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Tuesday, September 9, 2014
01:24 PM - September 9, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
One of the biggest issues with the EA's Madden franchise for years has been the head-scratching decisions made by the AI, either from your teammates, or your opponents. So many times fans of the series have watched computer players routinely ignore the action on the field, and act as if they were involved in some type of digital point-shaving scheme. Communities such as Operation Sports have tried their best to tweak sliders to compensate for the apparent lack of logic, but only so much could be done to negate the consistent absurdity of the AI decision making.
Read More - Madden NFL 15: Is The Game Smarter?
Saturday, August 30, 2014
11:55 AM - August 30, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
As the world of video games hectically migrates towards online gaming as its main focus, the sports genre is no different. Playing head-to-head was once the acceptable norm, but oh how the landscape has changed over the last 5 years. Now sports gamers want and expect the full game experience online, and in many cases, even more.
With EA’s latest iteration of its NFL franchise, Madden 15, dropping this week, fans of the series are hoping that the polarizing developer has delivered just that - a full online experience.
Read More - Madden NFL 15: Online Impressions
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
11:12 AM - August 19, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
Much like the real game of golf, creating it’s digital counterpart can be difficult and frustrating, but extremely rewarding when you hit the sweet spot. Trying to emulate the tension of needing to knock a wedge close to the pin from 125 yards out in a video game is not easy, but that’s exactly what developer HB Studios is trying to do.
In a year in which video game golf fans thought they were going to be denied country club membership, a small Nova Scotian developer has jumped in to fill the void. Now the question is, have they drilled a 40-foot putt, or left just short of the cup?
Read More - The Golf Club Review (PC/XB1/PS4)
Monday, July 28, 2014
03:33 PM - July 28, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
It is fair statement to say that Playstation 4 racing fans have had very little reason to be excited since the system’s release. With only one title that you would classify as racing (EA’s Need For Speed:Rivals) fans of the genre have been patiently waiting for the next title to drop.
Obviously MotoGP 14 isn’t a traditional racing series the masses follow in the United States, but Milestone is hoping to tap into the smaller market that does, and banking on the fact that a few new ones come along for the ride.
Read More - MotoGP '14 Review (PS4)
Monday, June 30, 2014
04:35 PM - June 30, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
When it comes to turning digital laps on the asphalt, no other company is more synonymous with that experience than Codemasters. Developers of such famed racing titles as F1, Colin McCrae/Dirt, and of course the Toca/Grid series.
Codemasters is back at it again, with Grid: Autosports, and is hoping to right the wrongs from its Grid predecessor(s). A racing series that heavily blurs the lines between simulation and arcade, does the same with the new title, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a purchase – or does it?
Read More - GRID Autosport Review (360/PS3)
Monday, June 23, 2014
01:44 PM - June 23, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
Much like watching a UFC PPV, playing an online game so far during the debut on the next generation of systems can be very hit and miss. No matter the genre, some games have outperformed expectations, while others have left its customer base wondering if they’ll ever get it right. With the ushering in of these new systems, the expectations for a smooth online experience has never been higher, or more important than now. So how does EA Sports UFC stand up against these lofty hopes and expectations?
Read More - EA Sports UFC: Online Impressions
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
12:25 PM - May 27, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
Much like the Nintendo Power Glove, or Panasonic’s decision to charge $699 for its 3DO game console in 1993, certain decisions in the gaming industry seem like a good idea in the board room, but fail miserably when they hit the retail market. At times you want to champion the idea of non-conformity in an industry full of it, and other times you wish you had access to the decision makers who come up with this stuff and ask them simply: why? This subject we deal with today falls more under the innovative category, but despite the valiant effort, the implementation of this idea is where the troubles start.
Read More - MLB 14 The Show: Questioning the Online Experience
Monday, May 19, 2014
11:33 AM - May 19, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
So you want to start a franchise in Sony’s MLB 14:The Show, but you not quite sure how? Well, it can be a daunting task to take over the control of a Major League team, not only on the field, but off the field as well. For those that are new to the experience, but have an interest, we are going to give some very basic tips to help get you started off on the right foot.
The obvious starting point is picking a team, whether that be your favorite team you follow, or a team that just seems interesting. Certain teams will be easier to use because of their Major League talent. Other teams, say the Cubs or Astros, not so much. Even though the Cubs and Astros currently field a less then competitive team in the Majors, both of their farm systems are loaded, and that could pay major dividends for the person who is looking to spend some serious time within a franchise. You can also choose to develop a team’s young players, or use them as part of a trade package, in hopes of securing some already proven talent. There are many ways to approach a franchise, but understand this, each style or philosophy has both positive and negative connotations.
Read More - MLB 14 The Show: Starting a Franchise
Monday, May 5, 2014
06:07 PM - May 5, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
For those who have been keeping tabs on the new golf game from HB Studios, The Golf Club, you know that the game has entered into the early access phase on Steam. It's a glorified open beta test, but the idea is to allow any and all users who are interested to try the game in its current state, and relay back to the studios what they like, or don’t like.
As someone who has been lucky enough to play the game from its initial closed beta stage to the most current open access stage of 0.31, I am happy to report the improvements keep coming. While the general individual improvements are smaller in nature, when one adds them all up, they show what this game is capable of when the final retail build drops later this spring.
Read More - The Golf Club: Early Access Impressions
Saturday, May 3, 2014
11:59 AM - May 3, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
Being a huge baseball fan I have trekked across the country trying to get to as many ballparks as possible. For me, one of the attractions of baseball, aside for the game itself, are the epic cathedrals in which these teams play. There is something magical about walking through the turnstile(s), making your way up the ramp or stairs, and seeing the inside of the park for the first time. Taking in the colors, sounds, ambiance, and architecture, creates an almost euphoric adrenaline for fans, and feelings that are difficult to replicate.
Read More - Five Favorite Ballparks in MLB 14 The Show
Friday, April 25, 2014
12:09 PM - April 25, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
If you read our previous review of Sony’s MLB ’14:The Show, than you know we absolutely loved the game as a whole. We lauded SCEA for the improvements to the game, including the highly desired online franchise. However, the game’s online connectivity and lag issues left us wanting more.
If you’re a fan of the series, than you know that online play has been a consistent problem with the series, but typically SCEA San Diego has done a good job of at least correcting the online issues where the game is typically functional. With that said, we thought it would be prudent to take another look at the games online portion now that patch 1.11 has been released to the public.
Read More - MLB 14 The Show: The State of Online Post-Patch
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
01:56 PM - April 22, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
There are certain things in life that you can count on annually, some good, some bad. If you’re a fan of SCEA San Diego’s MLB The Show series, one of the best is the arrival of the fully edited minor league roster set, O.S. Full Minors, released by OSer MK Knight (Mike). Mike has been working on roster edits for various games now for well over a decade, including such games as High Heat Baseball (PC) and the deceased NHL 2K series.
For the last seven years, though, Mike has switched all focus over to the MLB series. What started out as a one-man operation has now blossomed into a full scale production, with several key Operation Sports members joining the fold. Mike readily admits that although in the beginning it was just him, he is more of a facilitator now than anything.
Read More - MLB 14 The Show: The Godfather of Custom Ultra-Realistic Rosters
Friday, April 11, 2014
11:24 AM - April 11, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
If you have no favorite Major League team, or happen to be bored playing with your favorite team and are looking to resurrect a franchise from the ashes, than you should keep on reading. Sure, it’s easy to grab a team like the Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Tigers, or Yankees and all but guarantee yourself a playoff spot on a yearly basis, or you could travel the unconventional route and pick a franchise whose farm system is healthy, and has at least some talent at the Major League level to supplement the upcoming future prospects.
We are going to take a look at five different teams, their farm systems, and what talent they have on the big league level already.
Read More - MLB 14 The Show: Five Teams To Rebuild Today
Friday, April 4, 2014
01:23 PM - April 4, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
As the immortal Babe Ruth once said “Baseball is the greatest game in the world, and it deserves the best you can give it.” Over the years, the development group at SCEA San Diego has found a way to do just that. The MLB The Show franchise from SCEA San Diego has widely been recognized as one of the best sports series going, and rightfully so. This year the development team finds themselves for the second time, in a transition period. The team was faced with the task of trying to keep the ball rolling on the PS3 and Vita, and start it on the PS4. The question now is, should you bother grabbing the PS3 version, if you have a PS4 system that is eagerly awaiting the date of May 6th?
Read More - MLB 14 The Show Review (PS3)
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
11:08 AM - April 1, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Robert Kollars
It is that time of year again folks. Baseball is back, and so is Sony’s MLB The Show franchise. We have a had a bit of time to spend with the newest iteration for the PS3, and will have our full review out in a couple of days. For now though, we wanted to take a quick look at MLB The Show ‘14, and share some quick impressions. Although we were able to try out a lot of the core game modes, any server based modes were not available to us as of yet.
- This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint, and a roster update. There are legitimate differences in this year’s title.
- The new quick counts option is truly a game-changer, and may help many gamers see the end of those unfinished seasons
- The new menu system is fast and well thought out. It allows the user to easily access the information they are looking for. It may take some time to adjust to it, but it will pay-off in the end.
- The new dynamic fielding cam is just as welcomed as the new quick count system. It really adds a fresh new feel to a game that was starting to show its age.
- The hit variety is this year’s title is as good as ever, and also just as authentic.
- Although we love the new dynamic fielding camera, we did notice a few wonky moments because of its implementation. It will likely become easier over time, but it will take users a bit of time to adjust.
- Unfortunately animation driven plays are just as abundant as in years past, but that is somewhat to be expected as the transition to next gen becomes the focus.
- For the most part, commentary feels and sounds about the same. If you are a veteran of the series, the 3-man booth becomes repetitive white noise after awhile.
- Visually, the crowds and players look as good as they ever have, and the stadiums are bursting with authentic ambiance.
- The game's options are as deep as you would expect, and still allow the user to adjust to their style of play.
- RTTS mode has some welcomed changes that should alleviate a bit of the grind mentality, and presents itself more as a true journey.
- The effects of the revamped overall presentation is felt immediately, and continues to feel that way throughout the game.
That is about it for now. As we mentioned earlier, look for our full review of Sony’s MLB The Show ’14 for the PS3, later this week.
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