cool game

A must play.

Like many have said, FM 26 makes you realise how great this game is. Just wanted this, with a few more interactivity options in press conferences and player interactions, and the new game engine. Instead we got whatever FM 26 is.

Hate to say it as someone who’s been playing since CM93, but this is easily the worst FM/CM release I’ve played. It feels like they stripped out the depth and data for a more “streamlined” experience, but in doing so, ripped out the soul of the game.

Yeah, it’s got bugs, hell every launch does, but this goes deeper. The interface is clunky, constantly sending you in and out of menus just to find basic info. Even simple stuff like checking a sub’s stats mid‑match is a pain. There’s way less data overall, and what’s there is harder to access. It feels built for console players but sold to PC fans, and console fans feel its made for PC players, like it doesn’t know what it wants to be.

The “instant result” button says it all to me, a quick way to skip actually playing the game. Press conferences are the same bs questions and answers as before, regen faces look bad, and the UI feels weirdly laggy even on high-end systems. The whole thing just feels soulless and half‑baked.

They’ve spent two years on this new engine, and sure, the graphics are slightly better, but the trade‑off isn’t worth it. The immersion’s gone, and the addictiveness that made these games special is completely missing.

I really tried to like it, but it’s dull, awkward, and feels like it was made by a team that’s never played their own series. If you’re curious, try it for an hour, but honestly.. refund it and stick with FM24. Way better game, way more heart. This one’s a total miss.

Verdict: 2/10 - A lifeless mess that forgets why people fell in love with Football Manager in the first place.