I haven't played football/soccer simulators for a couple of years already, but I used to be familiar with the FIFA vs. PES yearly competition back in a while. As video-games tend to move online more and more, PES made the move and even renamed its franchise into eFootball. However, as the new season (started in 2021) had already began, and the next version of PES was already released (eFootball 2022), I have met very few online players to face-up with, but I still managed to play some games and, finally, win a **** competition/challenge with the team I started in my game campaign. The controls are smooth, it wasn't very hard for me to come back and play this football simulator, even after 10 years, but configuring the controls, either via in-game or from the config application in the game folder, is still a must, before starting to play. Otherwise, you will find yourself in the game without knowing what to do and how to play. The PES game version of 2021 is okay, with the online characteristics implemented well enough, imo.
Sid Meier's series continues to dazzle us, history and Turn-Based Strategy addicts, with the 6th installment of the Civilization franchise. I admit I had played the previous ones, starting Civ2, but usually hadn't played more than several maps, usually just one. This time, with Civ6, it made no difference. However, the brightness and amplitude of the Civilization series is again in the front-line of gaming. It isn't a fast paced FPS, nor a MOBA, but if you are keen on building cities, nations and long term careers, this game is for you. I had some pleasant time spent playing Civilization 6 and I may be return to it, sooner or later, for another map with glorious historical leaders and well animated units.
The full version of the latest Football Manager, the 2021 game is another complete version. I only played for one season before the review, by starting a club from scratch. Very truthful simulated, you are first advised to hire some coaches and staff and only then hire players and form a team. Unfortunately, I couldn't win a single game for months to come, being in the 2nd National Division proving to be a challenge too tough to handle. Being relegated and sacked at the end of the season, I could still learn that the realism of the game allows you to build a team patiently and consistently, and fast results - by starting a club form scratch - could only be achieved randomly or unlikely, demonstrating again the realism of the Football Manager game. Now I am waiting for Football Manager 2022, hopefully with greater results.
One of the branded games of Microsoft Windows systems along the years, this newest version has some of the old and new deck packs and other visuals. I finished all difficulty levels (1-card at a time) and the daily challenge, and it can be addictive if not other things to do.
An 18+ game for horror and Resident Evil fans, this has a solid story and some neat perks for a game of its size. Replay-ability is high due to its multiple endings (3 story-line finals) and it is fun enough for a game to spend some hour in, but not more.
Football Manager 2021 reached a so global and complete level last year, before this year's new game (2022) to take its place, and the Touch option even makes it easier for football game addicts who hadn't that much time available. I started a career unemployed, but luckily got hired right away in the 2nd national domestic league, right at my favorite team (so I unlocked the Boyhood dream achievement right from the start). After promoting them in the 1st league from the first season managed (accomplish which made me ranked 18th in the domestic second league, ever), I got hired shortly by CFR Cluj, the in-real-life champions, but they weren't that patient with me (or I didn't have that much experience) so I got sacked. After 2 spells at lower, struggling clubs in the 1st domestic league, clubs which I got them relegated, by the way (couldn't help them more), I got the national badge also, being hired to coach Jamaica in their World Cup Glory pursue. But that wasn't easy, either. Being a small island nation, it was hard to find a professional goalkeeper up until late in the game, but anyway, I got them decent in Gold Cup (North and Central American Nations Major Tournament) and the World Cup which I got them qualified also. The 2026 WC held in North America, put us in a hellish group, being defeated by Venezuela, a decent but not stellar nation in South America, and outplayed at all levels by Portugal, with all their stars playing. However, my only consolation was that Jamaica lost with fewer goals conceded than Venezuela, which got trampled in the previous match by the `lusitans` in a 7-0 defeat. I retired form the game in the summer of 2026, being in my 3rd season and having good promises for promotion with a local team, Turris Turnu Măgurele. I stated many of my achievements in this review, but that is what Football Manager is all about: creating your football dream pursue and glory. FM 2021 makes no difference, and the Touch option of the game adds a bit more spice to the original FM game, being able to create a draft or fantasy league, create a club (option available in the main FM2021 game also) or challenges - which I haven't tried but I bet they are addictive also, once you get your head into one. In a month time, the new FM2022 should come out, so we, football manager addicts, can just wait and see. And play some old FM2021 until then, of course. To victory!
Usually I would have liked and played more these type of games but I wasn't that much into racing games in the couple of last years. The game glitters, though, and it has that potential to keep you connected for a career time in racing sim. Graphics are good, maybe too good and shiny for my current tastes. Recommended to genre passionates, but not only!
A fun game. Although childish and cartoonish at first sight, it has plenty of perks, such as many different guns and weapons, a gallery full of skins and heroes to choose from and a challenging gameplay for all sorts of players. I played first in the Chapter 2 Season 6 until I unlocked the skin of Lara Croft form Tomb Raider (the Classic outfit). Season 7 begins with an alien invasion. I started it, trying to go into tournaments but the challenges from opponent players were getting tougher and tougher. A Royale win (best from 100 players) and multiple other honorable top finishes made think I could say farewell to this game - at least for now - thinking I done all I wished when I began playing Fortnite. Not to say the fun hours spent in the game, from early mornings to late evenings.
Even if the game is 2 years old already (actually 3, taking into account it was launched in November 2018), the level of realism dazzles. The personalities of the players on the pitch are very well reproduced, for me being very easy to recognize their style of play as I watch a common football game. I started an international qualifying campaign to Euro with my homeland nation and after taking them to the EURO Final Tournament from the 2nd place of the qualifying group - this while beating the best nation in the game at the time (Belgium, 2-0) and some previous World Cup Winnners (Spain, 1-0 in a testing friendly), I was knocked out from the group stage with 3 consecutive defeats, but the joy felt while playing FM19 remains the same after years and years of game editions and for the editions to come, I am pretty sure. An enjoyable tactical managerial sport simulation strategy.
A game that fascinated my late childhood and young adulthood, Clive Barker, one of the masters of horror, came back into the gaming industry (after Undying) with this new story - Jericho. The story is rich, characters are realistic and movie-like depicted, history combines surprisingly well with the goriness of the horror game and, despite that the critics of the late 2000's - the period when the Jericho game was released - didn't find many pluses in this game, the horror community received very well this installment of 2007's Codemasters and the horror genius of Clive Barker. I had some pleasant moments replaying this game after 10 years. Not recommended if not a fan of horror and also, even if the multiplayer is missing, Clive Barker's Jericho is still a nice shooter game.
I started the game with the least experience as a past-footballer (Sunday league player), which is also my Real Life professional football playing experience, and obviously I managed to grab a coaching club only after a year or so. Luckily, however, the game mechanics allow the players to train themselves at some level and, thus, I could find a Under-21 team to manage, a European national team, which I took through the qualifiers and right to the quarter-finals of a Final Tournament. The video and performance requirements are higher than its predecessor (2019) and even its successor (2021). That's why the game looked blurry sometimes on my decent graphic card but the good thing to Sega and FM it's that they managed to reduce the detail and graphical requirement for the next installment, FM21, which I play now and also is the reason I quit playing FM20. The realism of the game still has high standards.
