Football Manager 2020

 PC
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 137 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 137
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 137
  3. Negative: 42 out of 137

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  1. Ada5
    Sep 9, 2020
    9
    An excellent entry in a beloved franchise. Flaws in the gameplay department can be excused for the general low specs necessary to run the game, although the option for better graphics would be a welcome addition. The sheer amount of content is incredible, and Combined with the user base's custom databases gives an up to date experience. The issues with licensing can easily be fixed withAn excellent entry in a beloved franchise. Flaws in the gameplay department can be excused for the general low specs necessary to run the game, although the option for better graphics would be a welcome addition. The sheer amount of content is incredible, and Combined with the user base's custom databases gives an up to date experience. The issues with licensing can easily be fixed with some megapacks, and overall a solid addition to sink hundreds of hours into.… Expand
  2. heoiii
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    I have played Football manager since 2007. In my opinion, this game is the best verson of all FM games.
  3. stherkelsen
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    I played a lot of FM2013 and FM2015 (over 800 hours each), and then set the genre aside for a few years. I just picked up FM2020 yesterday and it hasn't disappointed. There's still a lot of the features I enjoyed from FM2015, with significant improvements on the match engine (in my opinion) and an enjoyable scouting and signing experience.

    Still brand new for me, but nothing I don't    I played a lot of FM2013 and FM2015 (over 800 hours each), and then set the genre aside for a few years. I just picked up FM2020 yesterday and it hasn't disappointed. There's still a lot of the features I enjoyed from FM2015, with significant improvements on the match engine (in my opinion) and an enjoyable scouting and signing experience.

    Still brand new for me, but nothing I don't like so far. I'd suggest you more or less know what you're getting into here, and if you like managing sims and soccer, you'll like this.    … Expand
  4. DeusII
    Nov 22, 2019
    9
    Currently the best manager!
    More than enough to get it! You will not be disappointed.
  5. HugeyBear
    Dec 3, 2019
    9
    I hadn’t played the series since FM16. I have played these titles before religiously but had a break. My laptop is 6 years old and graphically the match engine looks a little ropey. I have 1 star. The processing is quick though and I can run all top leagues and large DB.

    I am really impressed with some of the changes. The tactics system seems much better than the slider days. Playing as    I hadn’t played the series since FM16. I have played these titles before religiously but had a break. My laptop is 6 years old and graphically the match engine looks a little ropey. I have 1 star. The processing is quick though and I can run all top leagues and large DB.

    I am really impressed with some of the changes. The tactics system seems much better than the slider days. Playing as Bayer `Leverkusen, I looked at the squad and noticed lots of stamina, work rate in middle and pace on wings. So I went with gegenpress tactics. These are really powerful. I have won 10 from 10 in league and only lost to Real and `Liverpool in Champions `league. It does seem much easier than previous iterations.

    The layout is really good and you can access lots of information easily. It makes the whole game more immersive. In older versions I found myself playing through a season but not really knowing what was going on the world I was managing in. Now that is no longer the case. Everything can be streamlined and you can adjust what you want to see.

    I’m having a blast with it. There is of course some issues though with the match engine. Players won’t square a pass across goal and instead shoot from ridiculous angles. Some of the build up play is pretty ridiculous to watch with the passing decisions payers make. I know when I’m going to concede because it’s when a player foolishly loses the ball. But hey, I’m winning so I’m not to angry     … Expand
  6. RogueV
    Dec 5, 2019
    8
    I love the FM series, but after the huge success that was FM 19, I was skeptical about FM 20's ability to repeat such a feat so quickly. i needn't have worried. Although the changes may not have been as big as the tactics overhaul of FM 19, they are exactly what the game needed to make the game more engaging. Club vision is such a fantastic addition and it really offers value from theI love the FM series, but after the huge success that was FM 19, I was skeptical about FM 20's ability to repeat such a feat so quickly. i needn't have worried. Although the changes may not have been as big as the tactics overhaul of FM 19, they are exactly what the game needed to make the game more engaging. Club vision is such a fantastic addition and it really offers value from the first hours to 250+ hours into the game. FM 19 feels so incomplete now that I have experienced club vision, and I applaud SI for the innovation. The match engine improvements are also very welcome just making the game a more satisfying experience.

    I will say though, I don't think I will be satisfied if they just roll out one change a year like this, no matter how big the change. The tactics overhaul was enough to justify a new game in FM 19, but saying club vision is worthy of a new full price game is fair, but borderline. I'm waiting with bated breath for the year when SI drop the marginal changes and really push the button with a good overhaul. The best way to do this is turning team talks into an in-depth experience. Right now you just pick from one of a few one-sentence options in team talks, which are mildly dynamic, but repeat themselves over and over and over through the hundreds of matches until they feel like the most tedious chore.

    Team talks are not only so tedious, they are unfortunately one of the major ways a manager can have a match-day impact. This is what makes it horrible they have 0 depth. Just imagine a totally reworked team talk that is fused with the (currently underwhelming) tactical briefing mechanic. Imagine a team talk where you really walk your team through where they fell short in the last game, first half, or the whole game. Where you can point at individual statistics, identify them as problem areas and things to focus on, or identify as what was impressive and make a source of praise.

    There is so much potential here. Unfortunately, it would be a very big change, and from what I have seen of SI, they are just not up to making a big change like this. They seem so complacent because in my opinion they are over-satisfied with their base product. I believe this to be the reason why every change we have seen in FM is so marginal and more-of-the-same. That said, I can't give this game a negative review, it is amazing, the best in the category of business/management. FM is made by people who truly understand the football industry as well as their own playerbase and over a decade of experience has gone into shaping this product into a rewarding, complete experience.    … Expand
  7. socialist6
    Apr 21, 2020
    9
    I noted the pretty critical critique from the gamers before starting to play again, have not played since 2013/2014 (the 3d engine did not work that well, and i was generally not very impressed).
    However since it was free to play for a couple of weeks, i wanted to check it out, and i must say i like the game.
    The 3D looks nice, still a few issues with the movement/physics and the amount    I noted the pretty critical critique from the gamers before starting to play again, have not played since 2013/2014 (the 3d engine did not work that well, and i was generally not very impressed).
    However since it was free to play for a couple of weeks, i wanted to check it out, and i must say i like the game.
    The 3D looks nice, still a few issues with the movement/physics and the amount of shots/conversion ... but overall there is a huge range in options for both players movement, ball physics and general action on the pitch!
    Massive amount of options off the pitch, projections, dynamics, engaging with players, transfer options, stats, club vision etc.
    I am impressed, and this game is back in my top 3 of all time best games i have played!

    I even bought it after the period expired :D!    … Expand
  8. Crypt
    Jul 15, 2020
    8
    It's a great game. Fun, immersive and with a huge database. Some minor bugs and lack of innovation still persist. It's really worth it.
  9. Mister_Jey
    Jan 12, 2021
    10
    → Le retour du roi, vive le roi !
    FM est de retour en copie quasi complète du précédent opus. Pourquoi faudrait-il changer une formule qui fonctionne me direz-vous ? Il reste actuellement le King des jeux de gestion dans le domaine du sport.

    Sortie en novembre 2019 / Développé par Sports Interactive.
  10. wendez
    Jan 19, 2020
    8
    O jogo é muito bom como todos os outros anos, mas o 3D do jogo é muito fraco para 2020 na minha opinião precisa de muito ajuste em jogabilidade mais realista na vista 3D do jogo, também em gráficos muito atrasados parecem de décadas atrás, relvado, estádio, e publico nas bancadas parecem de qualidade baixa mesmo em alta qualidade gráfica possível no jogo. Também novas animações e mudançasO jogo é muito bom como todos os outros anos, mas o 3D do jogo é muito fraco para 2020 na minha opinião precisa de muito ajuste em jogabilidade mais realista na vista 3D do jogo, também em gráficos muito atrasados parecem de décadas atrás, relvado, estádio, e publico nas bancadas parecem de qualidade baixa mesmo em alta qualidade gráfica possível no jogo. Também novas animações e mudanças nos menus que ficam mais repetitivas ao longo dos anos… Expand
  11. Eirikr39
    Feb 19, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game, i spent all day playing haha

    Already in 2026 with Partizan, after working in Narva Trans, Rijeka, Shamrock Rovers and Puskas Akademia    … Expand
  12. Baltifru
    Dec 5, 2020
    8
    Football Manager means hours of passion, and hours of rage.

    Despite the sobriety of the game appearance (no sound outside matches, tons of tables/drawings to manipulate), I am always surprised how realistic the game engine feels. In the sense that, as manager, you have a lot of control over your team (recruitment, training, tactics, communication) but little control at the same time.    Football Manager means hours of passion, and hours of rage.

    Despite the sobriety of the game appearance (no sound outside matches, tons of tables/drawings to manipulate), I am always surprised how realistic the game engine feels. In the sense that, as manager, you have a lot of control over your team (recruitment, training, tactics, communication) but little control at the same time. Indeed, in football, the players' performance on the field are a big part of the final result. Which means that whatever you do, you will sometimes lose. You will also occasionally win matches you are not supposed to win. What is usually called, as a cliché, "the magic of football".
    I've tried to reverse engineer the game engine a few times but couldn't reach any meaningful conclusion, other than: well done Sports Interactive. And although some defeats can be quite infuriating, there is some kind of addiction that grows, which always pulls you back in the game. All these possibilites of transfers, tactical changes, the perspective to win a cup... Any argument is a pretext to keep going.

    Although I've loved (and hated) the game, there is still one aspect that needs a lot of improvement: the communication with the press, the team and the higher hierarchy. Communicating sums up to choosing, in a set of predefined sentences, the one that corresponds the most to what you would say. And this is a big problem, since in modern football, developping a good relationship with players is key. Yet here, it comes down to saying when you are or aren't happy with them, and whether you want them to be mentors, to retire or to leave the club. Of course, videogames are not yet at a stage where verbal, analogic communication is possible with AI, but this aspect is by far too rigid and frustrating, so much that sometimes you will feel powerless in communication situation, although in the role of the manager. The latest example in date is: after a losing "streak" of 2 matches, the happiness of the squad went from dark green (rather positive) to flashy red (catastrophic), and then directly back up to the maximum after one win, earning me the "Superb Dressing Room Atmosphere" achievement.

    For all the rest, needless to say that Football Manager is a must-have for any football fan.    … Expand
  13. Toastboi
    Jul 6, 2020
    8
    This is my first FM game.It can run on basically any PC and it has a lot of depth in it unlike fifa's career mode. It is nice to chose from some many countrys to play in and some many clubs to play as.The graphics aren't the best but they don't need to be good for a game like Football Manager. If you like the strategic side of Football/soccer this game is a must buy.
  14. MikeTepelus
    Mar 14, 2021
    9
    I started the game with the least experience as a past-footballer (Sunday league player), which is also my Real Life professional football playing experience, and obviously I managed to grab a coaching club only after a year or so.

    Luckily, however, the game mechanics allow the players to train themselves at some level and, thus, I could find a Under-21 team to manage, a European    I started the game with the least experience as a past-footballer (Sunday league player), which is also my Real Life professional football playing experience, and obviously I managed to grab a coaching club only after a year or so.

    Luckily, however, the game mechanics allow the players to train themselves at some level and, thus, I could find a Under-21 team to manage, a European national team, which I took through the qualifiers and right to the quarter-finals of a Final Tournament.

    The video and performance requirements are higher than its predecessor (2019) and even its successor (2021).
    That's why the game looked blurry sometimes on my decent graphic card but the good thing to Sega and FM it's that they managed to reduce the detail and graphical requirement for the next installment, FM21, which I play now and also is the reason I quit playing FM20.

    The realism of the game still has high standards.    … Expand
  15. Roomforgaming
    Nov 1, 2020
    10
    im addicted so warning its one of the best game ever but you will break up with your wife or girlfriend but in terms of game 10/10
  16. tensioly
    Jun 6, 2023
    9
    Football Manager se va mejorando cada año. Es un juego muy completo pero no es para todos los públicos, por lo menos yo creo que va dirigido especialmente a la gente que le gusta la gestión de un club de fútbol. Los gráficos de los partidos ya se han quedado bastante anticuados, pero en cuanto al resto de aspectos que ofrece este juego es tremendamente completo, especializado y realista.Football Manager se va mejorando cada año. Es un juego muy completo pero no es para todos los públicos, por lo menos yo creo que va dirigido especialmente a la gente que le gusta la gestión de un club de fútbol. Los gráficos de los partidos ya se han quedado bastante anticuados, pero en cuanto al resto de aspectos que ofrece este juego es tremendamente completo, especializado y realista. Muy buen juego. 8,7/10
    (09/2019)    … Expand
  17. Kopro209
    Dec 23, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Juegazo muy realista. Como maximo una de las unicos problemas que tengo pueden ser que tarde en cargar y el gameplay que se ve un poco lageado, pero por lo demas el mejor juego manager que he probado… Expand
  18. Kuzya_Zeleniy
    Jun 29, 2022
    8
    Very good football simulator and very realistic.
    The game has a very good game intelligence, I had a lot of moments when it involved transfers (Lukaku-Chelsea, Holland-Manchester City) and the winners of the Champions League (Bayern 19/20).
    But I recommend buying an additional editor to make the game more interesting. And as a football fan, this is one of the best games for me in this    Very good football simulator and very realistic.
    The game has a very good game intelligence, I had a lot of moments when it involved transfers (Lukaku-Chelsea, Holland-Manchester City) and the winners of the Champions League (Bayern 19/20).
    But I recommend buying an additional editor to make the game more interesting.
    And as a football fan, this is one of the best games for me in this sport.
    By the way, I was lucky enough to pick up the game for free from Epic Games :D    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Best PC Game of 2019
79
#79 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Cubed3
    Apr 10, 2020
    90
    Football Manager is still the ultimate football simulation series, and this latest addition makes enough positive changes to keep the gameplay fresh, and improve on some of the minor frustrations of previous entries. With a better UI, enhanced match engine, and some high-quality decisions around player motivations, it is easier than ever to get sucked into hundreds of hours of addictive gameplay. Football Manager 2020 is the perfect game for spending long days in quarantine, as the time will fly by.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2020
    75
    The 2020 edition is as engrossing as always... but also as irritating as never before – in part because of the quite appalling match engine. [01/2020, p.46]
  3. Gaming Nexus
    Jan 7, 2020
    88
    It won't convert a casual fan of the sport into a rabid follower of the series, but it is one that will take anyone who wanted to live the fantasy of managing a football club and give them every opportunity to find their heart's content.
    Read full review
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