So, getting into a huddle with twenty or so of your closest friends and enemies is not a thing at the moment. Social distancing makes that tackle a little tough, as you cannot politely ask someone to smash their face into the ground and drop the ball. Therefore, it is time to look for some quality sporting action on our consoles. Here we explore what the reviews say about those sports games that are a hit in 2020.
1. Madden NFL 20
The Madden NFL series has become something of a franchise of their own. The developers have worked hard to make progress every year and in 2020 there is a whole load of feature updates to keep you interested. There is the same football manager dynamic but with some other features, like the QB story mode, which allows you to create a QB to dominate college football and get drafted into the NFL. You will be expected to make some difficult calls in the progression of your star’s career, both on and off the field.
This is a fantasy sports dream – but at the core, you will be challenging your friends through the season on the field of play.
2. PES 2020
More soccer than football – maybe the MSL has grabbed your heart and you want to see some of the world’s stars rendered in incredible detail. Not only do you feel like you are controlling the real player because of the graphical quality but the game also replicates common errors and their first-touch techniques. This is just mind-blowing.
3. NHL 20
How about some shoulder on shoulder hockey action? Surely you have missed planting someone’s face into the glass barrier? A lot of the material in this game is based on some of the other bigger games’ titles such as Madden NFL, but this is no bad thing really. You get to assemble your squad and send out your superstar players to see how they fare.
4. UFC 4
Seriously, it has taken us this long to get to a fight game? But UFC 4 was worth the wait, as this is like nothing you will ever see in the world of versus game mode. There are over 5000 fighting animations and there is realism to the bouts that makes this MMA game pretty brutal.
What do reviewers seem to like the most? Well there is the chance to create your customisable UFC fighter with their personal signature moves. There is also the story mode where you can attempt to become the greatest of all time. Personally, we like the man on man action and the expelling of some of that inner aggression – all in good fun though, of course!
5. MLB The Show 19
Major League Baseball seem to have struggled more than most to come back after the pandemic, with the games stacking up. Therefore, it might be best to get your action via a games console. There is a great new moments mode that allows you to recreate some of the greatest baseball moments from throughout history. However, there is also the RPG element, which allows you to build your star players career on and off the field.
6. TGC 2019 featuring PGA Tour
This is a great golf game and there are lots of courses that are designed to keep the challenges fresh. There are lots of flash bangs within this game to keep you intrigued but at its core it is the physics that commands respect. The response of the choices you make creates a realistic reaction on the fairway and the green. Therefore, you genuinely have to think like a golfer. There are a host of single-player modes but this game comes alive when you take it online and play against the world. You can try to rise through the ranks of the PGA tour – which is new in this version!
7. F1 2019
A racing game has lots of excitement to offer to a console game. However, this game takes you on and off the track. If you have ever been privy to the inner workings of Formula 1, you will know that it is awash in politics and intrigue. This spice adds a wonder dimension to your journey through a racing season. There are all the teams, drivers and circuits from the 2019 season to keep you interested.
8. Session
It would be wrong not to include a skateboarding game in this list – it is afterall soon to be an Olympic sport. While Tony Hawkes is still the master that all other games seek to overcome, here we have a game that can be played until it is mastered. It is arcade-style, meaning repetitive, but the point is to master the technical skill to achieve maximum points.
You will be astonished by the realistic physics and you will delight at being able to pull off some pretty extreme tricks. The learning curve is insane – but one that it will take a whole summer in lockdown to master. We have the time.
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