Franchise Hockey Manager 5

Franchise Hockey Manager 5 (FHM5) offers a deeply detailed hockey management simulation that appeals strongly to dedicated hockey fans and sports sim enthusiasts. Players appreciate the improved user interface over previous versions, with shortcut icons and a cleaner layout making navigation easier, though some still find it clunky and slow. The game features authentic NHL licensing, extensive leagues, and complex player development, scouting, and tactics systems, providing a rewarding experience for those willing to invest time learning its mechanics.

However, many users report significant issues, including frequent crashes, save corruption, and slow offseason simulations that hinder long-term enjoyment. The AI trade logic and negotiation systems are often criticized for unrealistic and frustrating behavior. Additionally, the inability to assign different player roles for special teams (PP/PK) and other UI quirks detract from the experience. Despite these flaws, the active developer support and potential for future improvements encourage some players to remain optimistic about the series' direction.

Highlights

Players praise FHM5 for its depth and realism in simulating hockey management, including player development, scouting, and team tactics. The authentic NHL licensing and large variety of leagues worldwide add to the immersion. The revamped UI with shortcut icons and cleaner layout is seen as a positive step forward. Fans enjoy the challenge mode and the detailed control over lineups and player roles, making it the best hockey sim available on PC. The game's complexity and attention to detail attract hardcore hockey and sports management fans alike.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the game's instability and bugs, with frequent crashes and corrupted save files reported by many. The UI, while improved, remains slow, unintuitive, and sometimes inconsistent, complicating navigation. The AI trade and negotiation systems are often unrealistic and frustrating, with poor trade offers and negotiation bugs. The lack of separate roles for power play and penalty kill is a major gameplay limitation. Slow simulation speeds, especially during the offseason, and missing or broken features like facegen and player ratings further detract from the experience. Multiplayer functionality is also considered cumbersome and outdated.