ESPN NHL 2K5

by 2K Sports

Product Features

• Enhanced minor league management and full coaching staff control delivers ultimate franchise experience
• Features dozens of multi-player minigames and challenges all in the name of becoming King of the Rink
• A completely re-designed fighting engine offers full-movement fighting
• Includes online leagues and tournaments, a real time sports ticker that gives updates of other games in progress
• Pits you against a ladder of all-star teams hand-selected by the some of hockey's most colorful personalities

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002IQCUM
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches ; 5.1 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 10, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,953 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Platform: PlayStation2

From the Manufacturer

Features include:

• Party Mode: An all-new Party Mode features dozens of multi-player mini-games and challenges all in the name of becoming King of the Rink.
• Deepest Franchise Mode Ever: Establish a hockey dynasty with the most comprehensive Franchise Mode to date. Worldwide scouting, enhanced minor league management and full coaching staff control delivers ultimate franchise experience. While the breakthrough Live Scouting System lets you watch talent in action and even run practice drills to learn more about your prospect’s attributes.
• Intense Contact Controls: A completely re-designed fighting engine offers full-movement fighting -- including grappling, dodge, grab, and multiple punch moves -- while improved checks and new contact moves help keep your opponent at bay.
• Always Online: The standard-setting online quality that you have come to know from ESPN video games now includes online leagues and tournaments, a real time sports ticker that gives updates of other games in progress, and an advanced messaging system and buddy list that let’s you keep in touch with your opponents at any time.
• Dream Team Challenge: Hit the ice with the NHL's elite as you take on a ladder of all-star teams hand-selected by some of hockey's finest, including Martin. St. Louis, Jeremy Roenick, Marty Turco, Chris Drury, Brendan Shanahan and more.
• Expanded Skybox: Deeper and more interactive than before, this season’s Skybox features more than150 unlockables, including more retro jerseys, remote outdoor locations and more.
• Full Stick Control: Execute sliding poke checks, swipe at loose pucks and more with new defensive stick controls that give you hands-on stick movement in a variety of defensive situations.
• Best presentation on the market: The exclusive ESPN presentation system has been enhanced with locker room and JumboTron cut scenes, more commentary, more crowd chants, more music with custom sound tracks, and yes, ice girls.

Product Description

ESPN NHL 2K5 makes skating with the NHL's elite a reality! Return to the ice and face the latest season of high-caliber hockey. The game has all-new features combined with classic hocket gaming. Featuring the deepest franchise mode ever, plus hands-on stick movement in a variety of defensive situations. Intense new contact controls for body checks and fights kick it up a notch, while new modes like Dream Team Challenge bring home the feel of hardcore on-ice play. You can even compete for the title of King Of The Rink in the new Party Mode. Get more high-speed hockey action by playing in online leagues and multi-player mini-games Exclusive ESPN presentation system, with crowd chants, custom soundtracks, and ice girls On-ice action called by actual ESPN announcers Gary Thorne and Bill Clement

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, atleast better than EA's NHL, January 21, 2005

By 

Bryan "Bryan" (Colorado Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NHL 2K5 (Video Game)

ESPN NHL 2k5 is a good game, but not great. I am a little biased, because I enjoy EA sports games more than the ESPN titles...But due to the fact that NHL 2005 from EA is no different than the 2004 version (which i loved by the way), i was forced into buying ESPN...plus with no hockey this year most likely, i had to have some hockey right?

The pros: the gameplay of ESPN is great. The graphics are definitely up to par and the goalies are good enough so that it is actually hard to score on them on higher skill levels. (No longer will you find the score to be 10-7, that is unless you suck really bad or are incredibly good). The hits are realistic only because its not like NHL 05 in that all that game is, is a hits fest. Paul Kariya cannot crush everyone on the ice, and he cannot whoop people in fights. Which brings me to the fight category, which is definitely a great addition to the game. Now you can have range of the whole ice and not just be in a stationary stance like all of the previous hockey games invented. Another plus is the franchise mode in general. There really are so many little details in franchise mode that it is too tough to explain in here.

The pros: So many penalties! Even with the penalties just halfway up the meter (which is the default setting) you can get about 10 powerplays a game. Very unrealistic and quite frustrating when you try to focus a lot on having a good powerplay. I average about 1/12 on the powerplay, which is horrible when you try to stack up to other teams in the league. The commentators repeat a lot of the same things over and over again. You find this in many games, but this game is particularly bad in this category. Not too big of a deal, just a small thing that is easily fixed by just turning the volume down.

Overall, the game is good, but dont expect to be BLOWN away by anything. It is definitely a game worth playing for the year until NHL 2006 comes out (hopefully with some changes than the previous 2 versions :/)

-Bryan

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great alternative to ea sports, September 1, 2004

By 

ska alex - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NHL 2K5 (Video Game)

the last sega nhl game i had was 2k2, and that was a big disappointment, so since then i have been playing ea sport's nhl series, but it was starting to get old. it was the same game with new bells and whistles.

i just got this game today, and i tell you, it was well worth it. it is a very fun and challanging hockey SIMULATION. thats right, it is challanging, AND a simulation. it's not like ea where you can have the game for a day and already be playing on difficult. im on rookie and it is still hard. and this is someone who was winning 12-0 on the highest setting in nhl 2004.

the contact stick is a great idea, and a lot better than ea's bruise control. you hit the right analog stick and, depending on which direction you move it, you can slash, hook, or even elbow. the players move precisely and shoot where you aim. passing is nice and simple, and the fighting kicks ass. it is the best fighting engine i have ever seen. it took ea's new fighting system, and added a sort of mortal kombat aspect to it. very fun indeed.

the graphics are very good as well. the player faces and models, though goofy, are very nice to look at. the proportions aren't quite right, but they still look very good. i love how the helmets shine in the light. the arenas dont look as great as they do on the xbox, simply because they put so much into the game (which i have no problem with), and the ps2 isnt as powerfull as the box, there are no polygonal fans. the arenas all look like their real-life counter parts though. the cut scenes all look very nice as well, and some are sort of amusing. it would have been cool to see more intros, but what are you going to do.

the sound is where this game really shines. all the sounds of the sticks, skates, and especially the crowd, are very well done. when your goalie gets on a streak, the fans start chanting their name. the announcers are very awesome too. im a huge hockey fan, and i usually hate gary thorne and bill clement, but unlike in real life, they actually commentate on the game at hand. when the crowd starts to cheer, they make a comment about it, and when your goalie makes a great save, they show the emotion as if they were really there. i like how they give a little bio on some of the players on your team between whistles.

the skills competition is major fun. the only thing is you can only choose 5 players to do every single event, not 5 for each. other than that minor flaw, it is perfect. the party games and skybox modes are very fun as well. they really add to the replay value of the game. the franchise mode is deep and fun, too.

now one thing i always look for in a good game, and one thing that kind of let me down, was the celebrations. you very rarely get a celebration cut scene after a goal, but when you do, they are very cool. the stanley cup celebration is fun to watch also.

the players still move awkardly as they have in years past, but it doesn't take away from the game one bit. this is definatly the game to get this year. if you do want ea's game, i suggest getting '04 and updating the rosters, '05 seems like more of the same.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, August 31, 2004

A Kid's Review

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: ESPN NHL 2K5 (Video Game)

I've been anxtious for the release of this game ever since May and now that it's finally here i'm very happy to say that it was worth the wait. I did not purchase ESPN NHL 2004 becuase i thought that this was suppose to come out earlier but, now that i have this game i must say this is better. Eventhough i don't have the older version i have played it and i like this one better. First of all there are many new gameplay features in this game that improve the game a lot. The new intense contact controls let you perform cheap shots, which can be very useful but dangerous because if a reff. notices it you'll be sitting down. The online play has been revamped this year and you can now manage your own leagues. The game is very realistic and has great flow(unlike EA's game). There are also a ton of minigames to play if you get bored of playing a real game. These minigames allow you to break away from the usual game and build up skills at the same time(which is very fun).

There are too many new features to talk about in NHL 2k5 so i'll just have to say you have to buy this game and experience the coolest game on earth! (sorry, but i had to do that!)

Overall: 10/10

graphics: 9/10

gameplay: 10/10

fun factor: 10/10

sound: 8/10

value: for 20 bucks of course it gets a 10/10 you can't beat that price for a fantastic game like this!

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