NBA Jam

Posted on Dec 20, 2010 under PS3 | No Comment

The Good:

Fast and satisfying action
Tons of unlockable secrets
Exciting four-player competition
Enthusiastic announcer with a wide assortment of catchphrases.

The Bad:

New modes aren’t very interesting.

Oftentimes, when developers resurrect classic games for the modern era, they overhaul the core experience with enough bells and whistles to make it stand up to current releases. This is not the case in NBA Jam. The gameplay of this two-on-two fast-paced dunk-a-thon that you remember playing in the arcades 17 years ago has made its transition to the current consoles virtually unchanged. A boisterous announcer belts out catchphrases as you unleash thunderous dunks, and without any refs to get in the way, you can swing your elbows and shove your feisty opponents with impunity. Read the rest of this entry »

FIFA Soccer 11

Posted on Sep 30, 2010 under Xbox 360 | No Comment

The Good:

Gameplay improvements add to the depth
Career mode combines the best of Manager and Be A Pro modes
New 11 vs 11 online play is great.

The Bad:

No new online game modes
Career mode lacks realism
Relatively few new features.

After a steady rise in quality over the last few years, FIFA 10 added yet more welcome new features and game modes while refining the core gameplay. It’s a tough act to follow for FIFA 11, but thanks to more realistic gameplay, new game modes, and more features, this is the best and most comprehensive FIFA game yet. The main improvements are refinements to the gameplay, rather than revolutionary new game modes as we’ve seen in previous years, but they’re significant enough to make EA Sports’ latest offering well worth the upgrade. Read the rest of this entry »