Customer Reviews

ESPN NFL 2K5

5 star:		(92)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Though it's a little too early to tell, I think it's pretty safe to say that ESPN NFL 2K5 will finally reign supreme in it's yearly battle as "Best Football Game of '04," from the legendary Madden Series. It's hard to believe that it was only a mere five years ago, when the NFL 2K Series first appeared on the cutesy Sega Dreamcast. My have they grown... No longer content with second place in the football console wars, Sega pulled out all the stops and released a living, breathing, sweating, trash-talking, smash mouth football game. If there ever was an idea of the "perfect" football game, this would have to be it. In fact, so much so, that purchasing the anticipated Madden 2005 seems like a waste of money. But hey, I'm a hard-core football fanatic, and I have no qualms splurging seventy bucks on both football titles. Regardless, I can easily see myself playing this game till the Pro Bowl when I finally remember that Madden game I purchased oh so long ago, still un-opened, collecting dust on my shelf.

The presentation on this game is absolutely phenomenal. Last year, I mentioned that NFL 2K4 did an outstanding job utilizing the ESPN license. This year is no exception. Sega should give seminars on taking advantage of a licensing goldmine such as ESPN...*cough*...Atari...*cough*..."Enter the Matrix"... The pre-game, in-game, half-time, and post-game presentations are flawless, albeit the virtual "Boomer" is a little bit creepy. Playing the game is like watching an actual NFL broadcast on the world's leading sports channel. Statistics in the multitudes will fly across the screen during the course of a game, replays from every which angle will be shown in a tiny window off to the side as you choose your next play, and the ingenious VIP system, which acts like a blueprint of your and your opponent's play calling tendencies, allows you to prepare in detail for the current or following game. Throw in the ability to schedule the tone of player meetings (angry or maybe encouraging) and allotting prep time, either through film sessions or a specific physical training regimen (arms, legs, biceps, quads), for your players in order to improve their ratings, and you have a game that puts you front and center in the driver seat of a football team. Granted, I'm only mentioning only a handful of the vast variety of features that are available at your fingertips, which is only a testimony to how deep this game really is.

The NFL 2K series has long been known for it's superior graphics engine. Fortunately, over the years, the series has become less of a one trick pony and more of a complete football experience. Regardless, NFL 2K5 is hands down the most realistic and beautiful looking football game I've ever seen. Players are size proportionate with rippling muscles and veins. Jerseys are colorful and vibrant and twist and wrinkle at the right spots. Player faces are dead on, and smile or frown depending on the game situation. Cheerleaders look less like ghouls and more like Barbie dolls. An example of the great graphics engine in this game was during a replay of an interception my defensive player grabbed in the end zone during a game. As I zoomed in, I actually caught tiny particles of dirt and grass flying around the cleats of my player as he scrambled to his feet after making a diving interception. Dirt and grass! Why is this a revelation, you say? Only because it would have been hard to notice such detail without the benefit of the zooming button during the replay.

Game play is where this game all comes together. Overall, it's basically the same as last years model which isn't a knock since it was great to begin with. If it ain't broke, then don't fix it, as I like to say. Like Madden there are three play calling windows, the top allotted for defensive side of the ball and the bottom being for the offensive side. The variety of plays are abundant and nicely varied. Running is still easy with a stud running back which makes it imperative to choose the All-Pro difficulty if you're looking for a true challenge. The AI is more stingy and intelligent on this setting without being frustrating. A major gripe I had with last year's game was the poor tackling even on the most difficult setting. This year, it's fixed, not only making individual tackling a possibility, but allowing you to choose the type of tackle (bone-rattling or shove) you want to unleash. Also added is an evade move that can be utilized by the quarterback if he's about to be sacked by tapping the right control stick. The player animations are a sight to behold, especially during running plays. Watching a running back scrape for an extra yard or two after being tackled, a defensive end grab for the leg or a quarterback, and a cornerback leap for an interception just brings tears to your eyes.

The NFL 2K series has grown tenfold in it's short existence. So much so that I think it will be a challenge for Sega to top what has to be the perfect football game for next year's entry. Though I'm sure that Madden 2005 will still lead in overall sales, I think it's safe to say that ESPN NFL 2K5 will lead as an overall football gaming experience. Much congrats to Sega.

Here is what I know about ESPN NFL 2K5 as we speak right now.

1. The Live feature will be enhanced with leagues and tournaments, just like XSN Sports...until it folded.

2. The release date has been pushed back... pushed back as in it is being pushed back the good way (from September 2 to August 10 to now July 20!)

3. The Crib mode has been expanded to include more unlockable goodies than ever before.

4. There is a new VIP Mode where via memory card, you can play an arch rival of yours wihtout really playing him (you play his tactics and try to master them!)

5. First Person Football is back and it's better than ever!

6. ESPN NFL 2K5 has centered it's attention solely on the Xbox, therefore look for a major graphics boost on the Xbox!

7. The Sportscenter from ESPN NFL 2K4 has been vastly improved, giving us a 3D vision of Chris Berman (Tear!)

8. Suzy Kolber is also 3D, giving us interviews with the star player, I have seen an itnerview with Garrison Hearst on his star performance and it rocks!

9. Trey Wingo is in the game giving the injury reports for the week and Mel Kiper Jr. is in the game as well, giving us scouting reports from top draft picks for the next year (no 3D model though, bummer!)

10. Draft Picks have faces that are combined from the physical features of today's players!

11. The Halftime has been vastly improved as well, instead of screenshots in last years version, we now have streaming video of the best plays of the half!

12. Franchise has improved as well. Giving we, the people the power to manage our teams on a daily basis (have a pass-savvy team you're facing next week, send them to film to analyze the pass)

13. There is an ooption in the game as QB evade, where the QB , insead of just standing there helpless when the line is crumbling, you can use the QB evade to evade the defenders and throw the ball away.

And last but not least... ITS A BUDGET TITLE!!!!! $20!!!!!!!

I recommend if you have not even played the game or resistant to change as a Madden fan, I still reccomend that you buy or at least rent the game, on the basis that it is only $20. And it could be the best $20 you have ever spent.

(...)

Enjoy!

I have been an avid and loyal Madden football fan since Madden '92 came out, but ESPN NFL 2k5 has given me reason to rethink this.

First of all, for the money, you really can't go wrong. While EA is suckering all its loyal supporters out of their hard earned cash for little more than updated rosters, minor upgrades in gameplay, and a few extra bells and whistles, Sega is offering an incredible value with the latest installment of their football series.

I was truly impressed by the quality of NFL 2k5, regardless of the price. Not only is the gameplay the most realistic I have ever played (a solid balance exists between passing and running attacks), the graphics are far superior to anything else out there. I nearly wet myself with how good the rendition of Cowboy stadium was, along with the fans, officials, players, and of course, cheerleaders.

I would write more, but I have to go- just take my word for this: if you buy the game you'll get far more than your money's worth and you won't be disappointed.

When my son wanted this game I admit that I was hesitant. Afterall...why would you play any football game other than Madden.

But then I read a review in X-Box magazine where they actually gave it a higher rating than Madden 2005 raising an eyebrow. Then the Detroit News had two columnists debate the two games each taking the stance that one was better.

What the heck..for 20 bucks you can't go wrong. I don't have Madden 2005 yet and I'm still playing 2004. But ESPN 2K5 is one helluva game. I love the real game feel of having Chris Berman and Susie Kolber do pre, post, and halftime shows.

Reminds me of the old days of madden when they did cideo captures with James Brown in the studio. Really makes you feel like watching a TV presentation.

Let's be honest here...the graphics are BETTER than Madden...at least better than 2004 and from what I've heard, better than 2005. Much more realistic looking and fluid movements.

I also really like the playbooks. I've been playing Madden for about 14 years and frankly I am sick of seeing the same old plays every year. My detroit Lions have been through about 6 coaches and a dozen offensive coordinators in that time and yet I keep seeing the same plays over and over. VERY BORING!!!

I've found that It's easier to play defense in ESPN 2K5 as well, making it a bit of a better challenge to newbies.

It doesn't have the detail of Madden when it comes to scouting and drafting players in franchise mode but does have very detailed game preperation. some might say too detailed as it takes time to do before games.

I agree with some that the Cribs feature is a bit cheesy as well as the celebs calling you to play a game.

I did love the inclusion of 25 of the greatest plays/situations in NFL history that you can try and replay such as "the catch" and the Immaculate Reception. Very cool.

I could care less about the music. being over 40, I can't stand most of the music in Madden 2004 anyway although my kid likes it. I don't buy games for the soundtrack.

is ESPN 2K5 better than Madden 2005? I don't know. But i will tell you that it's a great game and more than worth the 20 bucks.

First of all gameplay.
Espn's gameplay is the most realistic I have found yet. Do not get me wrong it is not perfect. You cannot simply chuck a fifty yard bomb every play and excpect to get away with it. The new momentum based running system is fun but not pefect. You can no longer turn on a dime but sometimes your players momentum carries him further that it would in real life.


Second the graphics. These are second to none is football gaming. I would say 75% of players and all the big stars have faces that are 99% accurate. The player models are suberb. They are not short and full of steroids like the madden counterpart. The triple pass rendering in espn has the player uniforms their muscles and skeleton all working seperate (just like yours would) to make it the most spectacular animations. The crowd and player cutscenes are great. Injuries are awesome(feel bad for the guy but just watching the trainer ask him what day of the week it is is priceless). I even saw a cutscene where the pirate ship in Tampa shot off its cannons after tampa scored on me! The espn presentations is suberb and you could swear your watching sunday night football.
At the end of the half you get the Chris Berman halftime show and at the end of the game. With the Xbox you see highlights from the game you played.


Finally the franchise mode. This is extremely deep. You can sign players to contracts over several years and have the contract go ascend, descend, front load, back load, up down, etc. Trade draft picks two years in advance. Scout upcoming rookies. After each week watch sportscenter to see scenes from games, trades, signing, and even draft shows.

Everything said I would defenitely buy this game for $20. The best game for that price in my opinion ever.

YES! This IS the Madden killer!

Why?

1) In-game music - Rip your own music to your Xbox and play it during the game when you score a TD, get a safety, a FG, a first down and more.

2) VIP system - This allows you to save your friend's profiles so you can compete against them when they aren't available. Save your own profile and watch what your tendencies are and fix them.

3) Maximum tackle - If you are the ball carrier and you get wrapped up by a tackler, rapidly hit the A button to try and break it. If you are the tackler, rapidly hit the A button and try to bring him down. Now you have a chance to prevent that broken tackle, unlike last year's version when it was hit or miss (most of the time it was a miss).

4) Presentation - Wow!!! Much improved on top of what was already pretty excellent last year. You have a 3D Boomer previewing the game. Half-time shows video highlights rather than still photos with Boomer giving you the play-by-play. Suzy Kolber is the sideline reporter and does the post-game wrap up. It's great because she'll interview the player of the game. In my case, it was #88, Marvin Harrison. Mel Kiper and Trey Wingo also join Chris Berman to bring you up to the date info around the NFL.

One other thing where the presentation outshines Madden and last year's ESPN NFL 2k4 is when Boomer does the half-time show. In 2k4, he would call the scores out of order. For example, if the Colts had the lead and scored first, he would usually say something like "The Jets scored early. But, the Colts came back and took the lead" when the Colts, in reality, always had the lead. In 2k5, that has been fixed. He calls the scores in the order they happened. At the half, he calls what happened in the first half. At the post-game, he starts from the 3rd quarter. It just flows so well and brings so much more realism to this excellent game.

5) Franchise play - Now, every week, you can put your team to work through workout schedules, film breakdown as well as watching simulated games.

6) Celebrations - You can choose from dozens of outrageous TD celebrations and assign them to the buttons. Even the crowd gets into it with their fingers and terrible towels! Sometimes, they'll even show the crowd funneling into the stadium just before the game starts. A nice little touch.

7) QB Evade - Don't want to take that hit? The right trigger will put your QB in scramble mode. The right thumbstick will perform a QB evade behind the LOS.

8) DB and LB shifting is so much better this year. Instead of having to use the white and black buttons and the right thumbstick, you now use the left and right triggers and the right thumbstick. No more having to remove your left thumb off of the left thumbstick to move your D around. Also, you can choose to just move one defenseman by pressing the corresponding button over the players when you pull and hold the left or right trigger. You can even use this to call a double team after leaving the huddle, as well as put a spy on the QB. The white button assigns a blitz, while the black button assigns a delayed blitz.

9) First person football has been upgraded including the ability to swap between 1st and 3rd person mode, perform hot routes (on offense) and defensive shifts (on defense). The white button helps you locate the man you are assigned to.

10) Audibles - Pretty much the same stuff as last year EXCEPT you can now flip your running play in the opposite direction. Hit Y to bring up your audible screen, then push the right thumbstick left or right to switch your running play to that direction. No more having to flip the play and tip off the D on what you're doing. Kind of like Playmaker mode in Madden. Excellent addition and something that was sorely lacking in last year's edition of ESPN NFL.

11) Graphics and sound - Wow! The sound is awesome (including your own music during the game). The graphics are awesome. It's almost grotesque in how you can see the veins popping out of the arms of the players.

12) Upgraded Crib - New toys to play with in here. This is like Madden cards, but it gives you more interaction, including a dart game that you can play! Watch for the Celebrity Phone. It will ring when you are exploring through the game. Head back to the crib to accept the challenge. If you win, you get a nifty surprise, but I don't know what it is. I guess we'll have to keep trying to find out.

13) Online - I went online and unfortunately, it wasn't ready yet. Of course, the game just got on the shelves about 3 hours ago, so what did I expect? I just hope tonight there are more players online. I'm itching to play some pigskin tonight! Of course, ESPN had EA beat a long time ago with it's online play for the XBox. EA is just now jumping on the bandwagon, but it's a welcome jump. Time for some serious competition. Also, if you have an on-line league, if one your players is injured, then he's injured for everyone in that league. You can also trade on-line as well. Pretty cool!

However, there are a few small wrinkles that I wish were not there. First, the pre-season schedule does not follow the NFL's schedule this year. This was the same last year in ESPN 2k4 as well. The regular season schedule is matched up, but not the pre-season. It would have been nice to be playing the same exact pre-season schedule, but this is minor.

The other issue I have is, you have franchise mode but no "regular season" mode where you just play one season. Madden at least in the past has given you this option. It would have been nice if ESPN NFL 2k5 did the same.

But, these are just specks of dust in what I find to be the BEST NFL game out on the market to date. Madden 2k5 will be hard pressed to beat this game. And the price is actually too low for the quality you get out of this game. Do NOT let the low price fool you. THIS GAME IS WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS! BUY IT! It will be money well spent and then some.

Again, I say, Madden who??? ;)

I have been a madden fan for ever. I would never have played anything else besides madden football, except my buddy brought NFL 2K5 over. Call me a traitor, I aint ever going back to Madden again! Here is why I switched:

Pros:
1. graphics are much better, each player looks like the real one, plus the detail is incredible.
2. The gameplay is improved over madden, playing this game is almost like watching a live football game.
3. The AI is much better than Madden.
4. The play books are VERY in depth, this gives you many more options.
5. This game costs less than half of Madden games.

CONS:
1. The controls take a while to learn, you have to unlearn the madden controls.

I recommend renting this game to make sure it is for you. We all have different tasts and there is no use wasting $20 on something somebody else loves!

If you ever wondered what Madden would be like if they fixed all the problems as they promise us every year but never do, ESPN NFL 2K5 would be it.

First of all, in ESPN 2K5 , you can't drop back 30 yards and complete passes in triple coverages in this game like madden. You have to know the aspects of your quarterback as in real life and take the right amount of step dropbacks and release the ball on time to open recievers. If you do the 30 yard madden like dropbacks, you will be sacked.

Also, in ESPN NFL 2K5 there is no 'mario running' in this game like madden. If you go in the middle of the line, you won't just get stuck there as you do in madden. The running backs will actually follow their blockers! Yes, believe it, after years of playing madden, ESPN 2K5 actually does this.

Defense is exciting to play as well. The game will be very hard at first because the cpu will actually play defense against you. Unlike madden, in espn nfl 2k5, the cpu will not cheat and know where the pass is going before it's even in the air. Mostly, you, the player will be in charge of making all the plays on defense.

This is the most realistic football game I've ever played. The cpu will actually play you tough and you won't be getting those 82-72 games like you do in madden. If you like high scoring arcade football , buy madden. If you like real NFL simulation football, buy ESPN NFL 2K5. AT at 20 bucks, you can't really go wrong with this game.

I took my first victory tonight in the brand new ESPN NFL 2K5 rivalry between my beloved NY Jets and my friend Frank's Philadelphia Eagles, 14-10, confirming my suspicions that Madden simply hates the Jets! Seriously, though, the gameplay is sweet, the best yet, with smooth graphics and a fun ESPN overlay that includes game specific highlights. For $20, there's finally no reason to buy Madden 2005. As Mrs. Kerry might say, "Shove it, EA Sports!"

Right from the get-go you'll realize one thing in particular; 2K5 is certainly not lacking in gameplay modes. From that very first menu screen, I was almost overwhelmed by the wide variety of options, scenarios, game types and challenges at my disposal. With just a couple presses of the "A" button, I could dive right into a game between two randomly-selected teams, at a randomly-selected stadium, under randomly-selected weather conditions. I could take the first steps towards managing and commanding an NFL dynasty, ideally leading my beloved Colts to five straight Super Bowl victories. I could jump online, download the most current rosters and dive right into a game against one of the hundreds of players awaiting opponents in the lounge. I could load one of the forty or fifty archived "classic teams," challenging the legendary '72 Dolphins or '85 Bears on a whim. I could take a moment to learn the basics, participating in the game's thorough Training Camp section.

Online play, which is a big part of the reason I was planning to purchase a football title this season in the first place, was largely underwhelming. The process of actually sending or accepting a game invite is needlessly complicated and click-heavy. Ideally, this function should be the centerpiece of the ESPN package. You should be able to check your buddy list and send or accept invites with the press of a single button from virtually any location. Instead, if you receive an invite (signified by a mysterious green envelope icon that pops up without explanation on the side of the screen) you have to quit what you're doing, pull all the way out to the main menu, enter the online navigation section, go into your online options, open your buddy list, select the person you'd like to play, and finally accept the invitation. Instead of simply accepting the invitation in one step, you're needlessly pressing your way through six.

Any football title can deliver with the bonus materials and online play, but if the football itself isn't any good, it's all for naught. 2K5's play experience is, in spirit, an arcade-ized version of the real game, albeit a very in-depth, detailed, option heavy one. Frankly, I doubt very many console owners would have the patience to play through an exact pro football simulation, since this is a year-round full time job for players and coaches alike, and the pace of your average game isn't nearly as frantic and fast paced as Sega or EA would like for us to believe. To its credit, though, this game has really done its best to give you as accurate a representation as possible without losing any of the action and excitement that defined the titles that have come before.

Control on the field is surprisingly simple, considering the insane amount of options at your disposal in any given situation. I've long said that the best control schemes in the world are the ones that become like second nature to the player, serving not so much as a controller but as an extension of your own body, and at this point I'm secure in saying that's what 2K5's controls have become. The Xbox's analog sticks work flawlessly, with the left working as a pressure-sensitive indicator of direction and the right performing a variety of special moves (spins, jukes, shoulder charges, leaps, etc). The passing system, fortunately, wasn't broken in previous titles and I'm glad to see they didn't try to fix it with something unwieldy here.

In terms of visuals, my initial impressions were both met and exceeded. This is as graphically impressive a sports game as I've ever seen. Occasionally you'll see something that's glaringly out of place, but the flaws are pretty well isolated and only really stand out because everything surrounding them is so pristine. The presentation of the game itself is really outstanding, too, to the point that I've fooled people passing by the apartment and glancing in my sliding glass door into believing I was watching a live game on ESPN. If you need a game that shows off what the Xbox's visual capabilities can do in a sports environment, you can't get any better than this.

The whole game's presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, if you've got the hardware to handle it, and sounds really superb pumped all the way up. The sounds of creaking pads, grunts, groans and shuffling feet are perfect, especially in first person mode, where they're coming from all around you, and the sound system is pumpin' when the music kicks in between plays.Custom soundtracks are supported in this title, and they're quite a bit of fun to select, crop, implement and enjoy. My only complaint in this area is that the crowd noise doesn't reflect that of a live pro football crowd. A successfully rowdy audience would've put the Surround Sound over the top, and quite possibly gone a ways toward amending the errors elsewhere in the game. Instead, we get ho hum cheers after a big play that quickly die away, a lot of white "mulling audience" noise and a noticeable lack of loud "DEE-FENSE" chants.

Sega and Visual Concepts were on the right track with this one, packing as much quality as they could into one disc, and it's painful to realize just how close to undeniable perfection they really were without realizing it in the end. With a few tweaks to the online mode, another couple of weeks in testing and a few very minor changes, this could have been more than just a twenty dollar discount title. It could've ranked among the greatest of all time, with a price that will never be beaten, but it got shot out to market too soon and the whole picture suffered as a result. Still a very fine game, and if you can live with a couple glitches it's absolutely worth a second look.