It isn't the good graphics or the sounds that make this game worth a 10. When you get started with this game you won't ever leave it playing, at least when you love soccer. In most football games you have to play yourself, but in this game the thing is to coaching and training and managing your team - and the club!
You have the availability of the German, French and English league. I like the English one the most, because there are the best players and the best cups.
You can buy players, sell them, train them, fire them, loan them. But of course you have to keep your eyes open for sponsors, trainers, physiological trainers, your bank account and the happiness of your team. This all makes the game perfect. Although it starts in the season '96/'97 I'm still playing the game, because you can go on forever, once I played till 2010, very nice that was.
Of course you'll think, don't your players get old? Yes, they do, but there will always come new players, called Youth Players, they are at the age of 17 and improve their skills very fast. Don't the names get 'sold' out sometime? No, this isn't possible, because the names of the new players are arranged by a surname and
a first name of existing players. Like Ed Fowler or something like that. Enough chit-chat about the contents, let's go for real.
Graphics 8.6/10
In 1997 they couldn't make top 3D graphics, so it is very good that they didn't try to make something like it either. Your stadium (which is the main screen) looks very smooth and sometimes there are even walking some fellows. The rest of all the rooms (Bank, office, changing room etc.) are build-ups from real-time pictures. So, in the bank, you can actually see a banking man. Just sitting still. When ever you can click on an object (filing cabinet etc.) it will move, so you know it's clickable.
When you play a match the graphics begin to 'fall'. The players look very small, but as I said before, the game isn't about the matches (only about the RESULTS!!!).
Sound 6.6/10
There is a background music in the game which is nice, but when you have heard this 10 seasons in a row you'll get sick of it, and you will vomit by it.
The rest of the sounds are nice, whistling by the referee the opening of the filing cabinet, 'rustling' sound when you hold your cursor above some papers. Not all too good, but do-able.
Gameplay 10/10
The gameplay is so fantastic, you could swear on it. Every managing game should have such a gameplay. All the options are listed on the top of your screen so you can click easily on it (they are small, but handy). Of course there are some rooms in the game, where you can click on some objects which are also in that bar (which I think is more handy). All is very clear, you can exactly see on what you can click and on what not.
In the match you can set the game speed to 8x so the game is finished in about 1/2 minute.
Originality 9.5/10
From every soccer manager I've seen this is by THE most original one. It has everything you would like there to be and you miss in other soccer manager games. That you can't play the games by yourself is a big guess by Sierra. But it turned out very well.
Replayability 10/10
Like I said, I still play the game after 4.5 years, that says enough doesn't it. You can play in three different leagues. Okay it could be some more, but I still think it's enough. You can get offers from other (better) clubs, so there is variety.
After all, this game is one of the most addictive PC games.
