Developer: U-Play Online
Publisher: U-Play Online
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
International Basketball Manager – Preview
Almost every sports game receives a sequel each year with new improvements to make the game as realistic as possible. Nowadays you’ve got different genres games to play with your favourite sport. In 2008 and 2010 publisher U-Play Online released International Basketball Manager on the market. Despite the sport is one of the famous in the world, these games were only released in Spain and some Eastern countries. On the 27thof September 2018 the Spanish publisher released the Early Access of International Basketball Manager but this time for the international audience.
In International Basketball Manager you’ll become the club manager of your own basketball team that you have to lead to national and international success. Although the game is still in Early Access, the publisher made sure that the game is fully playable. As starting manager you’re able to pick a team from the best leagues in the world such as Spain, France, Germany, Israel, Lithuania and even the USA. As you progress in your career your performance can result into invitations to become manager of a national squad to participate in seven national competitions.
The game contains the license of all the European leagues and teams. The Turkish Airlines Euroleague and the 7days Eurocup are also included. U-Play Online also added the league and teams from the United States into the game. Despite the league itself and the teams that aren’t licensed, the rosters are on point for the season 2017-2018.
This brings us to one of the flaws of the game: “Authenticity”. The squad rosters aren’t updated for the new upcoming season, which is a disappointment. With the absence of an editor you can’t change the team names, so for example playing with the “Cleveland Riders” instead of their official name “Cleveland Cavaliers”, isn’t that fun.
The game received a very streamlined concept, which is user friendly. For the newcomers you can easily find your way though the different accessible menus. Unfortunately the overall interface looks very blank and unattractive.
The main menu and the loading screens are provided with real match photos from the licensed teams. The games and highlights can be viewed in different modes like a 2D pitch mode but these aren’t spectacular. The overall presentation is decent for a sport management/simulation game.
While you’re checking your news, adding training schedules and negotiating new contracts you’ll hear different styles of background music. From nightclub jazz to R&B, a variation of songs will pass by while you’re managing your club. However this is the only music you’ll hear in the game. The soundtrack just keeps playing at the background even when your team is playing their game. In the beginning it won’t disturb you but as it keeps repeating you’ll eventually mute the music.
International Basketball Manager is a sport management/simulation game where you’ll be controlling your squad from the sideline. From the start menu you can only choose to play a friendly match or dive into the world of a basketball club manager. Before your career starts you’ll have to create your manager. Thereafter you can choose to be invited by (mostly weaker) teams or choose your favourite team.
After picking your team the real work starts with choosing your pre-seasons friendly games and training camps all around the world. When you’re ready it’s time to start your career.
As manager you’ll be in total control of your club. Every section has its own menu. In the coach section you can manage your line-up for the upcoming match, set up a personal training session for each player, choose you tactics for the squad and read reports from your next opponent. In the club section you have control over your sponsors, ticket prizes of your arena, check your finances and so on. In the competition section you can check your schedules, stats and standings. All these things are just a fraction of all the possible tasks.
Each player has their own abilities, which are divided in four parameters: Mental, Physical, Defensive and Attacking. Each parameter has five characteristics that make every player unique. For example Mental is divided into adaptation, ambition, experience, loyalty and leadership. All these elements have influence how your player develops and plays on the court.
Your games can be viewed in different modes like a 2D-mode where you can see your players moving and passing the ball on a 2D-court. The animations are kept basic and show movements of the players and the ball. At this point this mode is still filled with some bugs but it doesn’t affect the gameplay. On the tactical side you can give your player lots of different roles. Whether you play offensive with quick possessions and half-court press or defensive with high aggressiveness, everything is possible to let your team to the victory.
Conclusion
Despite the game is still in Early Access, U-Play Online delivers with International Basketball Manager a very decent basketball management game. The very detailed mechanics to manage your club are already on point for both novices as experienced players.
International Basketball Manager - Preview,
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