Football Manager 2011 (PC & Mac)

The game is better than last year's, but only just better.
It doesn't feel different, apart from small things like the inbox is different, or the new way to buy players(which I'm not a fan of).

The one big thing which makes it feel like a new game is the improved in game graphics, which have come a long way since they were first introduced in 2009.
However I can't understand what a full year was spent on, the skill levels of players are the same as 2-3 years ago, for example, Rooney still has 14 finishing, which was I believe the same as in 09, yet last season he scored over 30 goals. Lampard somehow only has 10 Corners, it just seems like no real effort has gone in, because in the bigger teams every season there should be new ratings for people.
It's equally frustrating that you have people with amazing skills i.e. Ronaldinho, has 18-20 in many different skills, yet he performs as well as someone with skill levels like 10-12.
This seems like a small issue, but you spend all your transfer budget one someone with great skills and get nothing from them.

Anyway, there are things which could make this review 5000 words long, the point i'm making is, this game isn't bad, but I hope it's this average because they are working on something much bigger and better for next year.

I literally could not wait for the arrival of the new installment of FM. I'd previously played the previous installments of the game to death, especially 08 and 10. I was expecting great things from this game, but have to say I'm disappointed with the result.

As somebody on here mentioned, the attention to detail seems to have slipped this year and something seems chronically wrong with this years FM.

Example:

Man City spend millions upon millions in real life, yet stars such as Balotelli and Kolorov and available on a FREE 6 months into the game. Whilst City are obviously splashing the cash, trying to offload them for free 6 months down the line is ridiculous

Alongside this, there is an issue with contracts. Teams seem unwilling to offer new contracts to their stars and at the end of the season searching under 'Unattached' leaves you looking at a wealth of talent, who in turn seem happy to sign for anybody. Proving unrealistic. Yes Sol Campbell went to Notts County in real life and Craig Bellamy went on loan to Cardiff, but is Pato going to Sporting Gijon for free in November having had no interest in him for 5 months since his contract expired. Very strange.

Hopefully they'll be a patch to solve these problems because it seems a sloppy effort from the guys this year.

I'm one the series' biggest fans, but this year I am very disappointed.

Save your cash and wait for next years version, if not, just grab a copy of FM10 and try to ignore it being a year out of date.

every year i buy this game, every year they add more and more were now its at the point where its not fun. its also getting to the point where its unrealistic, your team can never be too good coz when it is you loose. it seems now that since iv got all the best players on the game officially, i struggle to win. even tho all of the stats disagree, every game i play i seem to get 70% of possession and have at least 20 shots on target but yet i still carnt score anymore, and yet they have one shot and...well goal everytime. if this happend once or twice fair enough, but its getting to the point where its quite pathetic as it now happens every game even tho i hammer the opponant. i use to like this game but now my views are slowly changing.

Not much of a difference apart from interface, negotiations and graphics.

The game takes much quicker to load.

Its a great buy!

Best one yet i'd say, takes abit of getting used to with the changes in transfers and player individual chats but extremely addictive, can't stop playing it since it arrived!
Only thing I would say is a downside, transfers are a little harder due to agents fees having to be involved too!