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If there is anything else you would like to see in the OS weekly wrap-up, feel free to let us know in this post. Otherwise, enjoy getting caught up and we will see you next Sunday.

Credit: OS Weekly Wrap Up, Getting You Caught Up on Sports Gaming News (Dec. 29 – Jan. 4, 2020) – Operation Sports

Fishing: Barents Sea is a hard game to review because it’s not really a traditional sports game, but rather a very realistic simulation of fishing by trawling. It’s more a simulation of life as a fisherman than a game about going out with a line and catching one big fish for sport. Unfortunately, the game gives you very little information on how to do that. You have to get different licenses, and only certain boats can do certain things. You also can only fish in certain spots.

You start the game just simply line fishing. You place the line, and after some time you reel in the lines and there is a mini-game where you have to hit the buttons at just the right time. And if you’re late or early, you get less fish. Then you also have the option of actually gutting the fish. Yep, you can gut fish in this game. Eventually, you move up to the trawling and then it will show you where you can do it. But again, it doesn’t do a very good job at walking you through that process so it can be frustrating at times.

What I Like

The Beautiful Scenery

This game doesn’t have the best graphics in the world, but parts of it are stunningly beautiful. The water is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a game. One moment you are speeding through calm seas, the next the waves are crashing and moving your boat around. It looks so good. The sky, the mountains, the boats themselves are all great looking. The game definitely gets you in the atmosphere for fishing. And I do mean hardcore deep sea fishing.

Crab Fishing

Yep, just fishing for crab. Maybe I’m wrong (I can’t say I’ve played every fishing game), but I don’t recall a game where you can fish for crab — certainly not recently anyway. Oh, you have to watch out though because you can only catch male crab. Catching female crabs will get you fined.

The Atmosphere

You can certainly get lost in the game. For as frustrating as it can be at times, if you are into this sort of game — and I mean deep simulation games — then you can really go deep and find yourself having a blast. It’s something I appreciate about this game overall. It’s maybe not for me because I just am not into that world enough, but to be able to find a game that is actually trying to simulate all of this is really cool. It’s a testament to games as a medium that people are willing to support something like this and actually create it.

What I Don’t Like

The Monotony 

So when I said sim, I mean sim. It takes forever to move around the map in Fishing: Barents Sea. The sea is huge and you better be ready to drive that boat for a long time to get where you want to go. When you set out lines, you have to wait for hours (in their time) to return and retrieve it, because the longer you leave it the more fish you will get. And then you have to take the fish to port in time before they spoil.

You also have to hire a crew, have a cook, go from here to there, and the grind just got tiring to me. I know some people will really like this. It’s akin to something like Train Simulator. You just got to ride it out. In other words, grab a drink, maybe some fish sticks, and then sit back and relax.

You Are Not Given Too Much Help

This could be considered a bad thing or a good thing. I know a lot of people like to figure everything out for themselves, but this game doesn’t help those who just can’t seem to figure out what to do and how to do it (like me). This is not an indictment of the game overall, but it’s still personal preference. If you are into super sim games, then you will be fine.

Bottom Line

There is no middle ground here. You will either love or hate Fishing: Barents Sea. And if you hate it, that’s fine. It’s understandable. It’s not for casual players. Even people who enjoy fishing games might not like it. But if you are a sim-head, and enjoy doing everything yourself and love the idea of a different kind of fishing game, then I suggest you get Fishing: Barents Sea.

For what it is, it’s a very good game. The developers are also keeping up with it, releasing frequent updates. If you love fishing and love deep simulation games, then it’s a must-own title.

Credit: Fishing: Barents Sea Review: The Sim of All Fishing Sims

The Zero Chill promo wrapped up just in time to now start the MUT NFL Playoffs promo in Madden 20. This will serve as the general guide for the promo as we go through the NFL playoffs. Starting with the Wild Card Weekend, we get a ton of new cards, including 12 new Heroes, 2 Masters, 3 Legends and new offline content. Here is the breakdown of what’s available so far.

Also, just a note that the MUT NFL Playoffs promo is generally first and foremost to help theme teams. Theme teams are not as strong this year as in the past, and some cards of course are great beyond theme teams, but I think it’s fair to say a core tenet of this promo is to help out those who like using specific teams (assuming they made the playoffs).

Wild Card Round

AFC

How this works for the MUT NFL Playoffs promo is you first acquire the Heroes by getting six NFL Playoffs players from each team to exchange for the Hero for that team.

Bills

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• Tremaine Edmunds (95) – Hero
  • Josh Allen (93)
  • Devin Singletary (91)
  • Dion Dawkins (89)
  • Matt Milano (87)
  • Jon Feliciano (85)
  • Levi Wallace (83)

Analysis: Archetypes are incredibly important this year, especially for quarterbacks. The Josh Allen card is a significant upgrade for him as he picks up 85 speed, 97 throw power, 93 throw on run and mid 80s accuracy ratings. The problem is his archetype is Strong Arm, so he’s not close to getting Escape Artist or Dashing Deadeye. So even with solid speed, he’s still not going to be super fast behind the line, and he doesn’t create as much on the run. Now, you can put other forms of Deadeye on him to mitigate this somewhat, but Dashing Deadeye remains the most important version and he misses out.

Edmunds is a good Hero, but he does not have a Power Up as of yet. Without it he’s still good as a user card in coverage and as a run pursuer, but he’s not quite elite beyond the theme team.

Chiefs

• Travis Kelce (95) – Hero
  • LeSean McCoy (93)
  • Frank Clark (91)
  • Eric Fisher (89)
  • Charvarius Ward (87)
  • Austin Reiter (85)
  • Damien Wilson (83)

Analysis: Kelce has been a stable force for a lot of teams at various points this year, and now obviously you have a Tony Gonzalez/Travis Kelce double TE nightmare for a Chiefs theme team. That being said, Kelce doesn’t strike me as breaking the mold for TEs or anything like that. At this point, I think it’s down to personal preference with a lot of these tight ends, and also what you’re looking to get out of the position. Shady McCoy doesn’t have great speed and just seems out of place in this running meta with his stats.

Patriots

• Stephon Gilmore (95) – Hero
  • James White (93)
  • Joe Thuney (91)
  • Kyle Van Noy (89)
  • Benjamin Watson (87)
  • Phillip Dorsett (85)
  • John Simon (83)

Analysis: Stephon Gilmore has great coverage stats, but that speed at just 90 is suspect. On theme teams this can be minimized a bit, and you can make it work, but I’m concerned. James White already has the 93 overall Ultimate Kickoff. This card is technically better because of the abilities he can pick up, but it’s an odd choice for a card.

Ravens

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• Ronnie Stanley (95) – Hero
  • Matthew Judon (93)
  • Marquise Brown (91)
  • Patrick Onwuasor (89)
  • Willie Snead IV (87)
  • Chuck Clark (85)
  • Bradley Bozeman (83)

Analysis: There’s a ton of good LTs in the game, but Stanley does have very good stats. Judon is a disappointment. Marquise Brown makes up for that because he has 97 speed, so he can certainly get boosted to 99 speed if you go down that path. His Rookie Premiere of course also got the upgrade so it’s a double-win on that front.

Texans

• Deshaun Watson (95) – Hero
  • Kenny Stills (93)
  • Johnathan Joseph (91)
  • Zach Cunningham (89)
  • Nick Martin (87)
  • Max Scharping (85)
  • Jordan Atkins (83)

Analysis: Deshaun Watson has my favorite release in the game. It’s very fast and probably beats out — or at least competes with — Aaron Rodgers for best throwing animation. He is an Improvisor archetype and has 86 speed, low 90s accuracy ratings, and 92 throw power. This means he can get Dashing Deadeye and Escape Artist, but he does not have a Power Up as of yet. Regardless, this is a great quarterback and goes into consideration in the top tier. Nothing else from the Texans looks great. Also, I feel for all the investors who were banking on a DeAndre Hopkins card.

Titans

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• Kevin Byard (95) – Hero
  • Ryan Tannehill (93)
  • Logan Ryan (91)
  • Kenny Vaccaro (89)
  • Corey Davis (87)
  • DaQuan Jones (85)
  • Nate Davis (83)

Analysis: Byard gets 97 zone coverage and 90 speed so he’s going to play as a coverage safety in pretty much any format. However, he’s not much of a hitter so that might mean he’s out for some people. Tannehill is the real show stealer here because it’s a massive upgrade for a Titans theme team. On top of that, he’s an Improvisor with 82 speed, 92 throw power, and low-to-mid 90s accuracy ratings. So he gets Escape Artist and Dashing Deadeye as well, and so he’s slightly more accurate than Deshaun Watson, but a little slower. However, his release is not as good as Watson’s (I think he has a generic throwing animation).

NFC

(Yes, they spelled Davante Adams’ name wrong.)

49ers

• Dee Ford (95) – Hero
  • Joe Staley (93)
  • Deebo Samuel (91)
  • Jaquiski Tartt (89)
  • Raheem Mostert (87)
  • Mike Person (85)
  • Kendrick Bourne (83)

Analysis: Dee Ford would be amazing in a different game. He has great speed and pass rushing skills, but his block shedding is only 74. This means he’s a liability in the run game. That being said, he makes a good spy and will be able to run down QBs for sacks. However, it’s not ideal to have a “situational” 95 on your team. There’s not much else to be hyped about with the selections here, but we’ll get to TO in the Masters section.

Eagles

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• Brandon Brooks (95) – Hero
  • Malcolm Jenkins (93)
  • Miles Sanders (91)
  • Tim Jernigan (89)
  • Nelson Agholor (87)
  • Avonte Maddox (85)
  • Vinny Curry (83)

Analysis: Brandon Brooks looks okay, but the Eagles don’t really need offensive line help. Malcolm Jenkins is just too slow to work at this point. However, Miles Sanders got a big upgrade, and he should really help an Eagles theme team that was hurting at that position. His receiving stats are not great, but he got some pretty generous rushing attributes to go with base 90 speed.

Packers

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• Davante Adams (95) – Hero
  • Bryan Bulaga (93)
  • Darnell Savage Jr. (91)
  • Billy Turner (89)
  • Kevin King (87)
  • Jamaal Williams (85)
  • Geronimo Allison (83)

Analysis: Davante Adams has 97 release but just 90 speed. I think this means he’ll be really good on short routes but maybe not great outside of a theme team otherwise. Savage Jr. gets 93 speed and 93 hit power so he becomes a very good user option on defense. He also gets the Rookie Premiere upgrade as well (like Marquise Brown). He might be a little suspect if you don’t user with the safety a lot, but it’s a good upgrade either way. And, again, I feel for the Aaron Rodgers investors out there.

Saints

• Drew Brees (95) – Hero
  • Demario Davis (93)
  • Erik McCoy (91)
  • Vonn Bell (89)
  • Eli Apple (87)
  • Andrus Peat (85)
  • Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (83)

Analysis: Brees just doesn’t play to this meta. He also only gets 90 deep accuracy here. Overall, this might be the most disappointing selection for players.

Seahawks

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• Marshawn Lynch (95) – Hero
  • Shaquill Griffin (93)
  • Duane Brown (91)
  • Jarran Reed (89)
  • Justin Britt (87)
  • Tre Flowers (85)
  • David Moore (83)

Analysis: EA gets to Marshawn in a hurry here, and he’s getting treated like peak Lynch. It’s a solid running back, and is a good upgrade for the Seahawks theme team, but he’s not in the top tier otherwise. Shaquill Griffin has 94 speed and really good stats overall. He just needs a Power Up now to be an amazing CB option. For a third time, let me say I feel bad now for Russell Wilson investors.

Vikings

• Danielle Hunter (95) – Hero
  • Linval Jospeh (93)
  • Kyle Rudolph (91)
  • Riley Reiff (89)
  • C.J. Ham (87)
  • Mike Hughes (85)
  • Garrett Bradbury (83)

Analysis: Danielle Hunter looks like a very good card for the meta. He’s fast enough to get to the QB, and also has 89 block shed to deal with the stretch plays of the world. A very good looking card on most teams. Elsewhere, nothing else really stands out as the Vikings are already rich at DT, and Rudolph is a decent but unspectacular upgrade.

Master Cards

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So with the Masters, you get the card by trading in three Heroes from that specific conference. You get the Master, the Power Up, and a choice of three non-tradeable Heroes from that conference in return.

Analysis: With the Physical archetype, Owens may not be the perfect for some people, and some of his traits are not great. That being said, it’s a very good card. He does not get an X-Factor out of the gate like Randy Moss, but TO is probably the most complete WR in the game now stats-wise. He has 93 speed, 95 release and quality across the board. This is a great card.

Analysis: Champ Bailey also comes in and may now be the most complete cornerback in the game. Again, he does not start with an X-Factor, but he has 94 speed, 96 man coverage, 91 zone coverage, 90 press, and also has very good return ratings. He can be used like Deion as a special teams returner and lockdown corner.

Overall, both Masters cards are worth getting if you can swing it.

Legends

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We also got three Legends. Jordan Gross and Dwight Freeney can be acquired via sets when you exchange the five versions of them for the Boss version. Antwaan Randle El is just in packs as he’s the Limited for the weekend. You can get their Power Ups in the Solos.

Analysis: Randle El can get Human Joystick, so he’s another option for the Taysom Hill package. Freeney has 86 speed and becomes a very good edge rusher if you want to go down that road with him. Jordan Gross adds on to the riches we have at left tackle so feels a little redundant.

Solos

You can get an 89 overall non-tradeable 89 NFL Playoffs player if you get to 108 total Stars (this was first listed as a 95 overall but it was just an error by EA).

• Playoff: 24 challenges here where you can get 120 Stars.
• Crunch Time Drills: There are 12 challenges here where you can get 60 Stars.

Exchange Sets

Nothing seems too crazy here for value, but be sure to do the NFL Playoffs Welcome Set the one time you’re allowed to do it.

Store

Credit: MUT NFL Playoffs Promo Guide: Madden 20 – Operation Sports

Let’s take a look at how Madden sees Wild Card Weekend playing out.

Settings:

• Time: 15 Minutes, Accelerated Clock
• Difficulty: All-Madden
• Gameplay: Simulation

Saturday, January 4th

#5 Buffalo Bills @ #4 Houston Texans, ESPN

The Texans have one of the better rosters in Madden with some of the most skilled players at key positions. However, Buffalo’s defense is tough and their dual-threat QB is straight cheese in this year’s game. This was destined to be one of the top games of Wild Card Weekend and the simulation did not disappoint.

For most of the first half, both teams struggled to get anything going offensively. Early in the first quarter, both teams would settle for field goals. The passing game was non-existent until midway through the second quarter. The first big play of the game came on a 45-yard reception from Deshaun Watson to DeAndre Hopkins. Three plays later, Hopkins would once again go up and pluck the ball out of the air on a beautifully executed fade on CB Tre’Davious White. 10-3 Texans.

With time running down in the first half, Buffalo strung together their most impressive drive of the game. With under 45 seconds to go, Josh Allen faked the handoff and scampered right for the 25-yard TD.

10-10 at the half.

Both teams exchanged punts back and forth for most of the third quarter. However, it was only a matter of time before things picked back up. On third and 12 from their own 34-yard line, the Bills ran a perfectly executed HB screen that saw Devin Singletary take the ball 64 yards to the house. 17-10 Bills. Houston would punt on their next possession, so the Bills would lead with one final quarter to play.

If the third quarter was all Buffalo, Houston won the deciding fourth quarter. On their first possession, Watson would once again look to Hopkins — as he did for most of the game — completing a WR screen that Hopkins took 45 yards to the house. Both defenses would settle in and make key stops with the game on the line. With Buffalo driving late in the fourth quarter, Allen tried to force a ball into double coverage that was taken to the house for the TD. A J.J. Watt strip-sack would finish the game as the Texans advanced to the divisional round.

Final Score: 24-17

MVP: DeAndre Hopkins – 9 catches, 154 yards, 2 TDs

#6 Tennessee Titans @ #3 New England Patriots, CBS

If anyone has familiarity with playing in Foxborough, it’s Titans’ QB Ryan Tannehill. Of course, New England was forced to play on Wild Card Weekend thanks to a Week 17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Nevertheless, this was one of the most painful simulations I’ve ever had to watch.

Things looked promising early on for the Titans as Tannehill started the game red hot, completing seven consecutive passes. And after a long Derrick Henry run, the Titans would score first and go up 7-0. Sadly, that was the last time Tennessee would reach the end zone in this game, as it was all New England from that moment forward.

The Patriots did everything and anything they liked offensively — perhaps virtual Josh McDaniels was subconsciously interviewing for the Browns vacant HC position. But in all seriousness, it went from two evenly matched teams to the Patriots playing on rookie.

Tom Brady successfully drove the Patriots down the field on four straight possessions, finishing each drive with a TD pass. Heading into the half, the score was 28-7 New England.

New England got the ball in the second half and continued their dominance. Sony Michel broke three tackles on his way to a 44-yard TD and put the Patriots up 35-7. Tennessee would answer with a promising drive but settled for a field goal. That would be the last chance they had at mounting a comeback as the Patriots’ defense hunkered down and prevented the Titans from doing anything else.

Final Score: 42-10

MVP: Tom Brady – 18/25 289 yards, 4 Touchdowns, 1 Interception

Sunday, January 5th

#6 Minnesota Vikings @ #3 New Orleans Saints, FOX

I’m pretty sure everyone remembers watching Stefon Diggs turn upfield in what is now known as the Minneapolis Miracle. This time, however, this important matchup will be played in the Superdome and there’s no question the Saints are seeking revenge.

This was probably the best of the four simulations, and both teams wasted very little time. Minnesota elected to receive, and on the very first play from scrimmage Dalvin Cook took a counter left side for a 75-yard TD. Both teams would go three and out, with what appeared to be a defensive struggle brewing. That was until Drew Brees found Jared Cook down the seam for a 37-yard reception. Two plays later, Alvin Kamara slipped behind the defense on a wheel route, tying the game at 7.

The Vikings’ next possession was a methodical one and took significant time off the clock. However, it was only a matter of time before Kirk Cousins turned the football over, and after a Cam Jordan strip-sack the Saints had the ball and were looking to take the game over. Brees would once again find Cook in the middle of the field. After two consecutive first-down runs by Kamara, Michael Thomas saw his first chance to flex on the Vikings. The 99 overall wide receiver skied over defensive back Trae Waynes for a spectacular touchdown catch. 14-7 Saints.

The two teams would exchange punts and New Orleans felt good going into the half up 14-7.

New Orleans got the football and had a decent drive brewing before settling for a 54-yard Will Lutz field goal attempt that would go wide right. Minnesota saw an opportunity to respond, and on the first play of the half ran a play that looked eerily similar to the Minneapolis Miracle. Diggs caught a 10-yard curl route, slipped a tackle, and took the ball 48 yards to the house. All tied up.

Both teams would exchange punts, and the Saints would get the ball back with two minutes left in the third quarter. This is where Brees would orchestrate a 12 play, 82-yard drive that would take 6 minutes off the clock. The drive would be capped off with a Michael Thomas toe tap in the corner of the end zone. 21-14.

Minnesota would answer quickly, and in only six plays Cousins would drive the Vikings down the field, finding Adam Thielen for the touchdown. All tied up at 21, with under four minutes to go.

After a nice kick return, the Saints were in prime position to drive the ball downfield and take the lead. However, it only took the Saints one play. Brees found Kamara on the HB slip screen, and Kamara took it to the house for his second receiving touchdown of the day. 28-21 with 2:40 left to play.

The Saints defense locked up Minnesota’s wide receivers on the ensuing possession, and after four consecutive incompletions the Vikings turned the ball over. After two straight runs, Kamara finally broke free, solidifying the victory for the Saints.

Final Score: Saints 28-21

MVP: Alvin Kamara – 18 carries, 115 yards. 5 catches, 98 yards, 2 TDs

#5 Seattle Seahawks @ #4 Philadelphia Eagles, NBC

The last game of Wild Card Weekend didn’t quite live up to the hype like the Saints/Vikings game, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t exciting. The first thing I had to do was make some tweaks to Philly’s roster because it’s currently depleted by injury. Once things were set, the game was ready to begin.

Seattle’s first drive went exactly how many anticipated, using newly signed RB Marshawn Lynch to carry the team downfield. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, they were unable to punch the ball in and were forced to settle for a field goal. 3-0

The two teams would struggle to get anything going for most of the first quarter. It wasn’t until the second quarter, however, that the Eagles started to show new life. Four plays into the second quarter, Wentz found Dallas Goedert for the TD. 7-3 Eagles. Seattle responded quickly and regained the lead after a Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett 45-yard TD. 10-7. The Eagles would end the half with a field goal, tying the game up at 10.

Philadelphia got the ball back to start the half and put together a 12 play, 6-minute drive that was capped off with a Boston Scott TD. 17-10 Eagles. Both teams would struggle to get anything going offensively as the score remained the same heading into the fourth quarter.

As the clock slowly started to fade, so did the Seahawks’ playoff aspirations. That is until Russell Wilson found D.K. Metcalf deep downfield for a 66-yard TD. Tie game, 17-17. The two teams would struggle to get anything going, and with under 2 minutes left to go the Seahawks gave the ball back to Wentz.

Wentz marched the Eagles downfield, and with under 5 seconds left in the game Jake Elliott came on to attempt a 53-yard field goal. Seattle tried to ice Elliott, but no dice. Elliott, with ice in his veins, kicked it right through the uprights as the Eagles pulled off the improbable victory.

Credit: Wild Card Weekend Simulation Using Madden NFL 20 – Operation Sports

These weekly roster updates include changes to player ratings, based off of the previous week’s results, updated depth charts and injuries for all 32 teams. As always, player likeness updates only arrive in title updates, not roster updates.

You can check all of the changes here. We’ve listed some of the changes below. Make sure to check out our official Madden roster FAQ, which answers many of the questions you may have.

GOING UP:

• George Kittle +1 (Overall 97)
• Terron Armstead +1 (Overall 95)
• Ezekiel Elliott +1 (Overall 93)
• Ronnie Stanley +4 (Overall 93)
• Derrick Henry +1 (Overall 89)
• Jimmy Garoppolo +1 (Overall 85)
• Matthew Ioannidis +1 (Overall 85)
• DeVante Parker +3 (Overall 84)
• Tyler Higbee +1 (Overall 83)
• A.J. Brown +1 (Overall 80)
• Damien Williams +1 (Overall 80)

GOING DOWN:

• David Bakhtiari -1 (Overall 96)
• Tom Brady -2 (Overall 92)
• Nick Chubb -1 (Overall 91)
• Andrew Whitworth -1 (Overall 89)
• Le’Veon Bell -1 (Overall 88)
• Aaron Rodgers -1 (Overall 88)
• Marshawn Lynch -3 (Overall 84)
• Trey Burton -1 (Overall 82)
• D.J. Chark Jr. -1 (Overall 81)

Credit: Official Madden NFL 20 Roster Update For Wild Card Weekend Available, See The Changes Here – Operation Sports

As an Xbox Live Gold member, you get multiplayer, bonus games, and exclusive member discounts in the Microsoft Store. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members get everything Xbox Live Gold members receive, but it also includes access to over 100 console and PC games.

Xbox Free Play Days are one of the perks of having either an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, giving you the opportunity to play select, fully featured games for free.

Members can download DiRT Rally 2.0 here. Once you’ve played, you can purchase the game and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned in-game during the event. Currently, all 3 Editions are available at a special discount.

Please note, the prices below will vary by region.

DiRT Rally 2.0

DiRT Rally 2.0 dares you to carve your way through a selection of iconic rally locations from across the globe, including New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Australia and the USA, in the most powerful off-road vehicles ever made.

Race on eight official circuits from the FIA World Rallycross championship, complete with licensed Supercars and support series.

Develop your team and cars around race strategies, and progress through a varied selection of Events and Championships in both a single player Career Campaign and a competitive online environment.

• OVER 50 OF THE MOST POWERFUL OFF-ROAD CARS EVER BUILT – Tear through environments with an iconic roster of historic and modern-day rally cars, VW Polo GTI R5, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X & Citroen C3 R5. Also take on the challenging power of the Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R.
• 6 REAL LIFE RALLY LOCATIONS –Take the wheel through the stunning environments of New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Poland, Australia and the USA.
• FEEL YOUR RACE – Improved handling, surfaces, fallibility and environments deliver the most authentic and focused off-road experience ever.
• THE OFFICIAL GAME OF THE FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP – Race at Barcelona, Montalegre, Mettet, Lohéac Bretagne, Trois-Rivieres, Hell, Holjes and Silverstone in a multitude of different series.
• DEVELOP YOUR OWN TEAM – Create a team, hire your staff and expand your garage of vehicles as you choose.
• TUNING – Tune your vehicle to suit your driving style and environmental characteristics. Alleviate wear and tear by configuring each car’s set-up, and upgrade your parts to ensure your vehicles are ready for whatever challenge lies ahead.
• GET COMPETITIVE – Race the entire DiRT Community in Daily, Weekly and Monthly Challenges, with worldwide leaderboards and events.

If you missed our DiRT Rally 2.0 review, read it here.

Credit: DiRT Rally 2.0 is Free to Play Through This Weekend For Xbox Live Gold & Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Members – Operation Sports

For those of you that want to get in on the action, you can play the first 4 hours of the game now. If you want to keep playing after the free trial is over, you can purchase the game and all of your progress will be carried over.

Download @TheCrewGame’s free trial

Hop in this week and try out the Open Days Summit!
https://t.co/cJ6TfVsl54 pic.twitter.com/zX8MnphaNf

— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) January 2, 2020

The Crew 2 captures the thrill of the American motorsports spirit in one of the most exhilarating open worlds ever created. Welcome to Motornation, a huge, varied, action-packed, and beautiful playground built for motorsports throughout the entire US of A. Enjoy unrestrained exploration on ground, sea, and sky. From coast to coast, street and pro racers, off-road explorers, and freestylers gather and compete in all kinds of disciplines. Join them in high-octane contests and share every glorious moment with the world.

The Crew 2 gives you the chance to showcase your skills and rise as a multi-skilled motorsports champion.

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WELCOME TO MOTORNATION – TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO THE GROUND, SEA, AND SKY

Push boundaries and take on new experiences in iconic locations. Fly and spin through fog and clouds above the snowcapped Rocky Mountains, burn rubber in the backstreets of New York City, sweep through the Mississippi River, and explore every inch of the Grand Canyon. Driving your dream hypercar, riding some of the most iconic American bikes, and taking control of the swiftest aerobatic planes and powerboats: opportunities for fun and challenges are limitless in a fully redesigned USA.

SWITCH INSTANTLY BETWEEN VEHICLES & ENJOY A 100% SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE

The Crew 2 is about open world freedom behind the wheel of your favorite rides. Shift from one to another with just a push of a button using the Fast Fav feature and experience the full potential of this huge and seamless open world. Cruising through L.A in your dream hypercar, switch to the swiftest aerobatic plane to rise above the skyscrapers and enjoy stunning perspectives over Hollywood, then swap it for a slick powerboat as you reach the coastline, landing smoothly on the Pacific ocean: opportunities for fun and challenges are limitless.

BE THE CHAMPION YOU WANT TO BE

Join four different motorsports families from around the country: street and pro racers, off-road experts, and freestylers. They’ll hook you up with new rides, and they’ll introduce you to their own unique motorsports culture and set of disciplines. Through competitions and chance encounters, find and hone your personal style, collect and customize your dream rides, show them off in your HQ, and make your mark on the entire US motorsports scene.

SHARE AND SHINE IN A CONNECTED WORLD

The world of The Crew 2 is fueled by the need to share your personal accomplishments and unique moments with friends and others – break records and be a pioneer! Every time you achieve something, it will be saved as a new challenge for other players, while you will be encouraged to surpass the feats of others. Capture and share all of your best moments with the press of a button.

Credit: The Crew 2 Free Trial Available Now – Operation Sports

UPDATE: (1-2-20) The Trials Rising Polar Expedition Track Pack is available now. You can check out the various tracks in the video below, courtesy of Nathan da Silva.

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PERMAFROST

You like air? Cause Permafrost has air. You’ll need to really watch your airtime on this track as you string together jumps through a stunning village in Greenland that’s surrounded by glaciers. Will you use the Rhino to control your air time? Or go for the Mantis to possibly skip some jumps? This track has several options to bring home the victory.

GLACIAL MASS

What’s cooler than being cool? Glacial Mass. This track starts you on a glacier and takes you around sinking icebergs that will put your timing skills to the test. If you hear ice cracking on this track, it probably is, so move fast, Riders!

INUIT’S PARADISE

Been spending most our rides, racing through Inuit’s Paradise. The artic sky complete with Aurora Borealis gives this track the best vibes in the entire Expedition. Don’t get too distracted by the sights, though, as this track makes you pull out some serious technical skills. You may see a Snowman and a Snow Squirrel hanging out, but you’ll need some Snow Bunnyhops if you’re going to get on this leaderboard.

OUT COLD

This track will bring back some serious X-Files nostalgia. Starting during a storm near a military station, you’ll be plunged underground where the military would rather you not see. Secrets are contained within. Will you find them?

ICEFERNO

According to Dante, the final level of Hell was covered in ice. Where Inferno takes you into the depth of the fire, Iceferno will take you further into the ice. The Extreme track of the pack, only the top Riders will conquer Iceferno.

Credit: Trials Rising Polar Expedition Track Pack Available Now – Operation Sports

Zero Chill Ghosts Of Madden Past

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Starting with the Ghosts of Madden Past, Patrick Willis is the first Master. The prior leaks showed off John Randle and Marvin Harrison, so we finally see how they’re involved in Zero Chill as well. The other card here is Kevin Mawae.

• Patrick Willis – Master
  • John Randle (95)
  • Marvin Harrison (95)
  • Kevin Mawae (95)

With all these Ghost sets, you get the master (tradeable), a Power-Up for that master, and a non-tradeable version of the three other cards required.

Zero Chill Ghosts Of Madden Present

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With the Ghosts of Madden Present, Julio Jones is the Master. You might need to do a little Power Up work on Julio to get him where you want, but he looks like a certifiable beast that is just a rung below Randy Moss.

• Julio Jones (95) – Master
  • Jaire Alexander (94)
  • Terron Armstead (94)
  • Harrison Smith (94)

Zero Chill Ghosts Of Madden Future

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The last Nick Bosa card was a major letdown, and this one still leaves something to be desired. This is the worst set of the three Zero Chill Ghosts for a reason.

• Nick Bosa (94) – Master
  • DeAndre Baker (93)
  • Josh Jacobs (93)
  • Elgton Jenkins (93)

You can find all these cards and any others released so far in our Zero Chill guide.

Credit: Zero Chill Ghost Trifecta: Madden 20 MUT – Operation Sports

The one unique aspect of this promo each year is the “gifts” concept, with the change this year being all gifts will open on Christmas Day, rather than throughout the promo as happened in the past.

We’ll cover all of that, plus the players known so far — we will continue to get new players throughout this promo that runs through Christmas — and anything else you need to know. We’ll also review some of the bigger cards from this promo in the near future, and we’ll add a link to this guide when that is done.

Gingerbread Masters

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• Adrian Peterson (91)
• Ted Hendricks (93)
• Amari Cooper (92)

Gingerbread will serve as one portion of collectibles you accrue through various challenges etc. They can be used to pick up the above players in sets if you want to use your collectibles on them.

Master Cards

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Zero Chill Key Cards

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Set 1

• Bruce Smith (95) – Master of set 1
  • Darius Leonard (92)
  • Derwin James (93)
  • Christian McCaffrey (94)

Set 2

• Walter Payton (95) – Master of set 2
  • Jason Kelce (94)
  • Marcus Peters (93)
  • Cameron Heyward (92)

Set 3

• Rob Gronkowski (95) – Master
  • Cam Jordan (94)
  • DeSean Jackson (93)
  • Arik Armstead (92)

Every Zero Chill Card

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Ghosts Of Madden Future

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• Terry McLaurin (94 overall) — the Master of this set
  • Devin Bush (93)
  • Chris Lindstrom (93)
  • Brian Burns (93)

• Nick Bosa (94) – Master
  • DeAndre Baker (93)
  • Josh Jacobs (93)
  • Elgton Jenkins (93)

• Daniel Jones (95) – Limited

Ghosts Of Madden Present

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• J.J. Watt (95) – Master of this set
  • Todd Gurley (94)
  • Leighton Vander Esch (94)

• Khalil Mack (95) – Limited card
• Patrick Mahomes (94)

• Julio Jones (95) – Master
  • Jaire Alexander (94)
  • Terron Armstead (94)
  • Harrison Smith (94)

Ghosts Of Madden Past

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• Michael Vick (96) – Master of this set
  • Bo Jackson (95)
  • Michael Strahan (95)
  • Mel Blount (95)

• Nick Bosa (94) – Master
  • DeAndre Baker (93)
  • Josh Jacobs (93)
  • Elgton Jenkins (93)

Out Of Position Players

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Master of set 1 is Calvin Johnson.

• Calvin Johnson (94) – FS – Master of set 1
• Mike Evans (93) – CB – Need for Megatron set
• Patrick Ricard (93) – DT – Need for Megatron set

The other cards below you do not need for Master 1:

• Kordell Stewart (95) – HB – Limited
• Taysom Hill (91) – TE
• Joe Webb (89) – WR
• Josh Allen (87) – LOLB
• Landon Collins (85) – MLB

Master of set 2 is Vita Vea.

• Vita Vea (95) – HB – Master of set 2
• J.J. Watt (93) – TE – Need for Vea set
• Quenton Nelson (93) – FB – Need for Vea set

The other cards below you do not need for Master 2:

• Jamal Adams (91) – ROLB
• Mohamed Sanu Sr. (89) – QB
• Mark Barron (87) – SS
• Jimmie Ward (85) – FS

Challenges

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• The Hearth challenges are not really worth the grind.
• The Snow Day challenges you do want to knock out because they’re worth your time.
  • More Snow Day challenges were added on 12/23.
  • More Snow Day challenges were added on 12/30.
• The first House Rules is not very fun to me, but it is better value than Hearth challenges.
  • House Rules week 2 is better and the value remains solid.
• MUTmas Carol was added on 12/18.
  • More was added to it on 12/20.
  • More was added to it on 12/25.
  • More was added on 1/1.
• Out of Position Training Camp added on 12/20.
  • More Training Camp missions were added on 12/27.
• The 12 Days of MUTmas was added on 12/25.

MUTmas Carol

• A healthy chunk of coins available here, not a terrible way to grind.

Out of Position Training Camp

Other Sets

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I’ll touch on holiday puzzles next, but the Hearth sets are probably not worth doing either. You spend 100 Kindling and the odds you get something worth that 100 Kindling right now are not spectacular.

Gifts

Gifts are also not worth the Kindling as of yet. It seems like the “large gifts” will be tied to teams — they’re color coded. With that in mind, the puzzle collectibles are worth selling right rather than putting them towards gifts in the sets section. The large gifts will almost assuredly include players, but we don’t know who those team-specific players will be, and there’s also decent odds we get even bigger gifts before Christmas, which is why selling the collectibles for now is a good way to make some money for the time being. That cost analysis will flip at some point, but on day one of these promos you’re usually better off selling the collectibles.

The presents ended up being a whole bunch of various players who had already been released in various forms.

Credit: Madden NFL 20 MUT: Zero Chill Promo Guide – Operation Sports