Author Bio
Monday, November 30, 2015
03:14 PM - November 30, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
I have never played hockey in my life.
When I first picked up the controller to play NHL 16, it was a nerve-racking experience. I am a sports buff who follows everything from football to golf and from baseball to soccer, but the NHL? It was a foreign concept to me. So imagine my surprise when I played my first game and had an absolute blast.
Read More - NHL 16 Through the Eyes of a Noob
Thursday, October 22, 2015
12:30 PM - October 22, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Every year, I sit down with my computer in hand ready to write a list of things down I'd want added to a game's franchise mode. Whether that be Madden, MLB: The Show, FIFA or even NBA 2K. There has always been a handful of things that I'd like to see added -- even if a few of them are a bit trivial. This year, NBA 2K16 has me stumped.
It is hard not to feel totally immersed in both MyGM and MyLeague. You can toy with just about any setting that you'd like, from the league's economic standards to its trade rate. If you aren't happy with the way something is by default, there's a really good chance NBA 2K gives you the ability to change it for yourself. Why isn't that more celebrated?
Read More - NBA 2K16: The King of Customization
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Despite large strides, the game still has a tendency to look and feel like a chicken with its head cut off. There is hardly ever any consistency -- whether it be clunky commentary or odd decisions on the part of the CPU -- and it starts to take away from the fun if you're looking for a true simulation experience.
The series certainly is not where it needs to be this year, but NBA Live 16 is not a bad game to keep building on moving forward.
Read More - NBA Live 16 Review
Monday, August 31, 2015
11:45 AM - August 31, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
There hasn't been a sports game that has nailed online play yet, but Madden has always come pretty close. Lag usually isn't a huge issue, most gamemodes that can be played offline can be played online with friends and the user interface is always clean and easy to navigate.
Read More - Madden NFL 16: Online Play is Improved
Monday, August 24, 2015
04:45 PM - August 24, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
With Madden's annual release comes a bout of well-deserved skepticism. The game has not landed with its audience in several years. A solid Madden 15 seemed to stabilize the franchise a bit, but it was still far too rough around the edges to be considered great. In order for Madden to win over its fan base, it's going to have to center everything around solid gameplay. That is why, instead of testing some of Madden's many new features (such as the new Draft Champions mode), you should perhaps focus on a few of the game's gameplay improvements in both exhibition and online play. Here are the first four things everyone could do when they get their hands on Madden 16 tomorrow.
Read More - The First Four Things You Need to Do In Madden NFL 16 Are...
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
09:49 AM - July 1, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
It all happened on one glorious looking play. The pocket collapsed from Bridgewater's left side, and with nobody open, he rolled to his right. He has Rudolph open with a little room to spare on the sideline, but the entire defense is swinging back around. Bridgewater fires it, and what normally would have been an easy throw and catch became a fight for the ball. Rudolph moved inward, laying flat-out for the football, but an opposing defender swooped in and knocked it to the ground before the ball could even reach Rudolph's finger-tips.
This play isn't something that's unusual in the realm of NFL football, but it's definitely not something you see every day in Madden. The gameplay has the potential - though it doesn't always reach this potential - to be smooth and realistic looking.
Read More - Madden NFL 16: More Hands-On Impressions
Thursday, June 18, 2015
01:49 PM - June 18, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Legacy issues have plagued the Madden series for more than half a decade. After several hours of play against both another player and the CPU, I can happily say that most of those issues have either been taken care of or toned down a significant amount. It is clear that Tiburon is going out of its way to address things that were taking away from simulation football, and its not so much the things that were added to Madden 16 that make the game exciting, but rather what it took away.
Read More - Madden NFL 16: E3 Hands-On Preview
Thursday, June 11, 2015
10:11 AM - June 11, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Editor's Note: Operation Sports' partner FanDuel is hosting a one-night fantasy baseball league tonight. It's $5 to enter and first place wins $10,000 cash. Click here to join!
It happened when my 35-52 Philadelphia Phillies were shut out for their third game in a row. It’s a rebuilding year and no one is expecting the playoffs, of course, but three shutouts in a row? At this point in the season, Hamels, Lee, Ruiz, Harang, Williams and Revere are no longer Phillies - so why I’m still playing every game and acting like it's the World Series is beyond me.
Read More - MLB 15 The Show Is the Series' Magnum Opus
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
10:02 AM - June 10, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Attributes are what drive our sports games. Without them, franchises would feel hollow, head-to-head games would be less strategic and editing players would become a confusing mess. Each game has a single attribute that stands above the rest, so let's go game-by-game to determine which one is king.
Read More - What Are the Most Important Attributes in Sports Games?
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
03:51 PM - May 13, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
With the year's cycle of sports games starting to come in full effect, it's apparent that we'll likely go one more year without the "perfect" sports title. That is perfectly OK, of course. There hasn't been a perfect game up to this point and it's reasonable to assume there won't be one for a while. Collectively, however, there's enough to draw from each individual title to make something great. For instance, what if Madden had a coaching carousel mode similar to College Hoops 2K8 and NCAA Football 2014? Or maybe if Rory Mcllroy PGA Tour had The Golf Club's intricate course design? These are all things that are easy to fantasize about, but just as easy to shove aside as things that will never happen. But why can't they? There is no reason why games should be so afraid to borrow from another series. With that said, here are a few features that games would be shrewd to obtain.
Read More - What Features Should Sports Games Borrow From One Another?
Saturday, April 25, 2015
11:11 AM - April 25, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
The PC exclusive Freestyle2: Street Basketball classifies itself as an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online), and it captures that feeling pretty well. It utilizes the "free-to-play" model, which serves it well since its simplistic gameplay and art style are sure to turn some people away from the get go.
Read More - Freestyle2: Street Basketball Impressions
Thursday, April 16, 2015
12:01 PM - April 16, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
The Operation Sports Full Minor League (OSFM) roster has arrived, and thanks to many hard working individuals, we now all get to reap the benefits. The best part of it all is that a hectic offseason has resulted in the reshuffling of a lot of farm systems. There is a lot to dig into, so here are the best and worst farm systems in MLB: The Show 15...
Read More - The Best and Worst Farm Systems in MLB 15 The Show (OSFM Rosters)
Friday, April 10, 2015
02:14 PM - April 10, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
MLB: The Show 15's franchise mode is tremendously deep this year. Most of the legacy issues within the series have been ironed out and balancing budgets with winning is now the mode's biggest concern. This adds a unique twist: Do you go after the star who will almost certainly be attached to a mega-sized contract? Or do you build through the draft and prioritize development? These are things that have to be considered before starting your franchise. So without further adieu, here is our quick guide to franchise mode:
Read More - MLB 15 The Show: Quick Guide to Franchise Mode
Monday, April 6, 2015
03:37 PM - April 6, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
MLB 15 The Show has the look, sound, and feel of baseball. It doesn't do many things great, something that is hindered by the series' unwillingness to take big risks, but it does just about everything well. And in a world where games are shipping with just about nothing working as it's supposed to, it's a relief to say that MLB 15 The Show is about as rock-solid as it gets.
As it does every year, this year's iteration focuses on how to move forward without taking any steps back. Little things like improved grass patterns and adding swing animations don't stand out too much at first, but it brings the game's replayability to an all time high. The same goes with its game modes, where simple changes should go a long way in keeping players invested in their franchise, or Road to the Show.
At the end of the day, MLB The Show is always going to be about the little things. And for this year, at the very least, that seems perfectly reasonable.
Read More - MLB 15 The Show Review (PS4)
Friday, April 3, 2015
11:04 AM - April 3, 2015. Posted by RaychelSnr. Written by Ben Vollmer
Uniquely, MLB: The Show '15 seems to grow on you as you play it. The benefit of having such a strong, consistent core is that players are less likely to find bugs that may not seem like a huge deal at first, but begin to grate on you after the ninth or tenth game.
Fortunately, The Show doesn't have this problem. Little details that occasionally pop up keep things feeling like every game is its own entity. For instance, I won a late game challenge against the CPU that secured the winning run. Where else can you experience that kind of weird variable in a game? I was elated and couldn't wait for my next rare experience. The series is famous for "the little things" for a reason: they change the experience in a much bigger way.
After spending time with various game modes in MLB: The Show '15, here are some brief impressions on both Franchise and Road to the Show...
Read More - MLB 15: The Show: Impressions After Four Days of Playing
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