NFL Tour...because Madden, Street, Arena, and Head Coach just aren't enough: It seems that EA Sports is adding yet another title to its stable of NFL video games, the newest one being something called "NFL Tour". According to EA's press release (via Kotaku) the arcade style game will Gamers will be able to embark on a fictional NFL road show. With real NFL players as teammates, players will travel across the country to play against each of the NFL teams in newly designed stadiums. As players defeat each of the NFL squads, they come one step closer to winning a NFL contract.
So...essentially this is going to be the red-headed stepchild of NFL Street and Blitz? Is that what I'm reading? Maybe it is just me, but I am not too terribly interested in playing a football game that doesn't have a season mode. The real question with this release though, is whether or not this game contributes anything useful to the football video game universe. My money is on no, since it just sounds like a gimmicky version of NFL Street. Too bad the development of this game will likely take some of the programmers away from
It's coming....: NCAA 08 is set for release in less than a week, and the first question that will have to be answered is whether or not two of the main gameplay problems of recent years have been fixed. Will defensive ends be able to contain...anything? Will wide receivers continue to drop passes at a ridiculous rate? EA has said that both issues have been resolved, but I'll wait and see before I buy that line. The other big question for players (especially online ones) is which teams will be overpowered. The only real guess anyone can make is that Darren McFadden and Arkansas will be nasty, considering the fact that it has already been announced that McFadden will be the only player in the game with a 100 overall rating. My dark horse pick though is West Virginia. Not because of Steve Slaton and Pat White though, but rather because if EA gives incoming freshman Noel Devine an accurate speed rating the Mountaineers will be unstoppable on offense. 
If a video game dies and nobody is there to play it...: Releasing on the same day as NCAA will be 2K Sports All-Pro Football 2K8. The plight of the 2K football series is a rather sad one, as it is the technically superior series to Madden yet EA's exclusive license with the NFL has relagated the 2K series to going with the gimmick of making a game featuring solely retired legends. As much as I have enjoyed the 2K games in the past, I just can't see myself putting down $60 for a game just to play as Jerry Rice and John Elway when I can just crank up the 'ole Tecmo Bowl instead. While the game itself may not do well, I do like the commercials for the game. 
