The Recycle Bin

One day away from the season opener and A.J. Green, arguably the best player on the UGA roster, does not know if he will play. I did not realize that he was in trouble; or at least being investigated.

Seems like the Dawgs just cannot stay out of trouble.

You have to like Branden Smith’s attitude.

“I’ve been wanting to play punt return ever since I got up here,” he said.

He said he takes a three-pronged approach to the job: “The No. 1 thing is catching the ball. No. 2 is holding on to the ball. And No. 3 is just do my thing. With my speed and the blocking up front, it should not be that hard.”

Never heard someone describe returning punts as easy.

Go Dawgs!

I will have to get my arms around these predictions over the long weekend, after all the final roster moves are made. In their team-by-team previews, ESPN has the Falcons taking the NFC South (3 experts predicted 1st, while 2 predicted 2nd).

I am just not sure that the Saints have done anything to show that they cannot repeat as the division champion. The Falcons should be much improved and I agree with the article’s final comment/breakdown:

It all boils down to this: In the end, it’s about the defensive front. The Falcons can talk all they want about their improved secondary and the speed at linebacker. That’s true, but the fate of this defense rests on the front four. If the Falcons really hope to slow New Orleans’ passing game or Carolina’s running game, they’ve got to be better up front. They’re getting defensive tackle Peria Jerry back from injury, and third-round pick Corey Peters looks like he can be a force in the middle. Team those guys with Jonathan Babineaux, and the Falcons might be all right in the interior and that might even help the defensive ends. But John Abraham, Kroy Biermann and Lawrence Sidbury have to generate more of a pass rush than last season if this defense is really going to improve.

So far this preseason (which is probably not worth a lot or a great indicator of regular season success), Biermann has looked very good, and except for the Pats game, the defense has shown improvement.

Go Falcons!

There was a thread over on the PlayStation boards about rating PSN content, which of course got me thinking and writing about reviews and rating systems. What follows is what I posted, which I think is worth a second look here.

On a 5 point/star system, I typically think of scores as meaning:

1. = piss poor
2. = poor, but may have some redeeming value epically to fans of the genera
3. = average game, certainly worth a rental, but maybe only a purchase at a discount from full retail price
4. = above average game, with something that holds it back from being the best of the best
5. = great game; glad I own it, played it, may even play it again, well worth the money, etc

At one point in my reviewing days I switched to a “pass, rent, buy” system.

Ratings (and reviews) are so subjective that in my opinion they are meaningless unless you know who is rating the game. Do they typically rate higher than everyone else? Lower? In the case of PSN ratings, what percentage of down-loaders actually rate the games?

With all that said, I use the ratings as an “interesting” base point. So for example, if I am unsure or unfamiliar with something, I may look at the PSN rating and then head over to metacritic to get some general opinions on the game, what it is like, and what I may or may not like about a game.

These days most sites cannot get away with not rating a game with a score for fear of retribution – no listing in the various databases, which means no incoming links, and ultimately lower advertising revenue. And it is my opinion that the gaming masses are lazy; they probably just skip to the score. Of course I have no basis to prove this, but it is not as if my opinion can be wrong.

Was the Falcons 28-10 home loss at the hands of the Patriots an aberration, or a sign of things to come when the Falcons play top notch talent? It is only preseason, but …

• Falcons were a mess on run defense. How can tackle old legs Fred Taylor after getting him bottled up at the line of scrimmage?
• Maybe getting Dunta Robinson on the field will help with the pass defense. Brady was 10-12, with 85 yards and 1 TD. That was against the Falcons first team defense.
• Ryan moved the ball well during his three possessions, but Atlanta’s first team offense only managed 3 points, off two field goal attempts.
• I am pulling for FG kicker Matt Bryant, however he continues to look inconsistent, making a 46 yard FG, and missing a 47 yard FG.
• I am not sure that anyone tracks this, but Roddy White did not help Ryan’s cause, dropping at least 2-3 passes.

There were a couple of bright spots …

• I think the Falcons look really good when Ryan runs the hurry up offense. They need to figure out how to really incorporate this into the offense for at least 25% of their game plan.
• Turner continues to look like he has fresh legs, getting 32 yards on 8 carries.
• Once again Turner was used as a receiver out of the backfield; the Falcons should continue to incorporate the backfield into the passing games. FB Mughelli is a really good in the flats, when healthy Norwood, and of course Snelling is also a threat; last year Snelling had 259 yards on 30 receptions.

The Falcons receiver situation is suddenly desperate. With Jenkins possibly out for the first couple of games, the Falcons were looking for Kerry Meier to step up, but after damaging his knee, Meier is out for the season.

Yes, it is only preseason, and the games do not count, but preseason play can also set the tone for the regular season. It can also be said that most defenses are running vanilla blitz packages, and the offenses are not unveiling their full repertoire of plays. All that is well and good, but it still means New England’s first team beat Atlanta’s first team 14-3, which to me spells ouch. I hope the Falcons can show some improvement next Friday night against the Dolphins.

Go Falcons!

The first preseason game of the year, played out to a Falcons win, but for the most part was tearfully boring, which is typically of meaningless games. I think that going into these preseason games, for the most part the rosters are set except for fringe players looking to fill out special teams, possibly backup a position as the third or fourth option. The big goal is to make sure everyone escapes uninjured, give the starters some live contact action, and to get some of the backups some much need experience.

From this perspective, I think the Falcons succeeded. Ryan and company only played the first two series, and while it is concerning that Atlanta had to settle for field goal attempts (made one, missed one), Turner looked explosive, with fresh legs, and he was a check-down receiver on one play.

If the Falcons establish Turner as a receiving option out of the backfield during the preseason, even as the check-down receiver, I believe this new wrinkle will add a nice element for opponents to consider when setting up their defensive game-plans. Mughelli could also play this part very well; hopefully we do not forget about our backfield receivers when the games start to count!

It was nice to see the Falcons really establish control of the o-line, pounded the ball, which is my favorite style of football. With that said, I was really expecting to see (make that wanting to see) some of the vertical passing I have read about all preseason.

I also enjoyed seeing Ryan moving into a no huddle offense on the second possession. Hopefully this will be a regular component of Atlanta’s offense in the upcoming season. Ryan has the ability to run this type of offense with great success, and he has the weapons to make it a feared attack.

John Parker Wilson did nothing wrong to establish himself firmly as the number three QB. I have read that he may battle for the backup spot, but I am not sure that is realistic this season. Then again, it is not like Redman is top self material.

I don’t think keeping the Chiefs to 10 points is much of an accomplishment in the pre or regular seasons. Their offense sucks, and it is much too hard for me to grade ours since so many key starters did not play. I’ll be interested to read what some of the pundits have to say about the defense’s performance.

Next up are the Pats for some good Thursday night National Prim Time action.

Go Falcons!

I’m heading up to ATL tonight to watch the Falcons’ first preseason game of the year. I know it is preseason … but I am ready for the season to get underway.

• No one gets hurt.
• Ryan leads the Falcons on a productive TD-scoring drive in his first possession.
• The defense holds up their end of the bargain, with the d-line showing the ability to sustain some pressure on the QB.
• Several key players are not expected to see any playing time: Brian Williams (CB), Dunta Robinson (CB), Harry Douglas (CB), and Michael Jenkins (WR). Who will pick up the slack?
• No one gets hurt!!!

Go Falcons!

What a tough break for Chipper and the Braves. I really hate seeing Chipper go out this way, with a torn ACL. Assuming it is really the end, I can be grateful that unlike some other Braves players (cough … Glavine … cough), at least Chipper will be one and done with the Braves as his only professional franchise.

While Chipper is not having top notch year (certainly by his standards), his presence in the every day lineup could have only helped with Atlanta’s playoff run. As it now stands, Chipper will have to play the role of cheerleader.

First of all I have to say this and get it out of the way. As a Falcons fan, I am already sick of the Drew Brees and New Orleans Saints infected cover, opening video, start screen, and main menu title. If EA offered a premium upgrade DLC option to “skin” the game to your favorite team, I would jump on that in a heartbeat. There, I feel better. Marginally.

The second thing I have to get out of the way is that as in years past, I always start sports games on default settings. I believe that developers tune and ship games with specific settings to target their main audience. It is not like I have great skills or anything, so I do not immediately jump to All Madden, or whatever the highest difficulty setting happens to be for a given game. In the case of Madden 11, at least playing with the Falcons, I am probably going to have to adjust the difficulty settings straight away because I am having too much success (on offense anyway) out of the box.

In what has to be a silly attempt to make me feel better about my gaming skills, which as I just mentioned are in the least remarkable, I have already earned three Trophies, which is pretty pathetic if you consider that I did not earn any Trophies in Madden 10. Then again, I was not whoring, so maybe I just rule or something. Doubtful; the game ships on the Pro setting, and Madden 11 may just be easier than Madden 10. The developers probably just made easier to achieve Trophies.

Speaking of Trophies, I find it damn annoying that I cannot delete my 0 Trophies Madden 10 game from my Trophy list. I guess that is a rant for another day.

I have only briefly touched on Madden Ultimate Team mode (MUT), and will probably not give it serious consideration for few more days. After getting some fluff and stuff the first time I selected MUT mode, the fine folks at EA presented me with a message of thanksgiving. Apparently EA is grateful that I am coming back for another round of MUT, and I am sure they expect to get down my pants; well, into my wallet anyway.

The game thanked me for returning to MUT, and as a reward I was being given a “better” (subjective I am sure) starting pack compared to other losers that did not participate in last year’s MUT mode. As an added bonus, I was told I get to keep my existing Ultimate Team name (BTW that would be GA TX Falcons). Finally I was presented with the following message: “Congratulations, you have earned 0 coins.” I guess I did not play enough in Madden 10 to warrant any extra special consideration; that or maybe I did not spend enough. Either way I guess I should be grateful to be starting out with 8 72 rated cards (also received 2 71 rated cards, and 2 70 rated cards). To be fair, this actually is better than what I started out with last year. My starting total card collection value is rated at 107,600 coins.

More on Madden Ultimate Team in the coming days.

I am giving the new Gameflow system a go. If for no other reason I want to see if this “new” system can enhance my gameplay experience while speeding the time it takes to complete a game. The only issue I have so far is that in real life I expect the Falcons to try to pound the ball, but with Gameflow, I am seeing too much reliance on the pass in the first half. Interestingly enough, once I get in front, after halftime, I get a majority of running plays called (probably in the neighborhood of 4:1 rush/pass ratio). Certainly worth keeping an eye on to see if the frequency of pass plays in the first half is a pattern, has something to do with my playbook (or game plan), or even the settings I am using.

One thing that I did with Madden 10 was make frequent use of the substitution feature during play calling. This allowed me to make sure that Norwood and Snelling got some touches, not just Turner. I am not sure that Gameflow gives enough variety with player substitutions in formations, so if I am going to continue to use Gameflow, I will probably have to play around with fatigue and player formations settings.

Sticking with Gameflow, and semi-transitioning into AFL mode, using the Houston Oilers (err, Tennessee Titians in throwback jerseys) I racked up 169 rushing yards with Chris Johnson, defeating the original Texans (KC Chiefs) 26-14. This time the Gameflow system called for runs left and right, which seemed appropriate. I really enjoyed the AFL presentation, which is included for free this year after being a premium DLC add-on in Madden 10. I did not pay for the AFL mode last year, so it was a pleasant surprise having it included as part of the base Madden 11 game.

I am sure it has been overdone elsewhere, but kickoff returns are a bitch, and I cannot seem to keep the defense out of the backfield whenever Gameflow calls for a play action pass. On the other hand, I am running the ball well, and screen plays seem to be pretty well executed.

For what it is worth, the CPU has missed several field goals; usually just wide, and a few times off the posts.

I forgot to mention that the Falcons won Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium 24-0 over the Buccaneers. As long as we are talking fantasy, may as well take down the Bucs.

Speaking of the Super Bowl mode, which is really just an option to pick any two teams to play in the Super Bowl, complete with plenty of pre and post game commentary, special (if you want to call it that) presentation coverage, I wish there was a way to setup a Playoff bracket.

My only real complaint with Madden 11 is that once again in-game saves are nowhere to be found; good grief how f’ing hard would that be to pull off?

All for now; more to come.

Last year I thought it was a fluke that North Texas was not included in the various team previews for the Sun Belt conference. I did a quick site search and came across my Lindy’s post from last year.  WTF?  Déjà vu all over again? Once again North Texas is excluded from Lindy’s coverage.

I get it; North Texas is not geographically part of the Southeast, although I do not get why the publisher would not include at least a half page of Mean Green coverage as part of their Sun Belt preview. Not that I am bitter or anything.

Overall it is a college football annual that focuses on the SEC with a smattering of Conference USA, Sun Belt sans North Texas, and some fairly lightweight national coverage. As is always the case with Lindy’s Annuals, a few pretty sideline pictures are included; I suppose to help readers pass a long night without alternative materials. If you are looking for a review, you are probably not inclined to pay $7.99 to read about all things SEC.

Thanks to Amazon’s Prime service, with release day shipping to my door, Madden 11 should be waiting on me by the time I get home.

Apparently there are a lot of mixed emotions about this year’s installment on the various boards and blogs that cover such things as glitches in QB throwing motion animation sequences. I kid you not; Madden releases are serious business.

Once upon a time I would keep the previous version of Madden (or any other sports game for that matter) so I would have an option if the new version sucked (or contained some serious flaw). I would also use the older version as a point of reference; i.e. research what was improved, revisit how some previous feature worked, and other nutty stuff that I did as a game reviewer. Besides, I “collected” games – what a loser. These days I typically try to time throwing a sports game like Madden 10 on eBay to capitalize on the fact that the game is not fully discounted at retail and the new version is still a few months out. So if Madden 11 contains some major issue that was not in Madden 10, there is really no going back.

In the end I think things will be OK. The developers will address any serious flaws or bugs in the inevitable patch(es), and the player ratings and rosters will be adjusted a couple of times during the season. After playing the demo I hope items like piss poor punt return blocking and lack of quality kickoff returns will be addressed in the first gameplay patch.

If you are looking for an overhaul in the franchise system, that is not going to happen this year. After reading some of the comments from the producer, I am not sure if an overhaul of the franchise mode will ever see the light of day; apparently only a small, but very vocal minority of gamers care about such things as salary caps, owner mode, player rating progressions, and how the CPU handles trades, free agent signings, and the like.

I will be happy if I manage to get in a couple of games tonight. Typical “take these comments with a box of rock salt” impressions and comments forthcoming.

Happy Madden everyone!

Are the Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl contenders? Jeff Schultz of the ajc thinks the Falcons are one of the Top 5 candidates to represent the NFC.

I know what you’re thinking: a little high. (The team, not me.) But no (to both). First of all, I think you can rank these five teams in almost any order. Here’s what stands out to me: The defense will be significantly improved. It will be more aggressive and get burned less often, given the additions of cornerback Dunta Robinson and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, as well as the return of defensive tackle Peria Jerry and safety William Moore from season-ending injuries. (The team’s broadcaster, Wes Durham, had a great analogy: Jerry and Moore are like redshirt freshmen.) The offense will benefit from Matt Ryan being in his third year, when young quarterbacks often take a big step up, and a more motivated running back, Michael Turner, who is in far better condition than a year ago.

I agree that the defense will be better thanks to actually having something similar to a shutdown corner in free agent signee Dunta Robinson. By default, the secondary will make the d-line look much better. Throw in “redshirt freshman” Peria Jerry and the d-line should be instantly better. The LB corps gets younger and faster with Weatherspoon. All this adds up to an improved defense.

On offense Ryan is expected to improve year-over-year, but to me the real key is Turner. If the Burner bounces back, Ryan could look like a super star.

Too early for Super Bowl talk? Probably. Training camp brings optimism. Go Falcons!

I cannot think of the last time I actually pre-ordered a PSP game. In fact, except for pre-ordering my original PSP system, complete with some bundled games, I do not think I have ever pre-ordered a PSP game. I probably have, and am either getting too old to remember, or maybe just embarrassed to carry the shame and stigma that goes with pre-ordering PSP games. Seriously; who pre-orders PSP games? I mean it is not like there has ever been a run on PSP games, which would inspire anyone in the future to have some sort of crazy-assed dire need to get a PSP game on pre-order “just in case” there are not enough copies to go around.

Harsh? Probably, and I am really trying to have some fun and games this beautiful (and hot as hell) Sunday morning by poking fun at yours truly. I have written several times over the summer heat wave that thanks to picking up the right PSP games, I am actually getting some quality time, use, and value from my original brick.

The reality is that a pre-order everything I actually want. Why not, if I know I am going to get the game anyway? These days pre-order of “special” games usually come with some sort of incentive such as coupons for future game purchases, DLC, and special collectable items. For the most part I go for coupons; cash and saving money is king. Next up is DLC. I typically do not care that much for the special collectable items; I squirrel them away for future eBay fodder.

I decided to pre-order God of War: Ghost of Sparta from Amazon for $36.99. I was surprised not to see that Amazon was not currently offering release day shipping; I expect that to change in the future. I went with my Prime second-day shipping because I do not have to get Ghost of Sparta on release day. Thanks to the pre-order I get the ultimate exclusive DLC pack:

• Ghost of Sparta Original Soundtrack – Be part of the legacy, and relive the emotional soundscape of defiance and rage through the original soundtrack
• PSP® Theme – Are you the ultimate God of War fan? Prove it with the God of War® Ghost of Sparta theme
• PS3™ Dynamic Theme – Fully animated in constant motion, personalize your ps3™ system with the official God of War® dynamic theme
• PlayStation® Network Avatar – Be one of the few to own the exclusive Kratos Avatar only available through this pre-order
• Legionnaire Skin – Discover the origins of the Spartan warrior as you experience God of War® Ghost of Sparta as Legionnaire Kratos
• Exclusive Creative Directors Documentary – A full length featured piece with all the past and present Creative Directors of the God of War franchise in front of a live studio audience.

Exactly how exclusive is this DLC when everyone that pre-orders will have a new Kratos PSN avatar? All of the DLC is nice, but I wish it included a few extra in-game bonuses.

I am almost finished with God of War: Chains of Olympus; currently at The Temple of Persephone, which apparently is last area in the game. [Watch this; I am about to contradict myself. I just looked at an FAQ prior to my Ghost of Sparta pre-order because I wanted to see what percent of Chains of Olympus I had completed.]

Hint guides, cheat guides, walkthroughs, or whatever you want to call them can be covered another day. I typically avoid them, but in the case of something like Chains of Olympus, I will uses one the second time around just to make sure I do not miss anything. Chains of Olympus is the rare game that is worth a second play-through. It is that that good and has been a thoroughly enjoyably gaming experience. Longtime readers know I do not describe games as an experience very lightly; Chains of Olympus gets my highest recommendation.

I’ll put this in further context. I am now a huge God of War fan. I just pre-order Ghost of Sparta, I plan to get the PS3 God of War Collection, and I will also tackle God of War III. Yes, I am hooked on Kratos and his story.

Happy Sunday!

As we enter the second month of the Plus service I thought now would be a good time to provide a quick update. Am I sold on the service? Is it worth the $50 (annual subscription) price tag? Is there value to be found in a Plus subscription?

Today I am only going to tackle the free games. So from that perspective, as far as the price goes, as an initial subscriber, thanks to the additional three “free” bonus months, Plus only set me back $3.33. For a rental service that is not too much of a concern, which is of course one way to look at things. Another point of view is that I spent $50 straight up on a rental service that offers some free odds and ends and random discounts to go with the free games.

The first two months offered two “free” games: WipEout HD (87 – 52 critic reviews; 8.1 based on 71 votes) and Critter Crunch (87; 22 critic reviews; earning a spectacular 9.7 based on 11 dedicated, caring gamers).

Lucky for me that I did not own either game. If I did, I would probably not be very happy right now. This has to be a significant concern for heavy PSN spenders. Heck, even casual PSN spenders run the risk of having the monthly free game end up being something they have previously purchased. This is really the price you pay for having no idea what free games are going to be on offer; you are taking a gamble that more often than not, you will not own the monthly free download. This is where Sony could change things up a bit by offering an alternative free month of any PSN game you damn well please, but the alternative “rental” only lasts a month. I am not sure what sort of reaction this type of switch up would invoke, but I would be happy to have an option if I already owned the monthly free game.

I have always been a casual fan of the WipEout series, so while it is nice to get a quality game for free, I doubt it will be huge entertainment sink for me. Critter Crunch has been a welcome surprise; this is one of the better puzzle games I have played in a while!

While Magic Orbz (66 – 13 critic reviews, although the masses rate the game a solid 8.4 based on 11 votes) was not offered as a free download, I took a flyer on this one because Plus subscribers were offered two of the expansion packs for free, and the base game was offered at a discounted price. While Magic Orbz is far from a classic, it is an interesting diversion and a nice take on breakout.

I have not bothered with the free minis; I did download them to my PSP to give them a go on my next road trip. Same for the two free PSOne Classics. Rally Cross was OK back in the day, but I seriously doubt that it can hold up. The controls were always a little bit f’up on the PlayStation, so I cannot imagine that they work worth a darn on the PSP. If I remember correctly, Syphon Filter had a cult following, so maybe this one will be decent once I can be bothered to give it a few minutes.

If I take the $3.33 per month view, I am satisfied with the initial Plus offerings, although I am still reluctant to recommend the service.  Plus I like getting a variety of games each month; sort of fulfills my gaming ADD.  Certainly the $50 I applied to my Plus subscription could have been spent on a new PS3 game, which at some point could be traded in for another game or parlayed into cash to be used towards another purchase. This of course is the advantage of physical ownership of a game.

Because I can that’s why. Seriously; funny. Digital breasteses rule.

I thought this was a brilliant article from TheSixthAxis on spending money on PSN digital content. Brilliant as in the article is a good jumping off point that would provide some conversational value. Seriously? This guy has spent a boat load of money on digital content. I am nowhere near £700 (~ $1150) in total purchases; good grief that is a lot of content!

I love the concept of this article: Sony via PSN makes it too damn easy to purchase digital content. For the longest time I was a hold out (kind of like that earlier Facebook post), rallying against digital content, monthly subscriptions, micro-transactions, and the like. Sure I did purchase the occasional title such as Super Startdust HD, 1943, and Flow, but for the most part I steered clear of digital content cooties.

That being said, over the last few months I have really capitulated, including purchasing the Plus service. I guess you could say that I have become what I fought against so long. On that note, I am actually planning on throwing a more dollars Sony’s way during their PSN Summer Sale deals.

I will probably pick up Fat Princess ($7.49 sale; $14.99 reg.) and PixelJunk Shooter ($4.99 sale; $9.99 reg.) two games that I have been watching, but did not really want to pony up for full price.

I am not sure about the PSP games or even if I want to “invest” any more digital dollars into my PSP. I may pick up echoshift ($7.49 sale; $14.99 reg.), and will think about Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars ($14.99 sale; $29.99 reg.) after doing some general research, checking out some reviews, and blog articles. I have not finished Vice City, so I doubt I will throw $14.99 to chase after another GTA title. Lunar Silver Star Harmony ($14.99 sale; $29.99 reg.) is also tempting, but right now I really do not need another RPG; too far behind on the ones I already own!

I am really not that interested in the minis. I would probably pick up Tetris ($4.99 sale; $9.99 reg.) if it were $1.99 just because Tetris is a good way to pass the time, but there are so many other puzzlers available for the PSP that are far superior. Lumines, I chose you!

Speaking of Plus, I think the verdict is still out. I am going to write more about Plus, Wipeout HD and Critter Crunch later.