The sports video game sector is one that is burgeoning. Sport is widely loved by most members of society so it is hardly surprising that it has established itself as one of the go-to games in the video game community.
You wouldn’t be putting your neck on the line if you said that sports games are second to only action and role-playing games. Now considering how much narrower the margin is with sports games in regards to creative choice and total game output – there is usually just one title per sport, unless it is a universally popular game like football / soccer which sees both FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) sell well year on year – it shows the sale strength of the sports game genre.
Last year (2014) was a big one for sports games. It was their first foray into the world of next generation consoles. Some made the step up in an effortless manner, but there have been some that have got it all wrong, leaving an extremely bad taste in the mouth of many gamers.
So what were the definitive, and best, sports games to have been released in 2014?
10 – F1 2014
The 2014 Formula One season was one of the most exciting in recent memory. The epic battle between Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had more twists and turns than an M. Night. Shyamalan movie.
At one point it seemed that Hamilton had blown his chance following a retirement at Spa due to a mistake by Rosberg, an incident that reportedly left Hamilton close to the edge with his German counterpart. But the angry Hamilton turned his anger into positive energy, winning six of his final seven races to claim his second world title. As of writing, despite there being not a single race of the 2015 season taken place, Hamilton is the favourite in the formula 1 betting to win a third title in 2015.
So here we were hoping that the game would be able to capture the excitement of the season that had just unravelled in front of us. We were wrong… big time! The game seemed to advance very little on its predecessor, whilst Codemasters’ reluctance to opt in to the next-gen consoles was a tame move and one that has hurt them.
It has already been announced that F1 2015 will undergo a complete revamp. Let us hope that they do because another dud game and the FIA must surely sever ties with Codemasters, who are stilling living off their LMA Manager legacy.
9 – PES 2015
Many new gamers do not know that PES used to be the go-to football game. However, they lost the coveted number one spot with the arrival of Xbox 360s and PS3s, as EA embraced and got to grips with the heightened technology to start making the FIFAs that we know and love.
This time around Konami are not willing to make the same mistake again. After passing up the opportunity to bring out a PES 2014 for next-gen, they worked their behinds off all year to make sure that when PES hit the market it would be stellar.
The gameplay and the graphics are fantastic, whilst the reviews have also been very promising. Although its sales don’t stack up against FIFA, if they carry on in this regard then they can only continue taking bites out of FIFA’s market and hopefully once again become a challenger for football dominion.
Having the World Cup final winning goalscorer Mario Gotze as their cover star certainly does not hurt their chances.
8 – EA Sports UFC
With THQ going broke, EA stepped into the gap to pick up the UFC contract. Their belief that there was a market for UFC was well founded, and the game they released was undeniably impressive. However, to many, the fact that UFC was brought out by EA at the expense of Fight Night was criminal and this is one of the reasons why the game didn’t sell as well as many had hoped.
Nobody can knock the graphics, they really are fantastic, but the gameplay can be a bit monotonous. Whether that is a reflection of the sport itself or the game depends on who you ask, but for a lot of us button-mashing to try and continuously superman-punch someone does see the novelty wear off. But the worst element has to be the nonsensical submissions. Taking people to the floor is easy but getting them into a lock takes ages, and even longer to get them to tap out.
UFC is that gaming mix where it does have some inherent flaws but it still makes for a fun gaming experience.
7 – NHL 15
After so many years of getting it right, EA really messed up this time about. Both the gameplay and graphics have been commended, but with next-generation consoles all games should look and play better.
The furore surrounding the game doesn’t actually come from the playing, it comes from the stuff that you cannot play. EA, as per usual, went away from the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it†mantra and are paying the price.
Xbox One and PS4 users saw the removal of EASHL and GM Connected removed, Online Team Play and the hugely popular Live The Life mode. Honestly, EA, what were you thinking?
6 – MLB 14: The Show
The premier baseball game impresses once again. The vivid colouring, authentic stadium feel and stunning visuals make it the most immersive game to date.
Away from the look and feel, The Show is widely lauded for its available game play modes. You are quite frankly spoilt for choice in both online and offline play. This version has also seen a huge improvement in the batting engine. They have done this in a succinct way as it does not take away from the integrity of pitching or playing defence.
As ever, the only downside to The Show is that it is only available for PlayStation users. So if you were wanting to get to grips with Miguel Cabrera – the Detroit Tigers first baseman is the cover star – it does mean that you will have to go with PS4, which considering the units shifted is by no means a bad thing.
5 – WWE 2K15
When we first saw the trailer for the new WWE game we were mesmerised. John Cena and Triple H’s ring entrances simply looked phenomenal.
The in-ring action was also very fluid and the new introduction of chain wrestling was both new and enjoyable, whilst the unlockable content such as (The Icon) Sting had many fans salivating.
WWE games have always been fun to play, especially if there are a few of you. However, the game is the most threadbare game this millennium. Many matches have been excluded from the game whilst the story mode lacks the gravitas of those that have preceded it.
Yeah, the CM Punk vs. Cena and the Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels mode is good, but the career mode was a damp squib. It was boring, repetitive and really offered very little.
2K suffered from the same malignant illness that EA did with NHL 15. They took too much away from the core of the game; taking the parts that the users loved and replacing them with something that none of us really wanted.
4 – PGA Tour
Tiger Woods and EA ended their partnership last year, which in all fairness was the correct thing to do. In the past having the Woods name attached to the game meant a lot, for he was the greatest active golfer. However, since his extra-marital faux pas Woods has failed to recapture his form on the golf course. Instead it is players like Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott that attract the fans, and hence the value of the Woods name has deteriorated.
It is not only the name that is different, but the game capabilities, thanks to technological advances, are something never before seen in a golf game. The rich colouring of the game give it brilliant high-definition visuals, whilst the detail that has gone into the players is unnerving.
EA never get their golf titles wrong, alongside Fifa and Madden it is one of the stalwarts. What’s more, there is now no limit to what you can do on the course, which developers have made into open worlds, meaning that if you wanted to you could do just about anything on any hole.
EA also announced on their website that you can customise courses. Can you imagine making the golfing equivalent of “Nuke Town� How awesome would that be?
3 – NBA 2K15
One of the few sports games that outsells the EA variant. NBA 2K15, like all the other NBA 2K games, is sublime. It is unquestionably the best basketball game on the planet, period.
Graphics and 2K are nearly synonymous. This edition has pristine graphics in both the arenas and more importantly to the active playing rosters. Whereas EA’s NBA gameplay feels a bit stiff and stoic, 2K’s is smoother than baby skin. But what really appeals to the masses is the organic feel players have on the ball. Everything feels natural; 2K have very much hit the nail on the head.
The only problem that 2K has had that EA has not in the past is the quality of the servers. They seemed to be constantly down in the games prior, but it is looking like they have rectified the problem. Here’s hoping anyway, because it is damn right annoying going for a big dunk with Kevin Durant – the current MVP – and seeing the game cut out.
2 – Madden 15
This is where Europe and America divide. Those in America will be mortified that Madden is only number two, but sorry there is no way that it can place higher than FIFA. Please try again next year.
Madden is the magnum opus of American Football games. It has ruled for over 20 years and by all accounts looks set to rule for another 20.
This year’s has seen the enhancement of presentation, whilst the mechanics for tackling and offensive play has taken a considerable step in the right direction. All of the game modes have received an aesthetically pleasing make over.
Madden looks, sounds and plays great. The IGNITE engine makes it even more realistic and the inclusion of Ultimate Team – something that has been hugely popular with FIFA – is a big yes.
1 – FIFA 15
You run out of plaudits to throw at EA whenever they bring out FIFA. Each year it leaves you dumb-founded. Unlike nearly all of the sports games listed, bar NHL 15, the action never stops in FIFA. It is end-to-end and requires your entire concentration for the entirety of a match. Madden can be too stop-start and for this reason its overall enjoyment pales in comparison to its better soccer cousin.
There is no other sports game that has an online mode that even deserves to breathe the same air as FIFA. The staple FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) has once again been improved, and as long as this mode continues to get better then the game will continue to sit atop of the sporting pedestal.
EA have created a game worthy of its cover star, Lionel Messi, who can lay claim to being the greatest sports star on earth. Who else can be at the centre of a potential £200 million transfer deal?
