Front Office Football Nine
- October 31, 2023
- Solecismic Software
- 275h median play time
Get on Steam"Front Office Football Nine is a text-based sports simulation game where you manage your favorite team as the general manager, handling duties such as trading players, negotiating contracts, and setting ticket prices. As the armchair coach, you can create playbooks and call every play. Experience a deep level of control and strategy in this immersive sports simulation."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers incredible depth and realism, making it a must-play for fans of football management simulations.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback and has been actively releasing patches to address bugs and improve gameplay.
- The new interface, while initially confusing, provides more detailed statistics and options for player management.
- The user interface is cumbersome and unintuitive, making navigation and accessing information frustrating for many players.
- There are significant bugs and issues that affect gameplay, including problems with the draft process and player management.
- The trade system is overly simplistic, limiting player creativity and making it difficult to execute complex trades.
- graphics20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally considered simplistic and not flashy, focusing more on simulation detail than visual appeal. While some users appreciate the improvements in graphics and interface from previous versions, they acknowledge that the game prioritizes depth and functionality over high-end visuals. Overall, players find the modifiability and community support for customizing graphics and rosters to be a significant positive, even if the graphical experience itself is not a standout feature.
“The game is very easily modifiable with many options to change graphics, rosters, logos, all of which can be found in the community created by the best fans ever!”
“Front Office Football 9 is a huge jump from 8 in terms of graphics, visuals, and interface.”
“Fof9, even though there is a lot of familiarity in the basics, is, in my opinion, a revolutionary change that creates a strong foundation to build from with improved graphics and the potential for customization that will provide players the ability to create their own experience.”
“There's no real graphical gameday experience.”
“It lacks flashy 3D graphics and interface, but the core functionality - simulation and the statistics are as deep as OOTP and FM.”
“If you want flashy graphics, there are other games.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "fof 9" is praised for its depth and realism, offering a streamlined experience that is more accessible than its predecessor. However, players express disappointment over the lack of expansion options, gameplay sliders, and a more flexible trade mechanic, which is heavily AI-driven. Despite these shortcomings, the game introduces new mechanics that can engage players for hours, especially for those who appreciate sports management games.
“Tl;dr FOF 9 is a deep yet relatively streamlined experience with the most realistic gameplay I have ever seen in a sports management game.”
“There are enough things to dive into and give hours of gameplay.”
“There are genuinely new things to see here, new game mechanics in play.”
“Also, they need a better trade mechanic; you can't even make the trades that you want to make, it's all AI-based.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its significant stability issues, including frequent bugs that cause freezing during playbook selection and the loss of save files. Users express frustration over these problems, which hinder overall gameplay and control.
“I have never played a full release game this buggy.”
“It is buggy; I have had two save files disappear now after doing entire 53-man drafts. However frustrating that was, I'm more frustrated with the lack of being able to easily control the team.”
“After more time with the game, there are so many backwards decisions that I can't recommend it now. It is also very, very buggy.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while the developers have significantly modernized the interface and improved statistical accuracy, some users are experiencing issues, particularly with Steam Deck compatibility. Despite these challenges, the gameplay remains engaging and rewarding, with player decisions having a meaningful impact on team performance.
“The schedule report allows access to absolute detail on games played and player performance.”
“The devs put a ton of work into this game, totally transforming the interface and modernizing the sim to generate statistical performances that more closely mirror today's NFL.”
“The world of Front Office Football strays from this and offers a different experience which is still amazingly satisfying as your decisions will directly impact your team's performance.”
“That being said, if the Steam Deck optimization is ever fixed, I will gladly repurchase.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability, with countless hours of gameplay and diverse team-building options. Players can enjoy unique experiences, including the ability to engage in historic leagues with fewer than 32 teams, enhancing the overall replay value. Despite its simplistic graphics, the depth of the game ensures a rewarding experience for those willing to explore it.
“The replayability is endless, so enjoy the ride.”
“If you can get past the simplistic graphics, you will find a well-developed game, with thousands of hours of replayability and multiple ways to build a team that can win.”
“Another part of this product that I don't see discussed enough is its replayability.”
“There's still no other game like it, and the option to play historic leagues with fewer than 32 teams will add even more replayability.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is praised for its unrivaled accuracy and endless replayability, allowing players to create and explore unique narratives through the detailed tracking of player careers and interactions. Users find themselves immersed in the realistic dynamics of the roster, leading to the development of personal storylines that enhance the overall experience.
“Unrivaled accuracy, endless replayability... a true story-generating machine that will go on for as long as you want it to.”
“Like I said, getting to know every player on your roster and what they are good at (even the lower guys who may not see the field a lot) is a good way to really make this game feel realistic, and may even cause you to create mental storylines.”
“There are so many unique and interesting things tracked, and even in the test sim leagues I've done so far, I'm finding myself drawn in, looking at various career trajectories and storylines that naturally arise in a game like this.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the plot to be predictable and uninspired, which really detracted from my overall experience.”
“The narrative is poorly executed, leaving many plot points unresolved and characters underdeveloped.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that players feel disillusioned with modern monetization practices in games, perceiving them as cash grabs rather than genuine efforts to enhance gameplay. Many express support for developers who prioritize quality and player experience over aggressive monetization strategies.
“I used to be a huge Madden fan in the mid-2000s, but with the way today's games are cash grabs, I will support the ones that work hard to deliver the best experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of drafting tedious and cumbersome, particularly due to the inability to access essential player information, which hinders decision-making.
“It's tedious and cumbersome to draft players when you can't open their player card and see their most important information.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which makes the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
