Games
NASCAR 08EA SportsPS3Frankly this game is more fun than watching NASCAR on TV. This version provides additional excitement with all of NASCAR's racers included in the game and manufacturer Toyota (and the Car of Tomorrow) now in the mix. You would think going around an oval track would be a breeze, but this game shows you how difficult it can be. Then again, that's up to you. NASCAR 08 is a great combination of arcade and sim. Or rather, it's a nice compromise. You can get geeky on this and go through a million adjustments for car setup or you can just mash on the gas. Career mode is a long haul. Set up like real life, you have to prove yourself by earning licenses and then race for a team. Racing with a joystick can be frustrating when delicacy is required on a long corner, doing 170 mph. You'll definitely have more fun with a steering wheel. Overall, the graphics are amazing and that combined with the lifelike game play provides you with a thrilling sense of being part of NASCAR.
MLB The Show '07SonyPS3Sports titles can leave you ambivalent as a fan. On the one hand you can enjoy being your favorite player; on the other hand you can completely undermine the realism of it all by failing to produce as say, David Wright or Albert Pujols would in real life. That's why I still prefer simulation mode. I love setting up the team, working the trades and then seeing how the team performs. The Show is terrific for that; in fact, it's just as good as the previous version (it really hasn't changed much in that respect). But year after year, the arcade versions of sports games continue to improve. MLB The Show is phenomenal in terms of its graphics. And if you're the kind of person who enjoys creating a version of yourself in the game, you'll have fun working your way up through the majors in The Show. Everything may not be spot on, but this is definitely the best baseball title out there.