Franchise Hockey Manager 3 (2016)

Developer: Out of the Park Developments, Minos Games
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Genres: Indie, Simulation, Sports, Strategy
Rating: 2.9 of 5, 98 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 19 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

You feel like a meticulous general manager poring over spreadsheets and making calculated decisions to build a championship roster.

simulationdeepstrategicauthenticmanagerialmethodicaltext-heavy

What players say

Players split on this hockey sim. Some praise the NHL license, faster simming and added depth over EA's GM mode, while many find the interface clunky and the CPU trades unrealistic. Long-time players say earlier versions were better, and several report crashes and a broken salary cap after a few seasons.

Screenshots

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More by Out Of The Park Developments

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.