joshfarc

Bringing us Next Gen gamer's it's best version of a fun, friendly, Arcade style golf game, Microsoft Studios has nailed it. The GamePlay is great, it's like a mix of the "Hot Shots Golf" series that started on the OG Playstation, and a Tiger Woods lite level approach to the games visuals and mechanics. No it's not going to wow you with it's graphics, though it's still a great looking arcade style golf game, so just don't expect it to look like Tiger 15 or whenever EA makes a XB1 Golf game *(Tiger is no longer affiliated with EA so they are releasing a PGA Tour 15 EA Sports game this fall). Single Player (Offline Part): Choose one of the characters and what their starting skill set and special traits are, edit them, and start your "career". If's Arcade style, so you have to start on the first specific golf course and play and win at least Bronze or Silver or Gold on the different challenges you can select within each course. Most are simply "Play Front Nine Tourny", "Back Nine Tourny", "Par 3 Challenge", "Par 5 Challenge", and then a "Stroke Player" or "Match Play" game against a new character at the end of each golf course/level. Characters: Starts with 4-6 characters,bah, but as you beat each course in single player (basically your career) you unlock a new character each course/level, which adds up to like 10-12 unique characters with different golf attributes, swing styles, and special traits. Special traits are a cool arcade thing, like my character has "Power Drive" trait naturally, so 3-6 times a round (depending on your Golf Cards you earn) by tapping B before you swing. The unlockable characters have unique skills, one character can hit an iron or shot into the green and then tap X at any time they want in the approach shot and the golf ball will split into 10+ different balls in the air at slightly different angles, and they all land on the green or miss or whatever, but the closest one is the one you get to use... the character special skills are the most and only true ARCADE part of this game, along with the graphics I guess (though a course in this park with a monorail with a **** in it looks really cool for a few shots on the first or second course). Single/Multi Player (ONLINE): The great thing is you can level up and use your special character online. You can play rounds and earn points and get ranked on the leaderboards, etc. But say your friend has this game too, you can't play against him Online... though you can play him if you are together on the same console. This is the sole reason I rated this game an 8 out of 10, otherwise it's near perfect. But online is a huge factor. Online Game Modes: Play online with your character, if you have at least 3 friends who play the game a decent amount that's all you need, as you can click "Friends" playing online, but rather than paying with or against them in a 2-4 man group online, you make your own game by yourself, and while you play you can (depending on option setting) watch the online round of your friend next to you (his most recent round on the online course/challenge) or just have it show their shots while you play (in white streaks like a mode on Tiger). There are daily, weekly, and all time challenges for the game online, with a nice course selection, so overall it's cool to play online (as you still earn XP towards your career online or offline career modes), but not being able to setup a Foursome with my friends grouped up messing around makes the online functionality not what the user expects or wants. Overall: The depth is great. You earn XP, level up (up to 100 I believe) and it does take some time. You also unlock golf sets with XP and Fake Money you earn from beating challenges or career or playing online. The LASTING APPEAL is quite solid, as the daily tourney's make for a solid start, and the online mode works well enough that it is enjoy. Thank God they allowed you to use your career mode character online. The graphics are quite amazing and crisp 60 Frames Per Second, the sound is actually really great as are the announcers, and the gameplay is done extremely well for an ARCADE Style Golf Game. 8.3 stars out of 10 *If you could play a live match with 2-4 people it would be higher

Best NBA game ever made for you basketball SIMULATION style players, and still great for casual gamers as well. The graphics are truly adjusted from 2k11, the players look more realistic (facial textures especially), as well as the physics engine and collision detection markedly being improved to a point where the game sometimes flows like a real NBA game. On my 27" 120hz 1080p LCD-TV on broadcast camera the game almost looks photorealistic next to a live NBA game on a 50'' TV. The gameplay is quite improved. No more cheesing non-stop; you have to actually play smart basketball rather than isolate, crossover, spin and dunk at the rim. They've really adjusted the passing in the game, much needed from 2k11's "passes and alley-oops are 99% successful", and while it's tough to begin (post passing is tough) it makes for a much more realistic experience. Good passers like Kidd or Nash still dish it out like stars, but no longer does a mediocre forward never throw it away. It's a great change that almost requires you to slow the pace down of the game. My Player has been improved with more goals, better interviews, a better draft process (1 game, interviews from teams and draft). Start rated around a 60 (2k11 you were a 40... bench players in NBA2k'any-year are always 50-60 ratings, so it makes sense. Player attributes as well as tendencies, and earn your paycheck to pay for a camp or team dinner or buy a dunk package of a certain player. Also "Play Next Key Game" is a great addition that helps it flow better. With the added "Hall of Fame" progress, there are goals to play more than a year or two and My Player has been improved drastically. The old rosters are great as well. There are 15 Classic challenges ranging from Wilt's Lakers and Pistol Pete's rookie season Hawks to the 01-02 Kings (Webber, Peja) with tons of teams in between (like 5 Bulls teams; 96-97 Lakers w/young Kobe), classic 90's Blazers, Magic w/PennyShaq, Utah, Houston, and so on. Of each 15 classics, a star player is the logo, with explanation; ex: John Stockton leads the 97-98 Jazz playoff game over the Lakers. Each time you can win one of these challenges you unlock the teams (team played as and against). I love this, as I've gotten all the teams, 30 (but multiple Bulls), so I created an Association with 20 classic teams and the best 10 teams in the NBA currently (with some stars added to 10 teams in league). Great fun! So many game modes, even Practice is great, as well as "Training Camp" which shows off the new controls and amazing POST MOVES. They have revamped it to where defense is key, but having an inside post-game is key as well, giving you individual and unique moves in the post, with a large array. The game is played flawlessly when played correctly. Online versus games are solid and not bad in terms of lag. Players are ok, some are cheesers (harder to cheese now though, I beat most with charges and slowing it up), but overall solid versus. But after that I don't understand what 2k was thinking. 2k11's best mode was CREWS, being able to add friends to a team/crew you created and playing others in ranked games 5 on 5. They've completely taken out crewmode, which allowed you to use your My Player you have created over time... which seems the whole point. Hell, can't even use your Player online AT ALL, not even a pickup game. As for the pickup games online, they are mediocre at best. The lag is quite bad, the matchmaking is weak, the amount of disconnects is huge, and you can't use your my player. Get some friends together and start a team up and hope you're put on the same team is your best bet.... stats kept are quite bad because of the servers. 2k please FIX your servers for next year and add crews. This game is nearly flawless but as an offline game. Deserves a 10/10 but the online matchmaking is weak and there are NO CREWS and My Player is improved, yet you can never use him online in a game with others.

Overall I actually like the game and am satisfied with the purchase (unlike my NBA JAM purchase from EA and 50+ bucks for that 500mb game, ahah). While this 3 on 3 Hockey game doesn't measure up with NHL 11 or anything, it's supposed to be a "break" from our more realistic style "sim" sport games. The graphics are crisp, and more importantly the game runs very smooth (good programming and game engine). OVERA If you were a Wayne Gretzky Nintendo64 gamer like I was, you will really like this game... and will continue to think it's possible they just ported that n64 game or emulated it and now sell it, haha, which is obviously a stupid thought. It's 3 on 3 fast break'ish hockey, with simple gameplay that isn't too simple. I am a very tough grader, and no game ever gets a 10/10 from me because nothing is perfect to me, haha. 7/10 from me is like an 8.,,, game is a blast to play with old friends you used to play Gretzky 64 with, Or, just get NHL 11 by EA,... I just got it and it rocks! (I feel bad for hating on EA for getting owned by 2k in the "Basketball" department.

NBA Jam. The old Akklaim lizard on the loading screen. BOOMSHAKALAKA like Wainy said. DON'T LET MY 6 out of 10 FOOL YOU. I AM A TOUGH REVIEWER. Anyway, I was at my local Fry's and saw NBA Jam had come out by EA (I have 2k11 and NBA Live 10, though I prefer 2k11 for sim basketball), but EA has done a GREAT JOB with putting NBA JAM on a next gen console without changing ANYTHING........ and I mean anything..... The cool 3d touch-up graphics are cool, but when I played this game, I felt ripped off. Not because the game is bad, but because it's literally the identical NBA JAM we played at the arcaded and on SNES or whatever systems. The Heat (Lebron + Wade ... or Bosh ) is easily the best team. While i enjoyed the game, I couldn't help but realize they literally ported NBA JAM T.E. from SNES or something. The game is fun online or multiplayer. Single player gets boring in my opinion. The replayability can be pretty solid if you are an addict of NBA Jam or get great 2 on 2 online games always....... the small things they added are so "stupid" in a sense that it's not worth noting. I hate having to be so cruel about NBA Jam (I instantly traded it on Ebay and got 43 bucks so only 7 bucks lost, haha). 1-NBA JAM on PS3 = NBA JAM (any other oldskool version + 3d) 2-Online play makes it a bunch of fun... I do want to warn: don't buy it out of nostalgic memory. I love the NBA and basketball, and have clocked 1,000's of hours on NBA Jam, NBA Jam T.E., NBA Hangtime (n64's version), though I was from the ages of 5 to about 14. I'm not saying adults won't love this, because they do. But if you are like me and have slowly become a huge fan of simulation type games such as NBA 2k11 (play 12 minute quarters and the games score is 110-102 like real life time/scoring)... well, NBA Jam, is better left as that great nostalgic memory. For $49.99 I just think it's insane. I downloaded this Tecmo Arcade Unrivaled or something on the PS3 store for 5 or 10 bucks and I enjoy it more than NBA Jam............ that's my complaint. IT BELONGS ON THE PS3 STORE FOR 10-20 BUCKS. Originally the game was supposed to come FREE WITH "NBA ELITE 11". Seeing how that game was just awful (has potential but is a raw, new engine, and its good they didnt release a bad version). FREE with Elite....... I sure guess EA figured out how to try and make some money by making this free $10-$20 buck add-on game a full fledged "PS3 Game" for $49.99. Did I mention NBA 2k11 is like 40 bucks now? NBA Live 10 (EA / still has new rosters) I picked up used at GS for 15 or 20 bucks. I just think the price is a joke. BUT, the game is EXACTLY what you should expect I guess. A 2 button basketball game with turbo and dunks....... Online 2 on 2 is fantastic..... I'd find it used for cheap or wait, it's gotta lower in price soon... there's no way it sold more than 50,000 units....... OR EA IS ONE SMART COOKIE!

Prince of Persia, released in the end of 2008 seemed to of slipped under most of peoples radar... Including mine. I have completed Prince of Persia(Sands of Time) on the original XBox, and also played a ton of POP(Two Thrones) on my PC(2007). It seems that this Prince of Persia game caused people some indecision, and I believe it was the new style of graphics they implemented (which I think was great) along with the title: Prince of Persia. Who knows how smart the public is... they might think it's like a throwback game to the OG(original) Prince Of Persia or something... not realizing it's a brand new game by Ubisoft who has made all the previous games. The graphics are great and the game runs at 60fps it appears with no slowdown. The new gameplay elements that go along with the added character are very fun to learn and use, as well as some other new abilities created due to the textures,physics, and environments. Now I know that many people have sort of turned around from linear action games like this, especially when Assassins Creed 1, 2, and now AC Brotherhood are all made by Ubisoft and basically open-world Prince Of Persia style games. I loved AC1 and then AC2 was a solid follow up, but a bit boring climbing all the "viewpoints" just to get an accomplishment. But this newer Prince of Persia, while not "open-world", is no more linear of a story than Assassins Creed. POP just uses multiple/many big environments to allow specific gameplay with checkpoints, and something that can be a VERY NICE CHANGE from roaming around these open-ended worlds like Red Dead Redemption that are 70% plains and basically nothing. In Persia every single new environment is full of fun things to do, whether its sneak up quietly and silent kill a scout/enemy, get into hardcore battle with 8 enemies at once, control 2 characters at once to get through many of the long jumps and climbing, and so many other things. The gameplay, if on Hard, is really perfect for you. Enemies actually block with their swords and make sword play much more fun, with much more deaths. That's why the quick checkpoints are so great. This game slid under the radar and is officially my favorite Prince of Persia game (though Sands of Time will hold a nostalgic love because it was the first one I played and completed and spent 20-30 hours on hardcore. I'm still playing this Prince of Persia (about 6 hours in), and so far it's great. I got it for $18 bucks used at GameStop, while it's like 30 bucks new. THIS IS A MUST BUY FOR FANS OF ACTION/ADVENTURE GAMES WHO MISSED THIS GAME OR OVERLOOKED IT LIKE ME BECAUSE OF THE NEW GRAPHICS. At a $20 dollar price-tag, it's the best steal of a PS3 game there is. And believe me, an 8.0 out of 10.0 from me means it's great/outstanding. I have yet to ever see a 10.0/10.0 game before, and hope I can. I play on ALL SYSTEMS, including PC games, and this game is just a steal. Ubisoft never releases a bad game. Only great games. I hope this was found helpful to ANYONE that was curious about this game or unsure about it. ALSO, remember GameStop will allow you to return ALL used games within 7 days (maybe 30?) if you buy the "used" version (OMG, used! :) ), so if you somehow dislike it you lose nothing. A MUST TRY. Download the demo today! Or just run up to GameStop or Target to grab for $20 bucks.

This game is EASILY the BEST SPORTS GAME ever made, and it just so happens to be a basketball game (thank god). I am a huge sports gamer, as 2k9, 2k10, and 2k11 have consumed me so much as a basketball columnist and gamer, that the game is simply superb on every platform! I've got 2k11 on PS3 and PC (and played it on 360... some FPS issues but not major), but on PS3 the game runs great, and on my high end PC the game is superb. So graphically it gets a 10/10. PHYSICS ENGINE: This 2k11 game might have the best collision detection I've ever witnessed in a sports game... or any game. No longer do we see shots go through the backboard or player's arms going through each other. It all feels real and each person or thing feels tangible. The physics of the game just feel like real life. I can play 12 minute quarters on Superstar difficulty and the game will end up anywhere from me scoring 90-120+ points depending on the night. Much better than scoring 170 a game in 2k10 w/12 minute quarters. THAT'S CALLED TRUE "SIMULATION". FINALLY, THE NBA SIM GAME WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR HAS ARRIVED! The player movements are great, as well as the 100's of animations they have dribbling, shooting (shot stick is better than ever). The jumpers, the floaters, the runners, the fadeaways, they're all great shots that take getting used to. The Post-Up game has VASTLY been improved on the defensive end, as well as offensive, but in 2k10 it was too easy to post up and score; and way too hard to defend. In 2k11 the Post-Defense is great, and the defense as a whole is amazing as well. The team defense is what really makes the game feel like a real NBA game. My Player is better than ever, though it's essentially the same build. Some extra's are being able to see your players career, being able to ask for trades and see who's interested, the my player scoring system has been refined and is much better than last year, and you gotta love the "post-game interviews" that go on after each game, adding an element of "role playing" to this game being able to choose what type of response to give. All in all the My Player is amazing, especially because the AI has become a lot smarter (they actually make cuts and set screens without a play being ran) and the help defense makes it amazing. I've gotten 40 hours out of the My Player mode alone, let alone the Association Mode or brand new Jordan Challenge mode. The player ratings and tendencies are great as usual, and you gotta love the weekly updates to the roster based off of this current NBA season. While some overall ratings will make you think, the player's tendencies can be as important as their overall rating almost, so don't pay too much attention to their ratings (though they obviously matter). AUDIO: Best yet. I love the presentation. Doris Burke on the sideline for the "sideline reports" is great, and the dialogue has actually become wide enough in range (and has enough content) that it doesn't get too repetitive. Sometimes you think they're having a conversation live on TV. The soundtrack is actually decent too. Simply put, it's the most realistic basketball simulation game to date. The realism might turn some people off, but for hardcore fans this game provides EVERYTHING we have EVER wanted from a 2k basketball game.... everything BUT the online system working fluidly..... 10/10 Single Player...... but because the online system is rubbish AGAIN for the 3rd straight year....... 9/10