Sporting News Outlet Image

Sporting News

Homepage
32 games reviewed
75.3 average score
80 median score
65.6% of games recommended

Sporting News's Reviews

Sep 9, 2019

"NBA 2K20" is a great game for those who new to the franchise or who have taken some time away from it. The every-year purchaser, however, may not find the same value present as they've come to expect from 2K while stumbling upon familiar reasons for frustration. Despite that, it would be difficult not to recommend "2K20" under almost any circumstance given its authenticity and depth in a number of areas.

Read full review

Sep 14, 2017

It may be surprising that it would take an "arcade" mode to round out a simulation-based product, but NHL Threes does just that for "NHL 18." While the series is still lacking in some aspects of gameplay and presentation this year, "NHL" achieved something important, by becoming the most appealing edition of the series for an audience that extends beyond just the fanatics of the sport in a very long time.

Read full review

Sep 11, 2017

"NBA Live 18" is closer to being a really good game than many would have anticipated, even after a year off for the series. It offers refreshingly simplified and genuinely fun gameplay with an excellent career mode. Deficiencies in other areas of the game hamper its appeal as a total package, making it difficult to recommend as more than an alternative to its competition, but it's still important to recognize this may finally be the turnaround year that "NBA Live" has been seeking since the current console generation began.

Read full review

Perhaps it's fitting that "Mutant Football League" is a little rough around the edges and has some punishing characteristics. The game is brash, self-aware, and best suited for an older audience. The carnage inflicted is thoroughly entertaining and strategically the game gets better as its nuances become better understood. With "Mutant Football League," the dirtiest trick of all was making fans of the original wait 24 years for the sequel.

Read full review

Mar 29, 2018

"MLB The Show 18" is still a great game for those passionate about baseball, but the consistency the series has displayed over the past decade has been at least somewhat broken with this new edition. For many, the fantastic gameplay will offset the loss of modes, the lack of advancement in others, and the lingering server struggles. Ultimately, though, it's becoming more clear now than ever that the series is begining to have trouble meeting the heightened expectations now present within the genre.

Read full review

Oct 13, 2016

While the game offers online capability, all attempts to play have failed in the days since release. It's unclear whether online matchmaking is broken or whether there simply aren't others searching to play online. Either scenario essentially negates online as a feature, which is unfortunate because it would likely be chaotic fun and would extend the longevity of the title.

Read full review

May 13, 2017

With proper support 'NBA Playgrounds' could become a great series in the future. It's just not quite there in this, its rookie season.

Read full review

Sep 14, 2018

"NBA Live 19" seeks to carve out a niche in the sports game genre through its well-designed Career Mode and its accompanying online cooperative and competitive modes that involve the player's created character. That direction will resonate with some but alienate those seeking a more traditional NBA experience, which is severely lacking.

Read full review

Mar 9, 2017

While "3on3 Freestyle" is lacking in many ways, it's still a unique entry on the market that is worth trying out. Given that the game is free, there's really no reason for anyone who may have interest not to do so. There is the potential that new modes, courts and characters through post-release support could make the game more appealing, but the core gameplay may not be good enough for those with current-day expectations of traditional sports games to give it much time to improve.

Read full review

Mar 28, 2017

Whether it's laying out big hits or scoring satisfying goals there's some fun to be had with "Old Time Hockey." It just takes too long to get to a place of enjoyment, and even then doesn't negate the underlying issues and otherwise lack of content despite a reasonable $12 price point.

Read full review

The pure-simulation route for non-traditional sports seems best suited for those meant to be more serene than extreme. There just isn't much fun to be had with "Infinite Air" because of a steep learning-curve that isn't overcome in a reasonable amount of time.

Read full review

Apr 8, 2016

Three years into the reboot of the R.B.I. Baseball series and it's still a completely uninspired mobile-quality game being sold for four times as much on consoles. It's a shame that Xbox owners have now gone several years without a having a legitimate MLB game but it's been even longer since a quality one was released for a Microsoft system.

Read full review