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Press Row Podcast: Game Informant
With the recent avalanche of releases how does a sports gaming fan choose where to spend their money and time? Matthew Kato of Game Informer is welcomed for this episode of the Press Row Podcast to help sort through all the games that have recently arrived. Discussion includes which of the soccer games is the one to get, how microtransactions are affecting series like NBA 2K and Forza, the best sports game for the unfamiliar or inexperienced, the biggest surprises and disappointments as of late, and much more!
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Check out the podcast through iTunes for iOS, on Android with the Stitcher app, or with Pocket Casts on iOS, Android, and Windows. The show can also now be found on the recently launched Google Play Music for podcasts. Subscribe and review to help support the show! You can also listen with the streaming player below.
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Details on the first patch for FIFA 18
Now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC is the first patch for FIFA 18. The update is a substantial one and touches most areas of the game, with the most notable adjustments being made to the effectiveness of goalies which has been cited by many as FIFA 18’s most pressing early problem. Read more
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NBA 2K18 vs NBA Live 18 Player Face Comparison, Part Two
Whether it be through varied scanning techniques, differing levels of access to specific individuals, or their respective graphical engines, competing sports video games tend to win with representations of certain players but certainly not all of them. In the past with the basketball games NBA 2K had the clear edge according to fans but NBA Live had some respectable showings. Most recently when conducted between NBA 2K15 and NBA Live 15 it was the former that won for near 75% of the players that were examined.
Now it’s time to look at NBA 2K18 and NBA Live 18 which have both boasted improvements to visuals and face scanning in the last three years. Polls are open now for the second set of eight players. Make sure to also cast votes for the first set. A third and final set will go up next week followed by all the results. Read more
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First update to PES 2018 improves 117 player faces and more
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 received it’s first data pack and post-release patch today. The free update has improved 117 player likenesses, introduced 10 new boots, updated some kits, and added FC Barcelona’s official backboard. There are less specifics on the patch which is said to have fixed a specific game freeze and made minor adjustments to each mode. Read more
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NBA Playgrounds has added more free players and introduced a paid expansion
The fourth content update for NBA Playgrounds went out today on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The Nintendo Switch version has still received only the very first patch. This update brings another 45 players to the roster taking the total added post-release to 128.
Additionally a new expansion pack called “Hot ‘N Frosty” is being offered for $10 and includes eight rookies, three new playgrounds and tournaments. Between this DLC and the full roster unlock the price to have the complete game has essentially been doubled. Read more
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Details on latest patch for NBA Live 18
The first patch for NBA Live 18 to address some community feedback since release went live earlier today. Most notable out of the update are attempts to improve responsiveness in a few areas of gameplay and a fix for the issue with auto-subs.
♦Addressed issue where users turning off auto-subs caused CPU to stop making substitutions.
♦Improved responsiveness for pull up jumpers
♦Improved responsiveness when catching and shooting
♦Improved responsiveness on right stick shot contests
♦Addressed some idle issues with some instances of dribbling and hands-up animations.
♦Made improvements to the look of a player’s first step out of triple threat
♦Updated and Tuned dribble content
♦Improved overall online gameplay stability
♦Addressed some player likeness issues.
♦Addressed crash when a player would get to Level 50 League Hype.
♦Addressed crash in Pro-Am Tour that occurred during a conversation with the Goodman League Commissioner after winning the league tournament.Another recent patch for NBA Live 18 added the Nike Statement uniforms while several updates were completed during the extended demo period which began back in August.
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NBA 2K18 vs NBA Live 18 Player Face Comparison, Part One
Whether it be through varied scanning techniques, differing levels of access to specific individuals, or their respective graphical engines, competing sports video games tend to win with representations of certain players but certainly not all of them. In the past with the basketball games NBA 2K had the clear edge according to fans but NBA Live had some respectable showings. Most recently when conducted between NBA 2K15 and NBA Live 15 it was the former that won for near 75% of the players that were examined.
Now it’s time to look at NBA 2K18 and NBA Live 18 which have both boasted improvements to visuals and face scanning in the last three years. Polls are open now for the first eight players. Two more sets will go up in the coming days with results analyzed late next week. Read more
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NBA 2K18 now stands as the lowest rated edition of the series in a decade
The story around NBA 2K18 since its release just over two weeks ago has largely centered on consumer reaction to the aggressive monetization and the influence that microtransactions have had directly on the game’s design. Mainstream gaming media and Youtube personalities have covered and escalated the situation which involves the most popular and promoted mode.
It’s also not just user-reviews on Metacritic and Steam that have slammed NBA 2K18. The game is now the lowest-rated NBA 2K game since 2007’s NBA 2K8 by professional reviewers on Metacritic. The sole reason for that are the microtransactions and their harmful effects which several outlets have penalized the game for with low scores, citing the MyPlayer based modes in particular which have been designed in a way to pressure people into spending money to unlock the fun and ability to compete online. Read more
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