Player Manager 2 Overview
Player Manager 2 is a football management simulation where the user controls a professional athlete who also manages the club. The objective involves guiding a lower-division team to the top tier of English football and maintaining its position there.
Match participation is a flexible component, allowing the user to either control the action from one of four available perspectives or simply observe the simulation. A notable initial advantage is the user's own player character, who significantly outclasses the rest of the squad and requires strategic deployment. The overall experience is considered challenging, particularly in the hybrid player-manager role where scoring goals is noted as a difficult task.
Management systems encompass tactical planning before games, a transfer market with loan options, and club infrastructure development. Player data is conveyed through graphical representations. A unique presentation feature includes pre-match video analysis from commentator Alan Hansen, who also provides team form summaries.
Long-term career play introduces a constraint where, upon the player character reaching retirement age, direct match participation is limited to three out of every four seasons. This mechanic is loosely justified within the game as being managed by an assistant.