Next Gen Sporting - lnin0's Blog

lnin0's Blog

Next Gen Sporting

Posted on December 3, 2013 at 04:16 PM.

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Now that "Next Gen" has gone from hype to reality we can start to asses its first foray into Sports gaming - a genre that curiously makes up a good block of the launch titles.

There is the stalwart entries from EA and 2K in the form of FIFA, Madden NFS and NBA along with the system defining racer, Forza, from Microsoft. Add in a new comer, or at least a comebacker, in NBA Live and finally the bite sized Powerstar Golf and you have a half dozen titles vying for our next gen attention. So was the wait worth it?

Of the next gen titles I have only purchased Forza and Powerstars Golf. I am not hear to critique - just to ask the question, which, if any, next gen sports games are worth the investment. Obviously for a fan of any of these titles there will be little question to snatch up the next gen edition. For the occasional sports fan however, it can be a much harder choice deciding between one of these sports titles and the other launch games, especially when money is tight from a $400+ entry fee to the next gen.

Madden
Lets start with Madden. EA abandoned the 'group up' strategy that gave them a black eye when the PS3/360 launched. Now they have done a complete turn around and included almost every feature and mode from current gen into the next gen platform. The cost of this is similar to the benefits - not a lot has changed. Graphically the game gets adequate upgrades but falls short of inspiring next gen awe. Gameplay wise if much the same story as well. The new power is used to tweak things all over the place but it is generally the same foundation and same shortcoming under the hood. The biggest positive I hear about Madden is that it plays flawlessly online. So, if you haven't picked up Madden in a while and don't particularly care about graphics then Madden could be right for you.

NBA 2K14
I want to jump to NBA 2K14 now because 2K employed the opposite strategy from EA. It is as if both EA and 2K flipped playbooks from the launch of the PS3/360. 2K build NBA from the ground up for next gen consoles and as you can guess this choice was leaps and bounds ahead of its current gen namesake when it comes to graphics and gameplay. However, like EA last launch, 2K spent all their resources making a better play and better looking game and had nothing left over to match its feature rich counterparts. So while NBA2K does have that awe factor it feels somewhat shallow. This isn't helped by the fact 2K is struggling with online stability essentially gimping what little features the game has to offer. If you want to experience true next gen visuals with rich gameplay then NBA 2K is a showpiece but if you are looking for a deeper modes or live online then this one is a much harder choice.

FIFA 14
FIFA took a similar route to Madden although seems to have gotten more loving, next gen attention. Did it have a bigger lead time or team I am note sure but it visually improves upon next gen Madden although comes a good distance from matching 2Ks visual fidelity. Like Madden, its gameplay saw a lot of refinement but not a drastic overhaul. Depending on your love for CG FIFA this maybe a good thing or a bad thing. The game is improved enough that most FIFA fans will quickly notice but not improved to a degree that it is going to convert any FIFA haters. EA kept most of FIFAs modes in tact but it did suffer more hits to core feature than Madden. Maybe this explains why FIFAs visuals and gameplay improvements seem to go just that much further than Maddens. Online FIFA receives pretty positive feedback although it is not without an occasional hiccup or complaint. Leagues better than 2K but trailing the bar set by Madden.

Forza 5 & NFS Rivals
When it comes to next gen racers your choices are two - one if you purchased a PS4. Forza and the distinctively different NFS Rivals. One is a stark, sterile sim sandbox that leverages its community features and impeccable online racing for its personality. The other is a crazy, over the top arcade racer that tried to combine the best parts of the CG arcade racers into one beautiful, but not always stable, next gen mash up. Both games are visually gorgeous next gen showpieces and offer a deep feature set - although Forza is not on par with its insanely feature rich CG sibling it is still a massive game by any other standard. Either of these titles may actually be the best option for the occasional sports gaming fan to spend their next gen funds.

NBA Live 14
Then there is NBA Live 14. EA's "giant killer" that was canned on two previous occasions finally makes its appearance on next gen consoles. Sadly, it looks like the constant rearranging of development plans and teams has taking an insurmountable toll on this title. Its a breath of fresh air that you soon realize is a gasp for life. Its graphics and gameplay come up short of the CG bar let alone next gen and its online gameplay is from all accounts an unplayable travesty. Maybe EA will manage to work out a few of the kinks with some updates but it is going to take more than a few years to get this game back on a real next gen track. It was shrouded in secrecy before launch because, one can only assume, EAs goal was to dupe a few unsuspecting customers rather than take a moral high ground and admit they still had work to do and offer this as a cheaper, bare bones basketball alternative. I think it would have been more well received and exposed a lot more people to an arguably average basketball game.

Powerstar Golf
The last sports title on the list is just that - a little discounted golf title - Powerstar Golf. It offers 6 golfers across 4 courses in the vain of a Hot Shots or Mario Golf title. It looks decidedly better than CG but nothing visually about the game will really make you drool. You get local multiplayer but not online play although the game does an amazing job of tracking local, friends and world records, as well as ghosts, across the entire game so you never feel completely alone ... even when you are. Powerstar Golf shines where all the classics have shined - sitting on your couch with friends. This game is a blast and even if you don't have friends the career and 'connectivity' features should be engaging enough to keep a lot of arcade golf fans occupied long enough to recoup their money's worth. Powerstar Golf does more than enough to deliver on its $20 price tag.