The SoapBoxers

The game was released in October of 2010, so I’m “late” with this review, but don’t let that fool you. This is the best basketball game I have played for any console. Typically with any sports game I’m a fan of the “franchise” mode…it’s sometimes called something different with each game, but it’s the same thing. You pick a team and “run” that team as the GM from season to season.

When I picked up a copy of NBA 2K11, I decided to branch out and try the My Player mode. You create your player’s characteristics and then go through the draft. My overall rating was fairly bad, in the 50’s, but I was still drafted in the early 2nd round by the Miami Heat. I started the season as the 7th guy … basically the 2nd guy coming off the bench.

The game itself is very easy to play. You receive directions offensive plays with arrows on the screen to show you where you should be and what plays you need to run. Feel free to shoot whenever you want, but you do gain skill points based on the “good” things that you do … make a shot, set a screen, get an assists, etc. Take a bad shot, turn the ball over, or do anything else that it not good for the team, and your teammate grade will take a hit.

The skill points you gain from each game can be used to increase your player’s attributes, which in turn obviously makes your player better overall. It didn’t take long to become a starter, and my overall player rating is already above 80. I’ve played just around 50 games, and I’m averaging just under 30 points a game. I’m a lock for the Rookie of the Year Award, if you ask me.

Once you become a key player on the team, management will start asking you for opinions on the direction of the team. Have players that you want the team to trade or try to trade for? All you gotta do is let them know. You can also do various drills throughout the season to make your player better as well, but I’ve been focusing mainly on the games. That’s the most fun, and the best way to gain the most skill points.

If you haven’t played it, and you’re a sports game fan, you gotta give it a shot. You WILL NOT be disappointed!

Way back in May of 2009, I posted my very first article … hoping to become the very best entertainment blogger ever. Well, I’ve only contributed a total of 2 articles (both very good, I might add) and have had a very long layoff since my last one.

Well, today marks my triumphant return as a regular contributor for all of your entertainment news and reviews!!

For those that don’t remember, my plan is simple. Review all of my favorite TV shows, movies, video games, etc, with an occasional mix of vacation destination reviews. Today, I’m going to give you the most honest feedback on one of the best video game franchises ever, Madden Football (for Playstation 3).

Like I do every year, along with thousands of other people, I made sure to pick up my copy the day it was released. I wasn’t, however, one of the crazies that stood in line for hours to pick up a copy at midnight so that I could stay up for hours, call in sick to work, and play Madden all day long.

Just like in years past, the game has gotten so good that you think there’s no way they can make any significant improvements over the prior year’s game. There is one very significant change to the game this year, though, that makes it an overall better experience. The addition of Gameflow to the game not only speeds up game play, but also takes away the massive confusion of a team’s playbook. Gameflow analyzes everything from what down it is and how many yards you need for a first down to what the score is to pick the best play for your current situation.

In previous versions of Madden, you had an entire playbook at your disposal. There are literally hundreds of different plays in a playbook. Most of the time, I’d find myself continually running the same handful of plays throughout the game, because they were the easiest to find or because they worked the most. Doing that really took away from the realism of the game. Do coaches really call the same 3 plays, over and over? No, they don’t.

So, having the computer call plays for you not only adds to the realism, but also speeds up game play as you’re not wasting 15-20 seconds every play by frantically searching a playbook to call the perfect play. You simply press X at the end of each play to utilize the Gameflow function, the play call pops up on the screen, and you’re good to go. You do have the option to audible to a different play, or even have the option to look through your team’s playbook. So nothing was removed from the game to add the Gameflow option. So far, I love the Gameflow option. The computer really does make the correct play call in most situations. I’ve rarely had to audible or call a timeout due to a terrible play call.

As far as graphics and game play, there were some subtle changes, but nothing drastic. Overall, Madden did it again with a great game. Easily, in my opinion, the best game available for any system. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 9.5, because there’s no such thing as the “perfect” game!

Want to pick up a copy of Madden 11 and put a few coins in Bob’s pocket at the same time? Buy from Amazon using the links below. Bob gets a small commission, but your price stays the same.

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, and PS2

Official Guide

I’ve played video games my whole life. Everything from an Atari 7800 to Sega, to Playstation (1, 2, and 3). Ever since I started playing, I’ve loved sports games. I just couldn’t seem to get into the role-playing games. My two favorite sports series of all time are Madden football and MLB: The Show.

Right now, it’s all about The Show, all the time. The previews for the game were spot on. “The best baseball game ever made”, they said. It is, by far, the most realistic baseball game I have ever played.

Infielders getting eaten alive by bad hops, bad throws, hitting streaks, pitching streaks, hitting slumps, and pitching slumps, it’s all there.

Being an avid Cubs fan, I obviously have to pick them in the Franchise mode. The ballpark is almost like you’re really there during a game. The ivy isn’t green in April (because it’s really not) like in all the other games. The rooftops are actually realistic on the game because they have people in them!!

Players argue and get ejected. Umpires have personalities. With certain umps you can hit corners all day long and not get a call. With others, you can hit spots 6 inches out of the strike zone and get the call.

It’s easy to get mad at the game because you go back to the days when “the computer cheated”, but when you take a step back and think about it, it’s real. And that’s much better to appreciate in a game than simply “winning”.

Have I mentioned how deep the game is? You actually have a 40 man roster that you have to keep control of (which can be extremely frustrating at times, but again, it’s real). The game actually includes compensation picks in the game from free agent signings. Speaking of free agency – the days of throwing a ton of money at a high profile free agent and him automatically signing with your team are over. Frustrating? Absolutely. Real? YES! It’s like a player on this game is smart enough to know what a good situation is for him and takes that instead of the highest offer.

I enjoy the game so much that I actually play all of my teams’ games. Typically I just get bored and simulate through a season until the playoffs and/or the off-season and just manage the team. Now, with MLB 09: The Show, I can’t stop playing!

Speaking of, I think I have a game to play…..

MLB ’09 for PS3