CM02/03 takes shape

More light has been shed on Sports Interactive's next Xbox release, Championship Manager: Season 02/03. In addition to many of the features which made the 01/02 release such a pleasure to play, 02/03 will include all the latest data for the new season, player and team data for over 100,000 players and staff, additional leagues and the all-new FIFA transfer window.

SI's growing global research team numbers more than 1,000, and they've put a lot of effort into making sure CM02/03 is factually correct. You will be able to manage any team from 27 worldwide leagues, and this time you can choose to play the game with stats of new and unknown players hidden, with only players that a manger would realistically know about being shown. Scouting new players will reveal their full stats, and this time you can compare two players at a glance, so it should be easier to judge the quality of potential signings.

The manager has a lot more power in CM02/03, too. Managers can make notes on players, approach governing bodies to appeal against bans (quite popular in the English top flight these days), and you can even issue boards with ultimatums (and vice versa) and send players away for surgery or recuperation. The players themselves have more personality this time out, complaining if they don't like their current position or thanking you for a first team opportunity.

The biggest change though is the introduction of the new FIFA transfer window. As the game begins at the start of the 2002/03 season, the new window system is in effect, so you have to learn to make the best use of it.

That's not our favourite feature though. That honour befalls the control configuration. Although the interface will be largely unchanged (which suits, given it worked perfectly before), now the pad vibrates whenever a goal is scored. Cute, eh?

CM02/03 is due out in November from Sports Interactive and Eidos.