Online Soccer Manager

What it is

OSM comes from the studio Gamebasics, whose games page treats it as the cornerstone of the company. It runs in a browser at onlinesoccermanager.com, where the current season's game loaded when we checked, and as apps for iOS and Android.

According to the publisher's Google Play listing, the game features real leagues, clubs and players, and you sign on at the club you choose, whether a household name or an underdog you want to drag upwards. We are repeating the publisher's description here; how the licensing works behind the scenes is not something we can see from outside.

Once you are in charge, the listing describes the toolkit: build a formation and line-up, work through a tactics and strategy system, buy and sell on the transfer market with help from scouting, train your squad through the season, and expand the stadium to bring in more revenue. Matches are shown with simulation visuals, and there is a World Map to work through if you want a longer goal.

How a season feels

The heart of OSM is the league. You can join one with friends and fight for top spot, or test yourself against managers from around the world. The listing calls the game multiplayer at its core rather than a solo career mode, and the developer's page lists social layers added over the years: tournaments, VIP leagues, a fantasy league and Crews.

In the days around each matchday you shape the squad: move players in and out through the market, train them, adjust the formation. Friendly matches are unlimited, which makes them a safe place to test a new tactic before a league fixture counts.

Time it asks of you

OSM does not ask for a fixed weekly ritual in the way Hattrick does. In our reading, how much time it takes depends heavily on your league. A busy group of friends will pull you back daily for transfers and banter, while a quieter league lets you drop in when it suits you.

Because it lives on phones as much as in the browser, OSM is the easiest game on this board to play in short bursts, on a commute or in a spare five minutes.

How it pays its way

OSM is free to play. The store listing states that it includes optional in-game purchases, some of which contain random items, and Google Play marks the app as containing ads and in-app purchases.

If you are setting it up for a younger player, that combination is worth knowing about in advance, and the purchase controls on the phone itself are worth switching on. For everyone else, decide on your own monthly limit before the first transfer window, not during it.