Running video games (and consoles) thread

I'm at 75 percent, focusing on the challenges now. Finding the buried treasures is harder than I expected, but not as difficult as killing a bear with a Bowie knife.

 

I'm at 50 percent in the game. There's 57 missions, I believe. I've done 42.

Haven't really started the challenges yet. Need to sign up with Rockstar Social Club, so I can track my progress better.

 

Coach K was the Tecmo Super Bowl of basketball for me.

 

I'm deep, deep into Dragon Age for the PC right now. I'm a big fan of KOTOR and that stuff, so I really should have gotten into this a while ago, and I'm upset with myself for not doing so. sigh.

 

Some thoughts:

1. Madden 11 is the best football game I've ever played. Presentation wise, it's incredible. The gameflow feature is genius. Set up game plans beforehand and just let the coaches call the plays for you. Of course, you can still go traditional if you like. But it takes a ton of the guesswork out of gameday. My quibbles: There is one hell of a lot of advertising in this game, between Gatorade, Old Spice, etc., it's a bit off-putting. But it's the reality of the age. The other is that you have to spend money on an online account to get updated rosters. Boo. I could give a shit about playing online. I've never been a big fan of it. But downloading rosters shouldn't be extra.

2. I checked out the demo of NHL 11, and really, other than adding a spotlight to a goal scorer, it doesn't feel a lot different than 10. Supposedly, there was a new physics-based engine installed, or some mumbo jumbo like that. The gameplay didn't feel different enough for me to want to buy 11. I love the crap out of NHL 10, and I'll keep going with my franchise there.

 

The reviews of Madden have been just the opposite. They've felt it was pretty much the same game as Madden 10.

I read that there was a big glitch in M '11 with regards to online play, where if you quit, you don't get a loss and the one who stayed in does.

Like you, Cosmo, I don't play a ton online multi player. Usually it's just with people I know.


I also didn't get Madden '11 (I believe we are on different consoles though). I stuck with NCAA 11.


I haven't got the NHL 11 demo yet, but one of the cool things this year is that a stick can break as you wind for a shot. Not sure if it happens a lot or not, but that is an interesting addition.

 

I usually alternate between Madden and NCAA games, so the last Madden game I got was 09. This is light years better all the way around. (And yes, I'm on PS3.)

 

Gameflow with Madden 11 is not for me. I for one, and maybe it's just me, have my team's playbook memorized. I know what plays I'm going to call on certain plays and downs/yardage. It's just a revamped version of 'Ask Madden'. My friend and I played a game against each other with Gameflow and turned it off midway through the second. Couldn't stand the idiotic plays being called. Of course, you can audible which we were doing pretty much every play. It might be for some casual gamers and a way to get more beginner gamers into the series, but, hell, couldn't they do something else for the vets?

Also, the way to call hot routes, coverages, line changes and such is stupid. I've gotten the hang of it just fine, but I'll find myself using the D-pad in NCAA for calling hot routes/coverage changes and using 'Y'/LB/RB etc.

 

If you bought Madden new, you don't need to pay to download rosters. There's a passcode on the back of the manual you use to activate your online pass. Also, the next patch for Madden (sometime around the start of the season) will bring back the old way to call hot routes, adjust coverages, etc.

I'm loving Madden this year. Can't wait for NHL.

 

Oh, OK, I didn't realize that. Thanks.

 

In a bit of a shocker, EA announced that NBA Elite 11 (the successor to NBA Live) has been delayed indefinitely. This comes about a week before the game was supposed to launch. I know the demo wasn't going over very well with a lot of people, but this is a bit of a shocker.

On the bright side, they're still going to sell NBA Jam for all three platforms, and they're going to continue updating the rosters from NBA Live 10 every day this season. As someone who has Live 10 and wasn't planning on buying either of the big two basketball games this year, this is great news. Now, if they throw in some DLC with updated uniforms and courts, we'll really be in business.