Franchise Hockey Manager 9
- November 8, 2022
- Out of the Park Developments
- 500h median play time
Get on Steam"Franchise Hockey Manager 9" is a strategy game that lets you take control of a hockey team and guide them to victory. With licenses from the NHL, you can manage your favorite franchise and aim for the Stanley Cup. The game offers various play modes, including historical and international tournaments, or you can create your own custom league. You can also import your FHM8 save and continue with new features.
Reviews
- FHM9 is the most in-depth hockey management simulator available, offering extensive customization options and a realistic experience for fans.
- The addition of NCAA hockey and improved tactical feedback systems enhance the gameplay, making it more engaging for players.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback, continuously improving the game with each iteration and addressing bugs promptly.
- The user interface is clunky and outdated, making navigation tedious and detracting from the overall experience.
- AI trading logic is often unrealistic, leading to frustrating and nonsensical trade scenarios that can break immersion.
- Simulation speed can be painfully slow, especially during critical moments like the end of the month or season transitions, which can hinder gameplay.
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the latest iteration features innovative NCAA championship rules and a solid gameplay loop with nuanced mechanics, enhancing the overall experience. While the simulation and mechanics are generally well-received, some users report issues with functionality and bugs that persist despite patches. The introduction of the harmony mechanic adds depth to team chemistry, and the NCAA hockey aspect introduces unique player commitment mechanics, though it may not appeal to everyone.
“Gameplay loop is solid and has interesting nuance.”
“Harmony finally develops the chemistry system found in former games into its own unique mechanics for FHM.”
“I have not encountered a single mechanic in the game that works as intended or advertised, and patches often break as many things as they fix.”
“The biggest innovation of the ninth iteration is the NCAA championship, with rather unusual rules and draft mechanics compared to professional leagues.”
“Ncaa hockey is added this year and while it's not personally for me, it does have mechanics to cover the fact that players must commit to your college and are not simply just signed.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with users appreciating the live game visuals and the ability to load saved files without issues. While the graphics may not reach the level of some competitors, they effectively support the game's management depth and include helpful in-game visuals for learning hockey. However, players express a desire for more interactive graphical elements, such as morale indicators and tactical displays.
“I actually like the live game graphics.”
“The visuals are a step below FM admittedly, but all the same meat and depth in management is there.”
“They also have some in-game graphics that teach you about the game of hockey, which was important to me because I really only knew the bare minimum but love simulation management games.”
“The visuals are a step below FM, admittedly, but all the same meat and depth in management is there - with far fewer injury plagues and inexplicable late game winners from your opponent in games you're dominating.”
“Also, the possibilities to interact with players would be nice - morale, half-time speech... maybe the lines and tactics tab combined and put into graphics would be nice too.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is praised for its realistic variance in systems, avoiding a sense of cheating or overly simplistic solutions. Players can engage with individual athletes regarding their performance and training, adding depth to the management experience through multiple facets that influence team and player outcomes.
“Just enough variance in the game systems to make it seem real without feeling like the game cheats (chemistry, development, hot/cold streaks, etc.), or that it's a giant optimization problem with a clear answer.”
“As well, you can talk to your individual players about their performance and training.”
“Just enough variance in the game systems to make it seem real without feeling like the game cheats, or that it's a giant optimization problem with a clear answer.”
“Multiple facets to manage, with differing effects on your teams or individual players' performance.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the player recruiting process, which involves excessive clicking and negotiation with scouts. Additionally, the tactics screens are described as confusing and cumbersome, further contributing to the overall sense of tedium.
“I appreciate that the team added the NCAA, but player recruiting is very tedious.”
“If you sign a lot of scouts like I do, it's very tedious to have to click through every single one and negotiate with them.”
“The tactics screens are needlessly confusing and tedious to navigate.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by players' amusing experiences and unexpected trades, such as a player finding it funny that a character was traded for a less favorable player. This lightheartedness adds an enjoyable layer to the gameplay, making it engaging and entertaining.
“I wake up, I play FHM9... funny, I was going to say 'before I go to sleep, I play FHM9,' but I don't sleep; I have a hockey team to manage.”
“One of my friends saw Slavin get traded to Colorado for Darren Helm, which is outright hilarious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game generally runs well on deck, but users report freezing issues when attempting to watch matches, limiting gameplay to simulations. While it has some bugs, it remains a solid choice for fans of sports management simulations.
“It can be played normally on deck, but matches can only be simulated because when I try to watch a match, it freezes.”
“A little buggy, but otherwise a great hockey game for people who are into sports management sims.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's extensive replayability, attributing it to the developers' attention to detail, the NHL license, and diverse gameplay modes. This combination makes it a highly addictive hockey simulation that encourages repeated play.
“This game has become my go-to hockey sim due to the attention given by the developers, the NHL license, and various modes of play which allow almost unlimited replayability.”
“Highly addictive, high replay value.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized for being misleading, as users feel the game is presented as a completed product despite ongoing monetization practices.
“Advertising it as a completed product is extremely dishonest.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
