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This is why I bought a PS4 this weekend. You can’t possibly be a sports fan and pass up on this stuff.

In advance of E3 next week, EA Sports has released images from Madden 15 and NHL 15 to go along with their recently released demo of UFC. I’ll just go in order:

 

Madden 15

Madden has stunk for a few years now. The gameplay feels tired and the graphics and animation enhancements have done little to make it a better game. And while that might remain the case on the next-gen systems, you can’t help but place your jaw on the ground at this screenshot of Colin Kaepernick:

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During any other point in video game history, this would’ve been from a cut scene or a doctored image from the actual game. But having played FIFA 14 and NBA 2k14 for the last five days, I’d say you can believe EA if they claim this is a real screenshot. He looks so lifelike. Look at the little details– the hand warmer, playcall wristband and tats. I wonder what else will make it in the game? Somewhere, Nick Foles’s dong is whispering to its balls, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”

 

NHL 15

This is the one I’m most excited about (the trailer has been out for some time now). NHL has been at the top of its game for several years now, but they’ve maxed out with what they can do on the current systems. The inclusion of Doc Emrick alone may be enough to warrant a purchase of the new game. The long-awaited authentic arenas? That’s just gravy [click to enlarge]:

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Unreal. No shots of the Wells Fargo Center (yet), but I’m just assuming they will include Dancing Shawny, the blonde ice girl and the phone book-like aesthetic of having ads everywhere there is a solid surface.

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Anyway, that’s the face I’m making as I stare at the screenshot of MSG.

 

UFC

Here’s how much of a UFC fan I am:                                  . But the game looks unbelievable, literally. If you have a PS4 (and I’m assuming you can do this on Xbox One, too), go into the app where you can watch people playing games live* and just admire the UFC demo. It looks like you’re watching TV. I have no idea if the game is any good (it looks fun), but that doesn’t matter. Just go on and watch. You’ll have to shake your head a few times to convince yourself that it’s not real. The lighting is completely off the charts. Something about the backs. The backs look so real. Is that weird? It might be weird. But they look great.

*This is a new favorite late-night pastime for me. I spent 20 minutes the other night watching a guy order vehicles in Watch Dogs. It was all very meta. And then there are the videos of strangers just doing weird shit on the camera. I am shocked – and maybe a little bit disappointed – that I haven’t seen two people having sex in their living room yet. Like, this has to become a thing, right? I can only assume that there’s a whole subset of gamers out there who would completely blow their smokestack watching weirdos ruin each other whilst playing Elder Scrolls.

I maaaaaaaaaaaaay have purchased a refurbished Wii U this week as well just so Ms. CB and I can play Mario Kart 8. That’s coming today. And in case you’re wondering, no, we don’t plan on using the camera. Sickos.

I always recommend checking out Pastapadre for all your sports video gaming needs.