14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that fans of the football management genre will soon have a huge catalog of games to choose from, since new titles for different platforms have started to be announced, along with the classics. The latest company to promise us some fun with a football (soccer) game is Xing Interactive, which is working on the development of European Football Manager, a PC exclusive.
Unlike what you might be expecting, though, this game is a so-called "casual football management simulation" that comes with no licensed team or player names and some really outdated visuals. So get ready to meet some teams like Valenthic, Reel Madrit or FC Barcalene, just like what we used to receive from game developers eons ago. However, these two things, combined with the fact that the game uses a name that already exists (Sega's Football Manager franchise, probably the best of its kind) don't necessarily mean that the game will be horrible - there's just a big chance for that to happen.
"Xing Interactive tap into an entirely new target demographic here but there is no doubt that this game will be well received. A no frills, low threshold approach will appeal to an even wider audience as hardcore offerings although the dedicated gamer will of course enjoy playing with real teams, real players and an avalanche of statistics and options. Ours is just good wholesome fun with a hint of depth added like an in-game player and team editor, the option to create your own leagues and tournaments and the ability to score goals yourself instead of being sidelined all the time," Xing Interactive's MD Dede Wiliam said.
Honestly, we would've preferred to hear that we'll get lots of tactical options and players will follow our indications, that we'll have to work hard to find the best training schedule for the team and negotiate for ages with Manchustar for Cretiano Runeldo (or whatever his name will be in the game). But, on the other hand, some casual, SWOS-like fun might do no harm, as long as it is well done. And we'll get to know if it is pretty soon - in October, when the game will be released.