Pro Cycling Manager 25

Pro Cycling Manager 25 is based on the consistent development of the series and the improvement of the visual part. The promised next-gen is manifested primarily in the reworked landscapes, more vivid play of light and a realistic weather system: racing in the rain becomes not only more beautiful, but also more difficult from a strategic point of view. The stages look different and really feel new.

The developers really tried to improve the technical basis of the familiar simulator: if earlier the game practically did not use the capabilities of multi-threaded processors, now high-performance systems are revealed more fully. On the other hand, this also makes the simulator much more demanding on hardware: it is noticeable that the main emphasis is on modern video cards and systems above the average level.

The content of the update has also changed. It is now possible to sign up to three title sponsors at a time, which directly affects the financial stability of the team and brand recognition. In working with sponsors, not only current results are now important, but also the team’s compliance with certain requirements – the nationality of the riders, the proportion of young athletes, and rating expectations.

Additional customization options have appeared: the level of funding difficulty, the progression of racer attributes, the behavior of artificial intelligence, recovery parameters. All this allows you to fine-tune the game for yourself, and is especially useful for those who return to the series after a couple of years.

But some aspects remain unchanged. The Pro Cyclist mode is still minimally developed, and the multiplayer component has received almost no attention. The issue of reconfiguring the controls remains open: support for custom keys is still missing, and control via the numeric keypad looks outdated and inconvenient, especially for owners of compact keyboards.

Modding still has a lot of potential, but the game itself doesn’t yet offer built-in editing tools that would be accessible to a wider audience. All the features are still tied to third-party editors and more experienced users, which limits the creative freedom of beginners.

For those who haven’t played the series for a while, Pro Cycling Manager 25 may be a real pleasant surprise. The gameplay has become more flexible, the interface is clearer, and the game really feels different visually. If you are ready to put up with some rough edges, this is a decent starting point. However, it is worth remembering the technical side: if your system does not meet the minimum requirements, or you plan to use mods, there is a risk of instability.

For regular players familiar with the series, this update may not live up to expectations. The graphics are a significant step, but the mechanics themselves have largely remained the same. For now, this is a solid foundation for the future, which needs to be improved today. As before, much will depend on the willingness of the developers to promptly respond to community comments and continue to develop the system – not only visually, but also structurally.