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Tuesday, March 31, 2015
06:45 PM - March 31, 2015. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Ben Vollmer
There are only a few things I'm sure of in this world, and one of them is that every spring MLB: The Show is going to release as one of the best sports video games of the year. There is a certain comfort to it all. The game doesn't change much, new features don't even have to be used (which really should be a staple in all sports games), and the game isn't going to have a single bug in it that is going to ruin my experience.
But when does this comfort become apathy? Baseball, more so than almost any other sport, thrives on tradition. The Show, in return, seems to do the same. Reliably consistent, the series makes additions that don't really change anything, but rather enhance the experience. As other games evolve and devolve by taking chances, The Show seems so comfortable in its own skin that it seems uncomfortable with the idea of leaving it behind. Often times, this works in its favor. Other times, it makes me wonder when and if we'll ever see MLB: The Show take another big leap forward.
Read More - MLB 15 The Show: Reviewer Day One Impressions (Written by - Ben Vollmer)
Monday, March 30, 2015
12:19 PM - March 30, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
With only a few hours to go, planning out your first moves with MLB: The Show 15 should be a priority. Everyone will have a personal preference, whether it's playing with your favorite team or immediately kicking off "Road to the Show," but there are four things that will be an absolute must to play around with come Tuesday.
Read More - MLB 15 The Show: Four Things You'll Want to Try
Friday, March 20, 2015
05:13 PM - March 20, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
By most standards, Madden NFL 15 was the best game the series had seen in more than five years. It wasn't a giant leap forward, but it cleaned up some legacy issues and didn't introduce more than one or two (user sacks, we're looking at you).
Yet, the game's most noticeable flaw is that we haven't seen that leap forward that Madden so desperately needs. The series fails to take any big chances and the ones it does take aren't particularly loved by consumers.
With that in mind, let's look at Madden NFL 15's big back of the box additions and review what worked and what didn't work for consumers...
Read More - Madden NFL 15: What Worked and What Didn't Work
Friday, March 13, 2015
11:54 AM - March 13, 2015. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Ben Vollmer
Every sports game is forced to tackle the same issue every year: how can you add a pre-season that feels both efficient and meaningful?
It is a complex issue because, while hardcore gamers are going to want spring training to feel as important as it is in real life, others simply want to simulate right through it and get on with the regular season. So accommodating both sides is the crux of the problem. Giving those who would normally simulate a reason to actually play through spring training seems like the most simple answer, so here are five ways MLB: The Show could more successfully implement spring training:
Read More: Implementing a Better Spring Training in MLB: The Show (Written by Ben Vollmer)
Monday, March 9, 2015
05:21 PM - March 9, 2015. Posted by Steve_OS. Written by Ben Vollmer
The most impressive thing about Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball is its unique sense of style. Pulsating lights and a heavy electronic beat play overhead as you go head to head with several other robots in a game of dodgeball. If it sounds weird, that’s because it is. Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball is funky, and it’s only because of how well the game knows itself is it such a success.
Read More - Robot Roller-Derby Disco Dodgeball Review (Written by Ben Vollmer)
Thursday, February 19, 2015
11:37 AM - February 19, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
It seems like baseball, more than any other professional sport, only needs an offseason to have its world rattled. Moves like Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers, Jon Lester to the Cubs, and the Atlanta Braves practically getting rid of their entire offense are things you would almost never see in another sport. Yet, in the MLB, it feels almost common. So for those of you who haven't stayed up with the most up-to-date roster transactions and acquisitions (or for those of you who just want a refresher), here is our official power ranking of all 30 Major League teams and how they should stack up in-game in preparation for MLB 15 The Show.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
11:37 AM - February 3, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
But where does that leave the other half of sports gamers?
Read More - Sports Game Developers Are Overlooking Single Player...
Friday, December 26, 2014
12:43 PM - December 26, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
A while back, I did some research on whether QB accuracy attributes made a noticeable difference in the ways quarterback's threw the ball. Over time, the affects were pretty noticeable. Bad QBs had a harder time hitting their targets consistently, and good QBs never had too much trouble. On the surface, it doesn't change the game in a way that it should, but across a decent sample size the difference (statistically) is certainly there.
Unfortunately, not every attribute has been given the same kind of attention. Blocking attributes are easily outweighed by the sliders that represent them. Shifting the pass blocking or run blocking slider up or down has a much greater impact on a player's performance than increasing or decreasing their attributes. The same can be said about virtually all facets of the kicking game.
So the real question is this: which attributes are the most important, and work as they should?
Speed: If nothing else, EA has always represented speed as being an absolute game-changer. Having any player with high speed can be enough to change a game, even if they don't have the other kind of attributes normally needed to field a position.
Release: This is a surprisingly underrated attribute. How quick a wide-receiver can break off of press coverage almost entirely depends on how well this attribute matches up with their opponent. Especially in the red zone, where press coverage is a near must, the release attribute can have a huge impact on the game.
Catching: Again, this has a lot to do with the slider that represents it. That said, the higher a player's catch rating, the more likely they are to make some pretty cool grabs. This also has a definitive impact on your quarterback, as poor pocket passers can be bailed out of some bad throws with awesome catches.
For instance, Jeremy Maclin has the ability to go down and grab a throw towards the dirt, but Josh Huff may struggle to even make a play on it.
Awareness: There's no way to put a finger on exactly what the awareness attribute does, but it has a definite affect on the game. After minimizing this attribute for an entire game for every player on the Patriots, I noticed them reacting like zombies off of blocks and zone coverages. The rating almost certainly doesn't work in a realistic way, but it's importance towards fielding a competitive game is certainly evident.
What are the most attributes to you in Madden NFL 15?
Thursday, December 25, 2014
11:43 AM - December 25, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
NBA 2K15 remains one of the few sports games on the market that requires immense attention to succeed on the defensive side of the basketball. With players generally playing like their real-life counterparts, strategic matchups and specific defensive attacks are imperative to success. With that said, here are five ways you can get better at defense in NBA 2K15...
Read More - Playing Good Defense in NBA 2K15 is as Important as Good Offense
Friday, December 19, 2014
02:37 PM - December 19, 2014. Posted by DustinT. Written by Ben Vollmer
There has been so much buzz and too little punch for the New York Knicks over the last decade. It many ways, it disproves the theory that as long as you have a superstar, you can still win a lot of games in the NBA. Despite Carmelo Anthony's loyalty to the storied organization, things only seem to be getting worse. With bloated salary and little talent, where can the Knicks even begin? Here are three moves that every Knicks owner can make in NBA 2K15 to return Spike Lee's favorite squad into powerhouse form:
1. Find a Partner in Crime: Do what the Knicks have failed to the past few seasons and find Carmelo a great complimentary player to have at his side. Some names that will be popping up in free agency next summer: Paul Millsap, Rajon Rando, Greg Monroe and LaMarcus Aldridge.
2. Cut, Cut, Cut: A lot of guys on the Knicks are not tradable (we are looking at you, Amar'e) and it's up to you to make sure they are out of a job. Do whatever you can to free up some cash to follow up on the above advice. Another possibility is to swap bad contracts with another team in hopes that a change of scenery spurs something.
3. Find Early's Game: Cleanthony Early was regarded as one of the most underrated draft picks of 2014. Do everything you can to make sure that he becomes a consistent piece of the machine, because the Knicks could use the youth and low-cost.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
11:42 AM - December 18, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Defense is improved in Madden NFL 15, that's not a lie. The improvements are minimal, and don't impact the game with a realistic impression. But if you find the right set of sliders (and beware, one size does not fit all) you'll notice realistic scores, balanced attacks on both sides of the ball, and a reasonable but not overwhelming number of turnovers.
Unfortunately, Madden still doesn't feel quite right.
Read More - How to Make Madden Play More Realistic Defense
Monday, December 15, 2014
03:56 PM - December 15, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
It is hard to believe that it's been 10 years since the likes of Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton won an NBA Championship for the Detroit Pistons. Motor City haa gone downhill ever since and have somehow resulted in having the NBA's most under-achieving team. It isn't as if they haven't tried; moves to get Brandon Jennings and Joel Anthony were supposed to provide balance and depth. Yet, here they sit, in last place in the Central division. Here are three moves you can make in your NBA 2K15 association to restore their former glory:
1. Get Rid of Josh Smith: Look, it's not as if the Pistons probably haven't tried. Smith is both the highest paid player on the Pistons (by a long shot) and one of the least efficient. Even if you can't get anything for him, it's worth trying to unload him on a contender with a lot of room in the budget.
2. Embrace the Tank: No one wants to be called a quitter, but the Pistons aren't making the playoffs this year. Instead, focus on the years to come. If you can be open to dealing one of your bigs in Drummond or Monroe, all the better.
3. Turn Monroe into a Star: If you don't follow my previous advice to get a haul for Monroe, then do everything you can to turn him into a star. He's already one of the best at his position, but the Pistons really need him to be even better than that. Regardless of who is around him, Monroe will always be the Piston's most important piece.
Friday, December 12, 2014
02:10 PM - December 12, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
It has become relatively popular to turn the Philadelphia 76ers into the punchline of any NBA joke. They struggled mightily to get their first win of 2014 and things haven't looked much better in past seasons. They're headed straight for another top pick, but is that necessarily a bad thing? The 76ers may have a plan, and it's up to you to follow along in your NBA 2K15 association. Here are three moves you can make to help speed along the process:
1. Use 2014/2015 to get Comfortable: You may not be able to play with shot-blocking phenom Joel Embiid, but the rest of your roster should basically be playing for a spot on next year's team.
It's no secret that the 76ers have been stocking up on draft picks, so you can assume that a good portion of your current roster is going to be gone in favor of younger talent. See what you have in guys like Carter-Williams and Malcolm Lee, and go from there.
2. Save Cap Space: In one or two years, people are going to stop laughing at the 76ers and start wanting to be the 76ers. Save your money for a top flight talent in free agency, because it won't be long before the 76ers have a talent studded roster that a superstar is going to want to tag themselves to.
3. Develop Nerlens Noel: This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's easy to pawn Noel off as being a force strictly on the defensive end. Do what you can to develop his offensive game, and hope that when Embiid is finally healthy, the two can play a cohesive game of basketball together.
Have you played as the 76ers? What would you do to turn the franchise around?
Monday, December 8, 2014
11:01 AM - December 8, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
It is really hard to imagine an Oakland Raiders team this bad may not be that far from turning into a winner. With team's pulling off major turnarounds in the last few years (think the '13 Chiefs), it's easy to wonder what the Raiders would have to do for a similar reversal. That said, here are three quick moves outside of drafting the next Andrew Luck that the Raiders can make to turn their fortunes around in a Madden 15 Connected Franchise, provided you are playing on a realistically challenging level of course:
1. Find a Playmaker: Let's forget for a second that Derek Carr is their starting quarterback. When James Jones is your best option to throw the ball to and Darren McFadden is getting the bulk of the carries in the run game, something is wrong.
Every Raider's owner in Madden 15 would be wise to go out and find a playmaker at a cheap price.
2. Get Younger on Defense: With one of the oldest defenses in the NFL, it might be time to shed some of that in return for whatever draft picks you can get. Go defense heavy in the 2015 draft.
3. Find a Game Manager: This doesn't necessarily need to be a quarterback. DeMarco Murray has become a game manager for the Cowboys, and Matt Forte one for the Bears. Consistent QB's are hard to find, but consistent football players are a little less rare. Go out and find the guy you are comfortable enough to give 20-30 touches a game, and let that improved defense win some games for you.
Up Next: The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia 76ers
Thursday, November 20, 2014
09:55 PM - November 20, 2014. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Things are bad when you’re practically begging for the CPU to put up a stop.
It was the 12th time that drive I had run the same play: HB Dive right up the center. My Eagles had a significant lead, and I wanted the opposing defense to force me to pass the ball. As you may have already guessed, that never came to fruition.
On that 12th play, LeSean McCoy cruised into the endzone for a touchdown. Why was it so easy? Because despite my repetition in the playcalling, the CPU refused to stack the box. Better yet, they would often spread their defensive line in a QB contain. Why? Why wouldn’t they try and stop me, when I’m making it so very easy for them?
The answer is simple: Madden’s AI doesn’t adapt. This is more prevalent in the playcalling than anywhere else, and it’s especially noticeable as the game carries on. No matter the score, no matter the time left on the clock, the CPU fails to adapt defensively.
What a shame it is, that in the year 2014 we still have to abide by house rules and dumb ourselves down to the CPU’s level.
It’s 2014, and Madden’s AI is still wrong.
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