HIGH Great production values and an ’80s MTV aesthetic.

LOW Writing that reminded me how old I am.

WTF Classic channel scrambling from the ’80s and ’90s is here, too.

Back when I was a kid in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I’d watch a lot of TV via cable, antenna, and satellite, depending on where I was living at the time. During this era, there were a number of weird and unusual shows that would always catch my eye, and that experimental vibe is what attracted me to Blippo+. It reminded me of this bygone and, frankly, halcyon era of absolutely bonkers TV.

Plainly put, Blippo+ is a full-motion video (FMV) intergalactic cable simulator — and yes, that’s a mouthful. As such, it’s not really a game in the traditional sense, but what’s here is still incredibly fascinating and entertaining to watch. Originally released as a Playdate console exclusive, what makes this new version unique is that it’s now in color, which the PlayDate is incapable of displaying.

There are a variety of channels and shows to watch on this fictional TV service. There are talk shows, science discussions (with brains in jars), psychic weather reports, kids TV, and so much more. Every program is on in real time, so just like watching TV back in the days before on-demand streaming, if something was missed, the only solution was to wait for it to repeat later. Thankfully, each channel only has about five minutes of content, so I never had to wait long to catch a show I was interested in.

The production values are out of this world, and it’s evident that the team behind this project put a lot of effort into Blippo+, even going so far as to use analog cameras, costumes and the like to give the shows a period-distinct appearance that will be familiar to anyone old enough to recall the late ’80s and early ’90s. It carries a lot of nostalgia for me, as that era of TV was commonly experimental and weird.

For example, Boredome and Party Music Nonstop really made think about classic MTV shows. Countertop kind of reminded me of old sitcoms, but not necessarily any specific one. Each show was definitely influenced by something from American TV shows of the past, and it was such a lovely trip down memory lane. And I loved almost everything that was on each channel.

I think some of my favorite shows were things like Quizzards, a game show blended together with a Dungeons & Dragons session. Or Realms Beyond, which was an often comical minute-long take on The Twilight Zone. There was even a funny version of General Hospital, called Clone Trois, with clones taking on various roles, all played by the same actress.

I think the best show was Bushwalker, a peaceful hiking simulation with a knife and axe in each hand for some reason. The Exquisite Telethon, a literary experiment read by the host, and fueled by callers to the show, was also excellent.

Oh, and for anyone wondering if there’s a story surrounding all of this — don’t worry, there is. The narrative is told piecemeal over time, which is a great way to tell it, and it made me feel a bit like a character as well.

Blippo+ definitely evoked the nostalgic feeling of channel surfing on the kind of weird, risky old school TV before all the buyouts and mergers happened. There aren’t many problems with the experience overall, though there were a couple of minor grievances I had.

One program was the same dance through different camera angles, which needed more variation. Another was a channel with an AI character slowly going insane, and the Max Headroom-like character was a bit grating. I also wish that there had been a few more shows per channel. I guess wanting more isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I was always craving more to watch — five minutes always felt a bit short.

While Blippo+ isn’t a traditional video game, it’s still a great fit for gaming platforms. The programs are funny, and they expertly riff on the shows they parody. With the era of TV it evokes moving further and further into the past, it’s a nice reminder of what TV, video games, and all manner of entertainment can and should be — weird, and not afraid of trying something different.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Buy Blippo+ – Steam – itch.io – Nintendo

Disclosures: This game is developed by YACHT, Telefantasy Studios, and Noble Robot and published by Panic. It is currently available on Switch and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PC. Approximately 6 hours were devoted to the game, and it was completed. There is no multiplayer mode.

Parents: This game has an ESRB rating of T for Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, and Violence. Most of the sexual themes are innuendo, particularly the Zest “adult” channel, which is completely scrambled, save for the credits version, and even that isn’t all that sexual.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind options.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game offers subtitles in the form of closed captioning for the programming. (See examples above.) Subtitles cannot be resized. This game is not fully accessible, as the captions were small to read at times. Similar issues were found with the program notes that appear on-screen when a new program starts or when switching channels.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Blippo+ Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH There has never been more immersive atmosphere in sports gaming.

LOW Ultimate Team remains either expensive, a grind, or both.

WTF Running up the score with a large fourth quarter lead, CPU? For shame.

A few years back, I reconnected with an old college buddy. We agreed to meet up for a couple of beers and spend a few hours traversing memory lane. The first hour was wonderful and emotional. The second hour was enjoyable, but a little strained. By the time the third round of drinks ran dry, we both started checking our phones — and once that regrettable fourth beer was gone, we exhaustedly agreed that it was great to see one another, and that we should try to stay in touch, knowing full well it was probably our final farewell.

That ‘we’re done here‘ feeling was what I had with EA Sports College Football 25. It was great times back then and the nostalgia was high, but after a few dozen hours on memory lane, flaws, gaps and cracks started to appear — and before long, the same old things began to wear on my patience. Still, it was a fine return by EA Sports, and I stand behind my 9 out of 10 review.

Readers who skip to the end are going to notice this year’s entry scored the same as its predecessor, but to be clear, College Football 26 is a significant upgrade from ’25 and a true return to form. To be honest, it might be the finest football game the venerable publisher has produced. Everything that made fans happy back then has now been amplified, optimized, and improved across the board.

In fact, let me lead with some hyperbole — College Football 26 might offer the most immersive sports gaming environments to date.

(Something tells me readers are going to want me to back that up.)

The atmosphere is one area in which College Football 26 truly shines. From stadium flyovers to note-perfect fight songs, to lifelike mascot and fan behavior, there’s little EA left on the drawing board here. A bonafide electricity comes from hearing (and even feeling) a packed stadium in a rivalry game. In fact, I took some rough phone videos and sent them to my non-gaming friends. They were transported to the coughcoughmid-1990scough the same way I was.

Of course, window dressing hardly matters if the gameplay doesn’t measure up. College Football 26 takes the rock solid foundation of its predecessor and gives it 100% more soul. Where last year’s iteration sometimes felt mechanical, 26 flows with the more realistic, unpredictable energy of the real thing.

Yes, I just wrote that College Football feels like, well, college football. But in reality, these players aren’t supposed to be perfect athletes. They’re college kids prone to physical lapses, and mental and emotional mistakes. This year’s version captures that in ways a cutscene never could.

Running backs don’t magically find holes in defenses in the first quarter. Instead, they work and learn over the course of the game, and try to expose weaknesses after being coached. Quarterbacks being chased by 750 pounds of linebackers don’t stay poised, they react with panic when their blocking collapses. Perhaps a professional can maintain composure under these circumstances, but these players shouldn’t be confused for NFL veterans.

Another major upgrade this season is the vastly improved fatigue system, which eliminates arbitrary stamina bars in favor of real performance dips. For example, if a running back carries 4-6 times every possession, he’ll definitely lose explosiveness by the fourth quarter, perhaps when the player needs him the most. 

Perhaps most important of all, the gameplay simply feels better. The best sports sims feature controls that respond instantly, almost like an extension of the player. College Football 26 features far fewer canned animations and ‘magical’ plays. Instead, I found myself discovering defensive gaps and exploiting them like a real player would. Option plays, which were hit or miss in 25, feel much more natural. It’s altogether more intuitive and responsive, and as a result, more enjoyable throughout.

My reviews always have to mention a few flaws, and this one is going to sound familiar, but I wish I could be enthusiastic about College Ultimate Team. Despite some improvements that make the card drops seem less random, this mode still feels like it belongs in a mobile game, not my $100 title on my $500 console. The menus are clunky, loading times are long, and the whole experience still prioritizes spending money over delivering a good time. It has its merits, but if there was a mode that needed some revisiting, it’s this one.

Getting back to the positives, Dynasty Mode has evolved considerably, bringing a good amount of strategy along with it. In last year’s edition, hiring and scouting felt like unavoidable homework between games. Now, these decisions have more impact on and off the field. I chose disciplinarian types for my staff and was rewarded with a hard-working squad of well-behaved kids. However, at season’s end, I noticed a number of my star players entering the transfer portal, likely as a result of the relentless training and coaching. These decisions matter now, and they matter for the future of a user’s legacy.

The Road to Glory story mode tries valiantly to capture the personal journey from high school superstar to campus legend, and there are some good moments, to be sure. However, the high school portion drags with oddly finicky missions to conquer, and more school selection drama than a teenager probably should endure. It can drag, but once chosen by a dream school, the Friday Night Lights moments are easily forgiven.

Online, the game performed well for roughly 80% of my time there near launch, and has been flawless in recent weeks thanks to a series of patches that have eliminated online animation glitches and matchmaking discrepancies that I experienced at launch. Today, the online portion is solid, enjoyable, and balanced.

This isn’t a title to nitpick, so, let’s break this down to the important things. College Football 26 is an absolute blast to play, and is a massive step forward for the reborn franchise, thanks to the type of year-over-year improvements that will please even the most cynical gamers. A title this deep and layered will never be perfect, but seeing last year’s foundation turn into this year’s celebration has been wonderful. I’m not likely to put this down any time soon.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is available on XBX/S and PS5. This game copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 21 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of full-contact college football, and some tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: College Football 26 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. (See examples in the pictures posted.) The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post EA Sports College Football 26 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH The WNBA mode is inching closer to completion. (Thanks to the class of ‘24!)

LOW Microtransactions still permeate the landscape.

WTF Why am I so enamored with realistic mesh fabric and beads of sweat?

One year ago, I closed my NBA 2K24 review with the line “In the end, NBA 2K24 might be the finest sports videogame I’ve ever resented.” because with each passing edition, the game gets deeper, more involved, and more overwhelming, but without any major improvements or truly unique features.

This year, I don’t resent 2K.

Now, this is not to say that NBA 2K25 is perfect, nor does it scratch my ongoing itch for a gameplay overhaul. But what the developers did do was listen. The result is a fantastic entry into this annual series that tightens the controls, enhances the realism, and broadens the scope, fine-tuning the proven format in countless positive ways.

Visually, NBA 2K25 continues the series’ legacy of stunning graphics and animations. Beads of sweat, realistic hair, more dynamic crowds, and unbelievable lighting and reflections dazzle the user as soon as it fires up. In turn, the enhanced ProPlay system ensures that stars’ actual movements are reflected on screen without seeming like canned animations. While series vets might not notice the sheer visual splendor, newcomers definitely will. In what is becoming an annual tradition, my wife was once again fooled by the game, thinking there was an actual NBA broadcast on my television.

However, visuals only tell part of the story. While it’s nice to have a realistic Jalen Brunson gracing my screen, none of it matters if there isn’t a larger sense of atmosphere, and that’s where NBA 2K25 shines brightest. The audio, visuals, timely commentary, and responsive crowds all blend to create the most authentic sports videogame environments around. The word “immersion” is overused in reviews, but it’s appropriate here.

Last year users enjoyed tighter, more responsive controls to complement the visuals. This year, 2K ups its game by introducing both an improved dribbling system and a “Rhythm Shooting” mechanic that bases shot success on more than just timing. Instead, it factors in performance, defensive matchups, team momentum, and other variables to build an unbeatable sense of ‘feel.’ Just like the actual NBA, players feed off one another, and those roof-shaking comeback rallies can change an entire game. Fans of professional basketball know these moments, and they can now recreate them like never before.

(side note — players aren’t obligated to use the new shooting mechanics, but I ask purists to give it a legitimate chance. It’s a nice change that’s well worth exploring.)

On the court, these upgrades enhance what is already the most rewarding control scheme in sports gaming. Make no mistake, the complex finger gymnastics needed to dominate rival those of fighting games, but when the controls sink in they become second nature, and the simulation becomes a lifelike representation of how players attack the basket, set up on defense, or have those clutch end-of-game moments.

When it comes to modes and features, no series in sports gaming (if not all of gaming) offers more value to fans than the NBA 2K franchise. The sheer amount of content is already overwhelming, and the regular additions and upgrades only enhance the experience. If there’s any complaints to be had, it’s that so much is dependent on leveling up, which can quickly become a lethargic grind without spending real-world money. I’ll spare everyone my annual griping about microtransactions, but suffice it to say, it will be very difficult for newcomers to achieve the top tiers of this title without spending countless hours (or dollars) on upgrades.

Despite this, there’s still plenty to do without opening a wallet, starting with a well-designed and revamped tutorial mode called Learn2K. This enhanced practice mode allows newcomers to become familiar with the controls in regular scenarios without taxing them too much on minutiae. Despite being a fan of this series since its Dreamcast debut, I still found myself revisiting the practice courts to hone some skills.

Also, kudos to 2K for listening and bringing a deeper WNBA mode to the party. I have no doubt that the international emergence of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese helped move this to the forefront, and 2K25 does a great job giving the women’s game its own feel and atmosphere. Likewise, having its own story and other modes allows everyone to enjoy the title.

MyTEAM is back, as well, with a deeper, more customizable card-collecting system. The addition of era-specific challenges that cover decades of history is a nice touch to be sure, but the mode’s biggest advancement is how it adjusted the usual reward system to give everyone a chance to earn premium upgrades, not just those who pay their way.

Speaking of eras, the ever-evolving Eras mode continues to bring enjoyable nostalgia to fans of any decade in NBA history. Users will get the Magic/Kareem Lakers, the untouchable 1990s Chicago Bulls, and even some recent Steph Curry paths to follow. However, it also includes some nice nods to other eras, like the rough and ready, defense-first early 2000s.

Of course, all of these decades are represented with period-appropriate graphics, fuzzy camera filters, and the like. Immersion is the name of the game, and this mode brings it by the carload.

Of all the modes available (and I don’t have the column inches to cover them all), none has returned to glory more than MyCareer. Unlike some of the MyPlayer modes of years past, NBA 2K25 immediateky throws users into the heart of the story. This urgency not only introduces the mode to those who might not have played in the past, it also lets users bypass the usual “draft night” nonsense and allows them to carve an ideal experience from the start.

In turn, the branching conversation trees have been largely improved, letting users make truly meaningful decisions about their avatar’s career path. Past editions have felt too linear to deliver authenticity, and while most of us will never live the life of an NBA superstar, these expanded conversations sure seem realistic, and they also make a noticeable impact on how the character develops. Team-first player or selfish hotshot? First one at practice or first in line for promotional opportunities? 2K25 lets users choose, and these impacts are felt throughout the story.

For fans of the open-world City mode, 2K25 will be a breath of fresh air. Last year, traversing the endless sprawl of the cityscape was a meaningless slog. This year’s layout is much easier to navigate, with more pickup games, side quests, and more to do at each corner. It still seems a little bloated and distracting for gamers who just want to play basketball, but at least developers are listening.

One facet of the City worth mentioning is how seamlessly the experience bridges offline and online play. When reviewing NBA 2K25, it was launch weekend, and lobbies were clogged and slow. But in the weeks that followed, the traffic was managed more quickly, and I found myself jumping in and out of online experiences with ease.

That said, the City mode highlights something users knew was coming — NBA 2K25 is the first edition to make it seem that last-gen users should upgrade their consoles. Graphics and options aside, there has never been a larger gap between current and past-gen editions of the title. Not only are there the obvious graphics and mode discrepancies, but the entire past-gen offering seems a little half-baked by comparison. I appreciate 2K continuing to deliver for Xbox One and PS4 users, but it’s clear that the sand is quickly leaving the hourglass for holdouts.

With all of that said, I won’t end this review by splitting hairs. Though it’s not a revolution as much as an evolution, NBA 2K25 easily justifies its price tag. There’s still grinding, leveling, and more side quests than Skyrim. but it all seems more accessible and approachable than in years past, while also being more realistic and beautiful than ever before.

Score: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by 2K Games and developed by Visual Concepts. It is available on XBO/X/S, PS4/5, PC and Switch. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 23 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 3 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a basketball simulation game in which players can select teams from real NBA rosters, compete in tournaments, and play through regular seasons. Players can also manage individual franchises and the careers of their customized athletes.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers:  NBA 2K25 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. The game is playable without sound and is fully accessible.The game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: There are several pre-set control schemes, but the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post NBA 2K25 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Jam-packed with content.

LOW Truly accessible only to rally-heads.

WTF Still figuring out what those numbers my navigator is yelling mean. 

Rally racing has to be one of the coolest sporting events ever, pitting drivers against terrain, testing their driving skills and resolve. It’s a form of motorsport that involves racing, navigation tests and other forms of driving across harsh landscapes. Now, after over 20 years without the official WRC (World Rally Championship) license, developer Codemasters gets back behind the wheel of this franchise with EA Sports WRC. 

This year’s WRC title draws a fine line between simulating what a normal season in the official competition is like, while also offering a chance to see it from every possible angle. The career mode has players choosing between different Junior WRC, Rally 2 or the main WRC modes. Each of these competition types bring in different classes of vehicles, as well as various difficulties. 

Gameplay in each mode consists of completing tasks during an in-game week. Before the start of the WRC season, players create their racing team (complete with name and logo) and meet their manager. Then, everything from a weekly budget and set goals are given, tasking the player to achieve these things while staying within a certain monetary threshold. It’s similar to the way progression works in something like EA Sports UFC 4, where an in-game calendar determines what players should try and tackle, and when. 

There’s a lot of variety in these tasks, ranging from buying cars, hiring members for a race crew and racing in events with the expectation of hitting a certain milestone. If I was able to stay under budget, management and sponsors were pleased and I would stay in their good graces, which gave me more incentives down the line as the season progressed. It’s deeper than I expected, playing out more like a full-blown management sim instead of just a simple racing game. 

The racing however, still is king.

Codemasters is known for delivering finely-tuned racing that feels closer to being simulation than arcade, while offering enough customization to make driving as accessible as possible to players of different skill levels.

Early in the career mode, players run a trial race that gauges what settings would be best for them — things like how long each race should be, overall difficulty, and even how serious the damage on a car can be. Options like this are appreciated, and even moreso since they can be changed at any time, allowing players to find playstyle that suits them throughout the career mode. 

Driving feels great, with each terrains offering different challenges and requiring different strategies — barreling through narrow dirt paths offers resistance in contrast to the smoothness of a normal road, for example. This variance is supported by the PS5’s Dualsense controller, as the haptics and adaptive triggers do a great job of making the driving feel immersive. While it’ll be a long time before I buy an expensive racing wheel, the care that went into making sure the controller feels this good means I can delay the purchase even longer. 

With all that praise given I should note that although a lot of work has been put in to be as accessible to as wide a range of players as possible, WRC is ultimately an experience for rally fans, as opposed to general racing fans. Most of the play and designs reflects real-life rally aspects that might seem a bit foreign to newcomers, like a navigator in the passenger seat reading directions, or being penalized for going even slightly off-road. Those looking at jumping in should be aware that this isn’t just like every other racing game out there.

With this return to the world of rally racing, Codemasters has delivered something special with EA Sports WRC. It’s rock-solid and jam-packed, and I’d expect any gearhead to get lost in it for hours. Rally fans rejoice!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Electronic Arts and developed by Codemasters. It is available on PS4/5, XBO/X/S and PC. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 10 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed (still playing). No time was spent in multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E, with no descriptors. There is absolutely nothing objectionable here. 

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are subtitles and visual cues throughout the game. These can all be adjusted. There are no relevant audio cues that do not have visual cues as well. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls can be remapped and there are diagrams and various presets.

The post EA Sports WRC Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

GOOD The on-ice gameplay, realism, and atmosphere are all phenomenal.

BAD Haven’t we seen these modes before?

WTF The microtransactions and upsells practically shame users for not spending more.

Fall is upon us, and that brisk air means EA Sports has rolled out another edition of its venerable NHL series. Fans who don’t like my usual dive into minutiae should know this — the latest iteration, NHL 24, presents an often exciting, but also predictable collection of incremental upgrades and nagging issues. While there are some admirable improvements, the overall structure feels like a highly optimized version of last year’s edition, rather than a true step forward.

That said, the devil is in the details, and NHL 24 features a few new ones worth mentioning. The most noteworthy improvements are the Exhaustion Engine and Sustained Pressure systems, which both emphasize more balanced player usage for maintaining stamina and consistency. This new mechanic requires players to pace their typically-relentless offensive outbursts and put more thought into how many times they jam buttons to accelerate their skaters, lest they pay the price when the opponent takes control of the puck.

This system brings a metric ton of realism to the on-ice gameplay and reduces the comically-long line shifts from past editions. Instead of “run and gun” gameplay, users are forced to apply balanced pressure on goalies and defenses, ramping up the authenticity tenfold. It’s a hockey tactician’s dream, and watching goalies becoming sluggish and lethargic felt surprisingly good… at least when it wasn’t happening to my team.

The physics-based contact mechanics have also been refined, reducing the rag-doll-like flops from last year into a more accurate display of gravity and aggression. Likewise, I enjoyed the subtle animation improvements during faceoffs and in the corners, where players jostle for position during the occasional slower moments. Even the penalty system seems more balanced, letting the players play, while avoiding an abundance of whistles.

NHL 24 offers a refined take on its stick-based control scheme, which requires some adjustment but ultimately leads to a more immersive and measured experience during high-stakes moments. These on-ice enhancements mark a step forward for the series — one that longtime fans will notice and appreciate.

Visually, NHL 24 impresses with its detailed player models, accurate uniform physics, and stunning arena atmospheres. The game successfully replicates the excitement and look of an NHL broadcast, complete with NBC branding and camera angles that put fans (pardon the pun) “in the game.” While some close-up animations can still be a little robotic, the overall visual presentation sets a fairly high bar for the series.

One minor negative lies in EA’s decision to remove the classic “‘94” control scheme, which hadn’t changed since NHL’s dorm-room dominance of the mid-1990s. I can certainly appreciate the developers wanting gamers to use every bit of their creation to its fullest extent, but there was something simple and enjoyable about firing up a quick game and sniping goals like we did when Soundgarden was still dominating the airwaves. Mastering more complex controls is rewarding, to be sure, but the occasional three-button slugfest also had some retro appeal.

Stepping away from the core gameplay, NHL 24 paints a less inspiring picture. The predominant modes — Franchise, Be A Pro, Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT), and World of Chel — exhibit only superficial changes, largely echoing their previous iterations. While there are some new objectives in HUT and the always welcome “Moments,” these additions feel more like fleeting gestures than reasons to upgrade. The career-based Be a Pro is particularly disappointing, as its voice-free web of dialogue rarely makes the user feel connected to the onscreen character. I think it might be time for EA to let the career mode go until something unique can fill this space.

The Franchise mode is also predictable. Despite being a core pillar of the series and offering a solid experience, it has seen little innovation over the past decade. The lack of distinct team or division playstyles and an overly simplified growth system make this cornerstone seem like a veritable afterthought compared to the more-hyped modes. When viewed next to the depth and complexity of management modes in other titles, NHL 24’s Franchise mode is perfectly adequate but seems more like a throwback to past console generations rather than a forward-looking feature.

EA’s approach to monetization is a major point of contention in NHL 24 and most sports titles. The game continues the trend of pushing players towards spending real money, particularly in the HUT mode, which favors those who are willing to invest financially to build their dream teams. While it’s certainly possible to earn rewards through gameplay, it seems to be more enjoyable for those who cut the line with their credit cards.

World of Chel also falls a little flat this year. Player growth and gear unlocks are tied to an odd battle system, leaving players to grind extensively to see advancement. Additionally, the in-game upsells constantly advertising the NHL 24 X-Factor Edition can be intrusive … especially when I already owned that version.

Returning to the positive, I’m happy to report that NHL 24 shined online. I experienced zero lag in games and a snappy, responsive feel in the lobbies. Sure, there’s still rage quitting and I may not ever compete well online, but I enjoyed watching experienced players leverage the new exhaustion system with a measured, realistic approach.

In what has become a regular mantra for my closing sections, NHL 24 is a tale of highs and lows. On one hand, the title features the most engaging, authentic hockey sim gameplay yet, and those who choose to stick with the basic modes will likely be enthralled by the slick graphics, realistic player fatigue, and top-tier presentation. On the flipside, the in-game advertising and omnipresent cash grabs — in a title that seems a little too familiar to prior editions — may leave longtime fans wondering if they should ever expect more, no matter how much they’ve already invested in the series.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published and developed by EA Sports. It is available on PC, PS5, and XBX/S. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Approximately 16 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 3 hours of play were dedicated to online multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E and descriptors of Mild Violence. This is a realistic simulation of hockey, including player-controlled fighting which may concern parents.

Colorblind Modes: There are colorblind modes available in the Accessibility menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: NHL 24 features subtitles (see examples above) and numerous tactile feedback features within the controller, in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: There are several controller configurations but the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post EA Sports NHL 24 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH A few really nice quality-of-life features.

LOW Poor performance at launch, even on high-end machines. 

WTF Sometimes a massive tornado will just sorta roll through your city and wreak havoc. 

To me, there’s a certain kind of artistry involved in developing a sequel that’s nearly identical in aesthetics and mechanics to its predecessor. This isn’t to say that every hacky triple-A series with a yearly release schedule is dabbling in high art, of course. Rather, sequels that hew close to the original vision but wish to stand on their own merits require a sort of careful attention on the part of the developer. They must treat the original like a lump of clay, paring down superfluous mechanics and streamlining good ones until untapped potential of the original is fully revealed. 

Cities: Skylines II definitely opts for this sort of careful, iterative approach… though I’m still not sure whether or not that was the right decision. While it does streamline the previous core gameplay loop in a way that makes much of the experience smoother and more satisfying, it also places more emphasis on the ‘human’ aspects of the city, to mixed results — at least for now, prior to any DLC releases. 

The start of a Cities: Skylines II run unfolds much the same as the first one — the player is presented with a mostly-empty map featuring a small handful of connections to the outside world via highways and the like. Immediately, the player can begin building the city of their dreams by setting down roads, zoning for commercial, residential, or industrial buildings, bolstering their citizens’ happiness and productivity with a variety of city services, and so on.

The early game rollout of roads and basic services (such as water and electricity) feels less painful now thanks to a few smart tweaks like the ‘grid’ tool. In a few clicks, they can set the length and width of an entire series of roads, making the creation of suburban housing units or industrial centers feel totally effortless. Essential services now feel far easier to implement, as well. For example, instead of manually placing water pipes, the majority of road types now feature a built in ‘network’ of underground water pipes, sewage pipes, and electrical wires, meaning that buildings are automatically connected to these networks when they are built next to a road. 

These handy tools, combined with a more robust set of tutorial popups, make the early game absolutely fly by. Clearly Cities II wants to empower the player to create as soon as possible, allowing novice players (and experienced pros alike) to focus on the more detailed and human-focused simulation elements of the sequel. 

On the right side of the screen, the player is delivered a constant stream of social media posts from citizens and businesses in their city. Clicking on the names of the uploaders warps the camera to their location, allowing the player to see them going about their day. From an isometric view, the player can see these mini-Sims walk down the sidewalk, park their cars, wait outside their burnt-down house as the firefighters deal with the wreckage, and more. Every single member of the city can be ‘followed’ by the player as well, keeping their profile within a handy tab and adding their significant life events to the constant stream of social media posts.

However, all of these systems still feel a little barebones — characters seem largely defined by employment and familial status. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, especially when it comes to a series like Cities: Skylines which seems to be reliant on its post-release DLC if the pattern of the previous installment is anything to go by. Nevertheless, I think it’d be nice if the constant social media feed and notifications on the map (indicating problems or areas of interest) were more varied and personable.

As it stands now, the player is mainly treated to a constant flow of repetitive and often unhelpful complaints from citizens, as shrill as an alarm clock. If an extremely small section of city has less-than-favorable hospital access, for example, the player will receive constant social media notifications complaining about the city’s bad healthcare. The same scenario applies to every other city service — police, electricity, sewage, and internet.

Oftentimes, these issues won’t be a pressing concern, or they won’t be fixable given the player’s current plans/financial situation. As such, the ways in which the game ‘talks back’ to the player often seem more obnoxious than helpful, and more confusing than inspiring. CSII contains a nifty skill tree allowing the player to unlock and focus on services they’re particularly interested in, a nice component the adds to Cities: Skylines II’s sense of personalization and expression. However, for the majority of my playthrough I felt that I spent a great deal of time putting out fires (real or imaginary) brought up by the busy UI, rather than expressing my own desires. 

As I alluded to at the beginning of this review, I’m sure CSII‘s idiosyncratic and compelling elements, such as the ability to follow individual characters, will be expanded on in future DLCs. But if that’s the case then — well, I hate to be That Guy, but is there any reason to upgrade from the original Cities: Skylines at the moment?  

If you’re a die-hard city fan of city builders, and the idea of a new Cities: Skylines that’s 10 percent prettier and 5 percent more interesting has you salivating, you might wanna hop on this one right away. But for the rest of us, we can probably just keep chipping away at some other 2000-hour video gaming time sink. It’s not like this franchise is going away any time soon, after all.

Final Score: 6/10 

Disclosures: This game is developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive. It is currently available on PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 12 hours were dedicated to the single-player campaign and the game was not completed (it does not seem to have a definite end-state). There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E, with no additional descriptors. This is a city-management simulation game in which players can build and manage their ideal city. From a top-down perspective, players monitor various statistics while using planning skills to attract businesses, residents, and tourists.

Colorblind modes: there are no colorblind modes available. 

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles, but all information is relayed via a text and image user interface. The user interface can be altered and resized. Every relevant piece of information is transmitted visually as well as aurally. It is very easy to play the game without sound, and I would say that it’s fully accessible.  

Remappable controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls. 

The post Cities: Skylines II Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Defensive controls are an unexpected highlight.

LOW Offensive controls are alarmingly familiar.

WTF The coaches in Career Mode are impossible to impress.

Thanks to the World Cup (and maybe Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney’s lovably televised Wrexham team) international football has seen a recent boost in stateside popularity. This would seem to be an ideal time for EA Sports to deliver a truly next-gen, authentic soccer experience, but while there are moments that make good on this opportunity, FIFA 23 is ultimately the equivalent of painting fresh sidelines onto a well-worn pitch.

What’s even more interesting is that this edition likely represents EA Sports’ final go-round with the vaunted FIFA license. Though it’s unclear if the expensive elite tag will go to a competing franchise, or simply sit in game licensing limbo, one would think the company would try to close out nearly 30 years of history with a well-placed strike. Instead, the looming sense of passivity and familiarity may annoy longtime fans.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly a lot to enjoy here. FIFA 23 makes a strong initial impression with improved character models, smoother animations on and away from the ball, and more realistic crowd audio. If it’s a sense of ‘being there’ gamers want, FIFA hits the right notes. Using the stock ‘high camera’ view of the pitch, offensive strikes look smooth and realistic, with fan noise ebbing and swelling at appropriate moments, rather than simply serving as a din of random background response.

When the camera closes in for replays, the animations are a little jankier and erratic than one would expect, but still show marked improvements from past editions. On new systems, there are also improved textures on player uniforms, more-realistic field deterioration, and outstanding weather effects that distinctly impact the on-field play. FIFA 23 might not be God of War: Ragnarok, but considering how much motion is occurring during every moment of gameplay, it’s impressive all the same.

Gameplay is either redundantly familiar or dramatically improved, depending on how users choose to play. While offensive controls are largely the same as past editions, with far too many through passes leading to breakaway goals, the new defensive controls are a welcome surprise of details. Users who choose to take on the more difficult manual defensive controls will be rewarded with far fewer AI breakdowns, as the computer-controlled teammates follow the player’s lead and adjust positioning accordingly. It’s certainly a challenge, but experienced FIFA enthusiasts will appreciate the new levels of accuracy and realism.

Beyond these improvements, fans familiar with the series are going to be able to pick up and play with minimal learning curve. In fact, they may even enjoy things more thanks to a slower, more deliberate pace that better reflects real-world soccer gameplay.

As a series, FIFA has always offered a nice range of modes to keep players engaged. The card-based Ultimate Team is back and remains a divisive part of the FIFA experience. On one hand, the new “Moments” feature within Ultimate Team allows users to recreate some of soccer’s most historic memories from the past few decades. However, as long as play continues to rely on excessive microtransactions to get a better experience, many gamers will ignore it again and again.

Unfortunately, Career Mode feels like another afterthought. In a world that has fallen in love with Ted Lasso and the aforementioned Welcome to Wrexham, it’s disappointing that EA’s team couldn’t craft a more compelling narrative than a week-to-week, RPG-lite grind toward the starting lineup. The player’s character is given countless decision-making opportunities that earn points with teammates, coaches, fans, and the like, but there’s little impact that stems from these decisions, and coaches seem to always be disappointed with the user’s efforts, whether it be in practice or in-game.

As an admitted fan of sports story modes, I was hoping for something beyond my faceless character doing redundant things to find my way into the lineup, but it never materialized. Before long, my enthusiasm turned to apathy due to knowing that my in-game successes would likely result in endless criticisms on the practices that followed. I didn’t ‘finish’ the story during my full month with the game, and I likely won’t revisit it in the months to come.

As most fans of the series will attest, FIFA 23 is best when keeping it simple. Play Now, Seasons, and the newly added World Cup mode present straightforward, no-nonsense football sim experiences that remind users of why unadulterated digital soccer is great, with nothing getting in the way of gameplay and atmosphere to deliver excitement, and maybe that’s the lesson here.

Football is the world’s most popular game across borders, cultures, politics, and creeds because it offers fans the same exhilaration throughout the world. FIFA 23, when stripped of bland stories, greedy microtransactions, and mind-numbing team management, is a pure, exciting videogame. It’s the excess that ultimately mires it down.

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA. It is available on XBO, XBS/X, PS4/5, and PC. This game copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Approximately 19 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 3 hours of play were dedicated to online multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is an accurate representation of professional soccer/football. Realistic tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: There are colorblind modes available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: FIFA 23 features subtitles and numerous tactile feedback features within the controller, in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

The post FIFA 23 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Much more solid on-field experience; better realism, improved animations

LOW Presentation is still lacking, some minor annoyances and glitches.

WTF Why would fans want to sit BEHIND the video screens in Carolina’s stadium?

Last season, I had my concerns about the direction of the Axis Football franchise. I was becoming frustrated with foibles on the field such as strange AI decisions and lack of information about why my receivers were failing to catch the ball, so it wasn’t without trepidation that I booted up Axis Football 2023. Imagine my delight when my first thought after just a few drives on both offense and defense was “Man, this has gotten so much better!”

While still not flawless by any means, the new physics engine and myriad animation improvements has breathed new life into this series, and may even pick up a few dissatisfied converts from that ‘other’ title.

The first element that jumped out at me while playing this year’s version of Axis was the new momentum-based physics system. A running back is able to surge ahead for a few extra yards after an initial hit by bouncing off a would-be tackler. A receiver or quarterback might be able to squirm out of a linebacker’s grip to break free for a big gain. To compensate for this, several defenders may be needed to bring down a particularly strong or elusive ballcarrier.

Coupled with numerous new tackling animations, this improved physics engine adds tremendously to the suspension of disbelief. Realistic holes open up in the defensive line based on skilled blocking, allowing enough of a window for the RB to slip through, or setting up a crucial block that allows a receiver to scamper in for the score.

The ground game isn’t the only thing showing improvements. Hundreds of new throw and catch animations spice up the passing game tremendously. Not only are these animations aesthetically pleasing, but they provide the player feedback previously missing in this title. I know have a much better understanding why a receiver failed to snag the dump over the middle, as I can see the ball go through his hands as he tries to make a desperate waist-level grab while being pursued. I can also see the opponent’s secondary get a hand in the path of an otherwise on-target ball. My air attack is still trash, but I know now that’s because the Philadelphia Express have a sub-par QB and some rickety receivers. To counter this, I’ve had to alter my game plan, running short-yardage strikes and relying more on my moderately agile running back to pick up yards, at least until I’m able to acquire some more impressive talent via free-agency or next season’s draft.

Defensively, improvements have been made to fumble recovery and interceptions. Axis now allows turnovers to be recovered for serious yardage, as opposed to previous iterations where the defender was invariably brought down immediately upon recovering a loose ball or picking off a pass. Special teams have improved as well, meaning a kick/punt return can be broken open for big gains or a score far more often than in the past. It may even be too often right now, as I’ve been able on occasion to score 1-2 touchdowns per game via a kickoff return.

Unfortunately, the AI still makes some questionable decisions. I’ve seen receivers run the incorrect route, completely throwing off (pun intended) the pass I was about to hurl. Linebackers still occasionally stand completely still, allowing a play to unfold around them. Players no longer ragdoll across the field after a big hit, but all field goals and/or punts that float across the end zone simply roll through the wall of the stadium, vanishing into the football ether. I believe this to be the home of the “football gods” that determine the outcome of so many campaigns.

Off the field, Axis Football 2023 still offers the most compelling franchise mode available. Players once again have full control of every aspect of team management from sending scouts to check out prospects across the nation, to purchasing a pool for the practice facility to help players recover from injuries. The game offers the usual trades and drafts to hopefully help a team bring fresh talent in to replace low performers (see QB — Philadelphia Express), shore up an injury-depleted roster, or try to fill the glaring hole when a celebrated veteran hangs up the cleats for the last time. I still struggle with drafting and scouting, though I’m beginning to suspect that’s a me problem. Axis tells me what my current needs and who the best possible players available are, but I never seem to be able to find true stars to help me in my rebuilding.

Despite all of these improvements, there are still some glaring issues with Axis Football 2023 that keep it from true greatness. Glitches and bugs still crop up (like suddenly awarding my opponent a safety immediately after I’d scored a touchdown. Perhaps the football gods felt bad for the beating I was giving them?) The commentary is still incredibly repetitive at best, and can be completely inaccurate at worst, attributing gains to my receiver when my QB ran for a first down, or otherwise incorrectly describing action as it occurred. I know the on-the-field improvements were the focus this year, but these issues need to be addressed for Axis to truly stand out.

Axis Football 2023‘s improvements far outweigh its shortcomings, though. It plays much more true-to-life, and the new visuals increase the immersion like never before. With the lower price point this year, it’s really a no-brainer. Football fans would do well to give Axis the shot it deserves with this year’s version.

Disclosures: This game is developed and published by Axis Games. It is currently available on XBO, XBX/S, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 10 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the and multiple seasons were completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This game is a realistic depiction of professional American Football featuring blocks and tackling similar to an NFL broadcast. Injuries are described in text between plays and in status screens, but injured players are not shown on the field, and there is no blood.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game does not offer subtitles. (See text examples above.) While playable without sound, the in-game commentary is lost. Audio cues for turnovers are accompanied by a brief slow motion effect to alert the player. This game is not fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Axis Football 2023 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH Knocking out cops by dismembering corpses in front of them.

LOW Trying to figure out how to disable someone standing on a crane.

WTF That was a pretty deep cut Friends reference!

Picking up after the first game left off, Serial Cleaners finds Bob, mob janitor extraordinaire, fleeing the West Coast. After a brief stint tidying up after drug cartels in Miami, he settles in New York and gets back to work disappearing evidence of gruesome crimes. The stealth-based gameplay of the first title has returned intact, with the only major shift being the jump from pixel-based art to 3D models.

Each level starts out with huge splashes of gore spread around, telling the story of the brutal murders which took place there hours earlier. Players will have to cart away bodies, track down evidence and vacuum up most of the blood that’s been left behind. Choosing what order to perform these actions is important, as dragging or dismembering corpses can create new bloodstains that need to be sucked up. The blood vacuum is also extremely loud, so the player must be aware of how close any investigators are, although onscreen noise range markers do a great job of assisting on that front.

It’s a fairly basic loop, but Cleaners manages to keep things interesting by offering enough variety in level design that each new area requires a new approach. Where one scene might have the player zipping through vents to reach locked rooms, another may ask the player to sneak across catwalks high above a TV studio. From a morgue to a prison to a superyacht, the frequent changes of setting ensure that no two levels feel entirely similar.

It’s not just cleaning, though — every one of the crime scenes in Serial Cleaners is crawling with police officers. Fortunately, they’re inattentive and easily distracted.

Whenever the player gets within their line of sight, a helpful meter appears to offer a warning about exactly when they’ll have been officially ‘spotted’ and the chase begins. The game takes distance, lighting, and whether the character is crouching or not into account when calculating how long the player has to get out of view. The system winds up being extremely forgiving. As long as players don’t wander directly into the middle of an open room, they’ll have a good chance of avoiding police attention — and even if they do, levels are rich with with hiding spaces and distractions to help them disappear.

Apart from level variety and dodging the cops, narrative in Serial Cleaners helps keep it interesting.

The game starts on the evening of December 31st, 1999, with Bob and his three protégées cleaning up after a particularly iffy job. The rest of the night has them hanging out and telling stories, taking the player back and forth in time, gradually showing how each of the characters met Bob, and how working for him in the grim world of mafia body disposal has impacted their lives.

Every crew member has specific skills that mix up the gameplay in intriguing ways. The artist can create distractions with spray paint, the hacker can use her tech savvy to trigger objects all over the map, and the psycho has the most troublingly effective ability of all — chopping bodies to pieces so that they’re easier (if messier) to move around the level.

Serial Cleaners‘ structure is built around each of these characters telling their own stories, and while the campaign is broken up into five chapters that have to be played in order, the player can try the missions that make up each chapter in whatever order they choose. This winds up leading to some interesting story twists, as the missions sometimes reference each other, giving the player a chance to uncover the plot’s secrets at their own pace. This isn’t always for the best, however, since this structure prevents the story from developing a strong forward drive.

In the first game, Bob’s jobs kept escalating as the crimes he was erasing grew more theatrical and public. Serial Cleaners, on the other hand, waits so long to introduce the threat at the core of the story that it’s resolved almost as suddenly as it appears. I appreciated getting a chance to check out slices of each character’s life since it lets the player start to understand (if not identify with) the characters they’re controlling, but the overall pacing and lack of a satisfying conclusion kept me from enjoying things on anything but a mechanical level.

Also holding the game back is a notable lack of any bonus content, extra objectives or collectibles. Where the first Serial Cleaner had the player revisiting levels to search out soundtracks, art, and unlocking strange movie-inspired bonus levels, this installment won’t even let the player try a level again without restarting the entire game. There are also no unlockable skills, items or anything that might add new twists to the gameplay to encourage players to come back and replay the game.

Sadly, when everything’s take into account, Serial Cleaners doesn’t live up to its predecessor. The cleaning/stealth gameplay is solid and there are some great level concepts, but the story doesn’t offer much motivation and there’s plenty of potential here that goes untapped.

Disclosures: This game is developed by Draw Distance and published by 505 Games. It is currently available on PC, PS, SW and XB. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 8 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Violence, Blood and Gore, Use of Drugs, and Strong Language. Keep children as far as you can from this one. It’s about cleaning up after mobsters and serial killers. There are brutally murdered corpses everywhere, and a central game mechanic is cutting them up with a chainsaw. Also, plenty of drinking and drug use.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available in the options.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are no important audio cues that don’t have accompanying visual cues. I played most of the game without audio and encountered no issues. This game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable.

The post Serial Cleaners Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.

HIGH  The on-court gameplay is nearly flawless

LOW  The grinding is nearly endless

WTF  Fake social media stardom is just exhausting

NBA 2K23, the latest entry in the venerable basketball sim series, was released on September 9, 2022.

Most review sites published reviews of NBA 2K23 on September 9, 2022, but as the guy who reviews this title for Gamecritics each year, I’m happy to be ‘late’ in publishing mine because this series is built on gameplay depth and a growing amount of regularly-updated content. A fair review of the NBA 2K series requires more than a cursory glance at the features.

So, I will lead with the TL;DR approach before diving in — NBA 2K23 is a fantastic game of digital basketball and easily the best entry in this series in half a decade. The on-court gameplay finally achieves that elusive balance of realism and enjoyability, creating a broadcast-quality experience that is beautifully animated, but with movements that are always within the player’s control.

This level of interactivity extends across all modes, offense and defense, online and off. In short, users will enjoy feeling responsible for everything that happens on the court, even if an unwise block attempt leads to three costly free throws. The pre-loaded animations are (mostly) gone, and the ones that remain never impede the sense of freedom provided by the gameplay.

NBA 2K23’s Jordan Challenge is a wonderful companion to the MyPlayer story mode, letting users relive the legend’s finest moments from his freshman year at North Carolina to his countless heroic plays with the Chicago Bulls. With era-appropriate filters and graphic treatments, users are transported through each of these scenarios with stunning accuracy. Though recreating the exact endings can be tough, the man didn’t become a legend by taking easy shots, raising the sense of reward by several degrees.

Likewise, users can recreate entire historical seasons within the MyNBA Eras mode, allowing them to live out childhood dreams and fantasy scenarios. Magic and Bird on the same Celtics squad? Kobe and Iverson owning LA? All of it is possible through lovingly-recreated player models and shockingly realistic performance traits. Even the typically-strict referees take a more passive approach during the run-and-gun 1980s eras. This mode is a love letter to long-time NBA fans and a tremendously pleasant surprise.

In NBA 2K23, another long-time wrong has finally been made (mostly) right — the inclusion of a more fleshed-out WNBA experience. Now, fans can create their own WNBA superstars, taking them through an entire league season and a story mode all of their own. I wish the script was even remotely as substantial as the male-focused MyPlayer, but considering how long WNBA fans have waited for this, and how accurate the gameplay is to the full WNBA style, I’ll refrain from dampening the goodwill in the room. (Let’s just hope developers keep expanding this part of the 2K experience.)

The traditional, story-driven MyPlayer mode proves to be a mixed bag of enjoyment. On one hand, the storyline (another underdog narrative) is considerably more engaging than in recent years. The ever-neutral “MP” character is a strong draft pick right out of the gate but has to appease a fanbase that isn’t thrilled with the team’s choice of college standout.

On the other hand, there’s still nothing here users haven’t seen before. “MP” is still a faceless character, no matter which face designs a player chooses. He still has a best friend who doubles as a green, but relentless agent. There’s an obvious antagonist who always seems to get the upper hand during games. And The City is a well-designed portal for cash grab microtransactions, thinly veiled product advertising, and relentless grinding for experience points.

Full disclosure: 2K was kind enough to send Gamecritics the Michael Jordan Edition of the game, which gives users an immediate 100,000 virtual currency credits to advance created avatars faster than the normal player would. Without this significant head start, I can’t even imagine how long I would have to play (or pay) to get my character to a decent level. 

Despite the redundant tropes and often-cringeworthy acting, 2K23’s MyPlayer experience is the best it has been since that “other” Michael Jordan co-starred in the narrative. The grinding and shameless microtransactions get in the way from time to time, but the main story is different enough to recommend a playthrough.

Online, the game has performed wonderfully since the servers opened on launch day. Gone are the endless lobby waits, random mid-game bump-outs, and other legacy lags that typically haunt online sports gaming. Instead, I enjoyed crisp controls, robust player matching, and a sense of relaxed enjoyment — which is hardly typical of the series. Single-player modes are still where NBA 2K shines brightest, but if users have avoided multiplayer hoops for a few years, this is the year they should consider jumping back online.

In the end, NBA 2K23 isn’t a perfect game. But it is the strongest, deepest, smoothest, and most enjoyable showing for the series in some time. With a little less focus on microtransactions, and a little more focus on ramping up other modes, perfection is definitely within reach in the coming years.

Disclosures: This game is published by 2K Games and developed by Visual Concepts. It is available on XBO/X/S, PS4/5, PC, macOS, iOS, and Switch. This game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 21 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 6 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E and contains Mild Lyrics within the in-game music selections. Additionally, the single-player MyCareer mode has a narrative that includes some adult themes to which parents of younger children may object.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: NBA 2K23 features subtitles and numerous tactile feedback features within the controller, in all modes. The game is fully accessible.

Controls: The controls are not remappable. Examples of the control schemes are below.

The post NBA 2K23 Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.