There have been way too many years where you can describe the changes to Madden as "minimal, but helpful." This year, the changes to the defense and boost in presentation slide it away from "minimal" and feel much more substantial. But unfortunately, I find the player aspect of Connected Franchise to be one of the biggest parts of the whole Madden experience, and it being a husk of its former self is more than a little disappointing. That said, Madden NFL 15 is definitely one to jump into if you have not played a Madden game in years. It will be very interesting to see how EA Tiburon builds upon this success in Madden NFL 16.
The next generation jump for NHL 15 is far from a mind blowing one. It brings about fantastic visuals and more of the same excellent gameplay we have come to expect. Unfortunately, it really is just more of the same but with an impressive visual bump. Of course, the improved presentation is nice as well but it lacks that oomph needed to wow consumers. That being said, EA Canada has done enough to create a very recommendable hockey game, but they may have some trouble on their hands if they continue to provide more of the same next year.
CounterSpy does not last long enough, but the time you have with it is an absolute blast. The implementation of the DEFCON system and cover mechanics freshens up an increasingly bland genre, with the spot-on atmosphere and witty writing, feeling like icing on a delicious cake. Throughout CounterSpy's lifespan, you will die a whole lot, and with that comes frustration. But on the other end of that frustration is an immense feeling of satisfaction as you get one step closer to saving our precious little moon.
There is no doubt about the fact that Hohokum achieves exactly what it wants to, the game is a relaxing and gorgeous adventure that can take a few hours from you. It does a wonderful job at helping you clear your mind and just focus on the magic happening on your television screen. Unfortunately, that relaxation can turn to confusion as you wander around attempting to figure out what to do next. Hohokum's visuals, music, and controls are spot on, but it is missing that little hand holding experience that many games need. Despite the occasional frustration it brings, Hohokum is an absolute treat to behold.
Coming into the release of MLB 14: The Show, it was clear that this is the king of baseball games. Not only is it the king but no other game is coming anywhere near it's level of greatness for quite some time. Thankfully, Sony San Diego does not take that lightly as they have continued to build on an already fantastic product. There is no doubt that some of their additions fell a bit short, but those are the risks you can take when you are the uncontested king. The graphical enhancements in the PS4 version of MLB 14: The Show are undeniable and true proof of how far we can go with visuals this generation. Whether it is in graphics or gameplay, MLB: The Show continues to rule the sports game world.
While a lot of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 fails to impress, there is a decent amount of potential to be had in this Beenox product. It is clear that Beenox is a talented developer, but being forced into developing a movie-game that has a predetermined release date is a near impossible situation for anyone. Here's to hoping that brighter futures are in front of Beenox. If not, there will most certainly be a new Amazing Spider-Man heading our way in a few years.
Resident Evil 4 was a monumental achievement upon its release back in January 2005, and it is still one that video game connoisseurs appreciate today. What many of these connoisseurs forget is just how well the game holds up nine years later. Sure, it has frustrating elements that can throw you off your positive momentum, but the strong elements of the landmark release that was Resident Evil 4 still stand tall today. In all honesty, it just feels nice to play a great Resident Evil game, even if it is nine years old.