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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
02:38 PM - December 13, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Sports games on Wii are usually ugly stepsisters of their prettier, more personable siblings on the PS3 and Xbox 360. While PES 2012 for Wii doesn’t do enough to shatter that preconception, it certainly holds its own compared to other sports game on the console, presenting a fluid, enjoyable game of football.
Read More - Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Review (Wii)
Monday, November 21, 2011
11:54 PM - November 21, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
One of the perks that separate footy video games from other sports games is the amount of playable teams. Different from its other big league brethrens, clubs from all around the world are available. For Manager Mode aficionados, this means having the pleasant problem of choosing which one to start with. So hereby is a list of five interesting teams to use in FIFA 2012’s Manager Mode. This is not a list of top five clubs in the world, per se, because we can argue forever -- or when England wins a World Cup, whichever comes first. Think of this as more of a list of teams that provide a distinctive way, or talking point, to play with in FIFA 2012's Manager Mode.
Read More - Top Five Clubs for FIFA 12's Manager Mode
Monday, November 14, 2011
01:00 PM - November 14, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Insomniacs of the world rejoice, Football Manager 2012 is here. The ever popular, “just one more turn, I swear," gold standard of sports management sims has made its annual return.
Every year, the game gets deeper and more realistic in simulating the day to day lives of football managers. This year is no different. That said, not every facet of a manager’s job is playing in the finals and lifting the trophy. Some, in fact, are quite mundane, and FM — consciously or not — brings that to you as well. All that is to say that FM 2012 is a long term investment.
If you’re looking for short term thrills, look away, as this is not a pick up and play game by any stretch of the imagination. But if you’re looking for a game that will last you for months and months on end, as you slog through the dog days of winter trying to build your team, in hope for glory come spring time, this is it.
Read More - Football Manager 2012 Review (PC)
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
12:02 PM - November 1, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Yesterday we began a short series on formations in soccer, what they mean, who to use them with, and more. Today we continue that tradition by looking at a few more formations to add into your repertoire.
Read More - PES and FIFA Formations Guide (Part II)
Monday, October 31, 2011
04:04 PM - October 31, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
I play PES and FIFA with a friend who used to, without fail, use the default formations and slot names into positions. Then one day, after my lowly Wolves team beat his mighty Barcelona (OK, he wasn’t that good, but still), he crossed over to the dark side. Now sometimes our pre-game strategizing takes longer than the games themselves.
The point of this little anecdote is that setting up your team’s formation is one of the most overlooked things in football video games. You can have a lot of fun — geeky fun, nonetheless —tinkering with formations and getting the best out of your players. And as a bonus, you can also mastermind some unlikely victories in the process.
Firstly, a few disclaimers: This is not a tactics masterclass for two reasons. One, I’m not terribly bright. And two, we’re talking about video games. No matter their progress, at the end of the day the football we play on consoles is nothing like the football we see on TV. These games are still heavily tilted towards the gamer’s skills as opposed to their tactical understandings. Plus the AI is still nowhere smart enough to recognize and replicate the intricacies of each tactic.
What this is, is a starter’s guide to get you on your way to thinking and experimenting with different tactics. This article barely scratches the surface of each formation’s strengths and weaknesses. And as always, there are exceptions to the rule, so if I suggest that certain tactics are good for teams with certain styles, and you happen to disagree, by all means give it a try anyway. Either way, when you get your tinkering right and see the effects on the field, it’s a very satisfying feeling.
Read More - PES and FIFA Formations Guide (Part I)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
04:39 PM - October 20, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
It seems like the unofficial motto for Football Manager 2012 is “steady as she goes.” When firing up the demo initially, even though many of the interfaces got a nice coat of new paint, it still feels like the good old FM we know and love. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as over the years the franchise has steadily built itself up to be the gold standard of sports management games. But spend more time with the demo, and it’s evident that this is no FM 2011. Sports Interactive has tweaked plenty of things, many that may not be noticeable at first glance. And these slew of small changes add up to make the game an improvement from last year’s offering. No earth shattering revolutions, just consistent doses of improvements.
Read More - Football Manager 2012 Demo Impressions
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
05:42 PM - October 4, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
The Pro Evolution Soccer series has always lived and died by its gameplay. You don't expect stunningly polished presentation when you pop in PES, but you do expect fun and authentic on-pitch action. The problem was that for the past few years, even the gameplay has faltered, leading to a string of subpar offerings from this once mighty franchise.
Last year was a step in the right direction, as PES 2011's gameplay started to offer football fans glimmers of hope. This year,PES 2012 has eradicated its predecessors’ flaws, and took gameplay to a whole new level. This is by far the best PES game for the current generation of consoles.
Read More - Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 (360) Review
Monday, October 3, 2011
01:23 PM - October 3, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
The ever popular Master League and Be A Legend modes return in PES 2012, along with a new one, Club Boss. First, the bad news: Master League and Be A Legend remain largely the same. However, the good news is that just by riding on the coattails of this year's improved gameplay, they already become much more satisfying experiences even without any substantial changes.
Read More - PES 2012 Reviewer Career Mode Impressions
Friday, September 30, 2011
12:06 PM - September 30, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Pro Evolution Soccer is back! Our own Kelvin Mak gives you his first impressions of this year's game on his way to the final review being released next week!
Read More - Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Reviewer Initial Impressions
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
11:49 AM - September 28, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Slow and patient have never been words associated with the FIFA series. In fact, in previous releases the pace of gameplay was so helter-skelter they resembled sprint meets more than the sport of football itself. Well, no more. The nature of play in FIFA 12 has gone through an extensive overhaul, and the results, while far from perfect, are impressive.
Read More - FIFA Soccer 12 (360) Review
Monday, September 26, 2011
12:44 PM - September 26, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Unlike the action on the field, the bread and butter offline modes this year for FIFA 12 remains relatively unchanged. Rather than revolutionary changes, we’re treated to smaller enhancements and fixes.
Read More - FIFA 12 Reviewer Career Mode Impressions
Sunday, September 25, 2011
03:51 PM - September 25, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Kelvin Mak
Well, it’s here. The long awaited FIFA 12, with its handful of new and potentially game changing features. Words like revolution have been thrown around, with promises that this won’t play anything like the FIFAs of old. Does it deliver on the promise? Yes. But is it a much better experience, overall? Oh yeah.
Read More - FIFA 12 Reviewer Initial Impressions
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
12:54 PM - September 21, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Our own Kelvin Mak, Jayson Young, and Caley Roark check in today with their takes on the Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Demo. Do they think the series has recaptured the magic of days long past? Find out after the jump.
Read More - Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Demo Roundtable
Monday, September 19, 2011
12:36 PM - September 19, 2011. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Caley Roark
Our very own Caley Roark, Jayson Young, Kelvin Mak, and Dustin Toms check in today with their thoughts on the FIFA 12 Demo. Check out their thoughts and let us know yours!
Read More - FIFA 12 Demo Roundtable
Monday, July 11, 2011
08:10 PM - July 11, 2011. Posted by ChaseB. Written by Kelvin Mak
Certain dates on the sports calendar can drive gamers back to a particular game they have not touched in a while. Between the NHL Draft and NHL free agency starting on July 1, there was no doubt a few hockey fans dusting off their copies of NHL 11. But if you are one of the more hardcore armchair general managers out there, you were probably looking for NHL Eastside Hockey Manager 2007 on your PC. The series died too young, and in honor of the annual NHL free-agency madness, here is a look back at one of the best sports-management games that has ever hit the scene.
Read More - A Eulogy for NHL Eastside Hockey Manager
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