Thread 723688879

When did they start becoming soulless?

>>723688879 (OP)
NHL 93' and 94' were the last good ones of this series

When they got exclusive rights from leagues and no longer had to worry about competition

>>723688956
'94 is still so good people still have leagues and play it online as well

They were always essentially soulless but around the turns from 2000s to 2010s was when the really started doing the absolute minimum to update from year to year

>>723688987
>>723688956
Why? Nhl 96 on megadrive is much better game

>>723689081
'07 feels like it was the last year before it all went to shit
maybe even '09 as it was the last PC release

>>723689123
09 was the last year of chel I remember really enjoying. After that every installment was either identical or actually got worse.

>>723689110
Boomer game nostalgia is my guess.
It's also really easy to mod the game to the point where you have modern rosters and pixelated version of their portraits in game.

>>723689110
It's been a while but iirc the physics are fairly different. Nhl 93 and 94 were really solid arcade games and the later 90s games didn't play as well imo.

>>723689226
The only good things I liked about '08 and '09 (other than roster updates) were the additions of the AHL teams so it didn't feel like your team was going to the void of the 'minors' in Dynasty mode.
I also had a PS2 at the time so the differences felt minimal otherwise. They really felt better and had better soundtracks as well.

>>723688879 (OP)
I didn't play FIFA or NHL until the late 10s...but as far as NBA/Madden goes...last good NBA Live was 07 with T-Mac on the cover. Last good Madden was 09 with Favre on the cover. Madden 13 was also decent but after that the game truly became a shit show. I straight up have sworn off Madden. Last ones I bought was Madden 19 on sale for $20 and back in April I bought Madden 25 on sale for $15. As for FIFA/NHL I didn't start playing those until 17/18/19 so my opinion on them are a little different since I wasn't around for the golden era of those games but even then I can tell that they've become progressively shit from when I first started playing, ESPECIALLY NHL.

The only props I give EA is that their online career modes (CHEL, Pro Clubs, NBA Live Career, etc) are all FREE. You don't spend a dime to make your players or upgrade them. And they let you edit them to change your attributes and heights and weight and position any time you want. 2K are money grubbing jews and not only do they expect you to waste 200+ hours to grind a player to a decent overall OR they expect you to spend $100 to get to a decent level, which is just horse shit. The olive on the top of the shit sandwich is that you can't even respec your player, so if you fuck up the height or weight or attribute, you're just fucked and have to spend another 200 hours OR another $100. That is the ONLY regard where I give EA it's props for not being Jews.

>>723688978
I believe EA tried to have a non-exlusive deal with the NFL over Madden but the NFL wanted them to keep it exclusive. Fucking retarded I say

Started watching Rugby lately, is there any good Rugby video game?

>>723689226
11 or something did the skill stick control scheme but after that the series has stagnated or deteriorated yeah

>>723689729
'07 was when they introduced skill stick and it was awesome to actually go forehand-backhand with the stick only instead of trying to move your character.
Thougheverbeit, Auto-Deke was always funny

>>723689729
Skill stick was introduced in 07 iirc. Maybe 11 improved on it I don't remember. I stopped playing at 13 and came back in 17 or 18 and it was total shit and my friends that still play it say it just gets worse every year now.

>>723689705
Probably one of EA's much older rugby games? I don't think many care about it much

>>723689634
Also it's only going to get worse because EA has fucked off and won't be making College Basketball game, which means we'll be stuck with 2K's drip feed faggotry.
>>723689705
Yeah there are but they're probably shit. You'd be hard pressed to find an actual sport that doesn't have a videogame counterpart...even fucking croquet has a videogame.

>>723689671
Well yeah, exclusive deals cost more than non-exclusive deals, and the NFL knows nobody else will pay enough for a non-exclusive license to make up the difference with EA's.

>>723689634
>charging you money to change your single player character
Holy fuck that's atrocious. I remember 2K actually making decent NHL games too like picrel, how did it fall so far...?

>>723690005
What's ironic and sad is that if anyone else paid for that license we'd most likely have a game better than Madden

>>723688879 (OP)
When Steve Schnur made his own record label, so the soundtracks became influenced by how much he could double-dip financially.

>>723690218
Your flaw is assuming anyone in the decision-making process cares about quality instead of money.

>>723690274
Sadly you're right, if only they saw that quality would print more money

>>723690226
the soundtracks in the old games were kino
now they make my fucking ears bleed

>>723690025
Yep. Everything costs money in 2K...or you can grind it but of course they nerf every method of grinding VC and each year it becomes harder and harder to grind a build no money spent. This year wasn't too bad but 25 was atrocious.

It's hilarious though because each side thinks the other can save them. If you go online anywhere, the people who play NBA 2K are tired of 2K's shit are begging EA to make a game so they can save them. Then on the flip side, NHL, Madden, etc are all begging 2K to make a football or hockey game to save them not realizing it's going to be monetized to hell and back and RIDDLED with MTX. Both sides are delusional as fuck.

>>723690819
In this modern world it seems there's no hope when it comes to making a good sovlfvl sports sim anymore.
It doesn't help as someone who plays NHL that our only option has the smallest dev team, riddled with bugs, no changes in some things for 5+ years and bullshit. Just a $80 roster update...

>>723688879 (OP)
I heard 2007 was the last PC release becuase they knew with mods that upgraded the roster they would be finished.
Soulless, but a decision that may have made them a billion so...
>>723689275
Im the cuck that buys this every year. I play it on my exercise bike so well worth the 90$. With Florida on the cover this year I just cant.

>>723689705
This but with Cricket, I would love to see a Cricket version of MLB The Show

>>723691074
Yeah I just accepted that this is just how modern videogames are now unfortunately. It's why I've stopped buying Madden yearly. I also stopped buying CoD yearly. The last CoD I bought was Cold War and it was only because it was Treyarch, thinking they'd never let me down but man was I fucking wrong. Since then I haven't even touched CoD (keep in mind my friend buys it every year and I could game share it but I still don't play it, even for free). Last NHL I bought was 24. And with how the game is going now, this looks to be the last year that I play NBA 2K as well. I know some people are addicted but I have so much other shit in my backlog I could be playing instead that I have no qualms putting down sports games for good in favor of playing other shit. It's just not worth the money anymore.

>>723691121
>exercise on bike
>play NHL
how does one attain this power?
also '09 was the last PC release, but you're right. players still mod it today, it's just a bitch to get together. Even '04 has an entire modding community that includes 2025-2026 teams, arenas. etc.

>>723691284
At this point we should just join leagues or play pickup with some friends.
>CoD
The last good one was WaW. Back when I got game pass for cheap though I tried Bo6 and it was okay, but WaW was so gritty. WW2 had nothing on it, it tried to copy it and looked like shit

>>723691284
I got unlimited money and time, still not worth it. Skinner boxes print, so more and more companies are either going that direction, or 90$ low effort roster changes to justify the opportunity cost of not doing skinner boxes.
I always laughed at the modern games are shit crowd, but Its getting there.
Throw in the fact 82 IQ games like TotK or borderlands is whats printing for the rare high effort studios, shits grim.
Thank God for Rom mods of the classics.

>>723691468
Stationary bike, cant recommend it enough. Only other game Ive found that works is Mario Cart.
I always love hearing about these old game communities that are still active. First FF11 from 2002 is still going , and now that 04 is still making mods.

Is there an EA Sports franchise that's ideal for the person who hates the New Jersey Devils, hates the Chicago Blackhawks, hates the NHL, and wants a sport where teams don't use logos and nicknames that are offensive and racist?

>>723691935
I'll have to try it. Sometimes you sit for hours and your knees feel sledgehammered.
>old game communities
FF11 is still going? That's absolutely based.
NHL '09 also has a modding community and I believe there is a small one that's redoing a PS3 version of NHL 16 (called NHL Legacy). They're overhauling it with the expansion teams, rosters, arenas, jerseys, etc.
Usually Legacy just gets roster updates from players but there's another project being worked on by a dude who's adding all the different IRL prospects and adjusting their potentials based on their career's projection. So when you're like 5 years into Franchise mode you can draft Cale Makar for example

>>723692002
Sounds like NHL 26 is right up your alley
Or Tape to Tape

>>723692216
I was stuck at my cabin for a month, I only had a PS3 so bought legacy last year. A smooth $40 cdn I shit you not, Fucking crooks. Im sure its 2$ at goodwill.
That may have been their last game with soul though now that I think about it.
Yea, I think moding is what will save gaming from itself. PS5 is my last consol, PC is the way.

>>723692851
Modding is the bane of companies unless you're Bethesda or Paradox. Legacy feels sovlfvl compared to 25 and had more features like being able to grind out in the CHL in Be a Pro/Live the Life.
>Last Console
Mine was the PS3, never went beyond it. I've been a PC gamer for a long time now. Never looked back desu

>>723689352
It’s probably a lot to do with what you grew up with, but 95 has the best physics imo. There is a newer fan made mod of 95 too with updated teams and rosters

>>723692965
This is the way

Best EA sports game tho?

>>723692274
I prefer to avoid the NHL and ice hockey at all costs.

>>723693396
Handball 21

I think NHL 09 was my last version. Fuck EA, fuck the NHL for letting these greedy cocks ruin the PC hockey experience. Same with Madden, FEEFUR, it's all completely fucked. Especially since nobody in my country cares about hockey, those NHL games are all I have.

>>723693562
>its real...

>>723693596
well, at least you can mod them and they're made with more passion than these fucking greedy husks