to the series that has had a revival of sorts in the latter part of the last decade. FM12 sees a few welcome changes and a few unneeded complications introduced. EA says that this version is built on the basis of gamer feedbacks over the last 2 years. The improvement is evident.

Things which have remained the same are the way you have to handle your players, finances and staff. Building the stadium can now be an even more detailed activity withyour participation. The number of buildings is more now, each of them coming with a heavy construction and maintenance cost. The financial management also has become more difficult. Sponsors now need your personal handling. All this may feel like an added burden.

The biggest change has to be the transfer market activity. It is much more dynamic and exciting now with a special feature for the last day of the transfer window when the transfer activity goes really wild. Users can now make speeches. You can make a speech to make or break a transfer deal. A pre-match speech can impact your players’ performance on the field. Although this feature brings in more realism, it’s proper usage is a little difficult to figure out.

The 3D engine of the game is a nice addition but leaves a lot to be desired. It is very basic in nature. But then again, this game was always about the stats and tables more than the graphics. 

All in all, FM12 i a game meant for the experienced FM players. The detailed menus, options and stats can be a little confusing or overwhelming for a rookie. One thing is certain though, once you get the hang of this thing it is as addictive as most of the EA games.

Presentation : 8
Graphics : 4
Gameplay : 6
Lasting Appeal : 8

Overall Rating : 7