To get the basics out of the way, Championship Manager 4 is available for around £25 and it runs on (as a minimum): P3 - 600 or equivalent Windows 98/XP 64MB (128 with XP)
However the recommendation is for P4 - 1Ghz or equivalent and 256 MB RAM.
I'm running the game on a P3 1.3Ghz, Windows 98, 128 MB RAM.
If I'd written this review shortly after I installed CM4 (not long after release) then the review would contain nothing but compliments. Compared to CM01/02 Championship Manager 4 has more leagues to play, a slick, skinnable user interface & a unique 2D match interface. But it is never wise to write a review after such a short period of time, as days turned into weeks, I started to notice more than just a few issues. An extraordinary amount of injuries, players ended matches seemingly fit only for the physios to advise that they'd picked up broken arms and legs in the ninety minutes! Worst of all, on occasions scores changed at half-time: from winning 2-0 at the break I found myself losing 2-1!
The other thing that I began to notice more and more was how darn slow the games was - not the usual waiting-for-results slow, but in such things as screen transitions. Changing screens from within a match, even something as simple as checking a player profile, can take three or four seconds, which gets frustrating in the extreme.
Then I discovered via the SiGames.com web-site that these were all recognised bugs on the game's release date. Now that I have downloaded the patches (or enhancements as they call them) the game really is what it should be and what it should be is realistic. If you want a football management game that you can master in a few hours then then don't buy this. Championship Manager 4 is hard!
The transfer market is incredibly realistic which means little money available for most clubs and very strict wage structures. Added to that is more realism from computer-controlled clubs. No more selling their players to you for stupidly low prices. You may see a player you want, his stats are amazing, you want him. His value is a very reasonable £1.5m. But when you enquire about him the club want £15m! But this is just real life! It's called bargaining! If a club comes in for one of your best players you aren't going to let him go cheaply, or even for what his value says he's worth. You're going to try and get everything you can get for him cos if you don't need the money then you'd rather keep the player, right?? And while i admit the transfer window is frustrating, again it's real life and it does make you more careful and shrewd in the transfer market.
The leagues are harder to win with apparently fewer points being dropped by the teams challenging near the top. At the moment, I'm stuck in the English First Division and to get near to the top 2 places is tough.
As for the 2D match engine, this is a great addition and pretty soon you're left wondering how you survived as a manager without the ability to see the mistakes and weaknesses in your tactics. You do really feel like your tactics are coming alive before you, and while there is a bit of tinkering needed, it's still makes a huge difference to the game.
Tactics-wise, there are now more choices than ever, and the training option has been much improved, making it very easy to use. Player searches and scouting is pretty much the same as ever, but negotiating contracts has had a facelift, again giving more detail and this improves things.
There's already 5 "enhancement" packs which improve a lot of things and I'm sure that more will be on their way. This game will get better and better with each version so you may be better waiting until the inevitable CM4 03/04 just after the season has kicked off, but until then if you buy this you will not be disappointed.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Championship Manager 4is the latest in the long line of football sims to come out of the ... more
Eidos/Sports Interactive Games doors, and followers of the ever popular series will not be disappointed. With over 200,000 players and staff across 39 national lea...
Postage & Packaging: £1.94 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Championship Manager 4is the latest in the long line of football sims to come out of the ... more
Eidos/Sports Interactive Games doors, and followers of the ever popular series will not be disappointed. With over 200,000 players and staff across 39 national lea...
Postage & Packaging: £1.94 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Championship Manager 4 PC is the next generation of football management games, offering ... more
more players, leagues and competitions than any other title. For the first time ever in the series, Championship Manager 4 PC features a real-time 2D match engine e...
Advantages: It's Champ Manager, up to date stats, comprehensive, addictive, new 2D highlights. Disadvantages: Very buggy, can be slow, won't run windowed.
Advantages: Another excellent CM game - it's 2D view greatly improves the game and sets it apart from its competitors Disadvantages: Needs a very high spec PC to run quickly
Advantages: newer players Disadvantages: not the same
martinofandino 02.02.2004 (02.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Championship Manager 4 (PC)
Aug 6th, 2003
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