Football Manager 2017

 PC
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Nov 4, 2016
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 134 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 134
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 134
  3. Negative: 49 out of 134

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  1. Tubey
    Nov 4, 2016
    4
    It really is about time people started calling out Sega and SI on Football Manager. Once again, we have a game here which is nothing more than an over-elaborate spreadsheet that ignores your instructions.

    What do I mean by that? Well, there's a plethora of options here - you can tweak pretty much everything and anything you want - but none of that really matters when you come to a game    It really is about time people started calling out Sega and SI on Football Manager. Once again, we have a game here which is nothing more than an over-elaborate spreadsheet that ignores your instructions.

    What do I mean by that? Well, there's a plethora of options here - you can tweak pretty much everything and anything you want - but none of that really matters when you come to a game and you see everything you set being ignored by the match engine, as players float around like they're on ice (again) and 'keepers laughably dive over weak shots, strikers sky over the bar from one yard out and so on. I'm not expecting every player to follow instructions every game - I understand you can get beat and need to adjust etc. - but I expect at least a semblance of it playing out on the pitch. Since they changed the engine a few years back, everything you do doesn't seem to matter.

    And it's not just me being bad at the game, or new to it. I've played these titles since CM97/98. I still win in this game, but it isn't a result of my decisions beyond stumbling across one semi-broken 4-2-3-1 tactic and spamming Continue. Why bother with the intricacies if they make no discernible difference in getting a result and, indeed, are more likely to cost me one?

    The graphics engine is improved in terms of animations and fluency, but as noted above everyone just skates around. It's a completely immersion killer - just stick to the 2D engine unless you fancy a laugh at just how bad the action is portrayed in 3D.

    There's been barely any innovation elsewhere. Press conferences are still painfully annoying. Training settings are still convoluted. A few graphs have been added here and there. The one good addition (yet already repetitive) is the social media feed, except even a no-mark club from the lower reaches of Italian football apparently has the same social media profile as Real Madrid, but willing to let that slide.

    My overall impression is a game that is both stale and fundamentally broken. Every year we get a video from Miles going on about how this is the "best year ever", yet the game barely changes, and what changes they do make add yet another pile of crap to sift through when the reality is they should be fixing things and removing what doesn't work to make the game accessible and accurate on the pitch. As it stands, this game is not fun - it's work. It's like a job you pay for and clock into because habit tells you to.

    Yes, blame can be placed on SEGA for forcing the yearly releases, but SI don't escape it - for a good three to four years now, they've went down the FIFA path of releasing what basically amount to patches, and not good ones either. Get a grip and get back to basics.    … Expand
  2. kreeshak
    Dec 11, 2016
    4
    Every criticism you dare make to the game in the official forums, now matter how constructive it is, or a rant ends up locked. SI rarely responds to criticism. What used to be an all around inclusive game, that would attract football fans from all over the world and enhance their passion from the game, ended up in a very exclusive group who denounce change and innovation as if we lived inEvery criticism you dare make to the game in the official forums, now matter how constructive it is, or a rant ends up locked. SI rarely responds to criticism. What used to be an all around inclusive game, that would attract football fans from all over the world and enhance their passion from the game, ended up in a very exclusive group who denounce change and innovation as if we lived in the middle ages. You would think when enthusiastic Joe comes up with a brilliant idea "Director of Football" mode, people would be excited. Yet their arrogant response is, I don't want SI to spend their resources on your thingy, cause those resources will be taken away from "mine".

    And here is the catch. Where do those resources get spent on, cause with FM2017 we were waiting till the very last week for SI to announce what's new, when essentially nothing significant was new.

    The game is fun, but apart for the updated databases, innovation is long gone. All you get every new year is updated databases.

    There is a monopoly in the market of manager games and FM17 fully takes advantage of that. Had a rival company the resources of SI, they could potentially make a game 3 times more fun.

    Eventually I would suggest to either pass on the genre, until SI gets off their high horse and land on earth, or at least wait a few months to buy it on a sale.    … Expand
  3. eklkm
    Nov 11, 2016
    0
    very bad game, do not waste money on this garbage, SI boasts the innovation and improvement but it's all nonsense and playing alone is so repulsive and boring, and after a few games you exit the game and you do not wish to play anymore again because, personally, I was tired that whatever I made in tactics or conversation or trying to do anything it has no effect. SI should give the gamevery bad game, do not waste money on this garbage, SI boasts the innovation and improvement but it's all nonsense and playing alone is so repulsive and boring, and after a few games you exit the game and you do not wish to play anymore again because, personally, I was tired that whatever I made in tactics or conversation or trying to do anything it has no effect. SI should give the game to another dev. because they do not listen to us who buy the game and we present some innovations but SI does not care, instead they put a avatar on the sideline ha ha ha they add social media ha ha ha end similar crap. Tactical, training, transfers/contracts and gameplay in general are stayed in FM 12-13 I've given up on FM, until some competition turn up, and it will not be difficult because you can not make greater crap then this… Expand
  4. thj1188
    Dec 22, 2016
    4
    Is it that time of the year again already? You can basically copy and paste my last two fm reviews in here and have the same result. It's fine the game is finethe only reason to buy 17 is if you have not got 16 or must have the latest version of the game. There is literally nothing added this year and what has been added is either crap or not worth paying full price for again. So if youIs it that time of the year again already? You can basically copy and paste my last two fm reviews in here and have the same result. It's fine the game is finethe only reason to buy 17 is if you have not got 16 or must have the latest version of the game. There is literally nothing added this year and what has been added is either crap or not worth paying full price for again. So if you just want a fm game get a previous version with a custom database.
    Final Verdict 4/10
    Not a bad game but it is now getting to the point where the series is getting lazier than FIFA    … Expand
  5. Ogaburan
    Jan 17, 2017
    0
    Yes a 0.

    No im not Chinese, dont care about Chinese version. (It does look like a bad business decision not to invest in such a huge potential market and give them their bloody Chinese version, but who am i to judge) Been playing the series form the start, hell... as im writing this im looking at my FRAMED Eidos CM99/00 actual CD. Been buying the games and even "working" as a    Yes a 0.

    No im not Chinese, dont care about Chinese version.
    (It does look like a bad business decision not to invest in such a huge potential market and give them their bloody Chinese version, but who am i to judge)

    Been playing the series form the start, hell... as im writing this im looking at my FRAMED Eidos CM99/00 actual CD.

    Been buying the games and even "working" as a scout (they dont pay us, just copies of the games) on several.

    But this year the greed is just too much.

    They took FM16, ignored everything that needed to be fixed and added more of the things no one wanted.
    Fake Twitter? Yey... more bland samy fake media to deal with... its what i always wanted.
    Screw the revision of the lacking training system... you guys get fake twitter!

    Another great new feature is to add your own face in the game, as in have your picture stretched over a 3D avatar (that serves no purpose what so ever, mind you) in the most horrible and unnatural way possible. Im no sex symbol... but even the wife says im not that much "Cathulu-looking" (actual quote).

    Not even gonna touch on the AI, as i know how hard it is to balance things.
    But this year it seems freakishly badly designed.
    Its advertised as "Improved Decision Making" but by the looks of it, most defensive players just got lobotomized.
    Almost reminds me of 2008 with the infamous injury "tweak", that meant you would lose 1-3 players each math until it got fixed in a patch.

    To surmise,
    Its still FM, its playable, its fun. Its what we already got in FM16.
    FM16 is a much better game, because its missing its Fake Twitter and Lobotomy.
    Just keep playing FM16. Your are missing absolutely nothing.    … Expand
  6. Umperio
    Dec 14, 2016
    4
    I've been playing every single FM, so I'm not being a biased moaner.
    Take FM16. Play it for months. Manage to enjoy it, after the usual February patch.
    Then comes November, and with 55 euros you can get FM16 upgraded to the 2016/17 season with a bit of graphical charmes.
    Not worth the money.
  7. JDSCigano666
    Jun 8, 2017
    0
    The only reason I could think a person would buy this game is if they've never actually played an FM title before. If you buy one you've essentially bought them all because it's the SAME game EVERY year. It's like FIFA but even then EA have made a few tweaks in gameplay and introduced varying modes over the years.

    The essence of these management sims is building a team and I'm not sure    The only reason I could think a person would buy this game is if they've never actually played an FM title before. If you buy one you've essentially bought them all because it's the SAME game EVERY year. It's like FIFA but even then EA have made a few tweaks in gameplay and introduced varying modes over the years.

    The essence of these management sims is building a team and I'm not sure why people get so caught up in needing to have up to date squads etc. One in-game window later and squads are going to be out of sync with reality anyway. So really, picking up anything from 2010-2016 for a fraction of the price is more cost effective.

    That and 2017 is a bad FM installment in itself.    … Expand
  8. FranktheTank12
    May 30, 2017
    2
    As someone who has played FM since 01/02 (CM series then) this is one of the most disappointing reviews ive had to write.

    First off as pretty much stated it is nothing more than 2016 with a new skin. There is almost nothing of note in the game other than the standard up to date player stats, transfers etc. Unfortunately the list of bugs in this game is larger than ever. The main    As someone who has played FM since 01/02 (CM series then) this is one of the most disappointing reviews ive had to write.

    First off as pretty much stated it is nothing more than 2016 with a new skin. There is almost nothing of note in the game other than the standard up to date player stats, transfers etc.

    Unfortunately the list of bugs in this game is larger than ever. The main point this year seems to be after a few years it becomes impossible to sign a player, which as a Football Sim you would call a major stumbling block.

    After a few season the transfer system shows how broken it is whereby every player you want to sign will cost you at least 10x there current value. Youth players of 16 and and 17 valued at 50k will only leave for 10-20 million pound transfers unless of course the AI will bid for the player who will sign at a price nearer to the actual value. Also dont be thinking the upside of this will mean you can sell players for a higher price than their value as it is next to impossible to sell any player for more than their value.

    Taking this up on SI dedicated forum will result in nothing more than a group of poster and moderators ganging up and attacking anyone who mentions this, telling everyone they "just need to learn how to player the game". It then becomes obvious this is who SI are now targeting with the game as any idea or suggestion that doesnt fit into this small groups idea of how the game should be is "wrong' "stupid" or "not how your suppost to play the game".

    The game now requires far too much time to play and enjoy and as somebody who has a full time job will often spend a weeks worth of game time going through player happiness, loan offers on every player of your club and if you want to try and sign a player as mentioned above maybe factor in a few more hours of game time before you want to play an in game match.

    And talking about player happiness expect after every bid for a player they will want a new contract and refuse to play if you say no. If managing a big club and have a number of star players who attract offers expect to have to hand them 3/4 contracts a season.

    Again taking this up with the support just leads to responces of "you cant expect the game to work like this if you dont want to give them a new contract each week sell them and learn how to play the game properly".

    The other thing to mention is FM Touch, formally classic but now a standalone game. This would be more along the lines of what I would enjoy playing as I dont have the time to spend 3/4 talking with ficticious footballers, but it still lacks a lot of features to bring it up to a half decent game. One major one is the use of custom Databases from the games editor. Taking a look through SI forum there is a full thread on requests for FM Touch (or classic its being going a few years) and every page is littered with people asking for the custom DB and not one person has recieved a reply. They cant even look at a feedback and request thread and impliment something 90% of people have asked for.

    After numerous years of buying this game year in and year out it looks like 17 is finally the one that stops me buying again.    … Expand
  9. neldot
    Jan 12, 2017
    1
    Basically, they're charging full price, again, for a barely patched version of the last year FM, with an updated database, and an updated number of new bugs.
    Yes there are a pair of new things, but they're only cosmetics, while they didn't touch all the broken things that players have been pointing out for years, such as the inconsistencies of tactics and the always too high number of    Basically, they're charging full price, again, for a barely patched version of the last year FM, with an updated database, and an updated number of new bugs.
    Yes there are a pair of new things, but they're only cosmetics, while they didn't touch all the broken things that players have been pointing out for years, such as the inconsistencies of tactics and the always too high number of injuries...
    Do yourself a favour and buy FM 2016, still a better and cheaper choice.    … Expand
  10. p0p0c4t3p3t3l
    Nov 8, 2016
    1
    Don't buy it. Get FM15 and you have the same game without all the useless 2new" feature.
    Dev is not taking into account what the players want. A horrible cashgrab.
  11. the_count
    Nov 29, 2016
    2
    It's pretty amazing how clear the issues are in this game. The lack of immediate, responsive returns you make to players/tactics. The minimal amount of written reactionary content from NPC's for a game thats been around nearly 20 years. A 3D engine that is surplus to requirements in a strategy game that already had a solid 2D engine, yet has so much time invested in it but has hardlyIt's pretty amazing how clear the issues are in this game. The lack of immediate, responsive returns you make to players/tactics. The minimal amount of written reactionary content from NPC's for a game thats been around nearly 20 years. A 3D engine that is surplus to requirements in a strategy game that already had a solid 2D engine, yet has so much time invested in it but has hardly improved in its physics engine over the last 3 or 4 years.

    And yet, even if forced by publishers to release a new game every year, no fundamental change has been applied to these issues. It's like you can see into the production meetings:

    - It needs to be shinier.
    - We need a new feature (whether its useful or not) to advertise about so it can differentiate from the last year.
    - Make sure to focus efforts on fixing things that specifically make it easier for only a first time user to play.
    - If there's any time left, you can focus on graphs "and stuff".

    The result is a game that focuses near entirely on its aesthetic, and nearly ignores what makes the game interesting and competitive, the football strategy.

    If you appreciate planning out tactics, preparing how to counter your opponent, and appreciate what it feels like to actually interact with the footballing world in terms of players, the press and coaching staff, this game isn't for you. But if you'd really like to try it, play FM2015. When the new UI stops mattering and you can see into the game mechanics that matter, they're the exact same game.    … Expand
  12. knolddasker
    Nov 4, 2016
    3
    Unfortunately the game hasn't evolved much since the fm12-13 edition. Like another user wrote these yearly editions seems like nothing more than a patches. Yes the match engine keeps getting a little better by each year, and yes they added a social media profile, but it is not enough to justify the pricetag.
  13. hamish666
    Nov 5, 2016
    0
    Unfortunatelly first time in my history of playing fm(i started on championship manager 3) i cannot recommend this game. It's only dlc for football manager 2016 worth at most 10£.
    Good:
    1.working on 64 bit (its faster a lot) Bad 1. Lack of useful new features 2. social feed which give nothing into game it is not making any diffrence if we have it or not cause we cant interact with    Unfortunatelly first time in my history of playing fm(i started on championship manager 3) i cannot recommend this game. It's only dlc for football manager 2016 worth at most 10£.
    Good:
    1.working on 64 bit (its faster a lot)

    Bad
    1. Lack of useful new features
    2. social feed which give nothing into game it is not making any diffrence if we have it or not cause we cant interact with it so whats the point of doing it?
    3. lack of private life of manager
    4. lack of possibility to become chairman in create you club. whats the point to create your own club if you cannot be its owner?(back in fifa manager it was really good option)
    5. LESS ADDICTIVE! because its totally re-play from previous game!!
    6. LESS ADDICTIVE!
    7. LESS ADDICTIVE!
    8.LESS ADDICTIVE!
    9.....LESS ADDICTIVE!...
    ive found while playing:
    10. Polish translation is not finished many lines are not translated. Just poor poor job from devs.    … Expand
  14. BLADELING
    Nov 6, 2016
    0
    It's just another little update. This title should be sold at no more than 15€, like a DLC. At full price (55!!) is really a joke.I do not recommend it to anyone who has bought FM in the past three years, because the differences are few.
  15. tstc79tt
    Nov 5, 2016
    0
    Fxxking liar All of SI DEV Team of FM Series

    you dont competitor does not you can deliver **** load of undone product to customer year after year i'm out this time i'm out since fuxxing 2014 promised to fix **** and do not do it properly well old player like me which play since CM and many other will start to dropout you will see very rating for every game you did from fuxxxing    Fxxking liar All of SI DEV Team of FM Series

    you dont competitor does not you can deliver **** load of undone product to customer year after year i'm out
    this time i'm out since fuxxing 2014 promised to fix **** and do not do it properly

    well old player like me which play since CM and many other will start to dropout you will see very rating for every game you did from fuxxxing angry customer from now on    … Expand
  16. apaeth
    Jul 5, 2017
    3
    Lower Leagues seem to be broken. I played as AFC Fylde and couldn't even afford to field a decent squad in year 2 due to wage demands. First year salaries averaged around $550 a week with all contracts expiring after one year. Average backups wanted $800-$1400 per week for new contracts and all of my current roster wanted double their first year salary if they re-signed.

    How are you    Lower Leagues seem to be broken. I played as AFC Fylde and couldn't even afford to field a decent squad in year 2 due to wage demands. First year salaries averaged around $550 a week with all contracts expiring after one year. Average backups wanted $800-$1400 per week for new contracts and all of my current roster wanted double their first year salary if they re-signed.

    How are you supposed to play a game when the board increases wages by 10% but players all want 100% more to play? Also, what no-name conference players without bonuses suddenly demand contract bonuses similar in terms found in the upper leagues? Poorly executed formatting in terms of finances for lower leagues...    … Expand
  17. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    1
    Football manager barely changes anything and republishes their game for full price. Greedy cheap basterds. The game database is great, but if you play for long enough and understand the mechanics the game becomes easy to beat, because it requires little adaption to the opponent and the scouting system is easy to game. There is also always some game breaking problem, such as crossingsFootball manager barely changes anything and republishes their game for full price. Greedy cheap basterds. The game database is great, but if you play for long enough and understand the mechanics the game becomes easy to beat, because it requires little adaption to the opponent and the scouting system is easy to game. There is also always some game breaking problem, such as crossings working insanely well.… Expand
  18. WailingPuma
    Jun 25, 2017
    1
    SI's goal with this year edition is to compete with the previous 2014 for the title of worse FM game ever. And I'm not talking about the fact it's a ctrl+c ctrl+v FM 2016, I'm talking about the same old problems about the match engine completely ignoring your 'tactical instructions'. If I set my team to play deep, pass fast and try a conter attack, I am the one who gets conter attacked! InSI's goal with this year edition is to compete with the previous 2014 for the title of worse FM game ever. And I'm not talking about the fact it's a ctrl+c ctrl+v FM 2016, I'm talking about the same old problems about the match engine completely ignoring your 'tactical instructions'. If I set my team to play deep, pass fast and try a conter attack, I am the one who gets conter attacked! In the same match, the goals my team scores are all slow paced, short passing and working the ball into the box, which I didn't select, or set pieces, while in a match which I go for possession, BOOM, opp are caught on the break! And cmon, believe it or not, 2017's goalkeepers are EVEN WORSE than all the previous fm! I'm serious!… Expand
  19. ViperITB
    Aug 5, 2020
    0
    My favorite game has been destroyed. I had been playing the franchise since 2001, this is the first installment which is as pleasant to play as scratching your back with barbed wire. Enjoyable but painful in the same time. No matter what I do, matches are determined by dice. Lost 5 to 0? No problem. Re-load, try again, you will win 3:0. Funny how pro footballers behave like kids - theyMy favorite game has been destroyed. I had been playing the franchise since 2001, this is the first installment which is as pleasant to play as scratching your back with barbed wire. Enjoyable but painful in the same time. No matter what I do, matches are determined by dice. Lost 5 to 0? No problem. Re-load, try again, you will win 3:0. Funny how pro footballers behave like kids - they lose all will to fight after conceding one goal. Sorry, I go back to previous versions, this one sucks… Expand
  20. mundumugu
    May 26, 2017
    2
    This game is frustratingly difficult! Playing a better team loses to many weaker teams from the bottom of the table or even from the lower leagues! In the middle of the season always comes a great crisis and for several weeks it is impossible to win with anyone! Is this a joke? Motivating players does not work, and tired opponents run around the pitch just as fast as fresh players. I haveThis game is frustratingly difficult! Playing a better team loses to many weaker teams from the bottom of the table or even from the lower leagues! In the middle of the season always comes a great crisis and for several weeks it is impossible to win with anyone! Is this a joke? Motivating players does not work, and tired opponents run around the pitch just as fast as fresh players. I have been playing this series for a long time, but this part is a failure. The game is not playable at all and you can not enjoy it. Without cheating and playing a few times a game, you can not even win a draw. It is a shame that you have to go back to the older parts to be able to comfort some of your team's victories.… Expand
  21. Albertoga
    Aug 2, 2017
    0
    Una broma de mal gusto.

    Pones en tácticas jugar a la posesión y terminas con un 12% de posesión, pones jugar a la contra y terminas con un 60%, todo aleatorio, un desastre de juego. Los menus son complentamente engorrosos, nada está claro, no paran de salirte pop ups de mensajes que nada te importan o no son relevantes. Las ruedas de prensa son siempre lo mismo. Recomendaría    Una broma de mal gusto.

    Pones en tácticas jugar a la posesión y terminas con un 12% de posesión, pones jugar a la contra y terminas con un 60%, todo aleatorio, un desastre de juego.

    Los menus son complentamente engorrosos, nada está claro, no paran de salirte pop ups de mensajes que nada te importan o no son relevantes.

    Las ruedas de prensa son siempre lo mismo.

    Recomendaría antes el modo carrera de FIFA como juego de manager qu esta cosa, una auténtica chapuza de juego, deberían pagarnos por jugar a el.

    No recomiendo para nada la compra de esto, ni aún qué lo veaís por 0,01€.

    Saludos.    … Expand
  22. Green59
    Aug 13, 2017
    1
    Very bad game, they wanted to make a realistic game they did just the opposite, "in the game you need at least a hundred chances to hit a goal while the opponent team stays regularly from one ... every manager is the same
  23. pppaaaooo
    Aug 17, 2017
    1
    My machine is well within the recommended limits, yet FM2017 crashes constantly to a black screen of death. Tried all the recommended fixes, sometimes will work for 20 minutes or so, then crash.

    What little I've been able to play of the game is pretty good, though no spectacular imporvements over the last 5 years of games. But it's ridiculously unstable. Money wasted.
  24. Cakacar011
    Feb 8, 2021
    0
    I have just purchased a used 2017 Football manager and i cant install it because of its duplicate code. Can anyone tell me what could i do to get a new activation code,

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PC Game of 2016
78
#78 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
84
#84 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. Hobby Consolas
    Mar 3, 2017
    86
    Football Manager 2017 is the best soccer manager simulator ever, but its new features are not good enough to forget its predecessor.
    Read full review
  2. GameCritics
    Feb 27, 2017
    90
    Football Manager 2017 is no revolution, but it doesn’t claim to be. The franchise is, instead, built upon careful revisions and tweaks to its successful formula, bringing new feature sets on top of the base game loved by millions. It’s these millions who purchase it every year, and continue to support a developer who continues to push themselves with every release, improving their formula and giving fans the best possible experience — whether managing a world powerhouse or a lower level team just trying to balance the books, the decisions made are never easy, and genuine pressure exists. Football Manager continues to capture the essence of what it is like to truly love, fear, hate and live football, like no other ever has.
    Read full review
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jan 28, 2017
    80
    Football Manager 2017 is an excellent football management experience, with tons of information and an incredible depth in every field of management. The engine is solid, running smoothly, but it needs a complete upgrade in the future.
    Read full review
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