Showing posts with label 2K Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2K Games. Show all posts

Monday, September 30, 2013

Games on the AVE: GAMESPOT Reviews NBA 2K14

on Xbox 360, XboxOne, PS4, and PS3







You have to feel a little sorry for Tim Duncan. Labeled as boring throughout his career, The Big Fundamental captured four rings but never the hearts of the basketball-loving public. And there's no secret why; the man lacks style. A 12-foot bank shot may be an effective tactic, but it's not going to convince a casual fan to jump out of his or her seat to bellow a rowdy cheer. It's why a high-flying underachiever like Vince Carter was so highly touted while a multiple champion could elicit a collective shrug. Style is everything in basketball. NBA 2K14 embraces the artistic expression that surfaces only when trading baskets with sweaty men, and in doing so, it's an impressive and exciting representation of the real sport.
Last year's edition of NBA 2K tinkered with right analog stick control, but 2K14 goes full steam ahead with this initiative. Depending on what direction you move the stick in and how long you hold it, you can mimic the movements of a real NBA player. It's a worthwhile improvement that gives you greater control over how you attack defenders, letting you infuse your own personality into the action. Smoothly performing crossovers, jab steps, sweeping hooks, and even flashier moves such as behind-the-back passes with ease lets you orchestrate a show so entertaining even Miami Heat fans would show up on time to watch.
There's an extensive tutorial to guide you through the vagaries of your basketball repertoire, but you're better off ignoring it completely. Oddly enough, the practice floor is the worst place to learn how to play. Fiddling with the stick to pull off specific moves is frustrating, because if you're off by just a few degrees, you do something completely different. Basketball is all about context and reacting to what your opponent is doing, and the stiffness present in the tutorial smothers that freedom. So just head straight to the court. The only way you learn is if you're pushing yourself against the NBA elite.
Defensive players swarm like rabid hawks, relentlessly attacking entry passes and hounding ball carriers. And the only way you're going to consistently score is by being smart with both the ball and your positioning. Lazy passes are turned into fast-break baskets faster than you can flop for a foul call, and the added defensive intensity forces you to play smart or lose miserably. Master your back-to-the-basket game, and you can demand a double team. Pass to your open teammate for a couple of wide-open jumpers, however, and your defenders have to concoct a new plan. There's an enticing chess match going on as you and your opponent size each other up, implement strategies, and then readjust on the fly.
The improved controls are paired with diverse animations that make anything that could happen on an NBA court seem possible. Fouls happen because of how you and your opponent are positioned, so you know when you're smartly gambling for a steal and when you're just being stupid. Subtle body movements are important in creating (or eliminating) space between two players, and you usually feel in complete control of how things play out. Blocks are now a formidable weapon for a long-armed big man. Driving point guards can't expect to glide effortlessly to the hoop for free layups. If you're just trying to overpower your opponent, you're going to lose. You need finesse to get open shots, which makes you learn the intricacies of your players' skill sets and plan offensive sets accordingly.
There are still some oddities that detract from the realistic action. The most glaring quirk is that players often don't know how to react when there's a loose ball. They may stare longingly at a deflected pass instead of diving to control it, which would be worth a benching in real life. Plus, the ball doesn't always react like it should. Sometimes it might bounce as if covered in glue, or randomly ricochet like a Ping-Pong ball. These hiccups stand out starkly against the otherwise impressive visuals in 2K14. The franchise has always done a fine job of replicating the faces and movements of players, but now the rhythm of the action so closely mirrors the real thing it's almost eerie.
New in 2K14 is a mode called Path to Greatness that lets you follow LeBron James as he tries to elevate his place in the NBA's hierarchy. Two paths--one realistic and one zany--are on offer, and seeing the crazy hypotheticals play out is certainly interesting. Unlike a similar mode in NBA 2K11 that let you fill Michael Jordan's shoes, Path to Greatness doesn't require you to reach a specific stat line to progress. Because you need only win to proceed, you can play your way, which is a lot of fun given LeBron's wide assortment of talents. More fanfic than historical document, this mode is a good way to explore The King's options. And who knows, maybe he will end up back in Cleveland some day…
Despite the occasional technical missteps, NBA 2K14 is a great experience that deftly captures the essence of what makes the NBA so appealing. Nothing could perfectly replicate reality, but 2K14 has almost as much personality, and gives you the freedom to perform how you wish. With lifelike animations, realistic player models, and an assortment of moves that would make even Dwyane Wade blush, NBA 2K14 further blurs the line between the real game and its digital equivalent.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Games on the AVE: Some info about WWE 2K14

Also available on PS3








Some wrestling fans are upset with the WWE for whats to come in the new WWE 2K14. While the WWE Celebrates Wrestlemania Legacy, it Ignores Benoit and Guerrero


Fans of World Wrestling Entertainment video games are extra-excited this year because the company once known as WWF has handed the produ
ction of its annual game to 2K Sports, makers of the highly acclaimed NBA 2K series. As they do with NBA 2K14, 2K Sports has slowly dropped tidbits of game details here and there. This past weekend, they revealed the 45 matches that will make up the game’s main attraction, the “30 Years of Wrestlemania” mode.

The 45 matches that supposedly captures the most indelible moments in the WWE wrestling universe are:

-WrestleMania: Andre the Giant vs. Big John Studd
-WrestleMania 2: WWE Champion Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy
-WrestleMania III: Intercontinental Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat
-WrestleMania III: WWE Champion Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
-WrestleMania IV: “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase
-WrestleMania V: WWE Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan
-WrestleMania VI: WWE Champion Hulk Hogan vs. Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior
-WrestleMania VII: WWE Champion Sgt. Slaughter vs. Hulk Hogan
-WrestleMania VIII: WWE Champion Ric Flair vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage
-WrestleMania IX: WWE Champion Bret “Hit Man” Hart vs. Yokozuna
-WrestleMania 10: HBK vs. Razor Ramon Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
-WrestleMania 10: Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna (c) (with Mr. Fuji)
-WrestleMania 11: The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) vs. King Kong Bundy (with Ted DiBiase)
-WrestleMania 11: Diesel vs. HBK
-WrestleMania 12: The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) vs. Diesel
-WrestleMania 12: Bret Hart (c) vs. Shawn Michaels
-WrestleMania 13: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin
-WrestleMania 14: Undertaker vs. Kane
-WrestleMania 15: The Rock vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
-WrestleMania 16: Triple H vs. The Rock vs. Mick Foley vs. Big Show (Fatal Four Way Elimination Match)
-WrestleMania 17: The Rock vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
-WrestleMania 18: The Rock vs. Hollywood Hogan
-WrestleMania 18: Chris Jericho vs. Triple H
-WrestleMania 19: Shawn Michaels “HBK” vs. Chris Jericho
-WrestleMania 19: The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
-WrestleMania 20: John Cena vs. The Big Show
-WrestleMania 20: Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar
-WrestleMania 21: John “Bradshaw” Layfield vs. John Cena
-WrestleMania 22: Edge w/Lita vs. Mick Foley
-WrestleMania 23: Batista vs. Undertaker
-WrestleMania 23: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
-WrestleMania 24: HBK vs. Ric Flair
-WrestleMania 24: Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Triple H
-WrestleMania 25: Edge vs. John Cena vs. the Big Show
-WrestleMania 25: Triple H vs. Randy Orton
-WrestleMania 26: Chris Jericho vs. Edge
-WrestleMania 26: Batista vs. John Cena
-WrestleMania 26: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels “HBK”
-WrestleMania 27: Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio
-WrestleMania 27: The Miz vs. John Cena
-WrestleMania 28: The Undertaker vs. Triple H
-WrestleMania 28: CM Punk vs. Jericho
-WrestleMania 28: The Rock vs. John Cena
-WrestleMania 29: Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H
-WrestleMania 29: CM Punk vs. Undertaker

Now if you’re a big fan of the WWE, you might notice that two major matches/story lines/wrestlers are missing. While one’s understandable, the other is kind of baffling.

The two missing wrestlers are Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero. The former headlined Wrestlemania XX and won the Heavyweight Championship against Triple H and Shawn Michaels in what is still considered one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history. Guerrero, meanwhile, won the WWE Championship that same night by beating Kurt Angle. The two champions then celebrated at the end of the event in the ring together, which was, at the time, one of the most beautiful moments in wrestling (it’s a long story–basically, those two guys were told for years they lacked the size to ever be big stars in the wrestling industry).

We know why Benoit is left out. He was involved in a tragic double-murder/suicide in 2007. The WWE has, as a result, practically erased him from the company’s existence.

But that Guerrero–who, unfortunately, died from heart failure in 2005–was completely left out of the game is odd. Perhaps they feared Guerrero’s title win that night was too closely associated with Benoit’s win.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Games on the AVE: Gamespot Reviews Spec Ops: The Line



Also available on PS3



Spec Ops: The Line is a game rife with contrast. In the sandstorm-wracked city of Dubai, refugees huddle in crude shanties erected in the opulent atriums of luxury hotels, and soldiers construct rough outposts in swanky rooftop clubs. On these makeshift battlefields, most of your time is spent casually gunning down hundreds of enemy combatants, but your squadmates still argue passionately over the value of one anonymous virtual life. Mechanically, Spec Ops is an utterly commonplace third-person shooter, but narratively, it strives to raise philosophical questions and put you outside of your comfort zone. These contrasts create some intriguing moments, but they are too often muddled by mediocre execution. The environmental design is one of the highlights. A fierce sandstorm has left Dubai with an entirely new geography, one defined by sliding dunes and sandy canyons. Trapped by the swirling debris, the citizens are forced to create makeshift shelters amid the towering skyscrapers, carving out settlements in the luxurious wreckage. Walk just past the glittering peacock statues and extravagant mosaics to find rickety cots, shabby walls, and dirty sheets.


A battalion of American soldiers have taken up residence here too, following their failed evacuation attempt, and their military outposts add an ominous air of conflict to the landscape. The artifacts of the aborted exodus tell a story too; cars are abandoned, belongings have been left behind in a hurry, and desperate pleas for help adorn the walls.
These striking scenes are punctuated by the politically charged graffiti that some stranded artist has created around the city, anonymous accusations that target the suffering of the people (smiling images of hotel guests with their eyes hollowed out) and those who helped exacerbate an already bad situation (a skeletal news anchor holding a smiling yellow puppet). The disparate architectural and artistic threads intertwine to create a fascinating landscape, one that is a pleasure to explore despite the merely decent production values.

Friday, August 05, 2011

Gaming News: Trailer for NBA 2K12 hits the net !



Having Michael Jordan in NBA 2K11 was a huge success, so 2K games is keeping that train of thought going with the release of  NBA 2K12 !! Not only will MJ have cover duties again on '12, But both Magic Johnson and Larry Bird will appear on their own separate covers for this years release as well !! With all of the NBA's premier talent signing contracts overseas for this coming season due to the lockout, it might be worth your time on October 4th to go out and cop this !!!!

Check the trailer below:




Here's a pic of the covers for NBA 2K12


Thursday, June 02, 2011

Game Heads: Duke Nukem Forever Trailer


Duke Nukem is back !!! In stores June 14th ladies and gentleman of the United Game Heads of Earth !! Here's the trailer :



You can purchase the game by clicking either of the two links below:
Amazon.com - CLICK HERE
Gamestop.com - CLICK HERE

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