The worst review in history?

http://darkzero.co.uk/game-news/ign-removes-210-football-manager-review-and-apologises/

This made me really chuckle, the guy who did it is obviously a complete idiot.

The funniest part is when he compares it to Fifa and Pro-Evo and slags off the graphics of the games.

I can invisige him in the crew room volounteering for it, thinking hes getting a footy action game. Bet he was really dissapointed when he found out you have to spend most of the time manageing.

It's really old but I found it funny non the less.

There was a thread when this was first noticed, really funny how you could change to the UK version of the site and suddenly a 2/10 stinker of the game (apparently) became a 9/10 or so marvel

Pretty sure the origninal reviewer/editor was actually a woman who done it was posted in OTf a while ago.

Kert first of all, i think you have not the right to call the guy who did the review a complete idiot.

I mean perhaps he was not prepared and didn't know management simulation of football and knew only PES of FIFA. Who screw up in this was the person who appointed him or her to make a review of FM09.

It is clearly that whom made that review and given a 2 out of 10 thought it wasgame like Fifa and PES.

With that said, I also like to say that if this person knew FM as game of manager simulation and what the game was about (which was clearly not the case) and gave it 2 out of 10, then I would be completely against its removal, because the a reviewer who knows about this kind of games, doesn't like FM09 he is entitle to it.

Full review re-printed here:

http://videogames.yahoo.com/pc/worldwide-soccer-manager-2009/review-1271725

Kert first of all, i think you have not the right to call the guy who did the review a complete idiot.

I mean perhaps he was not prepared and didn't know management simulation of football and knew only PES of FIFA. Who screw up in this was the person who appointed him or her to make a review of FM09.

It is clearly that whom made that review and given a 2 out of 10 thought it wasgame like Fifa and PES.

With that said, I also like to say that if this person knew FM as game of manager simulation and what the game was about (which was clearly not the case) and gave it 2 out of 10, then I would be completely against its removal, because the a reviewer who knows about this kind of games, doesn't like FM09 he is entitle to it.

He does reviews for IGN for christ sakes. Of course it should have been removed, they have to mantain a level of proffesionalism and must review the game fairly. The person who wrote this review did understand it was a manager simulation game firstly (judgeing by the review), but is obviously somebody who found the whole conecept very dull and boring and so therefore decided to trash the game because it wasn't to his taste. Review it for what the game actually is.

Id atleast expect this person to do abit of research into the series before actually reviewing it which they clearly didn't seeing as they slated the graphics of the match engine.

Also, I think I do have the right to call the person an idiot. The review was garbage.

Read it and you will see. He rambles on about stuff like there being no music at the game menu, and how difficult the interface is to understand. If he doesnt understand the game or the concept then pass the buck to somebody else, dont proceed to trash a games reputation.

I agree, he is an idiot.

Imagine him hitting the keyboard trying to get his players to pass and shoot

Yeah, he's an idiot. I mean, who can miss out on all that this game has to offer?

Well, if i am a casual gamer i would think this review isnt that bad, it tells you this game is only for diehard fans which it is. So if i am not interested i can skip the game immidiately which will be good for 99% of casual American gamers. If someone is relly into football he will giv it a try. So i think this review is actually very useful.

Well, if i am a casual gamer i would think this review isnt that bad, it tells you this game is only for diehard fans which it is. So if i am not interested i can skip the game immidiately which will be good for 99% of casual American gamers. If someone is relly into football he will giv it a try. So i think this review is actually very useful.

When I picked up this game, I had a typical American attitude toward the sport. I had heard of FM and that it was the best sports managment sim out there, of any sport. Being a fan of the genre, I gave it a go.

I haven't looked back, and FM has taught me the beauty of the game...

I think thats the point SSGTroyer, you were looking for a sports management game not to play FIFA.

Full review re-printed here:

http://videogames.yahoo.com/pc/worldwide-soccer-manager-2009/review-1271725

In case Yahoo remove it:

What sports fan doesn't want to take control of his favorite team and guide it to a championship, or, better yet, a long string of championships? Well, if it means playing Worldwide Soccer Manager, you can count me in that number.

Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 gives gamers the chance to manage and coach 5,000 soccer teams from 50 countries around the globe, giving them the chance to manage every aspect of their team's roster, field questions from reporters at their team's press conferences, and coach their teams in real time as each simulated game unfolds. What it doesn't do, more importantly, is provide any compelling reason to keep "playing."

Although the game's database of more than 350,000 real-life soccer players is certainly impressive, only the most diehard fans of the sport would be able to appreciate having such a massive pool of talent to sift through, and the casual fan would almost certainly find the task overwhelming – I did.

The game's incredibly complex menu system is very difficult to navigate, even with the on-screen help box directing you through the process. In short, this game is extremely difficult to simply pick up and play. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise expect to spend a significant amount of time simply trying to figure out how to navigate the menus.

Worldwide Soccer Manager's presentation problems don't end there though, once you finally make it to your team's first game you'll find that the player renderings and animations are awful, and the stadiums you play in lack any kind of personality or detail. Each field is bordered by fences and what appear to be unfinished stands, which don't have any fans in them. And, when the ball is kicked off of the pitch, it passes smoothly through the surrounding fences, right through the stands, and disappears from view only to return to the field in the same fashion, appearing magically from the stands and passing through the fences (and goals) on its way back into play.

Then there's the sound, or lack thereof. There is no soundtrack that plays while you work in the game's menus, which you'll spend the vast majority of your time in this game doing. There is no audio narration to accompany your participation in press conferences, even though your options for how to respond to each question is incredibly limited. There is no audio commentary to accompany the action in the simulated game's you watch/coach. In fact, the only sound we found in the entire game was the tones of fans cheering as each simulated game played out – which only detracts from the game's feel of authenticity seeing as there are no fans rendered in the stands.

As far as traditional gameplay goes, there really isn't any in Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009. Apart from managing your roster and coaching your team, there really isn't anything to do at all. So, unless you really enjoy clicking on menu buttons, you'll find your interaction with this game extremely disappointing.

However, if you're a big footie fan and big fan of sports simulation, you'll be extremely impressed with the depth of Worldwide Soccer Manager, which allows you to control just about every facet of your team and draw from a player pool that is simply mindboggling.

Closing Comments

This game obviously aims to provide the deepest soccer simulation experience possible for the sport’s most passionate and informed fans, but it offers little to nothing that would appeal to a casual fan of the sport or to the average videogame enthusiast. The menus are complex and difficult to navigate, graphics are terrible, the sound is non-existent and there is no traditional gameplay to speak of. I couldn’t imagine why anybody would prefer Worldwide Soccer Manager to FIFA 09 or Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.

The game's incredibly complex menu system is very difficult to navigate, even with the on-screen help box directing you through the process. In short, this game is extremely difficult to simply pick up and play. If you're unfamiliar with the franchise expect to spend a significant amount of time simply trying to figure out how to navigate the menus.

This I agree FM09 comparing to FM05 it is more complexed and new gamers have some difficulty. personally all news shouldn't have been divided as they did with Transfer news in one side and the other news on the other. if it is news then it goes to the news. However it is not that a maze as this guys says that people eventually get use to it-

Worldwide Soccer Manager's presentation problems don't end there though, once you finally make it to your team's first game you'll find that the player renderings and animations are awful, and the stadiums you play in lack any kind of personality or detail. Each field is bordered by fences and what appear to be unfinished stands, which don't have any fans in them. And, when the ball is kicked off of the pitch, it passes smoothly through the surrounding fences, right through the stands, and disappears from view only to return to the field in the same fashion, appearing magically from the stands and passing through the fences (and goals) on its way back into play.

I have to say that it was big step going from 2D to 3D and it is bound to have issues. Enjoyalble, needs improvement, but not perfect. However - and this point I already point out several times - for the graphics that shows on the 3D and minimal requirements is extremelly excessive. I mean the graphics in 3D look like game from late 90's. I go further to say that the Sensible Soccer and ends down in the 3D department Fifa Manager just simply crushes FM09 (not the match engine, only the graphics) have better graphics then this.

Then there's the sound, or lack thereof. There is no soundtrack that plays while you work in the game's menus, which you'll spend the vast majority of your time in this game doing. There is no audio narration to accompany your participation in press conferences, even though your options for how to respond to each question is incredibly limited. There is no audio commentary to accompany the action in the simulated game's you watch/coach. In fact, the only sound we found in the entire game was the tones of fans cheering as each simulated game played out – which only detracts from the game's feel of authenticity seeing as there are no fans rendered in the stands.

Don't care about this fixture, because when I'm playing FM, I'm always listening to music or always multitasking.

For final statements. For us the casual gamer, personally if I was asked about FM09 in 2005, I personally would see this way beyond that there is now. However FIFA and PES are completely different game when compared to FM. it is like you are comparing between a Lemon and Strawberry.

My two cents.

Cheers.

Most of the things he says is true. The graphics are awful, the sound or lack thereof, only for the diehard fans(which is essentially what FM is for), nonintuitive menus, not much else to do besides managing your team(which is less than what FIFA 09 has).

The person that said that IGN just gave the review to the "wrong" person is absolutely spot on. You don't make a FPS fanatic(or whatever) do a manager review.

Football Manager isn't a game; it's more than that, it's a culture. Whoever had the idea of FM hit a jackpot, this is stating the obvious, but you can never really make a bad version of FM, unless you completely **** it up, and SI will never do that.

I don't see how anyone can give a bad review, FM progresses upwards every single year.

I would depending of the state of the game. For me FM07 is far superior in overall then FM08 and FM09. But I'm not an expert as journalist to make a just review, but if SI (God forbids) made terrible game you probably would be the first to tell that.

Whoever I have to agree and disagree with you. Yes FM it's culture, but also FM it is a game non the less.

Football Manager isn't a game; it's more than that, it's a culture. Whoever had the idea of FM hit a jackpot

I can remember playing football manager waaaaaaay back in 1982 on the ZX Spectrum 48k and i THINK Addictive games was the publisher. Lots of hours playing that game instead of doing the homework

They reviewed an unfinished version of the demo. Remember how bad the demo was? Well, the version this reviewer played was much worse, intended by SI to be a teaser for gamer mags. At least, I seem to remember that being said by and SI rep on the forums.

Even if the version he reviewed was awful, it doesn't change the fact that he completely missed the point of the game.

Thing is though, when FM09 was released, how many people read that review and thought "This game sounds terrible, I won't buy it"?

He's comparing FM/WSM to arcadey games, which is pointless. He appears unaware of previous releases of the game which would make more more meaningful comparison. Simply, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Indeed, he is a poor reviewer given that his company has some esteem.

Well, the thing I find the most disturbing out of this incident, is that the writer of that damning 'review', Avi Burk is the Sports Editor for IGN.com (see here) and not some fresh-faced intern.

So IGN had tasked someone whose position suggested would be professional and certainly competent to review FM09, but that trash of a 'review' proved otherwise.

Shocking.

He's comparing FM/WSM to arcadey games, which is pointless. He appears unaware of previous releases of the game which would make more more meaningful comparison. Simply, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Indeed, he is a poor reviewer given that his company has some esteem.

You'd think the company would have briefed him on what the game was about before letting him loose on it.

What it doesn't do, more importantly, is provide any compelling reason to keep "playing."

Loved this part - think the save I started a few months ago is on about twelve days now and I'm sure they're folks who have got me well beaten.

This is why I love FM, it doesn't need top notch graphics, soundtrack and pretty borders, the little trinkets to keep the casual gamer on board. Its a game for us, the football fans that like depth in a game.

2 Things He's American so probably can't comprehend that we use are feet and don't score "Touchdowns".(No offence to Americans)

And he probably didn't take the time to fully expain it Fifa gets straight onto a game

what an idiot i can't believe anyone could play fm 2009 and not like it. But i guess he had different expectations. If you asked anyone who played the game the lowest rating you would get would be an 8/10.

Saxonaitor are you Australian by any chance?

Loved this part - think the save I started a few months ago is on about twelve days now and I'm sure they're folks who have got me well beaten.

I loaded up my FM06 game the other day and it's at 43 days

Appealling for a soundtrack is absolutely the most stupid idea I have seen in this forum to date. What a ridiculous complaint to make. I don't want to listen to the same 20 songs chosen by someone else on repeat for hours at a time thanks very much. It works in FIFA/PES because you are only in the menus for a couple of minutes at a time, in FM it would be the first thing to untick in Preferences upon buying the game.

I loaded up my FM06 game the other day and it's at 43 days

My current FM09 game is at 36+ days....

My current FM09 game is at 36+ days....

173 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes.

This review is a bit like someone reviewing Civ IV and complaining that it's not as good as Street Fighter because you don't get to control the little guys when they fight.

Well, if i am a casual gamer i would think this review isnt that bad, it tells you this game is only for diehard fans which it is. So if i am not interested i can skip the game immidiately which will be good for 99% of casual American gamers. If someone is relly into football he will giv it a try. So i think this review is actually very useful.

FM isn't for die hard fans at all, that's just the impression you get from using this forum. There are many, many more people who buy it that don't don't eat sleep and breathe FM.

Back when this review was published there was outrage across the board. It was ill conceived and flawed in so many ways it wasn't even funny, it was embarrassing. Thankfully IGN are professional enough and had the decency to take it down.

Appealling for a soundtrack is absolutely the most stupid idea I have seen in this forum to date. What a ridiculous complaint to make. I don't want to listen to the same 20 songs chosen by someone else on repeat for hours at a time thanks very much. It works in FIFA/PES because you are only in the menus for a couple of minutes at a time, in FM it would be the first thing to untick in Preferences upon buying the game.

Not to mention the fact many of us play FM in windowed mode and therefore we will be playing our own music in the background, either on youtube or with winamp, itunes etc.

Hell, I even hook up my guitar to Guitar Rig 3 in the middle of playing FM, so the sound is the first thing to get unticked along with the advisor.

what a idiot

I had a hard time choosing between laughing or crying when i read his review of the game. The guy didn't have a clue what he was on about.

It was just sad lol

Good bump.

Or something.

...

lol at the random bump...

Then there's the sound, or lack thereof. There is no soundtrack that plays while you work in the game's menus, which you'll spend the vast majority of your time in this game doing. There is no audio narration to accompany your participation in press conferences, even though your options for how to respond to each question is incredibly limited. There is no audio commentary to accompany the action in the simulated game's you watch/coach. In fact, the only sound we found in the entire game was the tones of fans cheering as each simulated game played out – which only detracts from the game's feel of authenticity seeing as there are no fans rendered in the stands.

I actually almost agree with that part. Not the soundtrack bit, but the overall lack of audio in the game. I think the match atmosphere could be markedly better, and I think the stadia graphics are so bad that they are pretty much utterly pointless being in the game at all!

I actually think if the press conference questions were asked by people audibly it'd bring a bit more to that portion of the game - but of course it isn't essential.

I'd actually like to see things like centre-halves appealing for offsides when a through-ball is played - an animation of the player raising an arm in appeal and an audible shout. Or a striker yelling "far post!" to a winger when awaiting a cross, or "to feet!" when wanting a pass.

Or making the captaincy more visible on field by having him talking to players mid-game.

Saying that, an outstandingly bad review ^^

EDIT: Also, a tannoy announcer for substitutions would be quite good - just the numbers though, as announcing names would be pretty bloody hard to code!

EDIT: Also, a tannoy announcer for substitutions would be quite good - just the numbers though, as announcing names would be pretty bloody hard to code!

Not actually. They just need to employ someone, record him announcing the names, then program it into the game to come on whenever the player in question is subbed on or off.

Though I suspect it will take a lot of space with regards to the voice file, and might not work for regens.

Not actually. They just need to employ someone, record him announcing the names, then program it into the game to come on whenever the player in question is subbed on or off.

Though I suspect it will take a lot of space with regards to the voice file, and might not work for regens.

It would quickly get tiresome and it just isn't worth the massive amount of work and resources it would take to do

It's not a bad review if you consider the target audience (North Americans). I'd imagine there'd be similar reviews in Europe for a baseball management sim. I would much prefer an EA baseball game than a complex management sim because I know nothing about baseball.

I learnt something from that review...

There's an on-screen Help box.

I am yet to find it though

There is a few good points for people who don't like this type of game as there is a load of people who have said do you control the players but it is clear he does not know about the series and how manager sims have been throughout the years.

p.s the Help box can be turned on in the options I've never used it so don't know if it will help new users, the fourm is the best place I think.

From the end of the review

Closing Comments

This game obviously aims to provide the deepest soccer simulation experience possible for the sport’s most passionate and informed fans, but it offers little to nothing that would appeal to a casual fan of the sport or to the average videogame enthusiast. The menus are complex and difficult to navigate, graphics are terrible, the sound is non-existent and there is no traditional gameplay to speak of. I couldn’t imagine why anybody would prefer Worldwide Soccer Manager to FIFA 09 or Pro Evolution Soccer 2009.

The last line sums it up really, for a professional reviewer to lump 2 third person action sims with a management sim (competely different gameplay offerings) and review them under the genre is just lazy/uninformed, neither of which is anywhere near acceptable.

Well...

while it's true that FM is indeed quite overwhelming even for a football fan, and it'll without doubt leave a casual fan puzzled and clueless, the lack of professionalism of the reviewer is something that deserves immediate firing.

First of all: a non-football fan shouldn't write a review of a game about a sport he doesn't know and doesn't care about.

Second: if he just HAD to write it, a bit of research is required. You know, just to avoid writing a whole bunch of nonsense, based on hearsay, prejudice and blissful ignorance.

Oh, and let's give a round of applause to whoever was in charge and didn't even scrolled through that nonsensical review...

On the same vein, I'm anticipating a review where a Bentley Continental gets a 45/100 rating because it's not as easy to park as a Mini...

Not actually. They just need to employ someone, record him announcing the names, then program it into the game to come on whenever the player in question is subbed on or off.

Though I suspect it will take a lot of space with regards to the voice file, and might not work for regens.

350,000 names plus regens. That would take days.

173 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes.

This review is a bit like someone reviewing Civ IV and complaining that it's not as good as Street Fighter because you don't get to control the little guys when they fight.

Exactly. There is the flipside to this. A lot of people aren't ridiculously passionate about football and to them, this game is probably very boring. Whilst a complete addict to the series, i can see their point if you look outside the box (about where Aturo Vidal is lurking on corners!). I think the person reviewing has to have some idea of what the game should be trying to achieve before reviewing it. Kinda like trying to get me to review an NFL management game, i'd be bored stiff playing the NFL equivalent of FM and if i knew no better, would give the game a poor review. Ideally, FM would have better graphics and sounds and a more 'playable' option, but we know that isn't possible and isn't what the game aims for.

Also, another point i see raised is that FM is a multitask kinda game, i always have TV, music, PS3, internet and that on around FM as it is a game that needs something else with it to occupy your time, unlike some of the more user friendly and graphically pleasing Shoot 'em ups or sports sims.

I do see where the guy has come from with his review, but he completely misses the point. I can imagine my mum or sister seeing this and wandering why i play it all the time as opposed to something like Killzone 2 or CoD 4 as the latter 2 look more fun. The think is, there are a lot of people worldwide literally obsessed with Football in the 'armchair' sense. That's why FM works, imagine Netball Manager '09, dull or what!

well if someone was reviewing the Bentley as a sensible school runaround car, then... obviously that's not what it aims for tho. As FM doesn't aim to be some Arcade adventure sports sim, which the reviewer seems to think

Kinda like trying to get me to review an NFL management game, i'd be bored stiff playing the NFL equivalent of FM and if i knew no better, would give the game a poor review.

The main point is: nobody should ever review something he's clueless about.

Would you trust a nun reviewing a porn flick?

Kinda like trying to get me to review an NFL management game, i'd be bored stiff playing the NFL equivalent of FM and if i knew no better, would give the game a poor review.

Well, I can sadly tell you that there is no such thing as an FM equivalent of NFL. As a huge NFL-fan who is loving management games I have wished for this for several years now, but without avail.