Championship Football Manager 2008

Championship Manager 2008

One of the big features in last year's Championship Manager was the inclusion of the Pro Zone match review system, which allowed you to break down the various aspects of your team's performance post-game to try and identify good and bad features. The problem with Pro Zone last time around was that it was a bit like being given a child's plastic windmill and being asked to create a wind farm, as the in-game tools around system were not up to its level, making it very difficult to harness its potentially huge power. It's good to see, therefore, that the developers appear to have recognised this teething trouble and have now built in a Pro Zone analysis feature. This uses the Pro Zone to give you an expert breakdown of the main points of note that occurred during a match and, whilst the game's limitations mean that the system will never be as influential as it is in the real world, the inclusion of the analysis section now makes it extremely useful.

One part of the pitch in which Championship Manager continues to lag behind its main competitor, however, is the news and media arena. Despite an overhaul of these features for the new edition, which includes a nice preview sheet before each match, there still aren't enough news items and you don't have the same direct ability as with Football Manager to interact with the press, players and managers of other sides or your own fans - all of which is a large and enjoyable part of the modern game.

The job of any football management simulator is to try and envelop you in a realistic footballing world. The job of any game is to make itself easy to get into but hard to master. Whilst it may not quite have the depth or the increased difficulty level of Football Manager, with the possibility for up to four people to play at the same time, the option to manage international teams from the start and the ability for less experienced players to make things slightly easier for themselves by giving their club a rich benefactor, Championship Manager 2008 is a success on both counts. Whilst the problems mean that the developers might not have quite managed to build a wonderwall, this is definitely a game you shouldn't let slide away. Download Here