I tried FM19 on Game Pass after last playing (for any serious amount of time) FM12 / and it was awful. So much bloat, it took me 2 hours to get through 4 in-game days. Hated it.
And given they have had the 3D engine for about 5+ years, how can it look so, so bad? The animations were atrocious.
And yet I still always think for a moment when each year's edition comes out, because I remember fondly the thousands of hours spent on previous versions.
I think between FM09 and 12 was probably a reasonable mix of meaningful depth and speed of play.
Now, though? Sheesh...
Im an avid fm buyer and I no doubt will buy again this year. As you say a few years backs I was really expecting some developments with regards the 3d engine. I've completly given up on any improvements, Its even seems like it's gone backwards over the years and for it being 2019 it's really poor. Even the 2D engine of which I do watch for large parts offers very little in terms of different patterns or goals or play. It's literally the same kind of play, which for 2d in 2019 is awful.
I really do think that with it coming out each year there's not actually much work done with regards to these issues.
It's seemed to me that maybe the touch version now also gets a lot of attention, this maybe mean that these issues are not actually addressed that much. Ive also been waiting for some kind of improvements with regards to press conferences and interviews. Just general exciting different things that may happen in football, its all very boring and samey to me.
I think there really needs to be some competition in the market place, there always use to be a couple of other management games floating about each year, but now there's nothing. I don't think football manager has improved atall much of note over the last 5 years. It needs a bloody good shake up I think.
(Ive just googled older football manager games. I use to love LMA Manager on the PS1. Even EA gave the football manager genre a go).
Football Manager was a breath of fresh air when it first came out. I think is become really stale. I'd really love some competitors to produce something decent.