Championship Manager: Season 01-02 (PC CD)

As well as the tightening up of the game engine, which allows the game to run slightly faster, numerous diverting new features have been added. For instance, you can choose not to know lots of information about a player until you've scouted them, you can compare players, the new transfer system has been implemented and heck, you can even issue an ultimatum to the board.

As with most Championship Manager improvements, none of these change the game dramatically, but they do add to the depth and realism that has won the franchise the widespread support it enjoys today. It's still as utterly engrossing as ever, and liable to keep you addicted to your PC for hours at a time. Those who like the football management games devoid of mountains of stats as ever are advised to steer clear.

But for the hundreds of thousands of fans of the series, this is yet another polished, enjoyable new edition of the game, which, after all these years, is still without a quality competitor. Roll on Championship Manager 4. --Simon Brew

What makes the game so good is that their is no end. The challange is in developing tactics, then after a while realising that the oppositon have cracked your tactic and a new masterplan must be devised. So the game continues...tactic change after tactic change. Taking over a small club with no money and having to do a dave basset and wheel and deal in the transfer market to make anything of your team. Taking over a big club and buying zidane. You can do anything with this game. While the basics remain the same (trying to win as many games as possible and do your best at your current club), the constant need to update your tactic, or bring in new players, means that even when you get into 2035 of the game...its still as addictive and as enjoyable as ever.

Few games manage to still be as addictive after you've owned them foir a few months let alone years. Even if there was no seasonal updates, I would still be playing CM3 every chance i get.
I have no friends now...and i havent eaten for a week...but i've got leicester 3rd in the league...and life doesnt get any better.


Another Award Winning Game   September 19, 2001
85 out of 96 found this review helpful

I have just been playing the demo of this game, and I dont think there are enough stars to rate this game. The whole game has been improved, the new transfer system comes into place within the first few months, with full details of what it actually is. There are also new features like comparing 2 players between each other, sending players for surgery on reacurring injuries, sending players on leave (watch out they can go AWOL I found out the hard way), There is more media involvement throughout the game, 26 leagues will be playable and a feature I am positive everyone will use at one point or another is the ability to appeal against bans. If your looking for a chance to take your team from the 3rd divison to champions league glory then this is the game for you. If your looking to see if you have what it takes to manage a premiership club then this game is for you.


Excellent   November 2, 2001
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

This game is supremely addictive. If you've got previous version it may not be worth shelling out for - there are data updates and some good new features, but the proposition remains the same. That said, this is a superb title. A few nights ago I sat down at 11 pm to steer my side through a few matches: I went to bed at 3.30 am, having seen them win the Champions' League! The realism is impressive - players becoming petulant when not selected, your choice stars getting injured at exactly the wrong moment. I bought Roberto Ayala for 19.25m, and he got sent off four times in his first season. Edgar Davids got sent off after six minutes on debut! This is an all too real scenario, and the game throws up many such as these. Very playable, and highly recommended to anyone who hasn't come across CM thus far.


Give Up Daylight When You Buy This Game   March 4, 2003
Pulp Reader (Lincoln)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I'm not joking, this game will take over your life. You lose sleep, forget to eat, struggle to concentrate on anything else but the game.

The worst thing that can happen is that you find that a friend/colleague is similarly addicted, as you then spend your time when not playing; talking about playing.

I started the game innocently enough as the manager of Southampton. I quickly immersed myself in tactics and transfers in a (successful) effort to avoid relegation. I fluked my way to a league cup victory in the same season then found myself in UEFA competition. Before I knew it 6 months had passed and I had grown a complete beard down to my knees (OK I'm lying about the last bit but you get my drift!).

Anyway, the game itself is based solely on strategy. There is no actual physical playing of football by you, you just get to watch the commentary to matches and react accordingly. Sounds boring? Believe me when you manage to hang on to a 1 goal lead after being reduced to 10 men against Man Utd, you do not realise that such elation could be possible.

My main hint for this game is to scout, and scout well. Strategy comes with practice. There is no quick fix to this game, just like real life you can manage to buy the best player there is, but that won't guarantee success.

The secret to this games addictive nature is its simplicity to play, yet complexity to master. It is dangerous to your social skills though so think carefully before buying it.


The only intelligent footy game around   November 2, 2001
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

This is the only footy management game which features an intelligent database, where the game is constantly writing/updating info to the hard disk/updating the environment.

26 leagues running simultaneously/over 100,000 players/scouting features/hidden stats/coach + scout reports/reserve matches/u-21 + international management/complain to fa regarding ref decisions & to postpone a match/Respond to the media regarding ambition, player form rumours etc/new transfer system with much more control over players =loans/trials/part exchanges/sign on fee/bonus/appearance money/compensation/payment conditions/stadium + facilities expansion/Data editor/issue ultimatums to the board regarding many issues and see how they respond.

TACTICS WHICH AFFECT PERFORMANCE, team & individual instruction/with and without ball instructions, this is very detailed/effective.

This is perhaps the most comprehensive feature as lets be honest, all other footie games give u players/stadiums but aren't intelligent enough to make a differnce on the field.

To sum up, no other footy game gives u this much control over players, contracts, media, the fa, chairman, scouts, coaches, fans etc. It has the most intelligent game engine of any footy game, as EVERYONE IN THE GAME HAS FEELINGS AND WILL REACT AS IN REAL LIFE, to current/future actions/events.

Untill other developers realise that u need to be able to affect the environment u live in, console footy games simply let u play matches and expand stadiums, with no real thought to the gaming environment.

Even the version of champ manager released 6 yrs ago, is better than the current crop of other management games.

This is simply class !!
(There is also a messageboard on the net, which features comments on all aspects of the game/improvements etc and hourly feedback from the developers, which offers great after sales services etc)