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Old 09-07-2015, 09:55 AM   #1
Cole
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Posts: 2,685
Links to Franchise Hockey Manager 2 Previews/Reviews

This thread will be kept at the top of thread and bumped when new material comes out about the game, so everyone can have a one-stop shop for previews and reviews.

Reviews - Sorted from newest to oldest

PC Games N News has a review of FHM 2:

Quote:
"I recommend this game only to hardcore fans of hockey as sport and hardcore fans of sport management simulation games."
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EchoThruMe - Steam Army has a video review of FHM 2.

Quote:
"This game rocks, there is so much depth to this game."

"If you're a hockey fan and you're looking for a hockey game to pick up for your computer that is going to be able to keep up with your obsession with hockey, this is the one right here. This puppy will give you 5 stars out of 5 all day long."
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The Indie Shelter has a review of FHM 2. (Italian)

Quote:
(Translated)

"I appreciated the new features regarding the GUI , a very large database (historical seasons are a treat) and the excellent management of the tactics, but the game really needs a better graphic part and an improvement of its gameplay, as it is still too confusing. We love your games, and we are sure you'll get always better!"
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Et Geekera has a review of FHM 2:

Quote:
"There is all sorts of customization options available for real world leagues which includes expansion. Alternatively, you can set up a custom league. And it all that creativity and future plans isn’t your speed, you can play historic seasons to see if you can end the Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup drought short of 50 years."

"I will say that I really like a lot of the displays for managing signings and the salary cap. There’s a Cap Geek-esque salary cap chart that helps you track your money."
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Brash Games has a review of FHM 2.

Quote:
"This is no doubt a real solid game for fans of hockey, it's an absolutely fantastic title for that. But for newcomers? It's exactly the same and is a game that I believe any fan of simulation games should give a go."
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Pension Plan's Puppets has a review of FHM 2:

Quote:
"Despite the issues I've raised, I can't say that I haven't had fun with Franchise Hockey Manager 2. It has some quirks and its fair share of flaws, but the allure of being able to run an NHL team is strong, and the feeling of swinging that big trade or watching a draft pick move up through the system can't be beat."
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Aidan's Fruitcake has a review of FHM 2:

Quote:
"Clearly the development team revved up its engines, because their new hockey management simulator is a sight to behold, a giant leap in the right direction: FHM 2 is probably the best hockey game you can get your hands on right now."

"FHM 2 turns accurate simulation into something fun and immersive ... you're a fool to miss out on this great game and the deep hockey universe it allows you to explore."
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Play-Zine.com has a review of FHM 2. (Serbian) - Page 41 and 42.

Quote:
(Translated)
"A bunch of improvements from the first game."

"Functional and beautiful interface."
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General Manager Games has a review of FHM 2.

Quote:
"The game is extremely good in many ways... FHM 2 has a great deal to offer hockey fans."

"The technical attribute and roles system is the best I've seen in a hockey game."

"A massive improvement over FHM 2014."
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EPrison.de has a review of FHM 2 (German):

Quote:
(Translated)

"This new (interface) is clearly structured and tidier than in its predecessor."
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Operation Sports has a review of FHM 2.

Quote:
"A much improved experience and well worth any text-sim minded hockey fan's time."

"All in all, Franchise Hockey Manger 2 is a much improved experience in almost every way. From the in-game simulations to managing your team to the much improved interface. Any serious hockey fan who also happens to love text sims needs to give this game a try. While the overall experience still isn’t as refined streamlined, and deep as other sports text-sim peers, Franchise Hockey Manager 2 is a fine experience all its own and should be experienced by any serious hockey fan."
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JeuxVideo.com has a review of FHM 2 (French)

Quote:
(Translated)

"In terms of management, FHM 2 is incredibly accurate and you will be able to enter the unfathomable depths of almost all international leagues to take the place of the best managers. "

"The management is deep, efficient and extremely detailed."
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Game Reactor Norge has a review of FHM 2 (Norweigan)

Quote:
(Translated)

"First and foremost, the game has been given a completely new game engine . This makes the results of his far more realistic than before."

"One can have fun without being fanatical about sport. Very good draft system."
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The Digital Fix has a review of FHM 2.


Quote:
"Right off the bat, the biggest difference between Franchise Hockey Manager 2 and its predecessor is the new look interface. From the start screen to your roster, the look and feel has been drastically overhauled."

"One thing that Franchise Hockey Manager 2 cannot be accused of is being lightweight in the statistics department. Presenting such a wealth of information as this game provides is no easy task, but Franchise Hockey Manager 2 manages to overcome this hurdle quite nicely with each section well laid out with all relevant numbers quickly accessible."

"When all's said and done, Franchise Hockey Manager 2 is a big step up from its predecessor. Those who have stuck by the developer and go out and purchase this game having previously owned Franchise Hockey Manager 2014 will find a much more polished game this time around. They will also be pleased with the care and attention the team have given to the database, game modes and options, and the sheer number of teams and players available from the get go. The wholesale changes made have corrected many of the wrongs that were apparent with Franchise Hockey Manager 2014."
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Geeky Hobbies has a review of FHM 2.

Quote:

"I haven’t run into any problems yet and everything seems to be pretty well balanced. I never got a chance to play the first release but based on the list of changes for 2015, it seems like there were a lot of improvements made."

" If you love hockey and sports management games like Out of the Park Baseball, I’m guessing you will love it as well. "
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The Editor's Corner has an in-depth review of FHM 2.

Quote:
"Those who look at FHM2 as a new game will be impressed by its depth, immersion, and incredible stat-tracking. Those who look at FHM2 from the perspective of Franchise Hockey Manager need to view it as an incredible upgrade in all facets of the game ... However objectively you look, FHM2 is a terrific game that has only gotten better and only will get better."

"The variety in game simulation options—from full action tracking to offensive zone chances to simple goal summary—is a very nice addition for those pressed for time or those wanting to enjoy the full experience."

"The in-game sim engine is terrific. Individual player rating, scouting, and organizational comparisons—prospects are projected in comparison to similar players in the organization, a very clever decision—are superb. These adjectives—glorious, terrific, superb—are adjectives that clearly convey how much FHM2 has improved on Franchise Hockey Manager. Don't look for Out of the Park Baseball. Go look for Franchise Hockey Manager 2, and then go enjoy it."
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Chunks of Gaming takes a quick video look at Franchise Hockey Manager 2.

Quote:
"If you love your hockey sims, you'll love this."

"It's crazy how in-depth this is."

Previews - Sorted from newest to oldest

The Indie Shelter has an (Italian) preview of Franchise Hockey Manager 2:

Quote:
(Translated from Italian)

"So if you are passionate about hockey , and maybe more specifically NHL - despite the presence of all the major leagues in the world, and yes, unfortunately missing the Italian - this is definitely your game ."

"The level of detail is perfectly scalable and you can delegate tasks to AI if you are less interested in the tactics and more to managing."
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Stat Man Sports has a preview of FHM 2.


Quote:
"Another interesting new feature is the amount of game modes you can play. You can watch the game differently to see your team, tactics, and line combinations in action. You can watch the full game, skip to offensive zone play, skip to important plays, or just the scoring plays. The game screen looks more detailed and the stats are better. Everything looks to be quite a bit better than the first iteration of Franchise Hockey Manager."

"The simulation hockey gaming world is begging for a new game to come along and this might just vault its way to the top. It is already a lot more immersive than the original Franchise Hockey Manager. If you want to build your own team, recreate some of hockey’s magical moments, or take over your favorite hockey team and lead them to the Cup, this game is definitely for you."

The Hockey Writers have a FHM 2 preview:

Quote:
"The first thing you notice when loading up Franchise Hockey Manager 2 is just how much cleaner the design is, and how much easier it is to navigate around. In the original, it became tedious to find the menus needed to perform certain tasks. That appears to be over with this year’s installment."

"The new game presentation system is a big step up for players, and it’s actually visually appealing compared to the first installment."

"Scouting seems to be improved over the previous version, with better scouts actually being more accurate with their findings. A.I. logic also seems to have taken a step towards the better side of the spectrum with fellow General Managers being better negotiators in terms of trades and free agent contracts."
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Jatkoaika forum has a preview of Franchise Hockey Manager (in Finnish):


Quote:
(English translation)

"The user interface has taken some serious steps forward, even if it's still slightly too many submenus to my personal liking."

"After simming a few seasons here and there, I do believe the historic mode will be an entertaining experience. The sim speed is lightning fast and the players produce believable statlines across the decades."

"All in all, FHM2 does leave me with positive thoughts after the hours I've spent with it."
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Previewer SullyOnTap takes a look at Franchise Hockey Manager's historical mode:


Quote:
"You can go back all the way to 1931 ... and you can rewrite history. I don't know man, that has me excited."

"I think it's cool for hockey fans ... Do you try to manage the Caps a little bit better to rebound better from that Stanley Cup loss to Detroit, or do you take over the first year they get Ovechkin and you try to turn the Capitals into a dynasty as soon as possible and try to turn the corner for Ovie sooner to try to get a Cup."

"I must say, if you are a lifelong fan of a team, to have this feature. I think it's amazing that you can go in and see season stats, you can see career stats, it breaks down that history up until that point. I don't know what to say, I think it's amazing."
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Previewer SullyOnTap has released a video that shows some in-game video from Franchise Hockey Manager 2.

Quote:
“I think they’ve done a great job of having all the necessary information right in front of you but also making it very easy to go deeper if you want to and that’s what I really enjoy."

"I think they’ve done a great job with what they wanted to accomplish. I would say if you’re on the fence about this game I can’t recommend it enough. I think especially for anyone who is looking for a hockey sim and they want something that’s deeper than what’s traditionally on the market, I would say it’s a no brainer.”
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Nivelu2 has a (Romanian) preview of Franchise Hockey Manager 2.

Quote:
Conclusion (translated):

"The first feeling you get from FHM 2 is that of pure intelligent design. This is an extremely ambitious game that will evolve with the help of its developers and fans -- just like the amazing OOTP did. What you see now is only the beginning of a beautiful story."
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The Editor's Corner has an early look rundown of Franchise Hockey Manager 2.


Quote:
"... this is a game you will want to sink your teeth into."

"My favourite upgrade, however, is the new style of presentation, which tracks the puck movement according to whichever game progression setting you set it to. This is much more appealing than the basic text and gives each game simulation its own feel."

"...the tactics add another level to a detail-oriented game. You can spend hours or you can spend minutes: that's a large part of what makes OOTP Baseball great, and now it's coming to the ice as well."
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SullyOnTap offers a video rundown of the features list of Franchise Hockey Manager 2 from the newsletter.


Quote:
"For you Mac fans that have been dying for a hockey sim game like this and you only have a Mac, no PC, I feel like this game is right up your alley."

"The huge, biggest feature ... The fact that you can play online with your friends in this GM mode, rivaling against your friends, I think that's huge. That is a gamechanger and no one else can offer that."

Last edited by Cole; 01-09-2016 at 02:09 PM.
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