Premier Manager 09

Premier Manager 09 is just days away from launch, and it's finally ready for your harvest. We recently talked to the developer of the new game and we were gawking at its quality. Here's what we learned from the last hands-on with the game.

Premier Manager 09 is already quite the game and packs a huge amount of content, all told. It's something that is far more than just a passing game; it's a baseball simulation, too, as well as a challenge game. Here's what we got to know about the game.

Premier Manager 09 is a player-driven business sim. You'll be able to recruit, train, recruit, and customize a wide range of potential players, and even develop them into superstars for the management you play in. Once you've got your number and prestige established, you'll be able to take those players from all over the world. In addition to this, the development team is working on ensuring that the manager doesn't feel like the head of the team and prefers that the player can only do what he wants to do. We saw two examples in the game: the young coach and the older player, and it's clear that these choices will be crucial in dealing with the management of an overall player, whether he's on the field or on the field.

GS: How will the career mode work? Will there be multiple options in the game?

PC: There are many ways to manage a team's progress in the career mode, but the most common method is the formation of a team with a name. You'll be able to set specific tactics for each player on your team, whether he's a formation manager, a tactics guru, a clairvoyant, or a hyperactive engineer. You can go a different route by telling the manager exactly what the team needs to do to give you the best possible response to your current team.

GS: Is there any specific element of strategy in the game?

PC: There are multiple ways to get up and running on the field. You can stay close to the play area by watching a play through the icon on the field. You can look at your current tactics and press the "use" key to do more interesting things, like take cover, dump some receiver, or clear a zone to become the play you're looking for. Some players will be able to beat on their defense by giving them a taste of action, but there are other options if they want to gain the edge. For example, if the coach takes his hands off the ball from his front, you can call a goal so that he can direct his receivers to the ball carrier--this provides a new element to the game that requires you to use a receiver's tools to get the job done.

GS: Was it worth it to include a defensive back?

PC: No offense has to be the best at rushing yards in football. There are so many ways to play the game. This year, the passing game is designed so that there are multiple routes you can take, but at the same time, it's one of the coolest aspects of the game. I can't talk about the plays that you can play in the game, but I can tell you that we are looking at some really cool and realistic new animation technology.

The running game was really a focus of the presentation. I'm happy to be working with EA Sports and working on their FIFA franchise.

GS: Was the team's previous football titles in the US anything like the FIFA or Madden series?

PC: Absolutely. The football games have always been about making the most out of your ability to control your running game. But in this year, we have more than doubled the amount of control you have. The AI is actually more intelligent this year. We have AI that will adapt to your situation. The computer will follow you even when you run into an injury, but if you get hit, that is another story. The better you run, the better your running game will be. The better the defense is at play, the better the defenders' AI will be.

GS: In the past, a lot of teams had the same "counter-kicking" tactic. Have you taken that and changed the idea here?

PC: I feel like [fans] have embraced it. The free running game is still really fun. But for me, it's been pretty much the only feature I have been able to play with in FIFA 06. You can use it when you're out on the pitch and in the grass. You can't use it when you're out of position. It's just there, and you can pass, and there's no counter-kicking. It's really fun. But I don't think I have that."

GS: So if you like the freedom of choice in the franchise mode, what's the next game in the series like?