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Thursday, April 10, 2014
12:41 PM - April 10, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Having previously experienced the Kinect Sports Rivals demo, I knew something of what to expect in this full release of the first real “Kinect 2.0” motion game. I've only played the retail version for a short while, but what's here does seem to pick up where the demo left off — that is to say, there's some surprisingly good stuff, some acceptable stuff and some bad stuff.
Read More - Kinect Sports Rivals Reviewer Impressions
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
10:50 AM - March 26, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
While I think most players would agree that NBA 2K14 is the best-looking sports game on the new hardware so far and FIFA 14 is the best-playing game, I feel that Powerstar Golf is currently providing the best value for money for sports gamers in this new chapter of gaming. Whether it's the price point or the reasonable unlock structure or the perfect balance of casual accessibility and difficulty, Powerstar Golf provides a meaningful template for how digital download titles can get it right in the future.
Read More - Powerstar Golf: The Best Value On New Consoles Thus Far?
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
11:51 AM - March 12, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The NHL trade deadline for 2014 provided some decent fireworks, with several teams busying themselves with various deals throughout the day (as well as the few days leading up to the deadline). While a couple of teams ended up landing one big fish (Marty St. Louis for Ryan Callahan comes to mind), there were several organizations that either changed their lineup substantially or started the process of some kind of rebuild. Here are the teams that I feel changed the most, one way or the other, after the 2014 trade deadline. NHL 2014 has reflected these changes – and all the rest – in its most recent roster update.
Read More - NHL 14: Five Teams Changed by The Trade Deadline
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
03:08 PM - March 5, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Presumably, EA has been quietly smithing away on the next version of the NHL series for at least the last year — and possibly longer if you count pre-production and other early research and development. The reality is that the company couldn't release a game for the next-generation console launches, as there just wasn't the install base to provide adequate return on investment. The NHL series, as I've noted before, has been on a very gentle slide in the last couple of years (even though the games have been consistently solid), and this extra year allows the smaller-than-average dev team to figure out what they really want to do with the next evolution in hockey video games.
Read More - NHL 15: Three Keys to Success
Thursday, February 27, 2014
11:49 AM - February 27, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
With the Olympics over, the NHL swings back into its home stretch, and several teams are going to be in the market for some hired guns. There are quite a few names in the mix this year, even with the fact that the trade deadline isn't quite the circus it used to be 5-10 years ago. It's always interesting seeing which unrestricted free agents (UFAs) and restricted free agents (RFAs) are moved, poached, bought or bargained for, so here's a list of ten players that could find themselves wearing a different jersey on March 5.
Read More - NHL 14: Ten Players Who Could Be Sporting New Uniforms Soon
Friday, February 21, 2014
11:27 AM - February 21, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The details regarding EA's first foray into UFC-branded MMA are still a bit murky, but we do know a good deal about the fighters who will take part in the action as well as some of the systems that will power the gameplay. Since the game will be shipping sometime in “late spring” (my bet is late May or early June), we'll have to start hearing more substantive details about it sooner or later, but recent impressions and media over the past couple of weeks give us a slightly clearer picture of what to expect.
Read More - EA Sports UFC: What We Know So Far
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
11:08 AM - February 12, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Even though Kinect Sports Rivals missed the launch of the Xbox One console, Microsoft and Rare wanted people to know that the game was still in the works, so they released a demo on the Xbox One game store that showcases the wake racing component of the game. It's a bit sad to see a company like Rare relegated to Kinect-only development limbo, but at least Kinect Sports Rivals, from this early sampling, seems like it could provide something worth checking out.
Read More - Kinect Sports Rivals Preseason: Full Impressions
Thursday, February 6, 2014
03:01 PM - February 6, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
The creation of the WWE Network by the WWE, after years of relying on the pay-per-view (PPV) model, is the sign of a company both savvy and scared. On the one hand, they're embracing the service-based model that so many other companies have discovered (HBO, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon), and they're leveraging their considerable back catalog to provide loads of content and attract new fans. Conversely, it can also be viewed as a move of necessity and self-preservation, as the PPV market has been cannibalized by the WWE itself and hindered by the strength of the UFC.
Read More - The WWE Network and How It Could Tie-in With WWE 2K15
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
06:04 PM - January 28, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Now that we've seen a few games featuring the “Ignite” engine from EA Sports, it's a bit easier to understand where the NHL series may go with that technology and design philosophy powering its action. At the same time, the first batch of Ignite-powered games — NBA Live 14, Madden 25 and FIFA 14 — have all been rooted in the previous generation of consoles, showing glimpses of the next-gen gaming future while being firmly anchored to the past. The first “real” Ignite product will be EA UFC, and EA has put a lot of stock in how the sport of MMA — and the UFC brand, in particular — can help diversify their sports portfolio.
What can we take from the first Ignite games as well as EA UFC? Quite a lot, I think. From the design philosophy of those titles, it's possible to see what EA might have in store for the NHL brand, keeping in mind the fact that the folks in Burnaby working on NHL 15 only number in the dozens, not the hundreds that are found in other game studios.
Read More - NHL 15: What the Ignite Engine Means
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
11:57 AM - January 21, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Having previously looked at the lineups of both North American hockey teams, it's only fair to size up the host nation for Sochi 2014, as well as the other nation with the best chance to succeed — Russia and Sweden, respectively. Each team is populated with stars, former Olympians and lots of utility talent from their nation's leagues, and both groups are more than capable of being in the final four. Still, questions linger about some lineup decisions, and certain factors could slow up these competitive hockey nations.
Without further ado, let's take a look at each squad.
Read More - Breaking Down Olympic Hockey: Russia/Sweden
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
12:12 PM - January 15, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Now that both North American nations have made their selections for Sochi next month, it's much easier to see some of the possible combinations that will hit the ice (barring any late changes or injuries). Both line-ups feature some meaningful snubs as well, leaving a few talented skaters riding the pine (or, more correctly, enjoying a two-week sabbatical from the NHL season).
Without further ado, let's take a look at each line-up.
Read More - Breaking Down Olympic Hockey: USA/Canada
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
05:20 PM - December 31, 2013. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Who: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings
Where: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, MI)
When: January 1, 2014 @ 1 p.m. EST
The 2014 iteration of the NHL Winter Classic will happen on New Years Day at “The Big House” in Ann Arbor, Mich., as the Maple Leafs and the Red Wings will compete in an “original six” match-up. It will likely end up being a competitive showing, as the two teams are only two points apart in the eastern conference standings, with Detroit slowing down a tad in recent years and Toronto actually showing some signs of life this season. This match ends up making more sense this season as well, with Detroit having moved over to the east after the realignment at the start of the season (a better fit for the geography, and a boon to those in the west). This is also the first time a Canadian team has played in the Winter Classic, as usually they play in the Heritage Classic, a different stadium game.
Read More - 2014 Winter Classic: Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
03:00 PM - December 24, 2013. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
Tiger Woods, a video game mainstay, won't be that way any longer.
One of the major developments in the sports game space this year that kind of slipped under the radar was the suspension of both the Tiger Woods and Fight Night franchises. EA decided that each game needed to take a break for 2014 at least, with Fight Night's future looking even more uncertain.
Read More - Top Five Stories of 2013: Tiger Woods and Fight Night Take a Break
Thursday, December 19, 2013
04:45 PM - December 19, 2013. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Glenn Wigmore
It's fun when you can play a game that is made by developers that have a passion for throwback gameplay and presentation. The folks at Run Games are trying to go after a piece of the free-to-play pie on iOS devices by evoking the feel of Tecmo Bowl, mixing it with modern RPG unlocks and then adding in a dash of wacky superpowers. It's one of those mash-ups that seems kind of weird on the outside, but when you play the game, it starts to make a lot of sense.
Read More - Football Heroes Review (iOS)
Friday, December 13, 2013
01:17 PM - December 13, 2013. Posted by DustinT. Written by Glenn Wigmore
As I detailed in my review, there's a lot to like about FIFA 14 on next-gen hardware. I had gotten a good feeling about the game back at E3 2013, as it's framerate, animations, pace and overall fidelity seemed like promising indicators of what the final product would deliver. This made it all the more satisfying when EA was able to provide that experience in the full release. By actually leveraging some of the new horsepower in some subtle but meaningful ways, EA was able to broaden the “feel” of the FIFA gameplay even if they weren't actually messing with the core engine in drastic ways.
Taking Things to the Next Level: Five Ways to Improve FIFA 14 - Read More
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