Review: NHL 15 (Xbox One)

It's the start of hockey season once again; a time for players to wash their equipment before they stuff it back into their rank smelling hockey bags. All teams start fresh, and for those that insist on not winning every game by 20 goals… there's NHL 15 to get the results that you really want.

Review: Madden NFL 15 (Xbox One)

The Madden franchise exists to remind you of the sheer depth of complexity that exists in the game of football. Earlier Madden iterations gave you the opportunity to tinker around a bit in formations, do some play-calling, and perhaps a bit of clock management. Madden '15 comes with a requisite love of football, because if you aren't fanatical, the huge information dump that is forthcoming will be painful to say the least.

Review: EA Sports UFC (PS4)

It seems like every time a console cycle starts, there's always a title or two that shows off the graphical powerhouse of the next gen consoles.

On the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 it was Fight Night; for PlayStation 4 it is UFC. It just happens to be a "coincidence" that both Fight Night and UFC are published by Electronic Arts.

UFC is a drop dead gorgeous game. Little details like sweat, muscle and tattoos look photorealistic. Even the instant replays show off the games graphical prowess. Seeing every muscle react to an opponent being punched in slow motion shows what these next generation (now, current gen) consoles are capable of.

Review: 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (360)

World Cup Soccer – the most important month for futbol fans every 4 years, or as we celebrate in North America: as good as reasons as any to go drink at 11 am and not look like you have a "problem." With half of my family coming to Canada this generation, and the other half having lived here in excess of 400 years… the World Cup gets a differing amount of care depending upon whom you are talking to. Needless to say, I cheer for my Dad's country because cheering for Mom's and my homeland would have been a tremendous waste of time in this tournament.

Review: FIFA 14 (PS4)

My first experience with the FIFA series was back during the 1998 World Cup. Back then, I rented FIFA 98: Road to the World Cup for the Nintendo 64, not sure what to expect.

I fell in love with the series immediately. So many teams, arenas and options!

I was 12 at the time and had a sleepover birthday party with a group of friends and we were up the whole night doing a two-on-two tournament on the indoor soccer court. We even had a little trophy we gave to the winner of the tournament. Fast Forward 16 years and I come to to FIFA 14 for the PlayStation 4. Even after all this time, FIFA still has that great gameplay I first fell in love with, but doesn't quite match my memories in some areas.

Review: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 (360)

With the inclusion of legendary combat – playing rounds against Nicklaus, Player, Hogan, Palmer, etc. – and the chance to play golf at night, it's come to my attention that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 has utterly failed in offering the complete golf package. Of course, the additions I have in mind would push the game from “E” for Everyone to “M” for Mature in a heartbeat and possibly herald the return of Outlaw Golf or least a Dead Space themed DLC course.

Review: FIFA 13 (360, PS3)

As the fidelity of gaming hardware continues to ramp up and be exploited to its full potential, the further sports games seem to be going afield to be even more authentic in an attempt to capture the feel and look of the game. For both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of FIFA 13 the incredible production values and attention to detail are more or less astounding but because of that the game will more than likely baffle players that aren't already acclimated to the FIFA experience.

Review: NHL 13 (360)

With the lock out well under-way, NHL 13 is likely to be your only source of NHL hockey this season. (Check your local paper for alternatives, like the AHL or WHL for very high calibre live hockey!) It's fortunate that NHL 13 is as good as it is about simulating so much of what happens on and off the ice -- it's pretty close to being the real thing, as real coffee is to decaffeinated coffee. Not quite the same buzz, but it will fool anyone not paying attention.

Review: Madden NFL 13 (360)

While the venerable sports franchise, Madden NFL, has maintained its immense popularity as it heads into its nearly third decade, the recent criticism has been that the franchise hasn't innovated over the previous year’s version, giving gamers nothing more than a new roster update. Electronic Arts took some of that criticism seriously for Madden NFL 13, and has included some innovation to the gameplay engine that toughens and smartens up the artificial intelligence, improves the way players react when moving, and upgrades the game’s passing. For the Xbox 360 version, EA has also integrated the Kinect to allow for audible adjustments on both sides of the ball.

E3 2012: Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two PS3 Hands-On

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is a sequel to 2009's (mostly) critically acclaimed game. In the Power of Two, Mickey returns to the Wasteland with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to save the land. The game can be played cooperatively offline with a friend. You can have a friend drop in and drop out of the game at anytime. In addition to that, co-op is handled through split screen play, so you don't have to worry about your buddy falling behind. Both Mickey and Oswald have their own unique abilities. Mickey can use paint or thinner to draw in pathways and walls or defeat enemies. Oswald can use electricity against enemies.

E3 2012: NBA Ballers Beats Xbox 360 Kinect Hands-On

NBA Ballers Beats is the first basketball game for the Kinect. Using your body and a real basketball, the game requires players to dribble and do different moves to the beat of music. The game will ship with an official NBA basketball (no price point was mentioned at E3). There are more than 30 licensed tracks in the game spanning genres from hip hop to classic rock. Each of the games songs can be played on multiple difficulties.

Review: Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

The good thing about Nintendo Character GamesTM is that it's a almost a given that it will be an enjoyable experience. ("Almost" because the Mario Party games can be hit or huge miss.) Mario Strikers Charged, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart, Mario Golf and Mario Tennis do a great job capitalizing on the most popular Nintendo characters and as a result, or more likely because of it, a lot of care and attention go into the games to make them pleasant games.