Nearly 60 wrestlers announced for WWE 2K15

By JJ Miller

WWE and 2K began announcing the roster for its upcoming next-generation video game, WWE 2K15, over the weekend, with more expected wrestlers to be reveled down the road.

While I don't watch wrestling anymore, I was a fan during my latter high school years and several names jumped out at me while looking at the list on 2K's website, including Big Show, Chris Jericho, John Cena, Goldust, Kane, Mark Henry, Rey Mysterio, Shawn Michaels, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker and Triple H.

Two other big names are included, with two versions of Hulk Hogan (classic Yellow and Red and "Hollywood" Hogan) included in the "Hulkamania" edition of the game, as well as retro Sting in addition to his The Crow-style persona from later years. Sting is available as a pre-order bonus.

Other popular wrestlers of note include the recently let-go Alberto Del Rio, the popular-but-injured Daniel Bryan and the "retired" CM Punk. Other names joining the list include Batista, Brie and Nikki Bella, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Kane, Randy Orton, RVD and The Miz.

Other wrestles and divas expected to be included when the game is released on Oct. 28 are AJ Lee, Bad News Barrett, Big E, Bray Wyatt, Cameron, Cesaro, Curtis Axel, Damien Sandow, Darren Young, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, Fandango, Jack Swagger, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Justin Gabriel, Kofi Kingston, Luke Harper, Naomi, Natalya, R-Truth, Roman Reigns, Ryback, Santino, Seth Rollins, Sheamus, Summer Rae, Tamina, Titus O'Neil, Tyson Kidd, Xavier Woods.

A note at the bottom of the page says that the full roster is "coming soon."

NHL 15 Demo coming Aug. 26

By JJ Miller

EA Sports has announced that the demo for NHL 15 will be released on Aug. 26 for both the Xbox One and Playstation 4.

The teaser for the game will allow you to play three two-minute periods as either the New York Rangers or Los Angeles Kings using a variety of camera modes. Also, two of the much-hyped Authentic Arenas will be on display, with users given the option of playing in either Madison Square Garden or the Staples Center.

The demo will also feature a practice mode, allowing a free skater to practice moves against a goaltender.

The full version of NHL 15 is slated for release on Sept. 9.

Below is the latest trailer for the game released at Gamescom 2014.

New-Gen Goalkeepers highlight FIFA 15 upgrades

By JJ Miller

EA Sports is looking to take full advantage of the next-generation consoles for FIFA 15.

The company announced on Wednesday a number of upgrades for the Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC versions of the game, including an overhaul of the men manning the net, dubbed “Next Gen Goalkeepers,”as well as new legends and licenses for the game.

The newest version of the popular game will also include new features in FIFA Ultimate Team mode, a new team management system in career mode and a fresh news hub called Match Day Live.

Using the EA Sports Ignite game engine, goalkeepers in FIFA 15 are expected to look, move and think closer to their real-life counterparts. That includes a new AI system that will allow the netminders to better anticipate shots and passes, improve positioning and use a number of new animations to make the big stops.

For those looking for an authentic product, FIFA 15 is adding all 18 clubs from the Turkish Super Lig and is overhauling the Barclays Premier League with all 20 stadiums, chants captured during live events from the past season and new commentary.

“We’re delivering innovations and improvements that have been at the top of our fans’ wish list: new goalkeepers, more responsive gameplay, and the Turkish Süper Lig,” said David Rutter, Vice President and General Manager at EA. “This year we’ve put the game in the hands of fans earlier than ever before, listened, and delivered what they want in gameplay, authenticity, and modes.”

Ultimate Team, known by fans as FUT, will now allow users to sign players on loan and use them for a limited number of games to see if the player fits into the squad's style before the user shells out resources to secure the player full-time. That is key for a mode that boosts teams through chemistry.

FIFA 15 Ultimate Team will also sees the arrival of a number of new ultimate team legends exclusive to Xbox.

The new team management system also will allow users to customize up to six different team sheets that alter formations, tactics and roles, letting players set up their matchups with different clubs ahead of time.

Match Day Live will be updated with published news powered by Goal.com, giving games the chance to keep tabs on stories, stats and standings from around the world.

FIFA 15 is expected to be released in September and is available for preorder. 

Eagles defense flying low in Madden

By JJ Miller

Those wanting to take the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl in the upcoming Madden NFL 15 game had better be prepared to win some shootouts.

After having a pair of players place in the top 5 of their respective positions on the offensive side of things -- running back LeSean McCoy and offensive lineman Evan Mathis -- the Eagles saw none of their defenders show up on EA's recently-released lists.

That isn't a huge surprise, but what may ruffle some Eagles fans' feathers are a pair of safeties that did.

Both free safety Jairus Byrd and strong safety TJ Ward were available as free agents this past summer and Philadelphia opted to pass on both. Interestingly enough, Byrd, who signed with New Orleans, ranks as Madden's top-rated player at FS with a 96 rating while Ward is third at the SS position with a 91 rating.

Said Madding Ratings Czar Donny Moore on the official EA Sports website, easports.com, of Byrd, "Byrd is the top-rated player in Madden in terms of Zone Coverage (99). His 81 Catching (best among FS) and 90 Play Rec make him the ultimate ballhawk in Madden NFL 15."

Of Ward, who signed with Denver, Moore noted "New to the Broncos, TJ Ward adds some hard-nosed football to the Denver secondary. With impressive 92 Hit Power, 88 Tackle and 86 Speed, Ward hits the hole and shuts down the opponent's run game. Despite his run stopping mentality, his Coverage and Pursuit ratings aren't too shabby at 84 and 86 respectively."

Sounds like two players that Eagles fans wouldn't have minded controlling on their TV this upcoming season.
EA also released on its website a full spreadsheet download of all the player's rankings (http://vassets.ea.com/Assets/Resources/File/madden-15-ratings-afc-nfc-west.xlsx) and outside linebacker Trent Cole came in as the top-rated Eagles defender at 89. He slots in overall behind Mathis, McCoy and Justin Peters (93 overall).

Quarterback Nick Foles was given an 88 overall, just ahead of three players ranked at 87 overall: punter Donnie Jones, center Jason Kelce and running back Darren Sproles.

One safety the Eagles did add, Malcolm Jenkins, has a 77 overall rating. Rookie wideout Jordan Matthews has a 73 rating.

Other NFL defenders of note include Houston defensive end J.J. Watt and Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, both of whom received 99 ratings.

Also, current New York Jet defensive end and Temple product Muhammad Wilkerson was the fifth-highest rank player at his position at 93.

Madden NFL 15 is set to be released for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, Playstation 4 and Playstation 3 on Aug. 26. You can preorder the game here: http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl/buy/US

NHL 14 Review

The latest installment of EA's fast-paced hockey series brings balance to both hardcore and casual gamers alike

By JJ Miller

Hockey has always toed the line of popularity in North America, attempting to balance hardcore ice junkies with the casual fans who want to see hitting, hits, more hits and fighting.

NHL 14 does its best to draw in both types of fans, offering deep simulation with a mix of the rough stuff.

The biggest example comes in the collision physics, developed along the same lines of that which powers the popular FIFA series. EA made sure that the hits are big and painful, but also accurate. Large players deliver bone crushing hits -- when timed and lined up just right -- while the little pests knock opposing players off balance and jar the puck loose.

Out of the box, the heavy hits and amount of fighting are above average for your normal NHL game, something sure to pull in casual fans. But for those who crave the accurate jousts, the hardcore simulation setting is a must and the sliders may need adjustment.

Speaking of fighting, NHL 14 delivers the impressive enforcer engine. Powered by EA Sports Fight Night technology, the new enforcer engine does away with the third-person button-mashing brawls and introduces a slightly zoomed dance between the two combatants. Fights can either happen off the draw, by instigating during or after the play, or your could be forced into a confrontation after delivering a big hit to a star player.

In a nice touch, players not involved stay live during the fight, so you'll see teammates pairing off and jousting with the other team or just gliding around the brawl.

Fights begin either already grappled or in a standing premeditated style. Players must time their punches and grabs or risk leaving themselves exposed for the big blow.

This nice upgrade adds another element to the game, but of course you are likely to see more fighting in an average game now.

On the ice, the AI is still shaky at times and it can be frustrating. Teammates often have little mustard on their pass and shot attempts and take odd routes in bringing the puck into the zone. Defenders also seem to struggle when the puck is carried across the middle, leaving goaltenders high and dry.

Garbage goals, though, seem to come in fewer bunches.

Another odd quirk, aside from the fact that the season modes do not include the names of the new divisions, is the fact that the computer-controlled players often times turn their back to the play along the boards when they have the puck, resulting in a lot of boarding penalties for aggressive players.

In another attempt to balance the hardcore and causal fan, EA put in one-touch dekes. While past gamers were able to pull off dazzling moves by rotating analog sticks with brain-wracking combos, the less talented can now use the bumper button and left stick to pull off dekes, if the player has the skill level.

True performance skating sees some upgrades in its second year in the NHL franchise. New animations are packaged and the game continues to nail down the aspects of balance, lateral skating and acceleration for an authentic feel.

GM modes return as does the Be a Pro career mode, but now under the title "Live the Life." This puts players into the role of either an existing or created player and has them control on and off-the-ice aspects of being a professional hockey player.

Players are given the choice of starting in junior leagues, at the draft or in the AHL/NHL like previous games, but NHL 14 introduces a relationship meter with fans, teammates, management and family. Positive ratings in these categories have a good influence on attributes, on-ice behavior and the cash/money, while a lower rating has negative effects, so Sean Avery wannabe's can beware.

Influences come in the form of media interviews, either pregame, postgame or when a roster move happens, as well as endorsement deals and off-ice interactions with teammates and families.

While the mode is certainly appealing, it does need work. Interviews and events offer four choices and some are just so ridiculous that no one in their right mind would make that choice. Expanded options would certainly keep these events fresh as they can become repetitive as well.

HUT and EASHL online seasons are also an option and offer a sort of Euro soccer style tier. Win and move onto tougher divisions; lose and get bumped down to lesser opponents.

The cherry on top of this game is the NHL 94 Anniversary mode.

EA celebrates its most popular and cult-followed edition of the game with a throwback mode of the game that puts the current physics and rosters onto the famous blue ice of the '94 game. Retro stars under the players, music and other options give a nod to the past and offers a more arcade style of play.

It's a one-trick pony for sure, but it is certainly a mode that will see tons of older gamers sit down and enjoy for hours with friends, though the mode is offline only.

NHL 14 may feature New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur on the cover, but his year's edition is all about the hits and physical play of the game. It is by no means a must-own, but is certainly worthy of a pick up if it has been a few years since you last played the franchise.

Female Fighters Coming to UFC Game

Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate coming to next-gen fighting game

By J.J. Miller

EA Sports has begun releasing some of the fighters to be included in next year's UFC game for the Xbox One and Playstation 4. It comes as no surprise that Jon Jones, Benson Henderson, Anthony Pettis, Chuck Liddell and Alexander Gustafsson were among those announced on Wednesday as part of the roster, but
fans of the MMA Organization were treated to an unexpected but welcomed blow as well.

EA added that UFC Women's Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate will also be among the female fighters ever included in a UFC video game.

"Since we added the Women's Bantamweight division earlier this year, the women have impressed everyone," UFC president Dana White said in a release put out by EA Sports. "The fights are always exciting, Ronda Rousey is as talented as any champion in the UFC and her rivalry with Miesha Tate is one of the most intense in UFC history. The female division has become a huge part of the UFC and fans will now be able to experience fighting with them in the game."

Powered by EA Sports' Ignite technology, EA Sports UFC is expected to release in the spring.

Madden 13 Review

Much like coverboy Calvin Johnson, Madden 13 is a freakishly-engineered game package loaded with options that is sure to satisfy hardcore gamers. However, the plethora of choices when playing could scare off casual fans.

By JJ Miller

As the only game in town -- at least in the realm of virtual console football -- EA has often taken slack for putting out the same repackaged game year in and year out.

Madden 13 is a change in the course.

The latest edition of this cult game is loaded from top to bottom with new features ranging from graphics and sounds to just how you can play the game.

Often heralded as "Madden Nation," EA found an exciting way to bring friends and gamers alike together. They did so with the "connected careers" feature that adds a bit of role-playing element to Madden.

Players will have the option of joining leagues that can contain up to 32 human players either online or offline (think along the lines of a college dorm getting together on one Xbox). These gamers can either create a player or coach from the ground up, take over the role of an existing star or sideline boss, or even bring back a legend such as Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders or John Madden himself.

Players play the games and coaches handle other aspects like training, scouting and roster management. Reaching goals earns experience points used to improve your player or coach.

And if you get sick of your current role, connected careers allows you to retire and take over a new persona while keeping your former player or coach in the league under the computer's control. This was a well thought out feature to include in case you get bored with your role or don't have the time to commit that you thought you did.

Of course, a career mode doesn't have to include your whole neighborhood as you can create a solo league. One drawback, especially as a coach, is that you can't take out the RPG aspect, meaning you may spend a lot of time doing things like scouting or practicing instead of just playing the games. You do have the option of having the CPU executing these things, but perhaps it would have been better to just have a simple mode included.

Long overdue is Madden's new Infinity Engine, which tracks attributes like mass, speed and body type during every play. No longer will players like LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice truck over the likes of Ray Lewis or James Harrison. Instead, smaller players are likely to wiggle out of tackles or use their speed to pull away from bigger defenders.

The players themselves look great and the interactions are most realistic on hits and blocks. However, one humorous thing that often happens comes after the whistle, when players fly off each other and fall while walking back to the huddle. It's a minor glitch that doesn't hinder the game too much.

Total control passing, which allows the user to dictate the placement of passes, better receiver awareness and tons of new animations enhance the game.

Also, players sensing the blitz finally (finally!) have the option of breaking out of play action early when in the past the play usually resulted in an automatic sack. New sack avoidance moves are also a welcome addition.

Madden has also implemented use of the Kinect, allowing players to use their voice to alter the game. Users can call out audibles, protection changes and run the hurry-up offense without having to use buttons and also do things on defense like change alignments, blitzes and shift players.

The Kinect actually works pretty smooth and trying to change your defense when facing a hurry-up offense is as hectic as it looks on TV. You are going to have to practice a few times to nail down key phrases and I'm pretty sure that once the commentary said a phrase that the Kinect actually registered as me changing a play.

Speaking of commentary, Madden 13 puts the CBS team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms into great-looking booths that are actually based on the real things in each stadium, ensuring accurate looks and placements in the stadium.

Nantz and Simms are a welcome change of pace and interact pretty solid with each other despite being virtual representations. Simms in particular does a good job with rivalries and taking about key players, though his constant pointing out of plays that didn't result in first downs -- even a run on 1st-and-10 that netted 8 yards -- can get annoying.

Love them or hate them, the Nike uniforms are included in the game, which also features very nice pregame packages that even alter for primetime games and the postseason.

Madden 13 is by no means perfect, but the latest addition of the popular franchise shows that EA is no longer content with just running the same old play over and over.

NCAA Football 13 Review

While EA Sport's latest enrollment into college football is a solid one, it doesn't walk away without adding some unwanted Freshman 15.

By JJ Miller (The Phanatic Magazine)

Lets be honest. EA Sports has set the bar high with its football games. Much like cold pizza, even a subpar effort is still better than most.

Not that NCAA Football 13 is a bad game. Quite the opposite; it is another solid effort to bring the excitement of college football into the palm of one's hands in the comfort of their own living room. However, we know what the company is capable of and that makes some of the minor faults that much more
annoying.

EA made a big effort this year in improving the presentation of the game. College football is a religion all its own and the NCAA games have been making an effort to capture that the best it can. For this year's game, that includes new stadiums and a traditional pregame confetti like mascots, military parachutists for Army, Navy and Air Force as well as icons like the Texas cheerleaders and USC Song Girls.

The game also promotes authentic stadium sounds, recorded at actual games, but even in front of my decent home entertainment setup, I never really got the feel that the stadiums were buzzing. Sure, the shaking of the controller and mangling of the routes shown on screen pre-snap are nice as my Temple Owls invaded Beaver Stadium to battle Penn State, but it never seemed to affect things on the whole.

No quarterback jitters, players not being able to hear the playcalling, nothing of that sort.

Of course, it is impossible to capture a real college atmosphere on a disc, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

And while the game itself looks solid, especially the tackling and punishing of receivers going across the middle, the replays shown to mimic actual broadcasts are embarrassing. More often than not, players on a replay look as though they are gliding across the grass rather than running, a simple flaw that ruins the entire replay system.

It is a shame the replays are so flawed, because the actual in-game graphics are great. Quarterbacks move and throw with life-like quality and new animations for scrambling, sack avoidance and shovel passing are excellent.

Receiver awareness also gets a boost as you simply can't throw the ball to a player at any time. If, for say, a receiver is running a post route and you try to get it to him before he makes his cut, he won't be expecting the ball and it will go right by him.

Another great touch is the animations for wet weather. Many times I tried to hit my receivers as they were about to make sharp cuts to the inside or outside, only to see them slip to the ground as the ball headed in their direction.

NCAA Football 13 also makes full use of its partnership with ESPN, but not without some annoying habits that are to be expected when the "World Wide Leader of Sports" gets involved in something.

What the game does do well is the use of a sports ticker at the bottom that updates in real-time with your game during Dynasty play. Late afternoon games will flash final scores from earlier games and start times for the nightcaps while keeping you up to date on current contests.

Even sponsorship drops (Brought to you by Coke Zero!) aren't that repulsive as they make the presentation very lifelike.

What doesn't work is the studio updates with Rece Davis. They feature a box score and many repetitive generic statements from Davis and can get especially coarse when they feature the same game over and over.

Erin Andrews is also wasted as she does not appear on screen and her sideline reports are very generic. It continues to confuse why the commentators are programmed to use school's names instead of "both teams" or "the coach said."

The Dynasty mode, a staple for us geeks who want to take over a program, is once again solid and recruiting is so much fun you may at times want to skip the actual games just to move onto the next stage of trying to land top prospects.

After zeroing in on your targets and doing some preseason scouting and scholarship offering, inseason recruiting sees you get three "hours" of time a week to scout your recruits and addition hours to make phone calls in an attempt to talk up your school or trash others in a number of different categories, including new topics such as coach stability, stadium atmosphere and playing style, the latter one of a few topics whose rating for a school is updated week-to-week.

If shaping a roster isn't your thing, the Road to Glory mode allows you to take over a single player and shape his college career, actually starting in high school. A player picks his position (you can even put yourself on the field more often by giving yourself an offensive and defensive position) and racks up stats in high school games to noticed by schools during recruitment.

The career continues once a player has moved on to college and a player is given a host of goals to accomplish.

NCAA Football 13 also marks the first time that real-life players are in the game thanks to the Heisman Challenge.

Similar to the Road to Glory, a player can select from a handful of Heisman legends, including coverboys Barry Sanders and Robert Griffin III as well as Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie and Desmond Howard amongst others, in an attempt to duplicate their award-winning season through an
accomplishment of goals.

You can also place the legends on any team (welcome to Temple Barry) and the mode includes over 60 video interviews in which the greats talk about their careers.

It's a great bonus for college football fans, assuming they can overlook some f the graphical and sound flaws to the game.

Review: Tiger Woods 13 Puts it Right on the Green

By J.J. Miller

With the fallout of Tiger Woods’ sex scandal still relatively fresh, EA Sports stood beside the iconic golfer and kept his name on the title of last year’s edition of its well-received golf game. However, the disgraced star did not appear the cover and instead the company used the allure of the Masters’ debut in the game to move product.

Well, not only is Tiger back on the cover of the ’13 edition, but the integration of the Xbox 360’s Kinect system gives an exciting and fresh new spin on Tiger Woods PGA Tour.

While last year’s version of the game did give Nintendo Wii and Playstation users (via the Move) the ability to use the controller as a simulated golf club, the latest edition for the Xbox takes it one step further by becoming the first-ever sports simulation to harness the power of the motion- and voice-capturing Kinect. Players use their entire body to simulate the mechanics of a swing and use voice command to change clubs, aim their shots and even pause the game. Players also use motion to navigate through the redesigned menus and in-game swing recognition is based on more than 1,000 data point scans according to EA Sports.

Of course, with the Kinect having been on the market for about a year-and-a-half, there are still some flaws, though none have to do with the swinging itself.

Instead, menus are still easier navigated by the controller and both aiming a shot and changing the stance of the swing can be very annoying due to the sensitivity of the Kinect. So much so that I often found myself not bothering to go through the hassle of doing so at my caddie’s recommendation just to avoid the two minutes of impending frustration.

Hopefully EA can find some ways to make altering the shot less frustrating especially since the ability to alter the stance (opening and closing of the feet) and type of shots (full, flop and punch) adds another layer of realism.

Outside of that, the Kinect certainly boosts the value and enjoyment of the game.

Those without the Kinect will still find a new swing mechanic that is easily picked up and as authentic as using your finger to swing can get. In PGA Tour 13, players use the left analog stick to both create the tempo and speed of a swing. Tempo is created on the back swing and can result in both over- and under-hitting a shot. The speed of the swing comes on the forward flick of the analog and a faster push can alter the trajectory for the worse.

The game also features a new Strike Meter that allows you to aim for the center of the ball, or adjust to hit it high or low.

While the ability to use the Kinect game is the main reason players may want to upgrade to the latest edition, the makers certainly didn’t forget those without the motion sensor and did a great job in creating a fun and challenging way to still swing the club with the controller.

Not only is Tiger back on the cover, but in addition to the usual career mode (where you can create year own golfer and take him or her through a career that begins at either the American, United Kingdom or World Amateur Tours and continues through the quest for the green jacket) EA Sports created an entertaining Tiger Legacy Challenge.

I’m not usually one for gimmick modes, instead opting to focus on career modes, but I have to say there is something entertaining about taking hacks at a golf ball as Toddler Tiger. In the new mode, a player will relive Tiger’s most memorable moments on and off the course, beginning with his appearance on “The Mike Douglas Show” as a 2-year-old and ending with a futuristic quest to break Jack Nicklaus’ championship record. That could be as close as Tiger ever gets to passing Nicklaus given his current real-life struggles on the course.

The mode also features a look at Tiger through video and sound. Jim Nance offers commentary as you go through 10 different stages of Tiger’s career and the golfer himself also gives brief interviews.

One reward for completing some of the challenges is the ability to use Toddler Tiger in the online mode, a great way to try and humble other players.

Of course, every addition of the game also offers new courses and golfers. Some returning favorites include Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Royal Melbourne, St. Andrews and Torrey Pines, while Crooked Stick, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, Royal Birkdale, Royal Country and Valhalla golf courses all make their digital debuts.

 Along with Woods, 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, ’11 winner Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott and Jim Furyk are among those playable golfers that return to the game, while new additions include Ben Crane, Ross Fisher, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, and Graeme McDowell. Like McIlroy, Luke Donald also returns to the game after a brief hiatus.

Female fans are unfortunately left with only two playable options: Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis and unfortunately tiny list.

Another bonus is that EA used an animation system to capture the authentic swings of many of the golfers.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 has very few flaws and overall is an enjoyable product, and the addition of the Kinect compatibility makes it a must own for any golf fan.

EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis 2 Review

By JJ Miller

One of the more enjoyable things about settling down to watch a tennis tournament is seeing your favorite star's mannerisms on the court. From the swagger of Rafael Nadal to the vocal cords of Maria Sharapova, the tennis elite certainly bring their own style to the court.

Teamed up with ESPN, EA Sports has done an excellent job of capturing the likeness and styles of more than 20 male and female stars from past and present. What they didn't do was create a challenging game that forces a player to log in some time with the game before becoming a pro.

Lets start with what works in "Grand Slam Tennis 2." Taking full advantage of today's controllers, EA has instituted the Total Racquet Control into its latest tennis import. Gone are the days of hitting one button for a drop shot and another for a slice. Instead, a player uses the right analog stick to unleash their arsenal of shots while using the left stick for movement.

Want to lay up with a standard flat shot? Simply push the right stick forward in the direction you want it to go. Top spin and splices take a little more movement from the analog and the player can work in lob and drop shots by holding down one of the top buttons while still letting the analog do its thing. This feature certainly puts the player in control of the racquet (even more so with the Playstation Move for Sony players) and requires a little more thinking on the part of the player.

Unfortunately, your skills won't be put to the test right away if you jump into the most enticing option in the game: The single player career mode that spans 10 years and has a player aiming to win all four majors, including exclusive to EA Sports the infamous Wimbledon.

For some unknown reason, the developers opted to take away the ability of a player to adjust the difficulty during the career mode. Rather than letting the user dictate how hard to make the mode, the game becomes more challenging as the career progresses. Year 1 begins on rookie, jumps to amateur for year 2 and pro for the following season before wrapping years 4-10 on superstar.

However, this concept completely slants the game in the player's favorite. A created player enters his career with a very low rating and is expected to build up his or her stats. But with the first year mandated to the easiest mode, it is too simple to win all four majors in that inaugural season. For example, my slick, blue-hat wearing pro easily won the Australian Open in the first year and didn't even lose a set to Roger Federer in the semifinals despite relying mostly on simple flat shots and a few slices.

Not exactly realism there.

This is an unfortunate and major flaw in the game that hurts the long-term value. What's the motivation to play deep into the career mode if you are already winning major after major?

The career mode also doesn't offer much outside of the majors. Each big event is proceeded by your choice of training, exhibition matches and pre- tournaments that quickly get generic. The player also has the option of skipping the above choices and jumping right into the next major with penalty of no increase in stats. Of course, this doesn't matter for the first few years.

While the training mode is an excellent tool to learn how to play, it is unforgiving with ball placement and features the same lines barked out by coach John McEnroe over and over.

McEnroe is also one of the game's feature players, joining the likes of Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, the Williams sisters, Sharapova and Martina Navratilova among others.

While the female side of the roster is little light, featuring just four present players and eight choices total, the game does feature a cool option of sharing your created pros. This allows you to download created pros from all over the world and many have already uploaded a number of current and former pros not in the game. Of course they don't have their signature moves and sounds, but the now EA standard Game Face technology automatically constructs a players face based off an uploaded picture, so at least the created pros look the part.

For those that EA did put into the game, the likeness of the pro to their digital counterpart is excellent and will probably leave a few teenagers electing to play as Sharapova more times than not.

In addition to online play, the game also allows for custom tournaments sure to entertain during parties as well as ESPN Grand Slam Classics. This allows a player to repeat or attempt to change tons of tennis' biggest moments in history.

Right off the bat a player can re-imagine a host of events from the 2000s, including the 2003 Australian Open Final between the Williams sisters and Andy Murray's 2008 semifinals upset of Nadal at the U.S. Open.

Winning these matches gives a player points to unlock older scenarios, like a 1990 U.S. Open semi featuring McEnroe against Sampras. The producers also threw in some fantasy matchups to unlock, such as Serena Williams against Chris Evert and Andy Roddick taking on Boris Becker.

If a player chooses to take his or her game online, they'll have the option of going head-to-head, single elimination tournaments that are ranked on a Battle of the Nation's leaderboard or a Grand Slam Corner. This has a player picking a single venue in which to compete at for a leaderboard ranking.

There is no doubt that EA Sports has put out a great-looking game that is boosted by the usage of the analog system and a share a pro option that will add authentic or bizarre players to your roster. But the huge flaw that essentially ruins the career mode is an unfortunate error that brings the game down a number of pegs.