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John Comey

John Comey has been in the sim gaming community for over twenty years, and has justified his bachelors in journalism by writing thousands of pages of material, ranging from articles and reviews to online leagues. He has been the creator of several failed blogs, as well as a LiveJournal or two...not that there's anything wrong with that. He is also the author of the worst technical manual in gaming history (Total Pro Football), and has been an intermittent podcaster since 2005. He has collaborated and contributed to products with Wolverine Studios, Grey Dog Software, and Out of the Park Developments. A native of Harrisburg, PA, Comey has been a New Englander since 2007. He currently resides in the Providence area with his girlfriend and two kitties (Ello and Chidi), where he teaches middle school Social Studies and coaches basketball, soccer and baseball. He also continues to play competitive basketball and baseball, and loves live music and comedy.



9.3

Amazing

DDSCB 23 Review – Connections I make still do it for me. I think it will for you, too.

Hi there. I’m going to dispose of my normal two-page intro, mainly because the First Four kicks off tomorrow night, and I’d rather this be out before the NCAA Tournament kicks off on Thursday. That said, if you’re like me, you’re in the middle of the best few weeks of the sports calendar year. From Conference Tourney Week last week, to THE BEST FOUR DAYS OF THE SPORTS YEAR (ie, Thursday-Sunday), t...[Read More]

9.4

Amazing

DDSPB 23 Review – In-game model improvements make it the MOST fun yet

Author’s Note: This review is long overdue. In full disclosure, I started writing this in December. It is now late February. These reviews are all labors of love for me; it is likely not a surprise, especially given the second sentence of this paragraph, that the only payment I receive for writing these is a free game. I don’t say that looking for a handout, but to say this: Unfortunately, life of...[Read More]

8.5

Very Good

Review of BBGM – Repetitive doesn’t exist. You can find thousands of ways to play.

I wish I could appropriately commit to things. I have a tendency to either under or over-commit. For instance, for the past few months, I’ve been a burned-out blob on my couch. (Thanks, pandemic teaching!) Recently though, I picked up a Steam Deck. I say it’s mainly to start up a gaming club at my school, a high school in Providence (RI). But that’s only half-true…the ability to play nearly any da...[Read More]

8.1

Very Good

DDSCF 23 Review – A solid option and flows very well

I have an addictive personality. I can get really into things, especially when I am able to immerse myself in a universe. It’s one of the reasons, I think, that I am a Social Studies teacher. I love the history of things. I say that to say this: I really, really want a college football game I can really get into. Note: Team logos are not licensed from Wolverine Studios. The images displayed are fr...[Read More]

9.8

Amazing

DDSCB 22 Review – If you’re a basketball fan, you should already have this.

I think I’ve got one. I’ve been putting Wolverine Sports’ Draft Day Sports: College Basketball ‘22 through its paces for this review. When you do a review for a game, it’s difficult…because you don’t exactly have a lot of time to get totally in-depth. This compromises the way I like to play, as I think it would for anyone who indulges in this sim community (can you even really call it a text-sim c...[Read More]

9.3

Amazing

DDSPF 22 Review – The replay factor is through the roof

I have been reviewing games for GMGames for a decade now. And only once have I said, I can’t do this. That was with Draft Day Sports: College Football. I don’t remember what version it was. However, I could not do it. Now, I tried. I tried to play the hell out of that game. However, that game was the most difficult, frustrating experience of my life. I had no idea what I was doing, what I was even...[Read More]

9.3

Amazing

DDSPB 22 Review – Wolverine Studios has upped the ante this year

I have a problem. (Okay, I have a lot of problems. This is just about the one I’m telling you about.) I have a problem with my Boston Irish roster. We have the league’s defending MVP in C David Banta (35.8/12/1/6.3). We have another player, guard Andre Askew, who made All-League 2nd Team. As we head into the offseason, both are under contract for at least another year. That’s the good news. Sort o...[Read More]

John Comey pays a visit to DDSCB20 and shares his impressions

Normally, I review games from Wolverine Studios for GM Games. This year, I got a new job, which involved me taking over a second grade classroom for a teacher on maternity leave. In March. As you could expect, this cut into my time significantly, to the point that I could not write a preview for this year’s game. That was upsetting, but such is life. Then, well, everything that has happened since ...[Read More]

First Access of Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball 2020 (PC)

With the advent of Wolverine Studios’ latest pro basketball effort, Draft Day Sports: Pro Basketball ’20, now currently in the public beta First Access phase, I thought I should take it for a bit of a test drive. I have long championed Gary Gorski’s Michigan-based company and his development over the years has been fantastic to witness. In full disclosure, I need note two things: I have been a par...[Read More]

9.2

Amazing

Review of DDS Pro Basketball 2018 – For a basketball franchise, no game does it better

I have been a member of the sim gaming community for about twenty years now. In that time, I have been fortunate to see several games, most notably Out of the Park, where I have been a member of the beta team for several years, grow from a smaller game with several good ideas into a global game that, at some points, tries to do too much for a broad audience. (This is not a knock on OOTP, nor on th...[Read More]

8.6

Very Good

Review – An immersive, intuitive basketball game in DDSCB18

It’s been awhile since I reviewed a game. Often, life gets in the way. Adulting happens. If you’re like me, your ability to play games becomes somewhat scarce. As a result, your collection of games may shrink as well. Therefore, you may become more critical about the games you choose. This is true of any genre. In the last decade, the prevailing thought in the sim gaming community was that this wo...[Read More]

9.2

Amazing

Review of DDS Pro Basketball 2017 – Wolverine Builds On The Best Game Nobody Knows

Several of the major players in the market have offered strong games this year, with a bounty of games coming out within the last two months. Wolverine Studios have been at the forefront, releasing several games (and with a couple of more in the pipeline, rumors say). Gary Gorski has positioned his company well as a one-stop shop for sports games going into 2017. But his bread and butter, both for...[Read More]

9

Amazing

Review of DDS Pro Basketball 2016 – Beginning to shine under the hood

Gary Gorski, the man behind the Draft Day Sports series, may have unlocked the secret to an immersive, successful basketball simulation. When it comes to the genre, there are two main divides: Draft Day Sports, delivered by Wolverine Studios, and the Fast Break series, published by GreyDog. I have rather extensive playing experience with both, and both have their pros and cons. FBPB offers more of...[Read More]

Interview with Brian Nichols of Fast Break Pro Basketball 3

Brian Nichols, aka Heavyreign, has been making basketball games for years.  His newest effort, Fast Break Pro Basketball 3, is on the verge of release (you can currently download the beta version and play it to your hearts’ content.) Furthermore, you can give him feedback, on the GreyDogSoftware forums. I have long been entranced with his college product, Fast Break College Basketball, and wanted ...[Read More]

A virtual virtual sports community lifer

I’m a virtual virtual sports community lifer.While I was unaware of the vast world of mail leagues (that’s antiquated, your-grandpas-snail-mail mail leagues, where you rolled dice to see who got a hit, not hit a button), I became quite in tune with the world of online sim gaming.  My first taste, which happened to be the only online league run by OOTP dynasty legend DreamTeams, came in...[Read More]