EA brought their heavy hitters to a recent summer showcase event in NYC. While a lot of items could not be shared via video like we had hoped we did get some hands on time with a lot of of EA sports most iconic titles plus hands on with two returning franchises. I am going to breakdown each title and give my take on gameplay, graphics, etc. Let’s get to it!
FIFA 2016
My Take: When it comes to representing Futbol aka Soccer I have to admit that EA definitely holds it down both in terms of authenticity and graphics. I played FIFA 16 for about 15 minutes and while I am not a soccer fan I truly enjoyed the gameplay and attention to detail that EA displayed. Soccer aficionados and long time fans will truly appreciate the work that was put it to give what I feel is the most realistic depiction of the sport on a console to date.
I wouldn’t mind another FIFA Street after getting hands on time with FIFA 16.
Madden 2016
My Take: I’ll be the first to admit that Madden fell out of favor with me a long time ago due to EA’s failure to innovate and their stranglehold on the NFL license. When NFL 2K was competing against EA it forced the Madden franchise to innovate and take risks. All of that went away once the NFL partnered with EA exclusively. The Madden series as a result suffered which I am sure is something I will get heat for saying but it is true. Madden lost its fun and became a paint by numbers roster update with minimal innovation. I walked into the demo room expecting much of what turned me off from Madden in the first place to be prevalent but it pains me to admit that I was wrong in that assumption. The 2016 incarnation of Madden was fun and brought a nice pick up and play approach to the game. Their new simplified season mode was impressive and streamlined a mode that to me always felt bloated. The overall depiction of the game took a more realistic feel which is to be expected with the new hardware at their disposal. Players looked great and the presentation was immersive to the point that you felt like you were in the stadium and above all it was fun to play. The new play mechanics and aggressive catch modifiers added something fresh to me and made my time with the game extremely enjoyable. Did Madden 2016 do enough to bring me back into the fold? We shall see but they make a compelling case that’s for damn sure.
NBA Live 16, Need for Speed & NHL 16
My Take: I did not get a chance to play these two series for a few reasons. The first being that have not followed basketball hardcore since MJ retired and I have been into hockey since Mark Messier and the NY Rangers won the Stanley cup back in the day. I also had to cut my session short and missed out on Need for Speed which really bummed me out since it looked like a return to form for the storied racing franchise. While all three games looked visually impressive it would be a disservice to give impressions if I did not play them.
Star Wars Battlefront
I waited quite awhile to get some hands on time with my colleague Dani from Royal Flush Magazine and I am glad I waited because Star Wars Battlefront looked amazing! The graphics were not only out of this world but the game captured everything that make the Star Wars universe so iconic. I cannot wait for this game because it truly was enjoyable to play. I am sure EA will need to up their servers for this title come release time. I only wish we had more time to play and had more modes accessible for play. Check out some of the screens from EA because the game and screenshots are pretty much identical not the usual pics not doing the game justice.
