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Friday, September 26, 2014
11:34 AM - September 26, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
It’s been kind of an uneven year for EA Sports, with Madden being quite solid, EA Sports UFC receiving a mixed response and NHL 15 getting panned. Then you’ve got NBA Live and whatever that will be this year, but that’s yet to be known. With all of that, it’s a pleasure to see a product from EA that arrives with confidence and proper execution, and this is what can happen when a team has the resources to keep improving on their vision year over year.
Read More - FIFA 15 Excels In Most Every Aspect, Is a Must Buy (PS4/XB1 Review)
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
11:13 AM - September 23, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The FIFA brand has been very consistent for a long time, and it seems almost automatic that users can expect a deep product with lots of modes, great gameplay, robust presentation and strong licensing. Well, early returns for FIFA 15 bode well, as this year’s release seems to have pushed hard for some meaningful gameplay changes while also addressing presentation and mode depth. In light of the under-resourced effort that was NHL 15, it’s reassuring to see that FIFA is continuing to improve...
Read More - FIFA 15 Looks To Be A Winner
Friday, September 19, 2014
12:14 PM - September 19, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
In light of the scores that NHL 15 received around the Internet, I started thinking about the concepts of review scoring and user expectation when it comes to sports games. To be sure, there have been a lot of vocal fans and consumers who are upset about what they feel happened with this year's version of NHL 15. You don’t have to throw a stone far to hit someone who is bothered by what they feel is an incomplete product that doesn't fit with the steady quality that NHL has enjoyed up until this point. I echoed a lot of these sentiments in my own review, where I described a "dissonance" in the way the game provided some enjoyment with its gameplay and presentation while at the same time disillusioning me with its missing features and paltry mode selection.
Read More - Expectations, Scores, and the Sports Gaming Review
Friday, September 12, 2014
11:39 AM - September 12, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4 has presented me with one of the biggest cases of cognitive dissonance I've had in some time. From one perspective, it looks better than it ever has before, and it plays very well. From another point of view, it provides no meaningful ways to enjoy the game, offline or online. Sure, there are a handful of modes to be found in NHL 15, but when you consider the plethora of options that users have had before now, it just leaves a real bad taste.
Bottom line: this game isn't worth full price.
Read More - NHL 15 Review (XB1/PS4)
Monday, September 8, 2014
12:45 PM - September 8, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
After a delayed and protracted PR schedule, people are finally getting to play NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4. To say that there has been a lot made of the missing EASHL and other features would be an understatement. Fans have made their feelings known that the absent features and modes are going to impact purchasing decisions, while EA has remained steadfast in their belief that the game will stand on its own merits and make people believers (well, only for so long, as EA plans to patch in certain elements).
After playing the game for some time, three things remain clear in my mind: this is the best-looking version of the game to date, it plays very well, and it’s not worth the full asking price.
Read More - NHL 15: Reviewer Impressions (PS4/XB1)
Thursday, September 4, 2014
12:04 PM - September 4, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The newest patch is out for EA Sports UFC, and it’s another free update that adds a host of changes as well as three new fighters. The details about the update are here. There are some fairly substantial changes to the gameplay in this update, as I was completely taken off guard by some of the new ways a match can finish as well as how certain situations played out. I still feel that the stamina loss on strikes needs to be adjusted for certain fighters so that people can’t just spam and not be penalized, but these are mostly good changes that make the game better and add more depth.
Read More - EA Sports UFC: How The Patched Version Has Improved
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
07:47 PM - August 27, 2014. Posted by DustinT. Written by Glenn Wigmore
While these two rivalries will provide a decent arc to play through come October, it's fun to think about what other rivalries might be included as post-launch DLC. There will likely be new wrestlers added to the roster as DLC, but you'd have to believe that only characters on the launch roster will be considered for actual rivalries. Since there is also likely a good deal of effort required to stitch together all of the archival content and context for these modes, it's probable that we'll only see two or three “feuds” available for purchase.
Which rivalries make the most sense?
Read More - Five Possible DLC Rivalries for WWE 2K15
Monday, August 18, 2014
11:50 AM - August 18, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
As of this writing, fans of EA's NHL franchise don't know what's going on with several of the popular modes in the upcoming Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game. And in some ways, it now doesn't matter. To be sure, people would like to see EASHL, OTP, GM Connected and everything else “in the game,” as EA likes to say, but in terms of messaging and transparency, the damage has been done. A failure of communication has led to a good number of faithful fans feeling alienated or taken for granted. The stereotype of a company that's ardently pro-business marches on.
Read More - The Medium is the Message: EASHL, Transparency, and the Core Gamer
Thursday, August 7, 2014
11:01 AM - August 7, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
EA has begun releasing its first set of ratings for players in NHL 15. The five best goalies in the game are now known, and you can read EA's blog about it here. Some familiar faces on the list, but a couple of other notables as well.
Read More - NHL 15: Breaking Down the Top Goalies
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
12:02 PM - July 29, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Now that the first patch for EA Sports UFC has been digested by the community for a good week, I thought it would be a proper time talk about how things are going in the MMA online space as imagined by EA. There is certainly a large pool of online fighters, with north of 200,000 users for both of the new consoles combined. The added “red belt” and Grand Prix tournament options have also added some extra depth for those wanting to go even further to show that they belong at the top of the heap.
Read More - EA Sports UFC: Online Mode Review
Thursday, July 24, 2014
12:10 PM - July 24, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
EA has released its first major update for EA Sports UFC, and it's come at a good time for the game's community. The free update adds three new fighters, some much-needed gameplay tweaks and a couple of other fun additions. The full details are available here.
Read More - EA Sports UFC: Breaking Down The Newest Patch
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
12:20 PM - July 16, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
While EA is slowly making it's return to golf with PGA Tour 15, another Canadian studio is trying to make an impression with The Golf Club, coming this summer to Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It's already out through early access on Steam, but I got a chance to try out the Xbox One version of the game at E3 2014 back in June.
The gameplay pitch for this Unity-powered golf simulation is that it's an actual simulation, with a proper learning curve and a reduced number of assists from what you'd usually find in the Tiger Woods games. This means that there are no landing indicators on shots and that the player has to line up an approach with some level of foreknowledge. The Golf Club uses analog swinging, and there is even more room for error than in the Tiger Woods games. This doesn't mean that it's unfair, but each shot will have to be executed carefully to avoid shanking. Your swing is represented by a graphic on the side, and this helps provide useful feedback should things go awry. There is also a grid-like interface for adding spin, draw or fade on the ball.
Read More - The Golf Club Hands-On (Xbox One, PlayStation 4)
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
12:59 PM - July 9, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
I had a chance to check out Pure Pool at E3 2014, and it looks to provide a slick game of billiards for PC, Xbox One and PS4. It certainly seems like it won't be lacking for features either, as it's got all sorts of career options, challenges, online hooks and even downloadable profiles (much like Forza 5's “drivatars”). The game comes from VooFoo Studios, developers of Hustle Kings, as well as publisher Ripstone.
Read More - Pure Pool Hands-On Impressions
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
11:59 AM - July 1, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
I had a chance to get my hands on PES 2015 at E3 2014, and this year's version attempts to find its footing on new hardware while keeping pace with the always-thriving EA FIFA brand. I'm not as familiar with the PES brand as I am with FIFA, but I still appreciated the chance to test drive Konami's next footy offering.
Read More - Pro Evolution Soccer 2015: Hands-On Impressions
Saturday, June 28, 2014
02:10 AM - June 28, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The prospect of getting into EA Sports UFC — let alone MMA — can seem quite daunting, as there is a lot to know about the sport. Not only are there the basic concepts (striking, grappling, submissions), but the sport has so many variations and permutations on each of these foundations. On top of that, each fighter has his/her own idiosyncrasies and tendencies. Then, to make it even more complicated, it's important to understand why these techniques matter in a given situation and how they should be used correctly. In other words, there is a great deal to learn. Still, by understanding some of the key ideas, you can get a handle on some of what you're seeing and try and build upon that.
Read More - EA Sports UFC: 10 Tips for Beginners
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