2014年4月30日星期三
FIFA 15 Luis Suarez cover after PFA
By Alan Ng
If you are still thinking about the Liverpool Vs Chelsea FC result over the weekend, you’ll know that there was one other major story involving Luis Suarez. The PFA has finally been crowned Suarez with the 2014 Player of the Year award for the Premiership season and we have a feeling that he may now work his way into the FIFA 15 cover star plans as well.
Remember that this is the same Luis Suarez that was once the ‘most hated’ star in the Premiership after the Patrice Evra and Ivanovic incidents. What a difference a year makes though as nobody in their right mind can argue that Suarez doesn’t deserve to win the 2014 PFA award.
Suarez has already been given various FIFA 14 awards, most recently an upgrade to a 91 card as an in-form player – Consider yourself very lucky if you managed to open one those cards in a FIFA 14 Gold pack opening.
We’re already thinking of the future though and the chances of Luis Suarez as the FIFA 15 cover star. Don’t forget that Gareth Bale initially featured on the FIFA 14 cover before moving to Real Madrid – with Bale winning last year’s PFA award as well.
If EA are choosing their FIFA 15 cover star on the basis of an individuals performance for the current Premiership season, then surely Suarez has to be in with a huge shout of being the main cover star. Other candidates to appear on the cover could be Eden Hazard, who was voted the Young Player of the Year 2014 award from the PFA.
If you are already looking ahead to FIFA 15, let us know if you agree that Luis Suarez could be picked by EA to feature as the main cover star – that’s if he stays at Liverpool for next season of course!
You can add us to your circle on Google+, follow us on Twitter, join the photo community on Pinterest, or like our Facebook page to keep updated on all the latest news.
2014年4月11日星期五
EA Sports wants its 2014 World Cup game to appeal to all, not just FIFA fans
BY EDGAR ALVAREZ
"We don't have limitless resources. We wanted to bring the game to as many people as possible and right now that was the 360 and PS3." That's what 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil's lead producer Mat Prior had to say about the title not launching on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Which is to say, EA's leaning on console-adoption numbers as the primary reason for the lack of a proper game on Microsoft's and Sony's newest consoles. Instead, EA Sports plans to bring some "engaging" World Cup-themed content to FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode, in the hopes that'll be enough to satisfy disappointed Xbox One and PS4 owners.
If you look at the numbers, EA Sports' decision becomes clear. Currently, neither the Xbox One nor the PlayStation 4 has reached the 10 million mark in sales, and the two aren't available everywhere. Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 can be found in many homes across the globe, including a large number of developing countries. "Emerging markets were important to making this decision," Prior told Engadget. "We wanted to create the best game we could that could reach as many people as possible." For those who own a last-generation system, this is great news, since the team behind 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil was given the task of "setting a laser focus on building the highest-quality game" for these two consoles. And it shows.
By placing all its eggs in one basket, EA Sports was able to create a game that's visually stunning, with fully rendered 3D crowds and a detailed presentation meant to evoke a real-life World Cup. "It's the most atmospheric game we've ever made," said Prior. Naturally, you can expect to see improved gameplay in comparison to FIFA 14 and many different game modes to choose from, both online and offline. This was also part of the reason the publisher made it a standalone title and not downloadable content, as was the case for the last country-focused game, UEFA Euro 2012. "We wanted it to be for people who haven't played FIFA before," Prior said. "The World Cup is such a massive event that it needed to have its own game and DLC wouldn't have allowed it to have all the features it does."
As part of its efforts to appeal to the masses, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil has a new Beginner Mode, which aims to make it easy for anyone to pick up a controller and face very little challenge from the AI. And then there are modes like Online World Cup, Road to Rio, Captain Your Country, Story of Qualifying and Scenarios, all of which you should be familiar with if you're an avid FIFA player. Yes, EA is hoping to "attract casual gamers" and to "reach the 50 percent who don't play FIFA," but that doesn't mean hardcore fans of the franchise won't enjoy it. It's still classic FIFA, with an added touch of Brazilian lifestyle transmitted into the game.
"We don't have limitless resources. We wanted to bring the game to as many people as possible and right now that was the 360 and PS3." That's what 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil's lead producer Mat Prior had to say about the title not launching on Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Which is to say, EA's leaning on console-adoption numbers as the primary reason for the lack of a proper game on Microsoft's and Sony's newest consoles. Instead, EA Sports plans to bring some "engaging" World Cup-themed content to FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode, in the hopes that'll be enough to satisfy disappointed Xbox One and PS4 owners.
If you look at the numbers, EA Sports' decision becomes clear. Currently, neither the Xbox One nor the PlayStation 4 has reached the 10 million mark in sales, and the two aren't available everywhere. Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 can be found in many homes across the globe, including a large number of developing countries. "Emerging markets were important to making this decision," Prior told Engadget. "We wanted to create the best game we could that could reach as many people as possible." For those who own a last-generation system, this is great news, since the team behind 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil was given the task of "setting a laser focus on building the highest-quality game" for these two consoles. And it shows.
By placing all its eggs in one basket, EA Sports was able to create a game that's visually stunning, with fully rendered 3D crowds and a detailed presentation meant to evoke a real-life World Cup. "It's the most atmospheric game we've ever made," said Prior. Naturally, you can expect to see improved gameplay in comparison to FIFA 14 and many different game modes to choose from, both online and offline. This was also part of the reason the publisher made it a standalone title and not downloadable content, as was the case for the last country-focused game, UEFA Euro 2012. "We wanted it to be for people who haven't played FIFA before," Prior said. "The World Cup is such a massive event that it needed to have its own game and DLC wouldn't have allowed it to have all the features it does."
As part of its efforts to appeal to the masses, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil has a new Beginner Mode, which aims to make it easy for anyone to pick up a controller and face very little challenge from the AI. And then there are modes like Online World Cup, Road to Rio, Captain Your Country, Story of Qualifying and Scenarios, all of which you should be familiar with if you're an avid FIFA player. Yes, EA is hoping to "attract casual gamers" and to "reach the 50 percent who don't play FIFA," but that doesn't mean hardcore fans of the franchise won't enjoy it. It's still classic FIFA, with an added touch of Brazilian lifestyle transmitted into the game.
2014年2月19日星期三
Manchester City vs. Chelsea: Simulating FA Cup Grudge Match Using FIFA 14
By Nick Akerman
Manchester City have the perfect opportunity to exact revenge from Chelsea when the English giants meet in a crucial FA Cup fifth-round tie at the Etihad Stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini's side are yet to recover from the 1-0 loss Jose Mourinho's men inflicted on them on Feb. 3. The following Premier League draw with Norwich suggested this is a team that needs a big result to get back on track, something they can grasp when Chelsea return.
Can the Sky Blues return to form with a win? We let FIFA 14 on the Xbox One decide.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea: FIFA 14 Highlights
3'—Confident start from Chelsea, who look to halt Yaya Toure in midfield once again.
5'—Willian with the first real chance of the game.
15'—Alvaro Negredo strikes the post with a decent effort from just inside the box. The Spanish striker stroked his shot toward goal and relied on curve to beat Petr Cech. While the goalkeeper struggled to make up ground, the frame halted City's progress with a deflection away from danger.
40'—City looking the more likely to score, but even without John Terry and Gary Cahill, Chelsea look strong at the back.
HALF-TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
47'—A fast start to the second half sees Willian crowded out in the City box just as he's about to pull the trigger. Jesus Navas launched a quick counterattack after the pass from Vincent Kompany, but he overruns the ball and Cech receives possession.
65'—Edin Dzeko climbs above his marker in a decent position, but heads wide. The Bosnia really should bury chances like those. Mohamed Salah replaces Willian, Fernando Torres comes on for Samuel Eto'o.
88'—Drama at the Etihad! Salah, just minutes after coming on, wins it at the death for Chelsea. The Egyptian was afforded room inside the box and coolly slotted beyond Joe Hart. A huge for for Mourinho's team and the new signing!
92'—One last attempt at goal by Negredo. Cech easily catches.
FULL-TIME: Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea (Salah)
Can Chelsea repeat their previous 1-0 win like FIFA 14 predicts? Skybet currently has odds of 80-1 for Salah to score the only goal of the game. If it's anything like our last sim, you should probably put your life savings on this result.
Manchester City have the perfect opportunity to exact revenge from Chelsea when the English giants meet in a crucial FA Cup fifth-round tie at the Etihad Stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini's side are yet to recover from the 1-0 loss Jose Mourinho's men inflicted on them on Feb. 3. The following Premier League draw with Norwich suggested this is a team that needs a big result to get back on track, something they can grasp when Chelsea return.
Can the Sky Blues return to form with a win? We let FIFA 14 on the Xbox One decide.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea: FIFA 14 Highlights
3'—Confident start from Chelsea, who look to halt Yaya Toure in midfield once again.
5'—Willian with the first real chance of the game.
15'—Alvaro Negredo strikes the post with a decent effort from just inside the box. The Spanish striker stroked his shot toward goal and relied on curve to beat Petr Cech. While the goalkeeper struggled to make up ground, the frame halted City's progress with a deflection away from danger.
40'—City looking the more likely to score, but even without John Terry and Gary Cahill, Chelsea look strong at the back.
HALF-TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Chelsea
47'—A fast start to the second half sees Willian crowded out in the City box just as he's about to pull the trigger. Jesus Navas launched a quick counterattack after the pass from Vincent Kompany, but he overruns the ball and Cech receives possession.
65'—Edin Dzeko climbs above his marker in a decent position, but heads wide. The Bosnia really should bury chances like those. Mohamed Salah replaces Willian, Fernando Torres comes on for Samuel Eto'o.
88'—Drama at the Etihad! Salah, just minutes after coming on, wins it at the death for Chelsea. The Egyptian was afforded room inside the box and coolly slotted beyond Joe Hart. A huge for for Mourinho's team and the new signing!
92'—One last attempt at goal by Negredo. Cech easily catches.
FULL-TIME: Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea (Salah)
Can Chelsea repeat their previous 1-0 win like FIFA 14 predicts? Skybet currently has odds of 80-1 for Salah to score the only goal of the game. If it's anything like our last sim, you should probably put your life savings on this result.
2014年2月10日星期一
EA has explained why its 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil game will only be released on Xbox 360 and PS3.
In an official statement sent to CVG, EA Sports said it's goal was to "create a great game within our development resources that could reach as many people as possible".
"EA SPORTS 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil is coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PS3 as a fully featured console game," it said.
"For our fans on the new generation of consoles and playing FIFA 14, we will have a range of engaging content, promotions and tournament within FIFA Ultimate Team so that those fans can experience the World Cup in unique and fun ways.
"When we made the decision we considered a number of factors but most importantly we wanted to create a great game within our development resources that could reach as many people as possible and the way to do that was make our best game yet on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
"We gave our team the mandate of setting a laser focus on building the highest quality game for Xbox 360 and PS3 they could, and that's exactly what they are doing."
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will release "exclusively" as a full retail title for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 15 in North America and April 17 in Europe.
The game will feature 20 new stadiums, 100 new animations and over 15 hours of added commentary.
EA has promised the ability to "accelerate, decelerate, and change direction quickly on and off the ball with Explosive Movement" and a new World Class Control feature which uses "Response Dribbling and Pinpoint Passing".
2014年1月23日星期四
FIFA 14 title update live for Xbox One, stability fixes
By Matt Tran
Players of FIFA 14 on the Xbox One will be pleased to hear that a new title update has now gone live, bringing stability fixes. This patch was released back in December for the PS4, with a number of issues being addressed.
EA announced on their forum earlier today that the patch has brought stability to players trying to join online matches, resolves an issue with online match invites and also a problem which locks players out of certain online features if they have big friends lists. There has also been improvements to some Kinect Global Speech Commands after some users complaining of issues with it.
Additional fixes that the update brings are some modifications to camera angles to improve playability in specific stadiums, camera angle changes for goalkeepers in club mode, patches for mismatched roster names in season matches, removal of a random list appearing instead of a friend’s club list in pro clubs and also a few other minor fixes which eradicate game errors.
Over the past few days we also saw an update to the web application to FIFA 14 Ultimate Team, you can follow plenty of other news related to the game here. Let us know if you have downloaded the update yet and benefited from its fixes.
You can add us to your circle on Google+, follow us on Twitter, join the photo community on Pinterest, or like our Facebook page to keep updated on all the latest news.
Players of FIFA 14 on the Xbox One will be pleased to hear that a new title update has now gone live, bringing stability fixes. This patch was released back in December for the PS4, with a number of issues being addressed.
EA announced on their forum earlier today that the patch has brought stability to players trying to join online matches, resolves an issue with online match invites and also a problem which locks players out of certain online features if they have big friends lists. There has also been improvements to some Kinect Global Speech Commands after some users complaining of issues with it.
Additional fixes that the update brings are some modifications to camera angles to improve playability in specific stadiums, camera angle changes for goalkeepers in club mode, patches for mismatched roster names in season matches, removal of a random list appearing instead of a friend’s club list in pro clubs and also a few other minor fixes which eradicate game errors.
Over the past few days we also saw an update to the web application to FIFA 14 Ultimate Team, you can follow plenty of other news related to the game here. Let us know if you have downloaded the update yet and benefited from its fixes.
You can add us to your circle on Google+, follow us on Twitter, join the photo community on Pinterest, or like our Facebook page to keep updated on all the latest news.
2014年1月9日星期四
FIFA 14 remains top of UK chart
FIFA 14 has begun the year in first place in the UK video games retail sales chart
by Nick Cowen
Perhaps bouyed by this weekend's FA Cup action or the fact that dogs in a shooter aren't as bigger draw as the prospect of pulling Manchester United out of seventh place in the Premiership, FIFA 14 has begun 2014 in first place in the retail sales chart.
Call Of Duty: Ghosts begins 2014 in second place, having sold 4,000 more than it's closest charting rival, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which lands in third place.
Rockstar's license-to-print-money Grand Theft Auto 5 remains in 5th place and, according to sales data from Chart-Track, it's now the fourth biggest selling game in all of UK history. Furthermore, if sales stay on course, GTA 5 could become the biggest selling UK game of all time within the next three months.
The only change in the chart line-up this week sees Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition swapping places with Just Dance 2014, landing at eight and ninth place respectively.
The top 10 chart shapes up as follows:
1. FIFA 14 (ranked 1st last week)
2. Call Of Duty: Ghosts (ranked 2nd last week)
3. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (ranked 3rd last week)
4. Battlefield 4 (ranked 4th last week)
5. Grand Theft Auto 5 (ranked 5th last week)
6. Need For Speed: Rivals (ranked 6th last week)
7. Lego Marvel Superheroes (ranked 7th last week)
8. Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (ranked 9th last week)
9. Just Dance 2014 (ranked 8th last week)
10. Gran Turismo 6 (ranked 10th last week)
by Nick Cowen
Perhaps bouyed by this weekend's FA Cup action or the fact that dogs in a shooter aren't as bigger draw as the prospect of pulling Manchester United out of seventh place in the Premiership, FIFA 14 has begun 2014 in first place in the retail sales chart.
Call Of Duty: Ghosts begins 2014 in second place, having sold 4,000 more than it's closest charting rival, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which lands in third place.
Rockstar's license-to-print-money Grand Theft Auto 5 remains in 5th place and, according to sales data from Chart-Track, it's now the fourth biggest selling game in all of UK history. Furthermore, if sales stay on course, GTA 5 could become the biggest selling UK game of all time within the next three months.
The only change in the chart line-up this week sees Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition swapping places with Just Dance 2014, landing at eight and ninth place respectively.
The top 10 chart shapes up as follows:
1. FIFA 14 (ranked 1st last week)
2. Call Of Duty: Ghosts (ranked 2nd last week)
3. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (ranked 3rd last week)
4. Battlefield 4 (ranked 4th last week)
5. Grand Theft Auto 5 (ranked 5th last week)
6. Need For Speed: Rivals (ranked 6th last week)
7. Lego Marvel Superheroes (ranked 7th last week)
8. Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (ranked 9th last week)
9. Just Dance 2014 (ranked 8th last week)
10. Gran Turismo 6 (ranked 10th last week)
2013年12月18日星期三
The Five Best Games to Give (and Get) This Christmas
I keep reading how 2013 was such a great year for video games, but I just don’t believe it. The numbers and my own experience as a reviewer lead me to think this has been a fairly miserable and disappointing year, at least for console-game publishers and many gamers.
Cribbing from my colleague Ian Sherr’s recent story on November game sales, the industry picture is fairly dismal. Sales of games at retail stores dropped 24%, despite the release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
While the overall picture is one of growth for this year and next year, the PwC forecasts of 4.2% in 2013 and 6.4% next year lag the rosy 28% growth in 2007, just after the Xbox 360 and PS3 were released. Console gaming is undergoing a transition, with physical discs sold in stores giving way to digital downloads. But even those are competing with 99-cent and $9.99 game apps new gamers are opting for over $400-$500 consoles and $60 games.
All that said, there were a few bright spots in gaming this year. I want to highlight the five games that I really liked and wouldn’t mind giving or getting in my Christmas stocking.
1. Grand Theft Auto V — Until this Rockstar Game came out in mid-September, industry sales figures lagged year-earlier numbers. When GTA V (for Xbox 360 and PS3) set a record by grossing over $1 billion in just three days, it was clear this game was almost singlehandedly going to save the sector in 2013.
The focus on money is highly appropriate, as this latest installment of the GTA franchise is all about greed and wealth, stealing and investing to maximize your haul.
GTA V is not only the best game in the series, it may also be the best game I’ve ever played. Seriously. It has bumped The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to number two in my list of favorites. I reviewed it earlier and liked it a lot. But I’ve liked it more and more and played it for dozens of hours since then. It’s deep, engrossing, and while extremely over-the-top in terms of violence and profanity, it is a highly realistic-looking game with a very smart artificial intelligence.
For those who slept through the game’s launch, you’re one of three, main, playable characters – Michael, Franklin or Trevor — carrying out heists to make money along a complex storyline, but with ample time to explore the open world, do side missions or waste time playing tennis, going to a shooting range, club or shopping for clothes.
Missions are doled out in due time, so you don’t feel the time-compression you do in other games.
GTA V’s array of weapons and vehicles is staggeringly high, and its soundtrack is very broad, ranging from oldies to hip hop to music with a Latin beat. There are also motorcycles, helicopters and planes, each requiring different skills to learn how to operate.
The ability to invest in the game’s two stock markets – and even manipulate prices due to your own in-game actions – adds a layer of depth that I haven’t experienced in other games. I sometimes go onto the console just to play the stock market or buy income-earning property.
And just when you’ve completed everything, you’ll find the world of GTA isn’t done yet. The multiplayer GTA Online game mode launched shortly after GTA V went on sale. Yes, it was with some hiccups, but the way you can take the skills you’ve acquired offline and join or run a crew, plan or participate in online heists or races means you’ll not soon get tired of GTA. I wish I had a better Internet connection, but I like playing GTA Online as much as I do GTA V.
GTA V is one of the rare games out there worth the $59.99 price tag, and considering you also get to take your game online if you have the GTA V game disc or download, you’re investing in weeks and weeks of non-repetitive play.
2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - At first blush, this game about nothing is not an obvious choice. But after dusting off my Nintendo 3DS XL and playing for several days as the mayor of Najville, I got addicted to the game. And I’m not alone.
New Leaf was a whale for the 3DS, spurring mucho sales and underscoring what Nintendo has been trying to convince consumers of for several years: That great game software can move serious amounts of hardware.
New Leaf is another extension of the Animal Crossing series best-known on the Nintendo consoles that hook up to your TV. This version translates very well to the 3DS, though I had to turn the 3D function way, way down because it was nauseating me. It feels a lot like a Wii game, with crisp animation and smooth-moving characters.
Life in New Leaf focuses on the mundane. You build something, you buy something, you watch fireworks, get bitten by a mosquito, visit your neighbors and do other day-to-day things anthropomorphic fuzzies do. The whole thing was also very childlike. Yet, I found myself checking in on my character several times a day, and thinking about checking in on him when I couldn’t. Not since I took over my young son’s Tamagotchi many years ago had I felt so addicted to a stupid game.
New Leaf costs $34.99, but you’ll have to have or shell out around 200 bucks for a 3DS or 3DS XL.
3. Forza Motorsport 5 – “Hey, beautiful! Where have you been all my life?” Yes, if any game was made for the newest generation of consoles, this one, from Turn 10 Studios and Microsoft, is it.
The Forza series is my favorite racing simulation, and Forza 4, this game’s predecessor, remains the best in the series, even after playing the new game. That’s because I have some quibbles with Forza 5’s in-game economy, features and gameplay, which I’ll cover in a minute.
But Forza 4 can’t hold a candle to the amazingly sharp and detailed graphics of this new Xbox One exclusive. I was so amazed at the game’s shadows and effects that I found myself taking multiple screenshots and recording bits of my races to play back and share.
The racing physics are highly accurate, and I found myself going white-knuckled into turns and corners of tracks in virtual Europe in all sorts of high-performance cars. The only thing missing from my Forza 5 experience, which came on the week the Xbox One launched, was a racing wheel. I have my eye on this one, which gets rave reviews, but at $400, you might want to buy a PS4 to sit next to your Xbox One, instead. The wheel supposedly provides amazing haptic feedback to add to the game’s realism.
The best part of Forza 5 is the Drivatar – a very smart variation on typical AI opponents. The game uses your habits and those of others playing the game to build virtual opponents with different tendencies. What it means is that Forza 5 has a more-sophisticated competition system than other simulators. Opponents are unpredictable, and you have to be much sharper during races than you ever did before.
My gripes were about the fact that – for the same price – Forza 4 had twice as many cars as Forza 5 and relatively little need to buy extra vehicles or bling during the game. I felt fairly gypped to find only 200 cars in Forza 5, and lots of pressure to conduct microtransactions to buy more. To be fair, I never played more than a few dozen cars in Forza 4, but I found the hardsell quite off-putting and the prices too high to better-equip yourself in Forza 5, especially after buying a season ticket and paying for the full game.
I wasn’t the only one thinking that way, and Microsoft bowed to pressure. It said last week it would change the in-game economy, lowering car prices and giving players more credit than before. That’s enough for me to give the nod to this $59.99 game as a 2013 stocking-stuffer. Forza 5 is the first real next-gen game to me, though it’s not without blemishes.
I wish Microsoft had waited a bit to release the game. It feels a bit rushed, and is missing some key things you’d expect from a realistic game, like changing in-game weather, for example.
4. The Last of Us – Between the Hunger Games, Will Smith movies and all the copycat books, movies and games, I’ve pretty much had it with virtual dystopia.
That is, until I played The Last of Us. Released in June, the Naughty Dog –developed game, published by Sony, sold nearly 3.5 million units in three weeks and was the best game out there until GTA V.
The Last of Us is a gritty, unpretentious game that features a trek across a post-apocalyptic U.S. in the near future. You’re Joel, escorting a young girl to a resistance group that believes the girl, Ellie, could have in her genes what’s needed to cure the illness that has killed most of the world off.
The storyline is interesting and challenging, the game is well-designed, the moral dilemmas the game presents you with really make you think about yourself in a way most mindless shooting games don’t. You have to make real choices between being loyal or not, sacrificing yourself and your needs for a greater good.
I was also intrigued to find my character having to use real time to build some of his weapons. In each case, I had to decide whether I wanted to find and use the resources and spend the time to, for example, build a Molotov cocktail to use against enemies while I was under attack, or to save time and just use what was at hand and hope it was enough to beat the zombie-like characters coming after me.
5. FIFA 14 – For all Electronic Arts’ hype about real ball physics, precision movement and pure shot technology, FIFA 14 plays a lot like last year’s game.
Gameplay this year is OK, a slight improvement over FIFA 13, and even on the new consoles, where graphics are much better, I wasn’t completely floored by the realism like I was with Forza 5.
What impresses me – and what gets FIFA 14 onto this list – is that EA is the first publisher to really think ahead about how to create a near-seamless experience between the Xbox 360/PS3 generation of consoles and the new Xbox One/PS4.
You can transfer all of your coins, trophies and cards from the old console to the new – and I guess it works in the other direction, too, if you want to do that. Changes you make to your Ultimate Team are reflected on both consoles. Unfortunately, you can’t play online games between the two consoles, just as an Xbox player can’t challenge a PS player online, but who knows? Maybe one day.
As a gamer, I appreciate how EA thinks about the total user experience and, through a combination of cloud technology, mobile apps and social media, created a tightly knit world where like-minded players can transact business, check scores and leaderboards, share accomplishments and store and move stats between consoles. It’s not everything I want, but it’s pretty close, and you get a lot more than just a game disc for your $59.99.
Cribbing from my colleague Ian Sherr’s recent story on November game sales, the industry picture is fairly dismal. Sales of games at retail stores dropped 24%, despite the release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
While the overall picture is one of growth for this year and next year, the PwC forecasts of 4.2% in 2013 and 6.4% next year lag the rosy 28% growth in 2007, just after the Xbox 360 and PS3 were released. Console gaming is undergoing a transition, with physical discs sold in stores giving way to digital downloads. But even those are competing with 99-cent and $9.99 game apps new gamers are opting for over $400-$500 consoles and $60 games.
All that said, there were a few bright spots in gaming this year. I want to highlight the five games that I really liked and wouldn’t mind giving or getting in my Christmas stocking.
1. Grand Theft Auto V — Until this Rockstar Game came out in mid-September, industry sales figures lagged year-earlier numbers. When GTA V (for Xbox 360 and PS3) set a record by grossing over $1 billion in just three days, it was clear this game was almost singlehandedly going to save the sector in 2013.
The focus on money is highly appropriate, as this latest installment of the GTA franchise is all about greed and wealth, stealing and investing to maximize your haul.
GTA V is not only the best game in the series, it may also be the best game I’ve ever played. Seriously. It has bumped The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to number two in my list of favorites. I reviewed it earlier and liked it a lot. But I’ve liked it more and more and played it for dozens of hours since then. It’s deep, engrossing, and while extremely over-the-top in terms of violence and profanity, it is a highly realistic-looking game with a very smart artificial intelligence.
For those who slept through the game’s launch, you’re one of three, main, playable characters – Michael, Franklin or Trevor — carrying out heists to make money along a complex storyline, but with ample time to explore the open world, do side missions or waste time playing tennis, going to a shooting range, club or shopping for clothes.
Missions are doled out in due time, so you don’t feel the time-compression you do in other games.
GTA V’s array of weapons and vehicles is staggeringly high, and its soundtrack is very broad, ranging from oldies to hip hop to music with a Latin beat. There are also motorcycles, helicopters and planes, each requiring different skills to learn how to operate.
The ability to invest in the game’s two stock markets – and even manipulate prices due to your own in-game actions – adds a layer of depth that I haven’t experienced in other games. I sometimes go onto the console just to play the stock market or buy income-earning property.
And just when you’ve completed everything, you’ll find the world of GTA isn’t done yet. The multiplayer GTA Online game mode launched shortly after GTA V went on sale. Yes, it was with some hiccups, but the way you can take the skills you’ve acquired offline and join or run a crew, plan or participate in online heists or races means you’ll not soon get tired of GTA. I wish I had a better Internet connection, but I like playing GTA Online as much as I do GTA V.
GTA V is one of the rare games out there worth the $59.99 price tag, and considering you also get to take your game online if you have the GTA V game disc or download, you’re investing in weeks and weeks of non-repetitive play.
2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf - At first blush, this game about nothing is not an obvious choice. But after dusting off my Nintendo 3DS XL and playing for several days as the mayor of Najville, I got addicted to the game. And I’m not alone.
New Leaf was a whale for the 3DS, spurring mucho sales and underscoring what Nintendo has been trying to convince consumers of for several years: That great game software can move serious amounts of hardware.
New Leaf is another extension of the Animal Crossing series best-known on the Nintendo consoles that hook up to your TV. This version translates very well to the 3DS, though I had to turn the 3D function way, way down because it was nauseating me. It feels a lot like a Wii game, with crisp animation and smooth-moving characters.
Life in New Leaf focuses on the mundane. You build something, you buy something, you watch fireworks, get bitten by a mosquito, visit your neighbors and do other day-to-day things anthropomorphic fuzzies do. The whole thing was also very childlike. Yet, I found myself checking in on my character several times a day, and thinking about checking in on him when I couldn’t. Not since I took over my young son’s Tamagotchi many years ago had I felt so addicted to a stupid game.
New Leaf costs $34.99, but you’ll have to have or shell out around 200 bucks for a 3DS or 3DS XL.
3. Forza Motorsport 5 – “Hey, beautiful! Where have you been all my life?” Yes, if any game was made for the newest generation of consoles, this one, from Turn 10 Studios and Microsoft, is it.
The Forza series is my favorite racing simulation, and Forza 4, this game’s predecessor, remains the best in the series, even after playing the new game. That’s because I have some quibbles with Forza 5’s in-game economy, features and gameplay, which I’ll cover in a minute.
But Forza 4 can’t hold a candle to the amazingly sharp and detailed graphics of this new Xbox One exclusive. I was so amazed at the game’s shadows and effects that I found myself taking multiple screenshots and recording bits of my races to play back and share.
The racing physics are highly accurate, and I found myself going white-knuckled into turns and corners of tracks in virtual Europe in all sorts of high-performance cars. The only thing missing from my Forza 5 experience, which came on the week the Xbox One launched, was a racing wheel. I have my eye on this one, which gets rave reviews, but at $400, you might want to buy a PS4 to sit next to your Xbox One, instead. The wheel supposedly provides amazing haptic feedback to add to the game’s realism.
The best part of Forza 5 is the Drivatar – a very smart variation on typical AI opponents. The game uses your habits and those of others playing the game to build virtual opponents with different tendencies. What it means is that Forza 5 has a more-sophisticated competition system than other simulators. Opponents are unpredictable, and you have to be much sharper during races than you ever did before.
My gripes were about the fact that – for the same price – Forza 4 had twice as many cars as Forza 5 and relatively little need to buy extra vehicles or bling during the game. I felt fairly gypped to find only 200 cars in Forza 5, and lots of pressure to conduct microtransactions to buy more. To be fair, I never played more than a few dozen cars in Forza 4, but I found the hardsell quite off-putting and the prices too high to better-equip yourself in Forza 5, especially after buying a season ticket and paying for the full game.
I wasn’t the only one thinking that way, and Microsoft bowed to pressure. It said last week it would change the in-game economy, lowering car prices and giving players more credit than before. That’s enough for me to give the nod to this $59.99 game as a 2013 stocking-stuffer. Forza 5 is the first real next-gen game to me, though it’s not without blemishes.
I wish Microsoft had waited a bit to release the game. It feels a bit rushed, and is missing some key things you’d expect from a realistic game, like changing in-game weather, for example.
4. The Last of Us – Between the Hunger Games, Will Smith movies and all the copycat books, movies and games, I’ve pretty much had it with virtual dystopia.
That is, until I played The Last of Us. Released in June, the Naughty Dog –developed game, published by Sony, sold nearly 3.5 million units in three weeks and was the best game out there until GTA V.
The Last of Us is a gritty, unpretentious game that features a trek across a post-apocalyptic U.S. in the near future. You’re Joel, escorting a young girl to a resistance group that believes the girl, Ellie, could have in her genes what’s needed to cure the illness that has killed most of the world off.
The storyline is interesting and challenging, the game is well-designed, the moral dilemmas the game presents you with really make you think about yourself in a way most mindless shooting games don’t. You have to make real choices between being loyal or not, sacrificing yourself and your needs for a greater good.
I was also intrigued to find my character having to use real time to build some of his weapons. In each case, I had to decide whether I wanted to find and use the resources and spend the time to, for example, build a Molotov cocktail to use against enemies while I was under attack, or to save time and just use what was at hand and hope it was enough to beat the zombie-like characters coming after me.
5. FIFA 14 – For all Electronic Arts’ hype about real ball physics, precision movement and pure shot technology, FIFA 14 plays a lot like last year’s game.
Gameplay this year is OK, a slight improvement over FIFA 13, and even on the new consoles, where graphics are much better, I wasn’t completely floored by the realism like I was with Forza 5.
What impresses me – and what gets FIFA 14 onto this list – is that EA is the first publisher to really think ahead about how to create a near-seamless experience between the Xbox 360/PS3 generation of consoles and the new Xbox One/PS4.
You can transfer all of your coins, trophies and cards from the old console to the new – and I guess it works in the other direction, too, if you want to do that. Changes you make to your Ultimate Team are reflected on both consoles. Unfortunately, you can’t play online games between the two consoles, just as an Xbox player can’t challenge a PS player online, but who knows? Maybe one day.
As a gamer, I appreciate how EA thinks about the total user experience and, through a combination of cloud technology, mobile apps and social media, created a tightly knit world where like-minded players can transact business, check scores and leaderboards, share accomplishments and store and move stats between consoles. It’s not everything I want, but it’s pretty close, and you get a lot more than just a game disc for your $59.99.
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