Football Manager 2023 Review (xxadonisxx)
Football Manager 2023 isn’t just a game—it’s a lifestyle. Or for some, a full-blown obsession. Whether you’re guiding a fifth-tier English club to Champions League glory or painstakingly recreating Pep Guardiola's inverted fullback tactics, FM23 delivers the most detailed and immersive football management simulation of its time.
In a series known for iteration over revolution, FM23 walks a fine line between evolution and familiarity. It doesn’t break the mold, but it sharpens it to near perfection.
If you’ve played FM before, you already know the formula:
-Scouting, training, transfers, contracts, tactics, media, and matchdays
-You don’t control players on the pitch—you orchestrate everything around them
-The match engine, while often debated, simulates realistic footballing outcomes based on your decisions
What makes FM23 stand out is how it:
-Improves AI squad building and opposition behavior
-Offers deeper data analytics with clearer, actionable feedback
-Refines the dynamic manager timeline, highlighting major moments in your career
Every decision matters—playing a teenager in a cup match, disciplining a diva striker, or changing formation at half-time can define your legacy.
FM23’s tactics engine remains unmatched in complexity. You can go full Ancelotti or Bielsa, tweak every press trigger, or even assign specific defensive widths for phases of play.
The matchday UI offers real-time heat maps, xG stats, passing combinations, and player performance metrics that would make a Premier League analyst blush.
Training is also granular:
-Create custom schedules
-Focus on youth development or match sharpness
-Set individual roles and attribute targets
Whether you want to micro-manage or delegate, FM23 lets you shape your club from boot room to boardroom.
While not revolutionary, FM23 does refine several key systems:
-Recruitment Focus: A more streamlined scouting approach, where you set profiles and priorities, and scouts return realistic, contextual recommendations
-Squad Planner: A clearer, visual way to plan your depth across seasons—think of it as your assistant manager’s tactical whiteboard
-Improved AI Transfer Logic: Clubs negotiate smarter, value players more realistically, and finally stop trying to swap a fringe left back for your 18-year-old wonderkid
-Licensing Expansion: More real-life clubs, kits, and leagues were added (with mods, it becomes nearly photo-realistic)
And of course, the match engine received another annual tweak—better defensive shapes, smarter runs, and fewer physics-defying shots (mostly).
FM23 still isn’t about razzle-dazzle. The interface remains data-heavy and at times overwhelming, especially for new players.
Match engine visuals are modest but improved, offering better animations and player behavior
Menus and reports are dense, but now more intuitively organized
Emails, press conferences, and social media chatter add immersion—but can feel repetitive over long careers
It's a game about spreadsheets and subtleties—not spectacle.
Few games offer the infinite replayability of Football Manager. A single save can span decades, while the global community:
-Creates realistic databases, future update patches, and historical recreations
-Shares tactics, wonderkid lists, and narrative career stories
-Hosts challenges like “Journeyman saves,” “Non-league to Champions League,” or “Unemployed Rebuilds”
-Mods and custom skins further elevate the experience—FM23 is not just a game, it’s a platform for football storytelling.
Drawbacks and Growing Pains:
-Steep learning curve: For newcomers, the sheer number of systems and screens can be overwhelming
-Repetition over seasons: Press interactions and story beats grow stale after long saves
-Match engine quirks: Set pieces and goalkeeper AI still have odd moments
-Mobile and Console versions are watered down compared to PC
-Annual release model fatigue: Incremental updates make year-to-year upgrades feel less essential unless you're craving the latest rosters or tweaks
Football Manager 2023 is a brilliantly refined entry in a long-running series. It offers near-endless depth, realism, and the kind of emergent storytelling that no other football game can match.
Yes, it demands time, patience, and a bit of spreadsheet love. But if you’ve ever dreamed of lifting silverware with your own tactics—or turning a 16-year-old regen into a Ballon d'Or winner—there is no better virtual dugout.
Pros:
-Unmatched tactical and managerial depth
-Smart new systems like Squad Planner and Recruitment Focus
-Highly immersive long-term career mode
-Thriving modding and community ecosystem
-Infinitely replayable and personalized
Cons:
-Not beginner-friendly without tutorials or guides
-Some UI bloat and data overload
-Match engine still has minor realism issues
-Incremental improvements may not justify yearly upgrades for all
Football Manager 2023 doesn’t reinvent the series—it perfects the pitch it already dominates. For aspiring tacticians and stat-obsessed purists, it’s another victory lap. Just don’t forget to save… before that cup final.
Rating: 8/10