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. 

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.

Durant lands on the cover of March Madness 08

By Michael Rushton
Phanatic Magazine

While Greg Oden may beat him out as the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, Kevin Durant has already captured one honor Oden has not.

The former University of Texas star will be featured on the cover of EA Sport's upcoming college basketball game, NCAA March Madness 08.

Durant, at 18-years-old, becomes the second youngest athlete to grace the cover of an EA Sports game and just the fourth teenager. Freddy Adu was the youngest athlete to get cover honors when he landed on FIFA Soccer 06 (North America) as a 16-year-old.

Read more at The Phanatic Magazine's web home.