Video Games

EA Sports hasn't been shy about putting the biggest stars in soccer on the cover of its FIFA video game series more than once. In fact, it typically tends to give its cover athletes extended runs in the role.

Over the past decade, Lionel Messi (FIFA 13, 14, 15 and 16) and Cristiano Ronaldo (FIFA 18 and 19) have both been on the cover multiple times. Before them, Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney were both frequently on the front of the popular video game.

Now, Kylian Mbappe can be added to that list. After appearing on the cover of FIFA 21 (his first time doing so), the Paris Saint-Germain forward will again be on the front of FIFA 22 (which is fully released on Oct. 1), and he'll be appearing on both the standard and ultimate editions of the game.

It isn't yet clear if there will be regional covers of the game, which EA Sports has occasionally done in the past, but Mbappe will be on the front of many copies of the game, including one that he recently tweeted:

FIFA 22 😍😍😍 @EASPORTSFIFA pic.twitter.com/VoQLlVEWk6

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) September 17, 2021

This is an exciting year for the FIFA series as it marks the first time the game will be available to play on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. And that also means there will be some substantial gameplay improvements that could take the franchise to another level.

FIFA 22 is introducing HyperMotion, which EA Sports describes as a "groundbreaking" new gameplay technology. It will be included in every mode of the game, meaning the matches you play will look and feel more realistic than ever before.

For years, FIFA has already had great gameplay. But with HyperMotion and several other additions (such as true ball physics, explosive sprint and new attacking tactics), this year's game may provide the best virtual soccer experience yet.

EA Sports has broken down the rest of its new features on its site, a list that includes an overhauled Career mode, improvements to Volta Football, redesigned aspects of Ultimate Team and more.

One of the biggest additions to the Career mode is the ability to create your own club. Players will be able to customize the name and nickname, the league it plays in, kits, crests, stadium and more. Every little detail can be personalized before you take your team out on the pitch for the first time.

Create a Team, Create a Pro, create your football dreams. Check out our Deep Dive Pitch Notes for details on Career Mode in #FIFA22 👉 https://t.co/PaeugtNQWZ pic.twitter.com/KgIl40Cb8j

— EA SPORTS FC (@EASPORTSFC) August 5, 2021

It's still too early to know if all the new features will live up to the hype and how the next-generation consoles will improve the FIFA experience. But we'll soon start to find out, as EA Play early access began on Wednesday and those who preordered the Ultimate Edition can start playing Monday.

But if the gameplay and features turn out to be as impressive as advertised, FIFA 22 could turn out to be one of the best games in the series. And it could have gamers locked in for the next year.

As an international powerhouse released every year, almost every little reveal FIFA trots out about the newest installment in a series tends to go viral. 

Take FIFA 22, for example. The official gameplay reveal trailer released about a month ago already has 2.5 million views on YouTube alone as of this writing.

It sure doesn't hurt that this is the first year the series really leverages the power of next-generation consoles to change gameplay as players know it, but it's hardly an anomaly. The official overall game reveal trailer from two months back? A gigantic 4.4 million views. 

This sort of trend extends to the most beloved game modes. And this year, one stands triumphant among the rest: Career mode. 

A quick look: 

More solo-oriented players will find a lot to love in that quick-hitter of a video. 

Players who want to take an overarching view and control of a club are free to create one as realistic or fictional to their heart's desire. Deep design customization systems for crests, kits and stadiums mean a personal touch that most sports games don't boast with similar modes. 

After that, the video touches on the extensive goal options for a club. Players can choose to start the journey from the bowels of the sport and work their way up or just jump right into the fray as a world-renowned contender. Either way, the suite of options, goals and rewards seems robust. 

Keep in mind that's just one half of Career mode; the other is a solo-player-slanted journey.

As the video stresses, a revamped set of match goals for a player's created avatar spurs progression. There's an overhauled, deeper-looking system here that rewards players for time invested both on the pitch during games, as well as practice sessions. A robust skill tree looks like it will present players with a variety of build options, giving a distinct feel and role for different created avatars. 

The topper to the whole video? It even dives a bit into the presentation side of things, revealing new cinematics in the locker room and on the pitch, alongside fitting commentary, based on the status of the player's career. It's a little thing, but it goes a long way for the immersion, and it's clear this is something that needed a little extra juice from the power of next-generation consoles. 

Some of the things the video doesn't touch on will be of great interest to Career mode players, too. For example, a developer diary touches on the differing board goals based on where a player chooses to position a freshly created club: 

"Note that domestic and regional priorities will be influenced by your team's star rating as well. For example, if you start a career with a 3 star club in LaLiga and a High Priority Domestic objective, you will have an objective to avoid relegation in the first season, given that your team is one of the weakest rated teams in the league, and a long term objective for a top 4 finish in 4 years."

Board expectations will fuel club growth and potential as a player takes control after the creation process. Modifying those goals will be an intensely individual experience for each player, which is just one example of the depth presented in this mode. 

Over in the player-oriented Career mode, one of the specifics the video didn't hit on was the how behind the game automatically generating some player-based goals each match. According to the same diary, it's generated based on three factors: position, quality of teams on the pitch and formations. 

A deeper look at that third and final point: 

"If you’re a striker facing a strong defensive force in a 5-4-1 formation you can have a harder time scoring compared to a 3-4-3 formation, and FIFA 22 acknowledges that. The game also acknowledges your squad’s formation. If you’re the lone forward in the squad without a striker partner, you won’t receive any objectives to make assists."

So, if it all works properly, there should be a deep, simulation feel to the goals a player has to tackle on a match-to-match basis. That makes the initial decision to start as a sub off the bench or straight-up superstar during the creation process even more important, plus it makes the whole experience feel even more natural. 

Keep in mind this only dials in and focuses on one game mode in a robust-looking FIFA 22 release. The online competitive side, arcade-styled showdowns in Volta football and the collector's dream mode FUT (FIFA Ultimate Team) all get significant upgrades this year in addition to dramatic gameplay overhauls. 

From the sound of it, though, the two versions of Career mode have the feel of an experience with deep systems that will again provide one of the best sports simulations out there. Players can find out for themselves when the game launches on October 1. 

It's no great shock the FIFA 22 roll-out from EA Sports focuses so heavily on the gameplay side of the experience. 

This year's game is, after all, the first one in the series with revamped mechanics and features fully leaning into the power of the next generation of consoles. 

EA Sports has used this additional power to change on-pitch gameplay as fans have come to know it forever. The Hypermotion system, motion captures, advances in A.I. and a system that spits out player reactions and behavior on the fly promises big things. 

Some of that gets a spotlight in recent gameplay videos:

That big revamp atop the usual and expected upgrades across various game modes has the October 1 release looking like the most-hyped entry in the series in a long time. 

On the game-mode front, FUT (FIFA Ultimate Team) gets some major changes. A new structure to divisional brackets means a better-feeling sense of progression for players each season. As they climb, they'll pass checkpoints that make sure they don't fall back out of a bracket. New reward systems, refreshed each season, plus added customization to stadiums and teams, means the collector's paradise will once again be a dominant mode. 

For those who don't want to dip toes into FUT, Career mode might be the place they spend the most time this year. 

Both Manager Career and Player Career have received notable upgrades. In the former, players are free to pick any league for their new team, set priorities and go through an extensive customization process, which is especially upgraded in the stadium section. 

Player Career might be even more interesting. Players will now have the option to sub into a match from the bench. It almost sounds silly, but it's another layer of realism for those who want to simulate an up-and-coming player's journey. Along the way, managers will expect players to accomplish goals, and assigned grades will lead to rewards and progression. Said progression features a reworked skill tree and perks set aimed at giving players even more control over the nuances of a skill set and role within a club. 

Some of the next-generation horsepower makes its presence felt in Player Career, too, with more realistic broadcast elements, as explained by a developer diary: 

"On PlayStation5, Xbox Series X|S, and Stadia these accomplishments aren't just celebrated in the news, we've also added pre-match intro sequences in which the commentator team will pick up on what you have achieved. New cinematics such as new team warm up sequences, locker room moments, teams inspecting the pitch as well as the groundskeeper making last minute preparations will build up the tension for important matches ahead. If your team is underperforming in an important match, you might even see the crowd leaving early!"

For fans of a more arcade-ish slant, rest assured Volta football didn't go ignored this year. In fact, it gets one of the most important feature overhauls of all impacting gameplay thanks to the addition of a new Skill Meter. 

While basic, it sounds like a game-changer—players will receive goal multipliers when building up this new meter. Whether it's through tricks, proper defense or something else, a single goal can now be worth quite a bit more based on the skill meter. 

That's not the only big mixup coming to Volta, either, per a developer diary: "Signature Abilities are brand new, easy-to-use, game-changing abilities for you to trigger during a match. Whether you want to slam home thundering shots from anywhere on the pitch, blow past opponents with lightning pace, or rattle bones with crunching tackles, Signature Abilities are there to help."

New super abilities, one in the form of defense, one on offense and another that lets stats like speed surpass the 99 thresholds, should breathe even more life into an already-fun, non-simulation experience. 

Like some of the other biggest sports titles on the market, FIFA 22 clearly wants to appeal to as many players as possible. And this year's edition should do that for solo, competitive, arcade, simulation or collector-type players, all with critical gameplay upgrades in the backdrop.

Deathloop wants to throw would-be players for a loop—in the best way possible.  

The latest supernatural action and mystery effort from developer Arkane Studios exhibits plenty of the traits found in previous, beloved efforts like Dishonored and Prey.

It drops the player into the world of Blackreef, where they're stuck in a vicious timeloop and set loose. 

Deathloop, like other entries from Arkane, offers players a mind-boggling number of ways to tackle an objective. This time it's housed in the structure of a timed task—and other players from around the world can hop in to try to stop the player with force via some innovative multiplayer options. 

Innovative fun sums up Deathloop well, though two words can hardly do it justice.

    

Graphics and Gameplay

Veterans of Arkane games know the deal here—Deathloop isn't going for stunning realism. It leans more into the cartoon side and looks gorgeous for it. 

The game is one of the more colorful and detailed available. Colt, the protagonist, has details all over his attire, even early in the game. And each environment is stuffed with eye-catching objects. One early place features a library overflowing with books, pages and other details, while another boasts a variety of casino machines, snazzy carpets and artistic-looking lights. 

Color and lighting is a big part of Deathloop's immersive triumph. There's nothing uninteresting in the game to look at. Every corner of each area boasts colorful locales with superb lighting and shadow effects that really set the mood. 

The best part? The game knows it. Early on when Colt just wants to learn his name, he's walking around an environment sprawled with bright cursive writing across objects that mock his predicament and offer clues. 

Sound design is a big plus. The voice actors for the main characters nailed the parts, even if the writing at times is a little hammy (it's supposed to be). Weapons pack a punch, bones break, sci-fi gadgets pop and the music kicks up when things are at their most dramatic. 

Players can explore four big areas of the map, each at different times of day, to provide meaningful change. They're varied, distinct and packed with secrets worth uncovering. 

So much so, it's easy to get sidetracked exploring the world instead of engaging in the and story. It doesn't help that combat itself can feel stiff, especially when using guns—this isn't a Destiny or Call of Duty feel to the gunplay by any means. 

As with other Arkane games, players will get out of the gameplay what they put into it. Sure, Colt can slingshot over a building, sending a gadget off to deal with a group of bads on one side of an alley, while shooting another and landing to crack the neck of the last guy for big style points. 

But it's cool if players don't want to play that way. The game is still probably most when played as stealthily as possible. Players get a nailgun and perks to play in a sneaky manner. It's not hard to see how or when Colt might get discovered while in stealth, though it does shine a light on some old-feeling A.I. who might forget some of their friends are missing and go back to a normal routine. 

But even that's second to simple exploration thanks to the leads system. This is how players progress the story while stuck in a loop. Find a clue or "lead" and move up to the next one. A lead uncovered in one area at a time of day might lead to another one becoming available in a different area later that day. It's fun to go clue hunting, almost without worry about combat at all. 

The big goal, though, is breaking the loop. To do that, Colt must mow down big bads dubbed The Visionaries in a certain amount of time. He'll come across a whole host of weapons and gadgets that help him accomplish this feat. 

One of those is the memorable Strelak Sapper Charge that has three modes—grenade, proximity and tripwire. Also aboard for the ride is the Hackamajig, which lets Colt unlock doors and other items, plus create environmental distractions to break up guards and sneak past.

Players are eventually able to retain gear and carry it over to the next loop. It's satisfying to build one cycle atop the other, using the routes learned and secrets uncovered to do even better on a subsequent run after Colt's day starts over. 

The multiplayer wrinkle is a fun experience at times, too. Narratively speaking, Julianna is an antagonist whose goal is to stop Colt from breaking the loop. She'll "invade" Colt's loop, and her only objective is simple enough—kill him and preserve the loop. 

Playing as either Colt or Julianna is a quick and thrilling take on multiplayer action. The game and world was seemingly built for solo Colt-players only first, so at times it can feel overwhelming to suddenly have a human invader who doesn't match the tendencies of the A.I. But it's good fun and if it's not a player's favorite element, options provide an out. 

Players do have control over which Julianna invades and attacks. If set to singleplayer, it's just an A.I. There's also an option to leave the door wide open for anyone from the online realm to take up the role of attacker, or limit it to friends only. 

Besides the almost silly amount of player freedom and dense environments, Deathloop is an amazing experience largely because of the PlayStation 5's new vibration technology on the controller. It's maybe the best use of it we've seen yet, whether it's creative feedback during gunfights or rumbling while a radio message comes in over the controller's speaker. 

       

Story and More

Deathloop's saga is engrossing from the jump because it's a fun mystery, Colt is an endearing protagonist and it's so well intertwined with the actual gameplay. 

Colt wakes up to discover, alongside the player, that he's stuck in a timeloop where everyone knows more than he does, and he must break the loop. 

Colt is a player surrogate done well. He doesn't know what is going on (and boy does he let that be known) as the game picks up in media res. He washes up on a beach after his "death" and the narrative from there means plenty of good world-building to flesh out the narrative in a way that isn't overdone and obvious. He's learning as the player does, which makes it all the more fun. 

What follows is a great story with noteworthy payoffs and some memorable characters. If that sounds like a Dishonored romp, it pretty much is—on a next-gen system with a unique gameplay loop, for lack of a better term.

Players needn't worry about time constraints due to the nature of the story. There isn't an overarching clock always ticking in the player's face. Time technically only "passes" when Colt travels in the tunnels or dies. Otherwise, booting up a section of the island gives the player unlimited time to explore it without story ramifications. It's a nice workaround, provided players don't think too much about how it can break the immersion a bit. 

Where Deathloop struggles is with complexity and user-friendliness. There are tutorials, but the sheer amount of options for players to equip, level up and do leads to some intimidating menu systems. 

It's nice that a player's hand isn't held and they're turned loose in this big sandbox to have a blast. However, there's a steep learning curve thanks to a cluttered menu system. Complicated controls to juggle all of this, including dual-wielding, keep the curve steep. 

For example, weapons come in different colors. There are gray, blue, purple and gold rarity. The distinctions aren't just dressing, either. Gray guns can jam in the middle of combat, forcing the player to address the issue. Purple and above come with random perks. Gold are rare but worth finding. 

There are also Slabs that grant what one might call superpowers. One, for example, permits Colt to fling around enemies via something resembling a Force throw. And Trinkets modify guns or the player's character and come with one of three levels of rarity, such as additional perks for guns or Colt's abilities, such as jumping. 

As a blend of singleplayer and multiplayer, droves of cosmetics and the like make it into the experience as well. It's nice these don't impact gameplay, at least for now, and look good too, but it's another thing on the pile. 

None of which is to say Deathloop isn't fun. It's actually incredibly rewarding to push up the learning curve and reach a peak of competency that will provide players with a smirk as they unleash carnage in creative ways. 

It's a similar story for overall progress, not just how fluidly a player can make a string of kills or sneaky feats look. The leads system is a brilliant way to push a sense of ever-increasing progression while the narrative reaches for peaks of its own.

    

Speedrunning Tips

Like Dishonored games, the best way to get through Deathloop fast is to go fast. 

It sounds simple, but players attempting speedruns here won't post competitive times by waiting around and trying to get through things undetected and/or with perfect stealth. 

Luckily for would-be runners, the game gives players plenty of firepower and options pretty much right from the opening gun. It's not difficult to start mowing through the opposition that gets in the way with some practiced aim with the game's mechanics and understanding of the early powers available.

Colt doesn't have a ton of health that enables him to get into big firefights constantly, but smart engagements and proper use of cover and routing through levels means quickly getting to where the plot needs the player to go. 

As such, equipping the best possible weapons, damage-dealing perks and offensive and movement abilities for traversal is a must. There aren't a ton of big scenes or dialogues to skip, it's a simple matter of practicing routing through levels for memorization and efficiency purposes. 

There's a very high skill ceiling in Deathloop, which is what will make this such a big speedrunning hit via streaming. Watching a player take it down in quick and creative ways is sure to be a visual treat that encourages onlookers to join the fray, too.  

    

Conclusion

As bold as any release over the last two years or more, Deathloop is a fun romp through a beautiful world with characters to match. The marriage of narrative and gameplay strikes a balance most games can't match in a can't-put-it-down sort of way.

And as intimidating and overwhelming as Deathloop can be at times, it's refreshing to not have a player's hand held through every single little thing. There's no battle pass, endless tutorials and training-wheels segments. 

Deathloop is a good example of where next-generation games will really make headway—innovation. It doesn't feel like sheer visuals will boost much from here. But things like the PS5's rumble tech built into the controller, and this game's creative timeloop mechanic and blend of single and multiplayer represent where the next generation might make serious headway. 

And if that's the case, Deathloop sets quite a high bar. Or, a new loop that others will have to overcome. 

You may not have the skills to go up against the likes of Candace Parker, A'ja Wilson, Nneka Ogwumike and others on the court, but NBA 2K22 is giving gamers the opportunity to do so in the virtual world. 

The popular video game franchise is expanding the WNBA options in this year's edition for through The W.

NBA 2K22 revealed new features on Thursday that will allow gamers to control a player both on and off the court for a more authentic experience on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Many of the new developments focus on the new badge progression system, which helps players progress with badges and development points in the categories of finishing, shooting, playmaking and defense.

What's more, players can participate in off-day activities that include scrimmages, team practices and contact workouts.

All three playable modes will help players improve their games and work toward badge progression, but the contact workouts will let gamers form connections with some of the league's biggest stars by challenging them to matchups or even teaming up in workouts.

Contacts such as Parker and Wilson have different specialized skills, which will in turn help players improve those respective badge categories.

Elsewhere, the W Online will let players join their friends for matches and earn Season XP, prizes and rewards by competing and succeeding in games.

It is notable these developments in The W mode come in NBA 2K22 because Parker will grace the cover of the game. The Chicago Sky star is the first woman to be on the cover of the game and discussed what it meant to her when the news was revealed in July:

Shaq's reaction to finding out that Candace is on the cover of @NBA2K 🤣

Full interview: https://t.co/9ubdcTYVCj https://t.co/CHnZQGcaU0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 14, 2021

Parker is one of the best WNBA players in league history and has two MVP awards, a championship, a WNBA Finals MVP, two Olympic gold medals, a Defensive Player of the Year award, nine All-WNBA selections and six All-Star selections on her illustrious resume.

Fans will have the chance to take on Parker and others on the virtual court in the new and immersive WNBA mode when NBA 2K22 is released on Friday, Sept. 10.

When details of Madden NFL 21 were released a year ago, longtime fans of the football video game series were disappointed. Franchise mode was mostly being ignored, and there weren't enough upgrades to justify buying the newest edition.

But EA Sports laid out plans to make the series better, which included substantial improvements to franchise mode. Some of those came via updates to Madden 21, but many were going to have to wait for Madden 22.

As of Friday, Madden NFL 22 is here. And as EA Sports indicated, franchise was the mode that received the most attention. There were still changes to other areas of the game, which was needed with the series making its debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. But much of the attention was placed on franchise mode.

However, are these upgrades enough to make Madden 22 a substantially better game than its predecessor? There are varied opinions on the matter.

Kat Bailey of IGN, who scored Madden 22 at 6 out of 10, wrote that the results of EA Sports' focus on franchise mode upgrades are "decent, if a bit mixed." While there are new features such as staff management (with talent trees and skill points), improved game plans and a more developed story engine, there's more work that could be done.

"Madden's franchise mode lacks that joyful sense of wish fulfillment that accompanies the best career modes, its rigidity betraying Madden's overall lack of verve and creativity," Bailey wrote.

Bailey also had criticisms of other modes, noting that Face of the Franchise is "short, pointless and ugly" and that the redesigned hub is an "eyesore."

GameSpot's Richard Wakeling was more generous with his Madden 22 rating, giving the game a 7 out of 10. He even called this year's edition of the game a "recent high point for the series."

While Wakeling praised the changes to franchise mode, he also believes Face of the Franchise needs to be better, stating that the career mode "tells a dull story with unrewarding gameplay." Wakeling's other big issue with Madden 22 is technical, with glitches preventing the game from running the way it should.

Mark Delaney of GamesRadar also gave Madden 22 a 7 out of 10, while Anthony J. Nash of Windows Central scored the game a 4 out of 5. So while this isn't a perfect football video game, things do seem a bit more positive than some recent years.

Although the critics have mostly been positive, the fans rating the game on Metacritic have not. It seems that plenty of people who play the series are still expecting a lot more improvement and fewer issues. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X editions have user scores of 0.9 out of 10 (though both also have under 200 ratings at the time of publishing).

It's possible the fans' early ratings are tanking the score lower than it should be. But we may not know the general consensus until more people are voicing their opinions of the game once they have had more time to play it.

Still, it's clear that Madden 22, no matter how many upgrades and improvements there are, could be a better football video game.

"It's smoother and marginally more refined, but in so many ways, it's the same old Madden," Bailey wrote. "In short, if you're hoping for a massive leap forward for the series on the new generation of consoles (or on the old ones), you're apt to be disappointed."

Maybe there's enough of a foundation here that Madden will be getting better in the years to come. Only time will tell.

About a year ago, Ghost of Tsushima took the video game landscape by storm, offering an all-timer of an experience and one of the best console exclusives left standing. 

Fast forward to August 2021, developer Sucker Punch Productions is back with the game's first major bit of DLC (on the heels of an extremely fun multiplayer update) wrapped up in a neat package dubbed Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut.

The DLC itself, Iki Island, expands greatly on the game's universe, the main character, Jin Sakai, and offers up more of that open-world goodness that had us calling it one of the best games of its generation in our official review.

Add in some major enhancements courtesy of the PlayStation 5's next-generation capabilities and some quality-of-life changes that carry over into the main game, and Sucker Punch boasts one of the best releases for a second consecutive year.

                     

Graphics and Gameplay

Visually and from an immersion standpoint, the original Ghost of Tsushima was a jaw-dropping affair that few have come close to matching.

The base game's journey took Jin to all sorts of locales, from lush jungles with sunlight cutting through the trees and areas with leaves kicking up underfoot to mountaintops with some of the best-looking snow out there. The inhabitants were realistic, and the sound design was superb.

So it shouldn't come as any surprise to hear that visually and immersionwise, the new slice of land opened up to players is just as gorgeous and varied as the lands found in the base game. It's occasionally a little darker to fit the narrative, and the soundtrack itself is a little more subdued, but a stunning field of violet and pink flowers swaying in the breeze—all subject to the ever-changing day/night/weather cycle—is just a few paths away.

The introduction to the island itself is one of those breathtaking cinematic moments right up there with, say, leaving the vault for the first time in a modern Fallout epic. It's downright stunning and worth experiencing. As is cutting loose and exploring the island's wonders.

Similarly, gameplay is again a strong point. Combat remains centered around a counter and/or parry system based on what sort of attack an enemy uses. Sprinkle in a variety of battle stances that are strong or weak against certain enemies, droves of upgrades and different equippable ranged items like bows, and it isn't long before Jin is deftly slashing and assassinating his way through proceedings at no great difficulty to the player.

Fun gameplay wrinkles found in the expansion include an ability to charge up and mow down enemies via horseback, no matter how big the foe or nasty the weapon. It comes at the cost of resolve and feels a little on the arcade side of the coin, but it's there for those who argued the base game was too grounded.

By far the biggest change on this front, though, is within the combat itself thanks to the introduction of the Shaman enemy type.

While the Shaman chants, all other enemies within range become harder to defeat. It's a fun way to help encounters on the island feel fresh. Not only do players have to keep an eye out for pesky archers, now they have to weigh whether to attempt to cut down the Shaman with others in hot pursuit.

As such, difficulty gets amped up when on Iki island too. Enemies under the spell of a Shaman are no joke, no matter how souped-up Jin is from his base game journey. Luckily for players, the option to toggle on a lock-on system is part of the sweeping upgrades found here, and even without it, the camera seems to behave even better. These weren't problems with the base game by any means, but the inclusion doesn't hurt.

Stealth doesn't seem overly changed, but it's worth pointing out that this is an absolute blast of a way to play, whether it's tackling one small little camp or taking on a big set piece-type area. Enemy detection still feels fair, and as a whole, it's incredibly rewarding.

Also rewarding is having the option to reset conquered camps. It's another little check in the replayability column for those who can't get enough of the gameplay.

For those who didn't experience the game the first time around, enjoy—it's a prime offering of gaming done right. This is especially true on the combat front (and layers of difficulty options help reach all audiences), as the horse riding and traversal isn't always as stellar. But the tandem of presentation and gory combat grounded in a real-world setting with a gripping narrative is one of those "wish I could experience it for the first time again" things.

            

Story and More

The Iki Island DLC is a lesson in add-on content done right.

Storywise, it starts off simple enough. There's a splinter group of baddies scouting the mainland where the base game takes place. Villagers are harmed, and away the narrative goes.

Distressed by what he sees, Jin elects for a power move—he hops on a boat and goes on a one-man mission to shut down the invasion. It's an especially jarring decision considering some of the traumatic moments he's experienced on that island in the past.

Once there, Jin quickly encounters The Eagle and her tribe, which utilizes a poison to enforce its will. This point is something that plays a major driving force in the story, which is accessible after Act 1 of the base game.

Narratively, it fits in amazingly well. The events on the island feel crucial to the overall happenings in the game and region. If one didn't know any better, you could just guess the entire expansion was part of the original release—it's that seamless.

Perhaps more importantly, the story this expansion weaves adds incredible depth to Jin's character (and he was pretty cookie-cutter in the base game, so this great). It hits on major details of his life that were merely touched upon in the base story. It's done so well that it enhances the entire game's story if played from the beginning.

One funny, refreshing story beat that mixes up the feel of the expansion? The folks on the island don't much care for samurai, so that respected aura most in the base game treat Jin with is gone, leaving some amazing characterization of the island's inhabitants to fill that void.

If there's a detriment—and it might be the only one—it's the way the poison can figure into the gameplay at times. We won't go too hard here for the sake of spoilers, but the way it's used can sometimes come off as distracting or cause the player to miss information.

Iki Island isn't the biggest place, but it just feels good to pop open a map in this game and see it clouded over and begging to be explored. New challenges include archery ranges and a must-play dueling arena, which is exactly what it sounds like.

Ghost of Tsushima gets a big performance upgrade in terms of resolution (4K) and frames per second (60). Elsewhere on the technical front, it was simple to import a save from a playthrough on the PlayStation 4, along with trophies. Along those lines, this game still sets the bar high in terms of customizable options, whether it's difficulty, accessibility or something else.

By far the biggest upgrade, though, is the haptic feedback on the PlayStation 5 controller. The vibration technology has been epic on releases like Returnal, and it's no exception here.

From emulating the character's heartbeat during intense cinematics to different levels of vibrations based on the type of surface being traversed on horseback (e.g., dirt vs. a wooden bridge), the effect on the experience is profound. It should go without saying, but it adds a dramatic weight to combat too.

Really, the base game was already equipped with many of these options and an extremely deep universe that was perhaps the best mashup of open-world ideas executed we have ever seen, even matching or besting something like Red Dead Redemption 2. The Director's Cut sprinkles in tweaks and takes advantage of hardware upgrades, making the final product all the more impressive and enhancing its status as a must-play.

                          

Conclusion

Does Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut qualify for Game of the Year honors? Because it should—the base game felt like a next-generation game come early, and it had no problem standing alongside Sony's other exclusive heavy hitters as one of the best releases of the past few years, if not decades.

In some ways, the Iki Island DLC is more of the same. But when that is a bar all other games will try to reach, there's nothing wrong with that. And the smooth additions—be it stunning new locales and presentation or small additions to mix up the near-perfect combat—only serve to enhance the experience.

The Director's Cut is the definitive Ghost of Tsushima experience and entry point for new players. But it's also the best-case example for how to handle add-on content, even on the narrative side, in the way it seamlessly complements the base game's story. That Sucker Punch delivered this while making the leap to next-generation consoles only makes the feat more impressive.

In a way that the base game was a fitting swansong for the PlayStation 4, the Director's Cut is a fitting hello to the PlayStation 5 as an industry benchmark and beacon to players of what the next generation can offer.

On Wednesday, NBA 2K unleashed a barrage of player ratings on social media, including the top 10 individual players.

After roughly two decades as the leader in this arena, the debates generated from days like this have become an annual tradition.

Who's too high? Who's too low? Who should leapfrog who?

Even this year, when nothing really egregious has been revealed, people all over the internet are asking questions like those.

But before we jump on that train, let's look at the top 10.

The Top 10 Players in 2K22 ⭐

Agree? #2KRatings pic.twitter.com/BEfMn7xkBk

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 18, 2021

NBA 2K hasn't provided a ton of ammo for heated debate yet. Actually, that top 10 is pretty safe. All are within two points of each other. And with as much talent as there is in the NBA right now, there are countless arguments to be made to move any (or at least most) of the above up or down.

But what is the internet for, if not nitpicking? Generally speaking, the ratings we've seen so far are probably fine, but here are some potential bones of contention.

      

No 99s (or 97s or 98s)

Steph is a 96 in 2K22 👨‍🍳

Agree or nah? #2KRatings pic.twitter.com/KX7WUaZM88

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 18, 2021

Again, what we've seen so far is pretty safe. And in the realm of video game player ratings, that's probably a good thing.

But Nigel Tufnel would be rolling over in his grave if he knew about NBA 2K's unwillingness to turn up the volume on these ratings.

"I don't understand why they don't actually give out 99s," Blue Wire Podcast's Ti Windisch wondered on Twitter. "What's the point of this? Why have a 99 in the game if [Kevin Durant] isn't there?"

The point is fair. Nobody's perfect, but where exactly are the faults in Durant's game? He can score from everywhere, create a little for others, defend on the perimeter and protect the rim.

Of course, he's not the best passer, rebounder or defender in the league, so 2K can probably defend holding him shy of 99, but was no one in the room feeling dangerous enough to push him to 97 or 98? And are there no arguments to do the same for the other 96s?

Giannis Antetokounmpo has won two of the last three regular-season MVPs, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2021 Finals MVP. He dropped 50 in the closeout game of a Finals in which he averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals. He's led the league in box plus/minus over the last three seasons (BPM is a "basketball box score-based metric that estimates a basketball player’s contribution to the team when that player is on the court," according to Basketball Reference).

He probably deserves to be dinged for the lack of shooting, but that hasn't stopped his dominance.

Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter of all time and just finished top three in MVP voting. Even LeBron James, who has ruled basketball for almost as long as NBA 2K has dominated its genre and was in the MVP conversation before an injury derailed him last season, thinks Curry should be higher.

Nah should be 99! 🤷🏾‍♂️

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 18, 2021

The decision to put them all at the same level is defensible, but a hint of boldness wouldn't have hurt.

       

Jokic Is in the Wrong Tier

The reigning MVP will be a 95 OVR 🃏

Agree? #2KRatings pic.twitter.com/B9MON1cjor

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 18, 2021

If the creators were intent on giving us a top tier instead of an individual top player, they probably should've included the reigning MVP.

Nikola Jokic just dominated a season in which offensive numbers from teams and players all over the league were off the charts. His 11.68 BPM was the ninth-highest mark for a single season in NBA history. LeBron, Michael Jordan, Curry and David Robinson are the only players with higher marks.

When compared to others in 2020-21, the distance between Jokic's mark and second place was the same as the distance between second and 12th.

This didn't come out of nowhere either. The 26-year-old point center has been dominant for half a decade. MJ and LeBron are the only players since 1973-74 (as far back as per-possession data is tracked) with higher career BPMs than Jokic.

Like Durant, Jokic checks basically every box. He has touch around the rim that few bigs across history have possessed. Throughout his career, he's been a sniper in the mid-range, and he just shot 38.8 percent from three.

He's the greatest big man passer of all time, can dominate the glass and has long been a plus-defender. Denver has allowed fewer points per 100 possessions when Jokic plays in five of his six seasons, thanks in large part to his quick hands and awareness. And over the course of his career, he's 10th in the league in defensive BPM.

Plenty of fans and analysts have long been skeptical of Jokic's overall impact, but 2020-21 should've put that to bed for everyone. Based on the numbers, it's hard to argue any player is definitively in a higher tier. Would it really be so hard to bump his rating up one point?

      

The Field is Catching Up to Curry's Shooting

The Top 3PT shooters in 2K22 🔋

Agree or nah? #2KRatings pic.twitter.com/2OSCH6lD2c

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 18, 2021

Curry is the greatest shooter of all time. And, in terms of legacy, the gap is probably growing between him and the field. If you had to pick one player to win a life-on-the-line three-point contest today, you'd probably pick Curry too.

But his influence on the game has led to an influx in phenomenal three-point shooters. This season, the league-average three-point percentage was 36.7. A whopping 39.2 percent of all field-goal attempts came from three. During Curry's rookie season, the average three-point percentage was 35.5 and the three-point-attempt rate was 22.2.

For efficiency to improve while volume has nearly doubled is pretty wild, and some of the players listed above have had a hand in pulling those numbers up.

There are 24 players in NBA history with 1,000-plus minutes, an average of at least six three-point attempts per 75 possessions and a 40-plus three-point percentage. Seventeen of those players are active. And Seth Curry, Joe Harris, Duncan Robinson and Klay Thompson are first, third, eighth and ninth, respectively, on that list in three-point percentage.

Putting Curry at 99 in three-point shooting is probably the right call. But nine points above Robinson, Harris and his younger brother? The game needs to juice up some three-point ratings.

        

Ben Simmons Is Suddenly Underrated

First look at @Patty_Mills 🇦🇺

What do you think of the ANZ player ratings? #2KRatings pic.twitter.com/SWDL98EjWl

— 2K ANZ (@2K_ANZ) August 18, 2021

Fair or not, Ben Simmons passing up what appeared to be a wide-open dunk in a high-pressure, playoff fourth quarter may be the defining moment of his career. Over the last four games of the Philadelphia 76ers' second-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, he was a whopping 0-of-0 from the field in fourth quarters.

His complete aversion to scoring became a massive liability for Philadelphia, and it spiraled into an offseason full of trade rumors.

And with his most recent exploits in the playoffs fresh on everyone's minds, his trade value appears to be in line with how NBA 2K's developers feel about his abilities.

Simmons does everything but score from outside the paint. And while that's a glaring weakness, it probably isn't enough drop the Defensive Player of the Year finalist all the way down to an 84.

In terms of pure talent, he's better than that. And on a team built around his strengths, where he can get to the paint before spraying out to one of four shooters, his weakness wouldn't glare quite as brightly.

         

Advanced statistics via Basketball Reference, Stathead and Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise noted.

With Madden NFL coming out on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X for the first time, the popular EA Sports title is heading into a new era. And considering this is the first football video game on this generation of consoles, it needs to live up to the hype.

Although Madden 22 isn't fully released until Friday, those who preordered either the MVP or Dynasty editions of the game were able to start playing Tuesday.

Many reviewers are waiting to score Madden 22 until after its full release, which also gives EA Sports time to bring out updates to fix any bugs or glitches. Still, it hasn't taken long for some people to share their opinions of this year's iteration. And most have had generally positive things to say.

Bleacher Report's Chris Roling described the newest edition of Madden in a way that seems fitting:

"Madden NFL 22 is the best recent game in the series, though the bar to clear wasn't especially high. It's disappointing to not see a bigger leap across the board with the game running on next-generation consoles. Call it an Andy Dalton effect—it can get the job done, but it's hard not to wonder if EA Sports could be more ambitious."

The most notable upgrades and improvements in this year's game are in franchise mode, which is a welcome development for longtime fans. It had been mostly ignored for a few years, which finally changed with some updates in Madden 21.

Now, Madden 22 has taken those upgrades another step forward. There's a new staff management system that includes talent trees and skill points, better ways to establish a game plan for an upcoming matchup and a redesigned hub. Plus, an overhaul to the scouting system is expected to be added further down the line, possibly in September, per EA Sports.

And it seems that these upgrades to franchise mode are among the bright spots of Madden 22, based on a review by Mark Delaney of GamesRadar.

"While other modes have few new layers to get excited for and the story engine and stamina system will need tweaks in the weeks ahead, the core improvements to what has always been the diehards' preferred mode should be seen as commendable, albeit delayed, fan service," Delaney wrote.

Brian Shea of Game Informer expressed a similar sentiment, providing even more optimism for the future of Madden franchise mode.

"It's still not the full step that fans wanted going into Madden NFL 21, but with all of the changes from last year's post-launch updates added in, plus a promised scouting update tentatively scheduled for next month, the mode is slowly getting there," Shea wrote.

Although most reviewers haven't yet scored Madden 22, Anthony J. Nash of Windows Central gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. Considering recent editions of the game had fewer positives coming out of the initial reviews, it seems this year's Madden is a big step in the right direction.

Now that Madden has entered the PS5 and Xbox Series X era, there should be plenty for EA Sports to build off of moving forward.

Another year of Madden NFL is here, which means it's time to power up those consoles and hop onto the virtual gridiron in what has become an annual summer tradition. This year, football fans can experience the game on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X for the first time.

Madden NFL 22 will be released worldwide Friday. If you need help deciding whether or not to buy this year's edition of the game, there are already plenty of reviews out from those who preordered either the MVP or Dynasty Editions and could play the game starting Tuesday. So, what exactly are these reviewers saying about this new era of Madden?

Let's start with franchise mode, as that's what many people were most excited for in Madden 22. Last year, EA Sports hadn't intended to provide many new features to franchise in Madden 21, and the social media reaction to that decision was loud.

In response, Madden 21 applied some midseason updates to improve franchise mode, but there was always an expectation that a more substantial overhaul would be coming in Madden 22. And according to Mark Delaney of GamesRadar+, EA Sports has come through for the fans.

"The exciting thing is that now Franchise will enjoy a similar rollout of content [to Madden Ultimate Team], but even on day one, franchise is the best it's been in years," Delaney wrote.

Among the upgrades to franchise mode are the reintroduction of staff management (now with talent trees and skill points), improved weekly game plans and an updated story engine that Delaney mentioned needed refinement. Sometimes, the cutscenes you get featuring players and coaches may not always make the most sense, considering the context of your season.

Most features in this year's game are included in all versions. However, the new Dynamic Gameday presentation is exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X, and it's clear that these take Madden gameplay to the next level.

"This year, Madden focuses on making the atmosphere of the game feel more true to life," Brian Shea of Game Informer wrote. "In that regard, the title is largely successful. New spectator animations deliver a stronger sense of realism and presence, and the remastered crowd sound makes those big moments in games feel more impactful."

There's also a momentum meter and home-field advantage boosts that can impact the game, making things even closer to what football is actually like. Plus, NFL Next Gen Stats have been implemented into the game, improving the quality of the broadcast and the information displayed.

While many reviews have waited to give Madden 22 an official grade at this point, Anthony J. Nash of Windows Central gave this year's game four out of five stars and had mostly positive things to say about it.

"Madden NFL 22 injects some much needed improvements into a series that was dangerously close to growing stale," Nash wrote. "Coupled with some big changes to core modes, Madden NFL 22 elevates itself into one of the best from the long-running series."

So it sure seems like it's worth checking out Madden 22, especially if you have one of the new-generation consoles.