So is FM 15 now the best ever?

[Defensive]

I know there were some polls in the past but i hope this is okay because we probably now have the last update for FM 15 and its out a few days so people had time to make their mind up. So is FM 15 now the best ever or which one is it?

FM 12 has still many fans because it was the last with the old ME and seemed maybe the most polished and balanced despite of being easy and having no collision detection. FM 13 had a horrible start but with the last patch i know it has many fans who are enjoying it very much. FM 14 i think was terrible but maybe its just me. So if this was the last update for FM 15, which version do you think is the best?

[Siobri]

CM 01-02 was the best for its time, IMO.

[RTHerringbone]

Fully expecting FM12 to win this, but FM15 wins for me (with a caveat that my FMC experience is unaffected by issues relating to media and morale)

[stevemc]

FM15 has been at the lower end of the FM scale for me personally.

Disappointed by this years instalment (mainly the bugs, issues etc).

[forameuss]

This topic just isn't going to end well...

FWIW, before the inevitable lock when it gets sidetracked, FM15 is the best they've ever done. For me each version gets better, excluding FM14 which I never really got into.

[hluraven]

FM15 is obviously better than the others, as evidenced by the fact that I'm playing it. However, I don't think it's as big a leap forward as most years, with the singular excellent exception of the scouting changes. Contrary to most, I also like the extra interactions with players, although it's still far too easy to keep a squad happy.

[andu1]

FM 15 would have been incredible with some more polishing( the buggy 3-4-1-2/3-4-3 formations and some games which generate absurd amounts of shots on goal ).

But if I ignore those 2 issues the rest of the game is better than any of the previous versions.

[DP]

It will be if it could somehow remove the following:

1. Excessive red cards - ruining the ME for me. Just take a look at the stats in your league.

2. Ghost injuries - lots of injuries in a match where a player comes off but has no note of what the injury is and isn't injured after the match

3. Slightly too many shots on goal - 20+ shots for one team or another happens more than IRL

[quaazi]

FM12s bias towards pace did annoy me a bit - having Carlos Fierro bang in over 100 goals a season was fun, but got old real fast. I really do like where FM15 has ended up at, but I'm having trouble distinguishing between my own growth as a player and the sophistication of the ME. But I'm definitely enjoying the game more than ever before.

[VibeTribe]

Well I've been playing FM since 2010,and FM 15 for me has been the worst one so far.

I don't even know where to start on the list of thing that are,in my opinion,wrong with it.

[tyro]

I know people will say FM12 but, to be honest, in FM12 if you didn't have a fast striker, your striker was useless (for me at least). Any target man type or technical type was useless for me. I remember Raul being too technical and weak scoring few goals. I brought Olic in and he just outpaced the defenders.

For me it is FM15, because

a) it is the most recent one with updated graphics and represenations in the match engine (which I find much better),

b) I play FMC mostly and FMC15 is of course more developed than FMC14.

c) I actually like the way the tactics are represented in the tactics screen. I can see right away who is attacking and who defending.

[dieu]

FM 15 is easily the best yet... Even if it is still to easy!

[Raniel3]

FM 14 was definitely the best after the last patch. It was perfectly balanced.

I love the new scouting and interaction modules of FM 15, and the ME is really enhanced in parts, but it's just still too unbalanced to come close to the immersion in FM 14.

[Jimmious7]

Every new FM is better than the last one since they are a continuous project, not completely seperate/independent games.

The fact that some seem better for some people, is just due to the fact that they had a save that they enjoyed a lot in the version they will mention.

At least that's how I see it

[VonBlade]

I have to vote FM14, but only because the UI of FM15 frustrated me so much I wanted to throw it out of the window.

I'm too much of an old dog to learn new tricks I'll have to unlearn in three years time. I'll just wait until SI go back to the top menu system.

[Markymark886]

have loved 05, 14 and 15 on pc. 06, 07, 08 on xbox 360 where really good aswell. hated 2010 couldnt get into it at all. never played 09, 11, 12 or 13

[grade]

I will be honest.

The best yet for me, has been FM07. Simply because it was the game i really became addicted and had really fun playing it.

The games that came afterwards are okay games in my books, but I get frustrated with the bugs and features that really for me adds no fun to the game whatsoever, that I simply gave up.

[nickdc]

It will be if it could somehow remove the following:

1. Excessive red cards - ruining the ME for me. Just take a look at the stats in your league.

2. Ghost injuries - lots of injuries in a match where a player comes off but has no note of what the injury is and isn't injured after the match

3. Slightly too many shots on goal - 20+ shots for one team or another happens more than IRL

Ghost injuries. I would imagine in the majority, players who have to come off with an injury during a match IRL will be alright to go training the next day or two.

[penza]

FM12 is the best closely followed by FM14.

FM15, if they fix this patch will overtake FM14!

[andu1]

Fix what? If you give examples I am sure they will look at them.

[akkm]

This is simply from a match engine point of view…

It’s always amusing when people refer to FM12 and dismiss it as being too easy due to fast striker and as engine was susceptible to through balls which it was but in effect those who did that were exploiting the engine rather than using proper tactics to win YET at the same time people dismiss skewed tactics exploiting FM 15s engines (crossing/high line and attack through the iterations) as folly and the classic ‘its your tactics’ and that they should use proper footballing tactics…which of course they absolutely should…depending of course what you want out of the game ie see your team play the way you want or just to win.

So in essence what is used as a defence of faults FM15 engine (ie use proper tactics and don’t exploit the engine) is used as a criticism of FM12 engine (fast striker exploits engine but does not use proper tactics). This is a little hypocritical.

A couple of versions of Fm15 match engine have been really really good…in terms of representation of good passages of play reality wise there have been some quality excerpts to watch and in terms of that I’d nearly say they were some of the best ever…it shows that some of the potential of the rewrite is being realised. Also of course tactical side of things has been improved and there is a richer base from which to counteract other teams. The recent update however has been a step backwards…it seems less sensitive than previous ones…I have posted on issues using Barca whether using contain/control/attacking the difference is not as discernible as it was before (or indeed as it should be) and the shot count averages over 30 per game (even when using contain against Bayern which is preposterous and indicative of something significant at play). less passes per game etc

If you want to look at current one Vs Fm12 and prior there are other things at play where FM15 is inferior

- Number of tackles

- Chance conversion of when players are through on goal

- Variation in finishing

- Poor representation of player attributes

Number of tackles

When you look at the number of tackles etc they are through the roof (I’ve seen the postings explaining how they are calculated etc and that FM cannot mimick players leaning/jossling for possession). I’m actually fine with this in that it is needed (it was evident in FM12 but not to same extent even taking into account the difference in match timings and pro rata tackle count).

The reality is this is one of the things is required to keep the play in check and keep scores down so it is indicative of deficiency which was not as exaggerated prior to rewrite.

Chance conversion when players are through on goal

This was also required to keep scores in check throughout iterations of rewrite. yes overall chance conversion is fine compared to real life stats but not when you see very poor rate of chances when players were clean through. Also you saw examples of players slowing down rather than surge to goal to finish…this is all a protection of faults in the current engine not as much required in FM12.

In latest version these chances are actually fewer than before so again this was a workaround.

Variation in finishing

The variation in finishing compared with Fm12 is poor. You don’t see players placing shots in corners a la Thierry Henry (not even to Henry standard) curled shots are much fewer and I haven’t seen a chipped goal in last three years or too many scuffed type finishes.

Latest version seems worse than previous one with more cracking shots/finishes and the great volleyed finishes from crosses/diagonal balls/balls through the air are now more prevalent than last version and similar to earlier iterations of this years FM and overall there is definitely a more limited sample of finishes in the game now.

Poor representation of player attributes

This is the biggest shortcoming at this stage of the rewrite. Players technical attributes particularly are substandard. The depiction of skill/technique/first touch/dribbling is simply not good enough (yes slightly better relative depiction of first touch of levels of player but still first touch of a David Silva/Messi is not good enough in itself).

Also agility of players turning diagonally and even laterally is inadequate and results in so many instances of possession getting turned over.

That’s not even going into mental attributes and players decision making through same.

It looks like if this was up to scratch then attacking play would simply overwhelm defences so it’s either poor because of that or else through the difficulty of even being able to represent them well at all.

If you look at FM12 there is literally no comparison watching skill and skilled players in action compared to now. This years engine is too bland to watch in terms of representation of skilled players and skill and technique itself which is the most disappointing aspect for me. All above would be more tolerable if this was up to scratch.

I’ve seen it mentioned before about in FM12 players could run through other players while dribbling and yes that’s true but the instances of same were few and far between and notwithstanding that technique and skill/agility and first touch of players with no one near them was far far better in FM12 in itself.

Ultimately what the engine should represent is real life football…as best/close as is possible at least. So what are perceived to be deficiencies in FM12 may well have been that but ultimately allowed for a better overall representation of real life football in some aspects and as above shows workarounds are required to protect the rewrite and what is perceived to be a fundamentally better engine currently…take those workarounds out of FM15 engine which weren’t required in FM12 and you’d have very loose engine (whilst acknowledging that some good passages of play are certainly to be seen this year).

Also just a quick question and I’m not being smart here as I’m genuinely wondering about it…re collision detection which was purported to be a panacea to all FM12s perceived woes and its use would lead to the next level of match engine and an engine beyond compare. Yes its earlier in the development cycle comparably but it has not delivered as expected and overall engine looks to be probably two years away (minimum) from being up to scratch in representing football as well as it should.

What has it actually contributed to the rewrite in terms of seeing significant advances through its use ? The leaning/jossling cannot be done anyway (or at least appears to very very difficult). Also what affect does it have from a restrictive point of view to development ?

If it’s not doing what was expected/anticipated should it be used going forward…its not NFL after all !!! Again this is not being smart here…i’m just wondering.

With regard to what was best there are certainly aspects of FM15 which are better than Fm12 (tactically/some passages of play) but overall watching the action unfold on FM12 is a better overall representation of football particularly through its depiction of skill/variation of finishing/decision making of players/playmakers and manifestation of their mental attributes of patience/probing/creativity and guile etc. This is what FM15 is disappointingly lacking. Yes you could say that some element of personal choice of how you want to play may come into preference for one over the other but at the same time looking at it clinically and making a judgement call the elements of FM12 skill depiction etc are simply not as good in FM15.

Whether or not perceptions of the fundamentals allowing/allowed things to happen in FM12 is worse than now it is academic…ultimately it allowed things to be better represented. If the fundamentals of what allows things to be represented in the engine now is perceived to be better now it is ultimately not as there are currently too many workarounds protecting it.

Admittedly things should improve in the future and perception may become reality but previous engines to the rewrite seemed more about tweaking balance of wide/central play rather than fundmental improvements required to represent attributes in the engine itself or tweaking number to tackles and other workarounds to keep scores in check.

A hybrid of the two would be the ideal !!!

[Bigturk]

am i the only one finding FM15 really really really easy, i mean i won the UCL and Prem in first season with Arsenal so i thought ill start a new game, then with Deportivo within one season i came third with quite an average squad? FM14 really felt like a challange and i liked that this one seems a lil easy.

[podunkboy]

I really wouldn't want to weigh in with which one's the best until I've played at least 1000 hours of FM 15, which may be difficult because I'm still actively playing an FM14 save and nearing 2500 hours. FM15's only at around 300 hours right now and I'm still adapting to the new interface. But sometimes I feel like these polls are like asking which one of your kids do you love the most.

[gavo01]

I voted for FM14, simply because it is the only FM I own.

[HUNT3R]

FM15 is best.

Most enjoyable? Probably FM14 or FM10, but that's purely down to great saves I had going.

[Anti Spiral]

FM10 was my favourite, but I do think 2015 is the best in terms of gameplay/features etc.

[Stefaan78]

To me it's FM12 followed by 14.

15 could overtake 14 if SI can fix some things in the last patch. And quick, within 6 months of time the new season's kicking off.

[Maw74]

My opinion at the moment is FM10 > FM15 > FM12 > FM14/FM13

[turns88]

FM Classic is the best ever. I wouldn't bother with the full version of the game now.

[Kriss]

FM Classic is the best ever. I wouldn't bother with the full version of the game now.

I'm with you, just need a few changes to FMC for the perfect game actually FMC15 should have been a poll choice imo.

[Lawlore]

A "best FM" poll without FML as an option is no poll I'm voting in.

[Dagenham_Dave]

It's getting closer, but it's just still FM14 ahead of FM15 for me, with FM13 a distant third.

I actually can't play any of the older ones for any length of time now, but of the older ones, I probably put the most hours into FM08 or FM10. FM12 is probably my least favourite of the old ones, couldn't get into it at all.

I suspect FM15 will eventually surpass FM14 for me, but at the moment, 14 just shades it.

[oneronaldo]

Just my own thoughts on the versions from 12 until 15

FM12 - So biased towards pacy players I just resorted to scouting anything that had over 16 for Pace & Acceleration for regens, then they bang in 50+ goals a season and yay....sort of..

FM13 - Had so little need for tactical variation I played a 4-5-1/4-3-3 from the start to the finish, a second tactic? Pah who needs a second tactic anyway

FM14 - A 4-2-4 fest, apparently 2 strikers were so incredibly effective all I had to do was keep feeding balls to them. Did have to vary my approach more in certain games, but it was rare

FM15 - Flanks were so overpowered in the beginning I had a left back that ended the season with 25 assists. Now, it seems attacking through the middle and the channels seem very effective...sort of....certainly had to do the most thinking when it came to tactics for this version.

[Butters76]

FM 15 is the best by miles. I've been very happy with it since release version for the first time in FM history. FM usually gets great after sencond or third and final update. But this year it was great from release (for me at least). Biggest difference for me is the match engine, its so frickin good.

In FM 15 I can make sound tactics that work as intended just by giving the orders you would do IRL. In all previous FM's I've had 5 to 6 manual overides on every player just to make a great tactics. Also my Uber tactics in all previous FM's have been tactics that would never work IRL. This year I have made tactics excactly like I would do them IRL and I kick a..

The player decision making in FM 15 is 10x better than all previous FM's.

When they "fail" in FM15 I think "I see what you were trying to do there, good thinking"

In previous FM's I've been thinking "WTF, time to send you on rehab, you must be high as a kite".

[mrw072]

For me the current version is the best, and the game seems to improve year on year. It's very different to when I first started playing CM/FM back in the early/mid 90s. I really enjoyed the game then too, but there's no way I'd go back to those games now!

[Maw74]

FM Classic is the best ever. I wouldn't bother with the full version of the game now.

I'm with you on that, and with that I need to make a change to my original post.

My opinion at the moment is FM10 > FM15 > FM12 > FM14/FM13

FM10 > FMC15 > FM12 > FM14/FM13

I played full fat and classic on 13 & 14 but classic is the way for me now, have no interest in playing full fat on 15, the only way I would go back to full fat now is if I went back to earlier versions.

I will expand on my rankings.

FM10

Still ranks as my favourite, it was my first FM and it's the version I have my longest and best game on.

FMC15

Got stuck into a career game on classic straight from beta, and loving it despite some early annoying things, now have another great game going and can see these two saves keeping me busy for a long long time.

FM12

Started so many games on this but never stuck to a long term game and didn't play it as much as I would have expected to, main reason for that is the fact that I was enjoying my FM10 save so much.

FM14

At first it was close between 13 & 14, after a bit more thought 14 just edges it because I have a save that I would be interested in going back to but I can't really see me going back to 13.

FM13

So for the reason above this is 5th.

I haven't voted in the poll for the simple fact my favourite isn't listed.

[mcb1996]

FM 15? hahaha :lol:

[RTHerringbone]

FM 15? hahaha :lol:

Three times more votes than anything else so far

[Carmi88]

Three times more votes than anything else so far

its 1 vote short of that

[75Game]

FM12 ME didn't have collision detection and looks pretty old now, can't really stand the comparison graphics-wise.

However I feel like it was more solid, I mean there were 2 or 3 IA issues but the passing game was great overall.

One of the biggest problem I have with the new ME is I feel like players lack creativity, pretty much every through ball is given between the DC and the Full back, like if it was the only way to find space. And it's pretty easy to do it. Maybe a bit too much.

I never score or even see goals like that in the last FM versions :

I haven't played FM15 that much at the moment so I can't really tell...But that's definitely what I think of FM14's ME.

Fm12 was a bit easy though, and stupid tactics would work really well...

In every other aspect the game is getting better and better though

[cata89]

FM 2014 for me. I bought FM 2015 four months ago, but I only played 2 hours... or less. The UI of FM 2015 keeps me away from this game. Especially the tactics screen. I really don't understand why they have changed tactics screen. This is a game breaker for me. i won't buy the game next year if tactics screen remains like that.

[Dagenham_Dave]

FM 2014 for me. I bought FM 2015 four months ago, but I only played 2 hours... or less. The UI of FM 2015 keeps me away from this game. Especially the tactics screen. I really don't understand why they have changed tactics screen. This is a game breaker for me. i won't buy the game next year if tactics screen remains like that.

You should stick with it mate. I was hugely critical of the tactics screen when it first came out (to the point that I got a week long ban on here for jokingly suggesting what should happen to the person who designed it!!), but now I struggle to go back to previous versions! Takes a lot of getting used to, but once you get there, you'll never want to go back.

[H2D2]

I did love FM13, it was the game that seemed to get me hooked. Must really try to get more into FM15.

[ozzyoscy]

It's impossible to say, you have to wait a year or two. The current edition will always be viewed on more favourably, it's happened every year.

Plus the poll itself further favours FM15 by only including a few previous FMs.

For what it's worth, from my years on this forum it appears that the very best are: CM 01/02, FM 2007, FM 2010.

[Beerschot]

Got addicted to the CM series ( man, what a time that was), trying to get addicted to the FM's but i can't. The magic is gone i would say. Bought FM2005, '10, '11, '13, '14 & '15 but none of the them can give me the feeling the CM's gave me. Why ??? I don't know. Sometimes I leave it away for a couple of weeks, remind myself to play again otherwise my career doesn't continue.

[ozzyoscy]

Got addicted to the CM series ( man, what a time that was), trying to get addicted to the FM's but i can't. The magic is gone i would say. Bought FM2005, '10, '11, '13, '14 & '15 but none of the them can give me the feeling the CM's gave me. Why ??? I don't know. Sometimes I leave it away for a couple of weeks, remind myself to play again otherwise my career doesn't continue.

Many people fall into the trap you have, it may well be addiction, trying to get that original high. You REMIND YOURSELF to play again. You don't play again when you feel like, you force it. I stop playing FM for months or years at a time, eventually I'll want to play again. So I've been playing FM 2007 since 2007, on and off. I've had no reason to buy a newer version because I still have a career on FM 2007 that I haven't got bored of.

Well I HAVE got bored of it, but as with any game I stop playing if it's boring and I'm not inclined to play it. At some point in the future, I wanna play FM, and back I go.

[Cougar2010]

It's impossible to say, you have to wait a year or two. The current edition will always be viewed on more favourably, it's happened every year.

Plus the poll itself further favours FM15 by only including a few previous FMs.

For what it's worth, from my years on this forum it appears that the very best are: CM 01/02, FM 2007, FM 2010.

Whilst CM 01/02 was massively popular at the time and rightfully so you also need to ask yourself how it would do if released now.

I suspect it would compete very poorly against more recent versions.

[ozzyoscy]

Whilst CM 01/02 was massively popular at the time and rightfully so you also need to ask yourself how it would do if released now.

I suspect it would compete very poorly against more recent versions.

It depends if the more recent versions had any inherent problems and whether the features it has presents a more realistic environment yet more fun game. Simply being newer gives it no advantage in quality. Sonic 2 still beats Sonic Boom.

[H2D2]

The CM games were great but in those days, they were simple and FM has got so in depth in later games, that a lot of people fell by the wayside & stopped playing

[WarroOxford]

am i the only one finding FM15 really really really easy, i mean i won the UCL and Prem in first season with Arsenal so i thought ill start a new game, then with Deportivo within one season i came third with quite an average squad? FM14 really felt like a challange and i liked that this one seems a lil easy.

I'm the total opposite to be honest. FM14, while there was an initial learning curve, once I got on top of it I just breezed through the English leagues in my journeyman save. While there are still some challenging aspects in the game, I now find it incredibly easy. FM15 on the other hand, I have found SO difficult. None of my saves have been successful yet, and I've had some inexplicably annoying things happen. In fairness, I haven't played with the new patch yet as I went back to my old FM14 save so I could feel better about myself again. But I'm going to man up soon and start a new FM15 save.