Pro Cycling Manager 2022

Pro Cycling Manager 2022
N/A
Metacritic
85
Steam
75.827
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Release date
9 June 2022
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Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
85 (404 votes)

Recruitment, budget, strategy: you make all the decisions. Explore the new system for detecting young potential, new options for customising your experience, a peloton that is more aggressive and much more.

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Pro Cycling Manager 2022 system requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: TBD
  • Processor: TBD
  • Graphics: TBD
  • Additional Notes: Please note that these informations aren't final and may be subject to change until the launch of the game.
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Vertigo PT
Vertigo PT

The UI is a maze of tabs within tabs. One thing is watching someone play it on Youtube, another thing is navigating it yourself with no clue of what affects what. Planning a season is a mess, scouting a rider same, everything seems sterile and clunky. Waste of money.

Pommac
Pommac

It's a compulsion. Although I prefer the euphemism "way of life".

Each spring I can't wait for the ice and snow to melt away, so I can get out on the roads again and feel the wind in my face. Each spring I fall asleep past midnight trying to keep up with the Spring Classics video streams, laptop on the bedside table. Each spring I suddenly get the impulse to check Cyanide's web site again for info and a release date on the next installment of Pro Cycling Manager.

Each summer I buy it. Usually, like with any sports game series, very little has changed from one year to the next. It doesn't matter. I gotta have it. And I zone out completely and have loads of fun for a few weeks. Then and there PCM is all that matters on the PC. After a while something else grabs my attention and I drift away from the game. Eventually, after some hesitation, I uninstall the game and some custom database from the Workshop to make more room on the hard drive. The next summer it's there on the hard drive again.

Why would you buy this game if you don't already know you need it?

Isn't it obvious? Because pro cycling is the beautiful sport. And because pro cycling is the only team sport where only one person can win, with all that entails from it. Don't you get it? Tour de France is Game of Thrones on wheels! New season every summer, 21 episodes. How can you miss it?

And it so happens that Pro Cycling Manager is the only existing game that captures the beautiful sport. Well, it's actually the only game that even tries to. If it's perfect? What does perfect have to do with it? Get up front and lay down a strong pace, dammit! It's hammer time! The one who can suffer the most wins. It never gets easier, you just go faster. So go. And buy it. And convert, pagan! Transform your life!

Guimi
Guimi

Por favor que el pro cycling manager 2023 no sea el mismo que le 22 y el 21 gracias.
Please that the pro cycling manager 2023 is not the same as the 22 and 21 thanks.
Y que mejoren los gráficos se que es dificil pero es que llevamos con los mismos gráficos desde ni me acuerdo.
Gracias

Krzysiu Jarzyna
Krzysiu Jarzyna

This game really did not improve for last 15 years. Same audio, same graphics, same bugs...

Wiewiórson
Wiewiórson

Nice game for fans of cycling.

Jonas
Jonas

Few changes, no graphical improvements

StarPhoenix
StarPhoenix

Graphics are pretty bad and at times cycling through houses, people and cars ain't that impressive, but still, if you are a true cycling fan it's still a great game.
I mean, who doesn't want to be in charge of when your favourite cyclist is going to attack?

Anonymous
Anonymous

Must have game for people invested in cycling

jackbergenday
jackbergenday

This is my 3rd PCM, and I feel like it's a definite upgrade for returning players. The new stamina/resistance system is a lot easier to understand, and the ability to manually adjust RDC variability is cool, although I don't really use that feature. I mainly play pro cyclist mode (I'm a couple of months into my first team career mode save) so it's a little disappointing to see that the levelling system is exactly the same, but it's 90% fine. Would be cool if they tried a point-allocation based system, but that would probably make it too easy to create an OP rider in a certain discipline so I understand why it's the way it is.

Overall, would recommend, but don't expect HUGE changes from previous versions.

P.S. Playing with WorldDB of course.

Ulamog
Ulamog

Genuinly happy with the changes made to the game. The game feels better than the last couple of years and even a little more difficult with the changes to the consumption of the energy bars. The scouting system feels useful for the first time in years and the planner got a bit more useable as well, although some improvements could still be made to make it more user friendly when you don't want to spend half an hour on it. Graphicly no changes have been made but that's fine as the simulations themselves improved more than enough to make up for the difference. Can't wait to see what the 2023 version brings in improvements!

DrClumber
DrClumber

I played prior versions of the game, they always felt frustrating. This edition I feel the developers have got it right, so good on them!

BlueOrange
BlueOrange

This is my first cycling game. I'm not heavily invested in the sport itself, and was looking for a management game where I could learn stuff. There is most definitely a learning curve on this game!

If you don't fully understand where the game is coming from, then you want the Pro Cyclist mode. I damned near refunded the game because "Career" and "Single Race" are both completely inaccessible to newbies like me. With Pro Cyclist, the largely inadequate tutorials and documentation are just good enough to get you there.

The thing that this game offers is unparalleled depth. Every race is unique: even if it's on a familiar track, the competition will be different (and may have levelled up), you may have levelled up, and your opposition may (or may not) perceive you as a threat. That last point is where the game gets its longevity: once you've worked out how to win races (which is far from easy), your opponents will start to see you as a threat. They'll stop ignoring your moves, and they'll start countering them. It's the first game I've played where 'having better stats' increases the pressure I feel to play smart.

Another great feature of the Pro Cyclist mode is that your manager will set you realistic objectives. If you're a nobody who can't win, you'll get a simple objective (like "Join a breakaway for 90km") that only really requires you to understand the basics of the user interface (therefore you'll proably fail 5 or 6 times, because the game sucks at explaining the basics). But if you're a favorite, then you'll be given command of the entire team and told "Finish in the top 5". And of course, once you've started winning races, "Join a breakaway" starts getting more difficult because the other riders get scared that if they let you into the breakaway, you'll win the race. Combined with a lack of penalties for disobedience, working out how to understand manager and teammate requests (and when to disobey) has been especially satisfying for me.

And then, if you've mastered the strategy well enough to be able to win on a day, then there's the matter of winning consistently enough (or strongly enough) to win a multi-day stage race.

"Career" mode (management career) is pretty much impenetrable still, not helped by a clumsy interface, and a learning cliff to overcome at the beginning of the career. And "Single race" is probably only worthwhile if you are interested in multiplayer. (Not that it seems especially easy to find a multiplayer game.)

yardom78
yardom78

This game exist like what 10 or 20 years already and the AI is like frozen. Before the patch it was bad, with the patch its unplayable. I mean i am at stage race 10 minutes behind the leader and the game even allows a breakaway with 25 riders with some stage favourites but if i want to go to breakaway they will not allow me xD. Or my rider is 82 in hills and still the team leader is guy with 75 and winner wins even with less beating me as nothing. And i play easy difficulty xD. Or i place myself at the front of the peloton and press "keep pace". Well suddenly when a rider in front of me slows i slow too, i stop keep the peloton pace and will find myself at the end of the peloton. The AI is crazy.

ⓇⒺⓈⓄ
ⓇⒺⓈⓄ

Overpriced game for 10 year old game with updated rider names

Anonymous
Anonymous

It's an amazing game full of strategic planing and it's fun even if you don't like cycling.

geozero
geozero

Highly Disappointed.

CONS:

- Unable to map controller. All you have from what I can tell is ability to move rider left to right, but hardcoded to the 4 & 6 keys of the number pad which makes it awkward to also control the mouse with the right hand. No key binding anywhere.

- You can click for rider to sprint, etc. using the mouse which means awkward hand motion (see above), instead of key binding to maybe the up arrow or a standard WSAD configuration.

- No rider collision. You can literally ride left and right through another player. I get that the game is a "manager" type game but what's the point of playing 3D and just not stick to simulate race.

- Custom creation is defined jerseys and faces. Would have liked to see something more advanced by now with ability to custom paint the bike, and jerseys with different colors and logos - like most modern race sports games. Even with mod support or steam workshop, it still not the best experience they could have put into the game.

- logging in to play blows. Why? We are on steam already. Is this going the route pf Paradox? Seems unnecessary.

- overall seems very shallow of a game design. I don't get how someone that's been making these games has not designed a better UI, better game experience and more customization. Perhaps DEVS should check out other sports games out there for inspiration - like WRC10. If WRC10 was bikes instead of rally cars this would be perfect.

PROS:

- it's a bicycle race game.

DEVS - I'll keep the game as I don't mind supporting smaller game franchises, but come on... get your act together.

conquerant
conquerant

As a cycling fan, in full Tour de France mode, I wanted to love this game. And indeed it was rather fun leading my favorite team, and the riders I'm watching right now, on the stages I've been watching. But after a few stages I just found it too frustrating that you can't slow time down to real-life time. Sprint points, mountain points, stage finishes, I'd try to get my train together, but then it would whip by so quickly and I'd find myself way back. I didn't get any emotional payoff from those critical points. If the devs would add a way to slow the race down to real-life time, I'd gladly purchase again.

Rn5ho
Rn5ho

It's a great cycling simulation. Is it perfect? No. But it is still well worth getting the game for all cycling enthusiasts (and those who just enjoy simulations).

Civ0duL
Civ0duL

-Same menu as PCM21 (just pictures in background different)
-Same music as PCM21
-Exactly same Pro Cycling mode as PCM21

And PCM21 was same as PCM20 lol (And PCM20 was 90% like PCM19 etc)

Just minor uptade you easily forget

I know the dev team is short,but,same menu music since 3 years ... ?
How we can feel we play a new release ?

Refund.

pessoptimist
pessoptimist

This year’s version is for me a dream realized. The new record features for teams and riders is one of the two features I have long wished was there.

The team evaluation spider chart (radar graph) is now always in the game— which is great.

The added aspect of rider scouting especially the ability to learn of riders’ skill-sets over time is lovely and true to life. For a somewhat more technical item, I like that the potential seems to be capped at 6 now instead of 8. I hope that drag is reflected in the game to limit the AI regen onslaught.

Yes the 3D functionality has been worked on, and you can’t miss it. This makes the race very much like Google Earth with its more-rich-than life quality.

DumanyBeers
DumanyBeers

Must wear lycra while playing!

Trivne1
Trivne1

very good, much better than PCM2021

Tak_Mau
Tak_Mau

Playing PCM since the first one (with a break between 2011 and 2019). First of all, I am glad there is a cycling game. This year, they made a huge improvement, especially with the scouting system. I hope they can add every year something major. Not perfect, but solid game for cycling enthusiast

szyker
szyker

I skipped last two version of this series and I am positivly suprised. The base game is very simillar but there are a lot of nice tweaks. The game feels also much better. It's also more stable than before. Kudos to devs.

zenaslr
zenaslr

This is my first foray into the world of cycling management, and I am very pleased with the depth of management and gameplay experience. However, the menu and UI could use some quality of life and general accessibility improvements as I often find myself searching for specific options and not finding them, or, for an in-game example, not knowing how to break-up my sprint train! Overall, I am having a good experience with the game so far.

aldrin12
aldrin12

fix the sprint! AI leadout is stupid as hell sometimes no one sprints at all, favorite sprinter can't even win one stage because of their stupid leadout, what is this FREE WIN ??

leraf_com69
leraf_com69

Seems like the 0,+,++,+++ buttons in the planner page are missing even though they are mentioned in the tutorial panel. Definitely hope this will be fixed asap because in my opinion this ruins career mode.

MuchMucho
MuchMucho

not enough changes to recommend a buy, basically the same as last 5 years personally I have aprox 100 ideas how to make game more immersive yet it seams dev team hardly have any they just rely on dishing the exact game out every year and to cash in on the exact same product.

Not worth to buy this game, nor to buy anything from this company when this is how they want to conduct their business.

Mreinha
Mreinha

While the 2022 version is the most refined so far, it's pretty much the same as the last 5(?) years. If you have any of the previous versions, I would not buy this one.

Loading times are super slow as always, TT's are notoriously boring with all the wait time (Where is the skip button?), progression system needs a major overhaul, and the worst part is the peloton system which is just awkward to use.

There are so many things that could easily be implemented that would elevate this game to another level, but no, not this year neither.

khoahuynh
khoahuynh

Best game for who interest in cycling!!

Viking Bay
Viking Bay

Has the same bug in transfers as the original release. 1st season in career mode is OK no issues, 2nd season is the problem, on August 1st when you start signing riders you can sign 2 riders, then as the 3rd one accepts the only option you have is cancel, not sign or cancel. As a result you are unable to sign riders.
Career mode is unplayable as a result.

CastlingKing
CastlingKing

Cycling Manager 2022 is more of the same since 2011, with small patches & updates here and there. It's looks like 2022 version is more steady. What a pity that PCM modality doesn't have a truly "TLC" from the developers. I'll just give thumbs up! Because I like everything related to professional cycling.

1gani
1gani

I saw some youtube gameplay videos of older versions of Pro Cycling Manager and I decided to give it a shot.

The game is frustrating yet challenging. I've tried to do some minor research how to win but it seems more fun to figure things out myself so I can play the game the way I want to.

Graphics are simple, nothing mind blowing. The gameplay is fun for me because I enjoy these simulation/management type games plus I've gotten interested in cycling. It is a wonderful palate cleanser from the games I usually play.

Will Dee
Will Dee

Overall, I'm very happy with the improvement in PCM22 than in previous version. Few things that I like in PCM22:
- New talent scouting system looks cool and a lot better. Scout staff now looks has more importance in PCM22 than in any previous version.
- I also like the new redesigned stamina and resistance system. The new redesigned stamina and resistance system makes us approach on a stage/race more tactically than before, especially on cobbles stage with multiple cobbles and mountain stage with multiple climbs
- How AI acts in PCM22 is much improved in my opinion. In previous version, I feel AI acts like just trying to screw player and player's team to not win a stage/race despite player's leader isn't even favorite to win a stage/race. AI isn't even trying to work together with player in a group when chasing other AI in front, and let player do all the work for the chasing group instead. In PCM22, I feel AI now works together with player (especially when player isn't favorite to win) in chasing group to chase other AI in front.
- The change on How AI teammate acts (especially when player become leader) in Pro Cyclist Mode in PCM22 also really helpful and gives player more flexibility on his/her strategy in Pro Cyclist Mode. In previous version, AI teammate won't follow player when player launching an attack, but now AI teammate will follow player when launching attack. Also when player crashes and out of touch from peloton, player can't control his/her teammate and have to do the work myself to get back to the peloton (and cost me my stamina), but now in PCM22 player still can control his/her teammate when crashes and out of touch from peloton and call his/her teammate back to help player get back to the peloton.
- Some QoL that helps players a lot. Also faster simulation loading between each day too in career and pro cyclist mode.

I think that's all I can. Keep up the good work and hopefully PCM become much better in next version.

Kamjel
Kamjel

One of the better editions for sure

GrabMeAJonkoPlz
GrabMeAJonkoPlz

Finally some great additions have been made. After some disappointing years we can finally keep enjoying careermode over and over!

Next up: Spice up the ProCyclist please! ;)