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The Championship Manager series of soccer management sims emerged in the early nineties and proved to be immensely popular thanks to its mix of depth and realism. The franchise has proved so successful that its seen many sequels and expansions, bringing the franchise right up into the 21st Century. This fourth entry proves to be one of the best editions and is thus well worth checking out if you're into soccer and found yourself disappointed with Premier Manager 98. Despite the period in which it was released, this one still takes a fairly minimalist approach and largely consists of text, with low key graphics, which might put off more casual gamers. However, what it lacks in visual flash, it makes up for with sheer depth and variety. You're still in charge of your chosen team, and must see them rise up the ranks to become champions. You're in charge of everything from hiring players, to setting up tactics and everything in between, with matches played out via an overhead view to give you a decent perspective on how your boys are doing. Although little has changed overtly over previous entries, it's the little things which make the difference here. The new contract negotiation system is a nice change, as is the revamped tactics menu, and which together with other elements combine to bring a lot of depth to the game. The interface remains as easy to navigate as ever, making the game highly accessible, and overall if you are looking for a soccer game which delivers the details and the realism, this is the one for you.
