Football Manager 2022 Animation Engine: Matchdays are better than ever

Football Manager 2022 has been in our hands for just over 3 weeks, even longer if you count the time spent on the Beta.

In that time we have gotten to experience the brand new features that have arrived in this year's instalment, with much of the talk surrounding the Data Hub.

Whilst the Data Hub is a wonderful new feature that offers more options than ever before, we feel that the brand new Animation Engine takes Football Manager 2022's gameplay to the very next level.

READ - Football Manager 2022 Developer Interview

FM22 Animation Engine

When we sat down with SI's CJ Ramson and Nic Madden to talk about FM22's animation engine, they made it clear that their previous system wasn't up to scratch.

It was clear that both men were excited about the future of the animation engine and we can all see why, with Football Manager 2022 laying some exceptional groundwork for years to come.

New Animations

In previous years, player movements felt blocky and unnatural, with stilted runs and an inauthentic connection with the ball making matchdays, and the 3D engine, lose some of its shine.

This year, Football Manager 2022's brand new animation engine makes matchdays exciting again, with a variety of new movements adding an extra layer of authenticity.

From the way a player turns on the ball to a more accurate and intelligent passing system that sees your players turn back rather than aimlessly run forward, the variety of new animations implemented in this year's game has offered a fresh and exciting approach.

More Ways to Score

In our developer interview, Nic Madden waxed lyrical about players' ability to chip the goalkeeper: "I always get off my seat when I see a player dink the goalkeeper."

After a few weeks of play, we can wholeheartedly say we agree, with the more diverse scoring options adding an extra layer of authenticity to this year's game.

Furthermore, the agonising anticipation of watching your striker lob a ball over the goalkeeper, waiting for it to kiss the back of the net, makes matchdays a totally unmissable experience.

Looking to the Future

Whilst Football Manager 2022 may only be a few weeks young, the brand new animation engine has gotten us excited for the potential in the years ahead.

With the 3D matchday engine continually receiving TLC, the future of matchdays on Football Manager look to be very exciting indeed.

The brand new player animation engine is only the start as far as the developers at SI are concerned, and we think that these brand new innovations are one of the best new features we've seen implemented in the series for many years.

Click here to find out everything we know about Football Manager 2022.