Author Bio
Caley RoarkHome Town: Lancaster, PA
Sports: Football, Baseball
Games: NFL 2K5, MVP 05, NBA 2k series, Civilization
Teams: Phillies, Eagles, Sixers
OS Username: CPRoark
Tags: Live: Mr Rockit
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
04:32 PM - January 5, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Bowling has been a staple of motion-controlled mini-games since its inception on the Wii in Wii Sports. And it’s sort of easy to see why: It’s a familiar game that lends itself to intuitive motion controls. In other words, just about anyone, including your grandfather, should be able to pick up a controller and virtually bowl.
I say should, because Brunswick Pro Bowling is far from intuitive. The controls are inconsistent and frustrating, removing any enjoyment from a sport that has been the backbone of the genre.
Read More - Brunswick Pro Bowling Review (PS3)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
12:57 PM - January 4, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
The cynical side of me sees EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp as a simple rebranding of an existing product, only existing to sucker football fans into buying another NFL game and stretching the value of EA’s exclusive license. My idealistic side argues that this game is trying to reproduce the NFL training experience while providing a more interesting backdrop for daily workouts than generic aerobics and yoga instructors.
After spending time with NFL Training Camp, it turns out that both sides of this argument have merit. This is, at its core, a rebranding of EA Sports Active -- not an entirely new game. However, the NFL branding permeates every aspect of this product and may provide the incentive some need to start a regular exercise routine.
Read More -- EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp Review (Wii)
Monday, December 20, 2010
11:00 PM - December 20, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Despite what you might think about most EA games, it’s typically hard to argue about the level of "slickness" in its titles. From flashy but clean menus and licensed music to loaded feature sets, EA's games tend to look good in and out of the box. What’s behind the sparkle can be debated, but what’s on the surface more often than not looks good.
This time, however, we’re not looking at an annual team sport, but an interactive exercise game, EA Sports Active 2. Regardless, I would apply the same argument to this game. Most people will like the look of the game, as well as the feature set and user friendliness. Some people, though, will question the activities therein, which most likely shade your overall opinion of the title.
Read More - EA Sports Active 2 Review (360)
Monday, November 22, 2010
12:07 PM - November 22, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
First rule of Fighters Uncaged: Don’t buy Fighters Uncaged.
That’s about the extent of the advice needed when it comes to Fighters Uncaged, the sole fighting game that was available at the Kinect’s launch. If you bought this hoping to justify the purchase of a Kinect, you will be sorely (literally and figuratively) disappointed.
Fighting...Uncaged?
Fighters Uncaged is billed as an underground fighting game that attempts to use the freeing technology of the Kinect to mirror real-life fighting. It features a wide variety of moves that can be used, like a traditional fighting game, to reduce the opponents health bar to zero.
Read More - Fighters Uncaged Review (Kinect/360)
That’s about the extent of the advice needed when it comes to Fighters Uncaged, the sole fighting game that was available at the Kinect’s launch. If you bought this hoping to justify the purchase of a Kinect, you will be sorely (literally and figuratively) disappointed.
Fighting...Uncaged?
Fighters Uncaged is billed as an underground fighting game that attempts to use the freeing technology of the Kinect to mirror real-life fighting. It features a wide variety of moves that can be used, like a traditional fighting game, to reduce the opponents health bar to zero.
Read More - Fighters Uncaged Review (Kinect/360)
Monday, November 15, 2010
11:47 AM - November 15, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
One of the descriptions (or complaints) lobbed at the Kinect is that it is simply duplicating what made the Wii so successful, albeit without controllers. When looking at Kinect Sports, it’s hard to argue with that comparison. This game offers the best aspects of Wii Sports, but ultimately it does not push the "motion sports mini-games" sub-genre much further beyond Nintendo's initial offering.
Six Pack
Kinect offers six sports to choose from, including the seemingly obligatory bowling mini-game. Soccer seems to be a relatively new experience, while other games like table tennis, beach volleyball and boxing feel familiar, even a bit stale. Track and field, a small tournament in and of itself, offers an almost three-dimensional update to the classic Nintendo game. Altogether, it’s a solid, but not spectacular, mix of individual and team sports.
Read More - Kinect Sports Review (360)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
12:34 PM - November 9, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Sometimes a media experience encourages you to seek out other versions of that specific title. For instance, I powered through the J.R.R. Tolkien novels after seeing the first Lord of the Rings movie. A hit single might entice you to buy the whole album. Even a sports video game might turn you on towards the real-life version of that sport.
So, in just about all cases, this is a good sign: your first experience is a positive one, so you seek out more like it. Dynasty League Baseball Online is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
Read More - Dynasty League Baseball Online Overview
Monday, October 25, 2010
11:01 AM - October 25, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
It seems like Wii sports games fall into one of three categories: games aimed purely at kids, poor ports of Xbox 360/PS3 games or games specifically tweaked for optimal play on the Wii.
Madden 11 is a good example of the last type: It’s still football, but it’s style and gameplay have been tweaked to take advantage of what the Wii does best.
FIFA 11 also tries to squeeze into that category. The game is not perfect or sim, but it fills the soccer niche well enough for a console not known for its sports prowess.
Read More - FIFA Soccer 11 (Wii) Review
Friday, October 8, 2010
While Madden pitched the idea of "simpler, quicker, deeper" in an attempt to broaden its appeal, the other recent EA Sports games appear to be heading in the opposite direction. NHL featured some significant changes, but many were probably overlooked by less than "hardcore" fans. Likewise, FIFA 11 is improved, but the refinements here are aimed at creating an authentic experience rather than enhancing accessibility. As such, FIFA 11 is a great representation of soccer, and the changes have made the game much more strategic, taut and rewarding. However, these changes definitely do not make the game easier.
Read More - FIFA Soccer 11 Review
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
11:32 AM - October 6, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
You can draw a number of parallels between the Wii and PlayStation Move beyond just the obvious motion controls. Both are marketed with a family or multiplayer focus. The titles are cheaper than standard console games. And both are bundled with a sports-game collection, a sort of amped-up tech demo designed to showcase the abilities of the motion controls. Where the Wii had Wii Sports -- still one of the better sports games on the system -- PS Move has Sports Champions.
Sports Champions is not as revolutionary as Wii Sports was upon its release, but it does many things better. Still, I can’t help but wonder if Sports Champions, like Wii Sports, marks both the beginning and the pinnacle of motion-sports gaming on the new platform.
Read More - Sports Champions Review (PS3 Move)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
To be completely honest, I don’t follow hockey as much as I used to. I was a big Flyers fan during the Legion of Doom era, and I have to admit that The Mighty Ducks movies are a big time guilty pleasure. But following the lockout of 2005, my waning interest finally disappeared.
I only mention this because, despite my strenuous relationship with the NHL, my interest in hockey games never faded. From middle-school marathons of NHLPA '93 to NHL Hitz 2000-03 to the revamp of the NHL franchise, ice hockey games have been a consistent source of enjoyment for me.
Which leads me to the review of NHL 11, which is ultimately a refined production of NHL 10. This is by no means a bad thing, as NHL 10 was a great game, and NHL 11 is even better. It’s just that the changes made can seem slight, especially if you, like me, are not an intense hockey fan. Does this mean NHL 11 doesn’t warrant a purchase? Not really...
Read More - NHL 11 Review
Thursday, August 19, 2010
07:31 PM - August 19, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Last year, Madden on the Wii consisted of new stylized graphics, a few new multiplayer-focused modes and the removal (or "lock-up") of traditional modes. While some of these items seemed like a good idea, the whole package was lacking. Too much of what made Madden Madden was missing.
This year, all of Madden 10’s feature list is back, but enough has been restored to make Madden 11 a worthwhile purchase. In fact, this is one of the most robust sports gaming packages on the Wii.
Read More - Madden NFL 11 (Wii) Review
Friday, July 16, 2010
11:31 AM - July 16, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
There have been a number of baseball titles that have graced the iPhone, but now we are finally starting to see officially licensed games featuring real teams and players. 9 Innings Pro Baseball 2011 is the latest, incorporating real-player likenesses through the MLBPA license. However, the lack of real teams is one of this game’s few faults. With that said, 9 Innings 2011 is still a worthy addition to your iPhone library.From a gameplay perspective, it is pretty standard hardball on your phone: computer-controlled fielding, touch-based pitch location/accuracy and timed hitting. While it’s nothing terribly new, it is handled in a superb and relatively straight-forward fashion. Little things, like being able to touch anywhere on the screen to hit or throw to a cutoff man, make it a pleasure to play on the mobile device.
The game boasts over 750 real players. The players are represented by cards and basic stats. Teams do not feature full 25-man rosters, rather a starting lineup, five-man rotation, and a healthy collection of bullpen and bench players. It’s not exactly sim, but it works in a game like this.
Read More - 9 Innings: Pro Baseball 2011 (iPhone) Review
Monday, June 28, 2010
11:47 AM - June 28, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
There are plenty of baseball games on the Wii, but the console has really only produced two quality titles: Wii Sports Baseball and MLB Power Pros. All of the other Wii baseball games, even those in the "sim" category, have ranged from disappointing to nearly unplayable. The Backyard Baseball series is just one of many that has failed to impress on the Wii. There was a time when the Backyard Baseball games, mostly on the PC/Mac, were charming and stylistic, capturing baseball at a basic level while incorporating real-life pros as kids. This concept, along with a diverse group of original kid "characters," made Backyard Baseball incredibly appealing for adults and children alike. However, this game did not transition well to the current generation of consoles because clunky gameplay and basic 3-D graphics stripped the series of its charm and luster.
This year's version, Backyard Sports Sandlot Sluggers, takes a different approach. Nevertheless, it fits right in with the more recent versions of the Backyard sports games and Wii baseball titles: plenty of potential, lackluster graphics and terrible controls. In all, not much fun.
Read More - Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers Review
12:51 PM - May 28, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
The infancy of the 2010 MLB season is wearing off at this point. Interleague play has begun and the All-Star voting is in full swing. To get an idea of what lies ahead, we have already simulated the the 2010 season in MLB 2K10.
Here now is what the 2010 season looks like in MLB 10: The Show.
Read More - MLB 10: The Show Simulates the 2010 Season
Friday, May 21, 2010
11:05 AM - May 21, 2010. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
EA Sports continues a tradition of porting its big-name games to the iPhone with the release of 2010 FIFA World Cup. By porting the games in its sports lineup, EA is slowly creating a "real sports" market on the platform -- a device that is full of over-the-top arcade games but lacking feature-rich simulation sports games. However, the EA name and FIFA does not mean automatic quality.Read More - 2010 FIFA World Cup Review (iPhone)
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