Managing finances, scouting, and press conferences are all present, but they are hollow shells. Press conferences consist of the same three questions repeated ad nauseam. Scouting reports are generic and often inaccurate. The transfer market is bizarre—AI clubs will lowball you with insulting offers for your star player, then reject a reasonable counter-offer for a reserve they have listed for loan.
There is a distinct lack of immersion. The game does not celebrate your club’s history. Rivalry matches feel no different than a friendly. Young players develop according to a hidden, rigid algorithm rather than based on playing time or coaching. After a few seasons, the AI squad-building falls apart, with Real Madrid buying six left-backs and no goalkeeper.
Platform: PC Developer: Bang Bang Games Publisher: Square Enix Collective Release Date: October 31, 2018 Score: 4/10 championship manager 19
The problem becomes apparent an hour into your first save. The tactical system is staggeringly simplistic. You choose from a handful of pre-set mentalities (Attacking, Defensive, Standard) and a few formation templates. There are no player instructions, no tactical periodization, and no option to ask a full-back to invert or a winger to sit narrow. You set a mentality, a tempo, and hope for the best.
The licensing is decent. You get real club names, real kits (mostly), and real player names for the big leagues. That’s more than Football Manager can offer without fan patches. Managing finances, scouting, and press conferences are all
At first glance, CM 19 looks the part. The interface is clean, dominated by dark greys and neon blues. It’s functional, if uninspired. You can pick from a respectable number of leagues across Europe, South America, and Asia, and the player database—while small compared to its rival—is surprisingly accurate for top-tier clubs.
To make matters worse, you cannot influence a match in real-time. You make a substitution or tactical change, and the game instantly simulates the next chunk of play. There’s no “touchline shouts,” no ability to see your tweak take effect immediately. It feels like you’re sending commands into a black box. The transfer market is bizarre—AI clubs will lowball
Hardcore tacticians will be bored within two hours. Casual fans looking for an easy entry point will be frustrated by the illogical match engine. The only people who might enjoy CM 19 are those who want a spreadsheet with a football skin—and even then, a free spreadsheet would offer more control.