MLB The Show 18 is still a great game for those passionate about baseball, but the consistency the series has displayed over the past decade has been at least somewhat broken with this new edition. For many, the fantastic gameplay will offset the loss of modes, the lack of advancement in others, and the lingering server struggles. Ultimately, though, it's becoming more clear now than ever that the series is begining to have trouble meeting the heightened expectations now present within the genre.

Perhaps it's fitting that Mutant Football League is a little rough around the edges and has some punishing characteristics. The game is brash, self-aware, and best suited for an older audience. The carnage inflicted is thoroughly entertaining and strategically the game gets better as its nuances become better understood. With "Mutant Football League," the dirtiest trick of all was making fans of the original wait 24 years for the sequel.

It may be surprising that it would take an "arcade" mode to round out a simulation-based product, but NHL Threes does just that for NHL 18. While the series is still lacking in some aspects of gameplay and presentation this year, "NHL" achieved something important, by becoming the most appealing edition of the series for an audience that extends beyond just the fanatics of the sport in a very long time.

NBA Live 18 is closer to being a really good game than many would have anticipated, even after a year off for the series. It offers refreshingly simplified and genuinely fun gameplay with an excellent career mode. Deficiencies in other areas of the game hamper its appeal as a total package, making it difficult to recommend as more than an alternative to its competition, but it's still important to recognize this may finally be the turnaround year that NBA Live has been seeking since the current console generation began.

With proper support NBA Playgrounds could become a great series in the future. It's just not quite there in this, its rookie season.

Whether it's laying out big hits or scoring satisfying goals there's some fun to be had with Old Time Hockey. It just takes too long to get to a place of enjoyment, and even then doesn't negate the underlying issues and otherwise lack of content despite a reasonable $12 price point.

While 3on3 Freestyle is lacking in many ways, it's still a unique entry on the market that is worth trying out. Given that the game is free, there's really no reason for anyone who may have interest not to do so. There is the potential that new modes, courts and characters through post-release support could make the game more appealing, but the core gameplay may not be good enough for those with current-day expectations of traditional sports games to give it much time to improve.

100ft Robot Golf has some clever ideas and an amusing story, but doesn't quite come together as a completely satisfying game because of limited content and some technical issues. Still, it's another example of independent developers taking a chance on unique concepts — and that's something to be celebrated.

While it relies on tried-and-true modes and features, it delivers well on the most important aspects of a modern sports video game simulation. Newcomers to the series will appreciate the variety and depth of options it offers though it's an exceedingly difficult game to grasp at its introduction, while veterans experience mature on-ice gameplay that addresses many issues that were present in preceding iterations while still leaving that all-too-familiar feeling that not a whole lot has really changed.

While Dangerous Golf offers up some fun and an addictive nature, the base concept isn't strong enough to sustain either for an extended period of time. It's something that can function in a diversionary sense as a side-mode in a larger game but crumbles in trying to hold up as a game of its own.

Ultimately, the NASCAR Forza 6 DLC is underwhelming. Perhaps it’s the relatively large price tag ($20 for the content on top of having to own the $60 Forza 6 “proper” game), the lack of NASCAR-specific racing modes, or the lack of compelling NASCAR-based multiplayer to go along with the single-player series of events.

One of the biggest hurdles for sports management sims involves making the games accommodating to newcomers while offering the depth and array of options necessary to satisfy dedicated fans. Pro Basketball 2016 proves to be the most accessible of the sports management games I've played to date. The layout and menus are visually pleasant and present pertinent information where one would expect to find it. Tasks and various options and settings are organized well with the necessary navigation to and from areas easy to complete.

Madden NFL 16 continues an upward trajectory for the series, just maybe not at the rate that consumers would hope.

Blood Bowl II is a strategy game, far more than it is a sports title. It probably won’t have much crossover appeal to the sports fan. However, for those who are into methodical, turn-based strategic affairs, or anyone who was a fan of the first Blood Bowl video game or its board game, it delivers on exactly what it promises.

The improvements to FIFA 16 this year are notable in some areas but as a whole it’s starting to feel like the series is getting stagnant, with too much effort being put toward expanding revenue sources rather than delivering innovation that would appeal to a wider audience. Despite that, it's still the most reliable and consistent sports gaming franchise and that holds a lot of weight in the minds of consumers. With FIFA 16, you know you’re playing a really good game, but you might not completely believe it as much as in the past.

NBA Live 16 is a fun game to play. That may in itself be an achievement for the series. However it has considerable deficiencies and a disappointing feature set that simply doesn’t measure up to the other major sports gaming franchises. Because it does not offer enough compelling content, and it excels in too few areas, Live 16 remains a tier below the premier sports games on the market today.