It’s international soccer day in the gaming world, with the simultaneous release of rivals FIFA 16 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2016. The juggernauts from EA Sports and Konami take the field, with the goal of proving to be the most worthy game of kicking $60 out of your wallet.
If you’re more partial to slap shots than corner kicks, NHL 16 is here to fuflill your sporting needs. We also catch up with the loved/reviled Destiny in its first anniversary, with the game relaunched with a massive update and a huge swath of DLC dubbed The Taken King.
Reviews by Phil Villarreal. Phil is an author, blogger and Twitterer. Publishers provided review copies.
Destiny: The Taken King
(Xbox One, PS4, $40, Teen)
Buy Destiny: The Taken King on Amazon here
A year after its muddy initial release, Bungie has finally gotten Destiny right. Making good on much of the unfulfilled promise of the original, the colossal update and DLC add-on revamps the game from the ground up, presenting it as the robust, open-world shooter saga it was billed as. Everything from the menus to cut scene voiceovers, mission structure and leveling requirements has been smoothed out and revamped, now emerging as a much more cohesive experience. Previously, the game was thin on story and burdened with haphazard customization, and those drawbacks have been blown away.
The DLC itself is a high water mark for the game, delivering a tapestry of new characters and environments — as well as one of the game’s most thrilling sequences of set pieces — that do wonders for filling in the backstory and lore. There’s plenty here for newbies and high-end clans alike. There is so much to see and do in the DLC that it feels closer to a wholesale sequel than an add-on. You can knock Bungie for overselling its original vision, but the developer deserves credit for sticking with the concept, pushing through and allowing Destiny to blossom into the game it was always intended to be.
FIFA 16
(Xbox One, PS4, $60, Everyone)
The long-reigning king of console soccer wears its crown proudly, steadily improving on its legacy of providing the most authentic product around. In addition to its usual exhaustive roundup of leagues, teams and player licenses, it adds women’s soccer. Capitalizing off the popularity of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the addition seems brilliant and well-timed, letting girls fulfill their dreams by taking to the virtual pitch. The women’s game plays with its own rhythm and flow, rather than just slower, shorter version of the men.
Through piecemeal efforts, EA Sports continues to add on features from older versions of the game that had gone missing. Chief among those is a robust soundtrack, which seeks out various corners of the globe to pick up distinct sounds and vibrations from various soccer-obsessed cultures and societies. FIFA Ultimate Team lets you add players via cards and stack your dream rosters to take on clubs and national teams, and excellent commentary and replay angles fill out the drama and storylines. If you’re an annual FIFA player, you’ll be pleased with the latest offering.
NHL 16
(Xbox One, PS4, $60, Everyone)
Last year’s current-gen debut for EA Sports’ hockey franchise was weaker than expected, having slashed away several legacy modes in favor of focusing on the on-ice product. There’s much more here in the sophomore Xbox One/PS4 campaign, including a card-collecting, team-building Hockey Ultimate Team mode. Based on similar features in Madden and FIFA, the fantasy-style setup lets you collect players, distribute contracts and add resources by using your team to take on competition.
Down on the ice, things are as gripping as ever. NHL 16 offers a tight, fast-paced product blessed with broadcast-quality presentation and skilled, in-depth commentary. It’s nice to see the continuation of the NHL 94-style controls setup as an option, simplifying the twin-stick puck handling and passing that work well for veterans but tend to chase away newcomers or older gamers who prefer simple button commands. There may not be enough here to please the fiercest of hockey nerds, who demand a checklist of Xbox 360-era extras, but it’s tough to debate that the franchise has evolved and improved overall.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2016
(Xbox One, PS4, $60, Everyone)
After trailing rival FIFA for several years, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer has finally caught up to the market leader in terms of gameplay, presentation and realism. Although PES still lacks the licenses, players (including the new dimension of women’s soccer) and breadth of FIFA 16, its onfield action is now not only on par, but superior to FIFA‘s in many ways. From the moment you fire up your first exhibition match, you’re soaked in an amount of detail and rustic action that seems more authentic than just about any video game take on the sport in the past.
Online play has a similar ear for nuance and authenticity, catering to the fan base — PES tends to draw the more intense and passionate video game soccer enthusiasts — to foster rivalries and ongoing competition. From player creation to leagues and drafts, the suite of online play lets you plug into the scene, hone your skills against the best and strive to become better than you were the game, day or play than you were before. Although you’ll get a more TV-like version of the game from FIFA, you’ll get more of a sense of what it’s like to play, live and appreciate the game from PES.
