Category: Written


EA vs 2K: Round 1: Hockey

Filed under: Written — Leave a comment
April 18, 2010

Originally Published: October 7, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Every fall, two video game publishing juggernauts wage war with each other to see who will reign supreme in the sports video game world. EA is, of course, the favorite due to their sole rights to the NFL brand, so for the underdog 2K to dethrone the champ, they would have to contend with EA in the other two, basketball and hockey.

Traditionally, 2K takes basketball, but EA dominates hockey and, therefore, have remained the number one sports brand for years. This year, 2K planned on making a solid effort at taking the crown.

2K’s NHL 2K9 is one of the most fun games you will probably play…for about 10 minutes. You can pick it right up and start playing it, but it is not long before you see everything that is wrong with this game. The controls respond poorly, the computer A.I. is ridiculously simple, and it has the most glitches in a sports game that I’ve seen in years. Not to mention the graphics look last generation at best. The effort was there, I think, but clearly not enough because they couldn’t even get the rights to use “Madison Square Garden” in the game and it’s simply referred to as “Rangers Arena”, which as a Rangers fan, infuriated me to say the least. Anyone who gets this is doing a disservice to themselves if they actually paid for it and I’d be doing a disservice by continuing to talk about it.

EA’s NHL 09 is one of the most fun games you will probably play…ever. The new “Be a Pro” mode is amazingly accurate and the old standbys like “Dynasty” mode are just as good as ever. “Be a Pro” mode sticks you in the shoes of an up and coming prospect, much like Madden’s “Superstar” mode. There are many key differences from 2K’s poor attempt that makes this game even better. First, you can choose which franchise you belong to, which is crucial. There isn’t a Rangers fan alive that wants to play for the Devils or Flyers. Next, you can start in the minors and develop your own custom player as you see fit. If you want a stronger slap shot, you can add development points that you earn based on your performance to it then.

The third, and most impressive aspect, is that you don’t control anyone else on the team. When your shift is up, you go and sit on the bench and catch your breath. If you are out of position, the entire offensive rush could collapse or you could allow an opposing player a breakaway. Even if you’re the goalie, when the action is happening on the other side of the ice, you just stand there and wait. If you love the ins and outs of hockey or want to get a more in depth understanding of the game, then this mode is for you because it will make you learn them if you want to succeed.

The other amazing feature of this game is the puck. Whatever mode you’re playing, the puck almost seems alive. The best way to describe the movement of the puck would be organic. The only other place you would see the puck bouncing around like this would be in a real life game. That’s how real it is. My talking about it does not do it justice.

If you are a hockey fan, you must get EA’s NHL 09. No other hockey game gets you closer to the real NHL experience than this. The gameplay is superb, the graphics are great, and even the sounds of players being smashed against the boards are the most accurate you will find outside of a rink. EA has done it once again and dominated in the hockey arena. Sorry, 2K. Maybe you will fare better in the next round with basketball.

-Ray Carsillo

Tags: , , , ,
Comment

Defense Wins Championships

Filed under: Written — Leave a comment

Officially Published: October 3, 2008, at 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Being that 1050 ESPN is the official radio station of the New York Rangers and being a diehard Rangers fan myself, I felt obliged to write a short season preview as we prepare for the dropping of the first puck over in Prague. The New York Rangers hope that the old adage above holds true for their 2008-2009 NHL season. With the loss of forwards Sean Avery, Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, and Brendan Shanahan, the Rangers hope that a bolstered defense and the energy of the young guns they are using to replace these wily veteran scorers will be the right mix to take them the distance in the NHL Playoffs this year.

The acquisition of veteran defensemen Wade Redden and Dmitri Kalinin will only strengthen last year’s 4th best defense in the NHL, which was spearheaded, of course, by Vezina finalist goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. The hard hitting Kalinin will be a great influence on youngsters Dan Girardi and Marc Staal and help in their continued development and Redden will help bolster the power play roster by allowing Michal Rozsival a break by coming in as the second unit’s offensive defenseman. The Rangers are hinging a lot of hope on their adding Redden to a power play that was only 22nd in the league last year.

They especially need the power play to pick it up considering all the offensive firepower they are losing and they were still only 25th in the league last year in goals forced. Adding veteran sniper Markus Nasland will make up some of the loss, but Chris Drury and Scott Gomez will be expected to pick up most of the slack and they will have to if the Rangers are to do anything this year.

Youngster Brandon Dubinsky looks like he learned a lot from his year with Jagr though as he has started the preseason on fire. You only hope that Naslund’s influence can help focus Dubinsky’s youthful energy. If this is the case, Brandon could stun a lot of people as he continues to develop into a star in this league. Also, expect Petr Prucha to make up for his sophomore slump and have a breakout year, especially since he is expected to play every night now that the Rangers have lost some depth at forward.

The Rangers are also adding a lot of players with question marks looming over their heads. The biggest one is Nikolai Zherdev who has the potential to be a big time goal scorer in this league, but seems to lose focus in a moment’s notice. Coach Tom Renney will not tolerate a lack of focus from Zherdev; he is expected to be playing on the top line and the Rangers will need him to have a big year. It’s a lot of pressure on the young man’s shoulders, but it might be just what he needs to get into shape. Pressure can turn coal into diamonds or grind it to dust, and what pressure is there when you play for Columbus? We’ll find out what he’s really made of this year in New York.

The Rangers have the base elements of a really good team. They have scorers, penalty killers, a strong check line, and a Vezina caliber goalie. They have defensemen that can score and forwards that can defend. So where will the Rangers end up? If everything gels as is expected, then they should improve on last year’s awful offense and maintain their defense. If this happens then the Rangers have the potential to threaten Pittsburgh for the Eastern Conference title. If it doesn’t happen, then, unfortunately, we Garden faithful are used to waiting another year for a chance at the cup.

There’s always the Knicks, right? Oh…Wait…Umm…Nevermind…Let’s go Rangers!!!

-Ray Carsillo

Tags: , , , ,
Comment

Steel Chairs and Wheelbarrow Neckbreakers

Filed under: Written — Leave a comment

Originally Published: September 23, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com)

Imagine a steel chair slamming into your face at 100 MPH; in a good way, of course. That is what TNA Impact does to you from the very first match you play. You can either jump right into a match with some of your all time favorites like Sting or the “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe or you can take part in the expansive story mode that will take six to ten hours for you to complete depending on fast you pick up on the nuances of the game. And it’s those little nuances that make this game one of the most enjoyable wrestling games to come out in years.

Unlike another popular wrestling brand’s video game series, TNA Impact is more of homage to what makes wrestling as great as it is. It combines over-the-top non-stop action with an engaging storyline and a versus/online mode to keep you coming back for more with friends and strangers alike. Add its stunning visuals and this game is a winner through and through.

The first thing you notice is the awesome graphics. For the first time ever, the crowd is not a sea of sprites, but instead every person is a 3D model that comes to life as your match progresses. The details of every wrestler and every move they make are as sharp as a honed blade and the facial expressions are remarkably detailed. Add in that every wrestler and commentator voiced themselves (and did it well) and you feel like you’re watching TNA sometimes instead of playing it.

To create this sense of realism, there had to be a few cutbacks, though. Such as limits on your weapon selection and on exactly where you can go with the wrestlers. Aside from the immediate area outside of the ring, you are confined to fight in-between the ropes. It would have been nice if you could have gone up the ramp or into the crowd like so many of the great matches of the real TNA. Also, your only weapon is the customary steel chair, with a handful always scattered about the ring.

This limits your hardcore experiences, but it does give you a chance to focus on your moves. And every wrestler has his old standbys. Kurt Angle performs the Angle Slam with precision and if that doesn’t work, he’ll break out a series of submission maneuvers that almost make you want to tap your chair in hopes of making it stop. Kevin Nash comes across with all the power you would expect from all 7′ of “Big Sexy”. And all the guys from the X-Division fly high and fly far from the top ropes.

Only thing about the moves is sometimes the enemy A.I. gets a little reversal happy, though, and if you have trouble mastering the reversal yourself, you might get frustrated at times from this. It’s hard to find that mix of needing reversals and just being able to go for your moves in a wrestling game and this is another game in a long line that might want to look more into that. Maybe a reversal meter to go with your finisher meter?

The other thing that stands out by itself, but isn’t without fault, is the story mode. The fact that they have a complex story mode is amazing in and of itself because a proper story is something that has been lacking in wrestling games for a while. This might be the best game since WWE: No Mercy (largely considered the best wrestling game of all time) for the N64 just because it has a really compelling, well written story mode to it. The only thing it lacks is open-endedness. The story suffers because you are not in control of the choices your wrestler makes. You just keep winning and advancing through one story. A few options or consequences for losing would be nice.

Overall, this was a great first installment. TNA and Midway should be proud of this game. It’s fun, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing. It needs work though. They need to find a way to expand where your wrestler can go and what weapons he can use, they need a little more variation in the commentary, and they need to expand the story mode for this to be a complete smash hit. Otherwise, if you are a wrestling fan and a looking for a little old school, in your face, off the top rope action, you need to get this game.

Rankings are based on a score of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 10.0: This game is beautiful. Everything about it was great visually from the wrestlers’ entrances to the crowd to the wrestlers themselves. This game could not have been better visually.

Audio: 10.0: In terms of audio, this game could not have been better either. Having every wrestler and announcer voice themselves was great. The commentary got a little repetitive after a while, but it didn’t take away from the experience so I can’t take away points.

Plot/Plot Development: 8.0: The story mode is expansive for a wrestling game and really draws you in. The only problem, and it’s a big one, is that the story is too linear. You have no choice in how the game plays out aside from you winning or losing in the ring and having to either replay the match or continue on.

Gameplay: 9.0: Stellar. Only a handful of notable glitches to think of. Even the easy setting made the wrestlers somewhat difficult to beat unless you master the timing for the reversal button. Making you rely on the reversal or the steel chair in some matches to win though became tiresome, but I can’t blame someone for making a difficult, old-school wrestling button masher.


Replay Value: 7.0: A lack of options in the story mode make this a less than ten hour ride, but the multiplayer and online options are the bread and butter of wrestling games for the most part.

Overall (not an average): 8.5: TNA and Midway have the makings of a hit franchise on their hands, but it needs some work. More options in the story mode, more creative reversal format, more weapons, and more diverse commentary. Basically what every good first installment inspires from its fans. THEY WANT MORE. That alone means that TNA Impact might just be the must have wrestling game of 2008.

Tags: , , , ,
Comment

Bring on the Turducken!

Filed under: Written — Leave a comment

Originally Published: August 28, 2008, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Every year, right around the middle of August, the sounds of shoulder pads clashing, helmets cracking, and buttons clicking can be heard nationwide. That’s right! Football season is back and, with it, EA punts out yet another installment of the most successful franchise in gaming history, Madden.

For as many gamers that are out there that go out and get it every year like it’s a migration pattern, there are just as many who have grown tired of the series and of dropping $50-$60 on updated rosters. And for as much as John Madden gets mocked for his football commentary, he is a smart business man and knew his series needed a facelift.

So what exactly did they add or change to revitalize a series that has gone 20 games deep? Well, for starters, they created what they call a “revolutionary” A.I. system that conforms to your style of play. Before you’re even allowed to play a game, you are thrust into a series of mini-games to test your running game, passing game, run defense, and pass defense. Depending on how you do in each of these games, the game will change the level at which the computer will react to the plays you call.

This had a lot of people excited because one of the problems that many people faced, myself included, is that you would find the glitches, the handful of plays that would always work and allow you to run up the score and shut down the opponent even on the hardest difficulty level.

Unfortunately, this new A.I. is nothing to be excited about. Even if you should struggle with the mini-games, it would only take you a season or two for all you Madden veterans to max out the A.I. and get it back to the same exact point that you were at with all the other games. The glitches are gone for the most part, and it is nice that it forces you to mix up your plays a little more, but anyone who knows football, or specifically football games, should not end up too stressed over it.

Speaking of the mini-games, why are they hologram outlines? I was happy with the mini-games showing the actual players on the field. The neon hologram field is hard to see and makes it difficult to tell where exactly you are in relation to the ball, making the mini-games much harder than the actual game itself.

Speaking about hard to see, how about almost everything that is smaller than the players’ heads? When looking for the right play in the playbook, the button that corresponds to the appropriate receiver is too small to decipher because the playbook itself has been shrunk to ¼ the size of the screen when it used to be twice as big. What did they do with the extra space? They gave you a stat tracker. Now, if Madden had any affect on my fantasy team, then I would love to know all my stats up to the second, but otherwise, it is unnecessary, especially when the sacrifice is being able to see what play I am selecting. On more than one occasion I have selected the wrong play just because I could not read if it was a run or pass. In the game’s defense, I do not have a HD TV. But my TV is 36″; not small by any standards and I still couldn’t see and since the majority of people do not have an HD TV yet, we should not need one to read what play we are picking.

Aside from this, all the favorite modes are back. Franchise, Exhibition, a revamped Superstar mode, and they even threw in the Coach only mode instead of making it a completely separate game.

With all systems being online capable now, the Online Play mode is a big feature. This was something that needed to be fixed and wasn’t. What needs to be fixed? Simply that every time I start pummeling an opponent online, they jack out and I do not get the win, even if I still select that they get the loss (I show no mercy when it comes to that!). There should be a rule where if the game gets through the 1st half, it should still count as a win for the player who was winning at the time. If the player who was winning jacks out after a half, the game does not count for anyone. No losses or wins given. Play with honor or do not play at all!

In conclusion, it was a valiant effort, John, but maybe you should stick to just making up animals and riding on your bus because it failed. You even listened to your harshest critics and cut out your commentary and Al Michaels play-by-play and replaced it with Cris Collinsworth and some guy named Tom. Cris does a great job. Random guy needs some work. The game needed a facelift, John, and it looks like I’m going to have to sue you for malpractice because you botched it up.

Rankings are based on a score of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.


Graphics: 6.0: The graphics on the field are solid. Everything you would expect from a game for this console generation. The graphics on the menus and the mini-games are something that look like last generation and that barely gets this an average rating. Very disappointing.

Audio: 9.0: The sound is great. The hits are crisp and loud and make you feel in the game. The commentary from Collinsworth is priceless. The random Tom dude bothers me a little and that keeps it from getting a perfect score. John Madden’s voice helping you navigate the menus to keep him in the game was a nice touch.


Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It is a sports sim. There is no storyline or plot beyond the one you create by how you play.

Gameplay: 7.5: The game is great until you max out the A.I. and find the ways around the system. If you are a diehard football fan (or a sore loser) then you have no problem winning all the time with no challenge at all. I can’t give that a perfect score though.

Replay Value: 10.0: Until the next installment comes out, this is football fans’ number one fix Monday – Saturday.

Overall (not an average): 7.0: With the downgrade in graphics, difficult to navigate menus and an overhyped new A.I. system that is almost as bad as the last one, this game is passable at best. Add in the lack of people who like to play fair online and I can’t give this a great overall gaming experience. This is a great reminder why most of us do not buy the game every single year.

Tags: , , ,
Comment