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How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 85 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 68 | 67 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 82 | 387 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (32)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Football Manager 2021 is a continual improvement over its predecessor. While not doing anything that radically shifts the dial, this latest addition further improves the user experience and gives even more ways to set up and run a successful football team. With a 3D match engine that is really starting to do a great job at bringing the action to life, and further touches of realism to player and media interactions, there's enough innovation here for fans to jump onboard. Social life be warned, FM21 is a fantastic time sink and once stuck inside, it's hard to get out.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“A noticeable improvement over last year's installment. Football Manager 2021 addresses many of my personal peeves with the series whilst keeping the core design philosophy of the franchise intact. However, it is lacking a little in the way of new game-changing features and the few added haven't been implemented too well.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“There are very few new features in this year's Football Manager but the game's match engine is the star of the show. The graphical upgrade is slight but numerous improvements in AI and animation make the beautiful game more beautiful than ever before. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s been a long time since we attended university. When our parents asked what we did when we were supposed to have been studying, we always replied by saying we were making a statistical analysis of To Madeira and Tsigalko. Little did they know they were cult players in the addictive first versions of Football manager. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Football Manager 2021 combines the best elements of previous games and undergoes a dramatic improvement that cuts deeper than the superficial. It’s heavy, detailed, and been given a new texture by a more personal take on management. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despite a lack of big ticket new features Football Manager 2021 delivers its best ever matchday experience and the series’ most realistic on-pitch simulation of football.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Football Manager 2021 fully retains the soul of this franchise with a history of more than 20 years, which only develops gradually in some details. It is not suitable for all players, and even many players who love football will be dismissed. Only those who really want to become hardcore football fans are willing to patiently study and fall in love with this game.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“With a newfound litheness on the pitch and deep data analysis, FM21 gives you an easy excuse to relapse. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With Football Manager 2021, Sports Interactive have once again delivered a game that countless fans will happily be pouring hundreds of hours of their lives into.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“After years of waiting, we’ve finally gotten to feel like we’re not just getting updated lists, but a really improved part to spend a few hundred hours with. Baby steps. [Issue#308]”
- 80
“Football Manager 2021 has done something that great managers do: it has acknowledged its weaknesses and improved upon them without completely rocking the boat.”
read full review ↗ - 84
“Football Manager 2021 is the best episode ever of the series on the pitch, where the experience is nearly perfect in terms of simulation, while off the pitch the game has really a clumsy and obnoxious user interface. Overall, the experience is great and the football world feels tense, realistic and dynamic as never before, but there's still more room to improve the game in terms of narration, flow and emotional storytelling.”
read full review ↗
Cubed3
PC Invasion
TheSixthAxis
Metro GameCentral
Gamersky
PC Gamer
GamingBolt
GameSpew
IGN…and 20 more tracked reviews.