LMA Manager 2002 (PS2)

Description

Any mad-keen football fan will tell you, if you’re willing to listen to them, that they could pick a winning team given their chosen club’s resources. If only it was that easy, then we’d all be willing riders on the managerial merry-go-round, changing clubs as if they were sweaty football socks. Codemasters’s LMA Manager series entered a crowded market in 1999, and it’s testament to the quality of the games released since that they’re still among the best of their kind available for console. It makes sense to release LMA Manager for the PS2: after all, every home should have one by now. LMA Manager 2002 is brimful with statistics, club and player data. The amount of information contained in this disc is phenomenal, with hundreds of managerial vacancies to choose from, at hundreds of clubs, including English, Scottish, French, German, Spanish and Italian leagues. Once you’ve taken charge of your chosen team, it’s time for some pre-season experimentation, that is, if you really want to prepare your squad of players in the best manner. Pre-season is the ideal time to try out new tactics, formations, players. Go on, tinker with the system, it’s your team! It’s not simply about squad management, though. In common with previous LMA games, setting the ticket prices, stadium upkeep, and many other responsibilities are yours either to keep or to delegate: the choice is yours, whether you want to assume full responsibility or get some assistance with coaching, training and medical matters. This version of LMA isn’t just a rehash of former glories – to keep things fresh, Codemasters have built the 2002 PS2 edition from the ground up, and have largely dispensed with static screens full of dull statistics. Even the 3D highlights look like a game that you can get involved in. Loading times are improved, for faster, smoother gameplay, and the AI engine has been given a complete overhaul to ensure your matches are more realistic than ever.