| FA Manager 2001 So here we have another sports installment from EA coming at the same time as FA Premier League Stars 2001 which to be honest was a poor update. This time though you�ll be managing rather than playing. When you first look at the game you�ll realise that the stats are pretty much bang up to date with all the English league players in there along with many foreigners, the database is pretty huge. A good part of the game is the fact that you chose the team you want to manage. Your performance will be evaluated depending on the team status, for example with most Premiership teams you will normally be expected to reach a European place otherwise you�ll be out of a job. All the expected features are there including the options to look through your squad, change tactics and check through the transfer market. On the other hand you can set ticket prices, improve your stadium and choose sponsorship, to be fair though we�ve seen it all before. The controls are very basic and simple to use, similar to those found in LMA Manager and it all looks quite realistic and well set out. You choose to view your matches in 3 ways: 1) Watch the match in an FA Premier League Stars style 3D environment, 2) Use the small pitch representation with text-based commentary 3) Simply view the full-time result. Neither of these options will impress much, EA should have used the FIFA 2000 environment to view the match because it is simply too jerky and not detailed enough. A strange part of the game is the fact that certain players are very badly underrated or overrated losing realism in the game. What is also disappointing is that when you give the players instructions for the match they rarely seem to carry them out, it�s as though you have little control over the game. Another negative point to make is that for some unknown reason the players form rating will often drop dramatically despite them not even playing in the team, this can therefore cause a decrease in value. Ultimately there is little to get excited about in FA Manager 2001, there are certainly much better management games around.Wolfie |
 |