Pro Cycling Manager 2020
- June 4, 2020
- Cyanide Studio
Get on Steam"Pro Cycling Manager 2020" is a cycling simulation game where you manage a pro cycling team, controlling finance, recruitment, training, and strategy in over 230 races and 650 stages. New features include rider morale management and the ability to play as your own cyclist in Pro Cyclist mode. Online mode allows you to compete with up to 15 other players.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is highly addictive and enjoyable, especially for cycling fans.
- It offers a good variety of modes, including managing a team and playing as an individual cyclist.
- The graphics and gameplay have seen improvements, making it a solid choice for those new to the series.
- There are persistent bugs, particularly in career mode, which can make the game unplayable after a few seasons.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive, with many races following the same pattern and limited strategic depth.
- Many players feel that the game has not significantly changed from previous versions, making it feel like a minor update rather than a new title.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of depth and strategic variety, with many mechanics feeling outdated and poorly designed. While some players appreciate the graphics and the core concept of managing a cycling team, they find the execution lacking in realism and efficiency, particularly in the progression system. Overall, the gameplay is seen as decent but in need of significant optimization and innovation.
“Nice graphics, improving at every update, looking forward to see a more realistic gameplay (it'd be great if sprinters did not launch their sprint with 3km to go, or leaders attacking 10km from mountaintop finishes).”
“Highly recommended, good gameplay - but could do with some optimization when it comes to FPS.”
“I'm a big fan of the gameplay and strategy involved.”
“So many of the strategic decisions are poorly designed mechanically, where the correct way to do things is obvious, and there is no range of possibilities for how you want to approach the game.”
“Gameplay: [ui/career] game progression in calendar is the most painful waste of time in the game, one day takes upwards of 5 seconds to tick over for every race that has to be simulated on that day, so if you don't race for a calendar month then you can leave it running, go grow some coffee beans, make a cup and then it will still be running.”
“But so many mechanics in this game are so primitive as if the developers did 80% of the gameplay in Google spreadsheets (this actually would explain why there are literally no links inside the interface and you have to go through all pages and find everything manually).”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have seen some improvements, particularly in the in-race visuals, which are noted to be better than previous versions. However, many users feel that the overall graphical quality remains mediocre, with some elements appearing overly shiny and the game engine being criticized. Overall, while there are minor enhancements, the graphics do not significantly elevate the experience compared to earlier iterations.
“Nice graphics, improving at every update, looking forward to see a more realistic gameplay.”
“The graphics do look better, but sometimes things get too shiny for my taste.”
“My favorite improvement is the in-race graphics: PCM20's are a step or two above the '19 game.”
“The AI is terrible, the game hasn't meaningfully changed in a decade (even though every year they release a 'new' one?), and the graphics/sound are pretty mediocre.”
“Graphically, one of the worst game engines I've played in a while.”
“If you own any of the previous versions, the price of this product does not give you any more content than some minor graphical changes.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized, with users reporting frequent freezes during races, particularly in the pro cyclist mode, which significantly hampers gameplay. Many hope for improvements in future updates, as the current state is seen as unfinished and plagued by bugs.
“In the pro cyclist mode, I have not been able to play more than 2 races because when I start a 3rd race, the game just freezes at the loading screen.”
“When I proceed to the 5th stage, the game just freezes at the loading screen.”
“Next year, they have promised some important new features... let's hope we don't have another unfinished and buggy product, like it has always happened in the past.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as unexpectedly amusing, eliciting laughter even in frustrating moments, with some players finding it hilariously disappointing despite their long wait for the release.
“I am not sure... but instead of being angry, it made me laugh, and laugh plenty.”
“In my case, I went from 2014 (!) to this and I still found it hilariously disappointing.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while some users praise its performance and gameplay, others note that improvements are needed, particularly regarding frame rates.
“Highly recommended, good gameplay - but could use some optimization when it comes to FPS.”
“Wonderful optimization.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers feel that the current storytelling in the game lacks depth and complexity, suggesting that a more engaging narrative could enhance their interest in future versions. As it stands, many prefer to stick with older iterations from 2015.
“Perhaps some storytelling or a deeper simulation would make me consider buying a future version, but for now, I will stick with whatever version you have from 2015 onward.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks the depth needed to engage players fully.”
“I found the narrative to be predictable and uninspired, making it hard to stay invested in the characters.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received praise for its relaxing and well-crafted soundtrack, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“Amazing job on the soundtrack this year as well, very relaxing.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“I love how the soundtrack evolves with the game, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
