Thursday, July 22, 2004
First take: NFL 2K5
OK, I've had a couple of days to play around with it and I feel it is safe to say that ESPN NFL 2K5 is the best football game I've ever played. Last year, I strayed from the 2K franchise in favor of Microsoft's NFL Fever due to changes in the 2K playcalling interface (which is still used in 2K5). It's funny how a $30 price cut will make you overlook some things that were deal breakers when the game is $50.
Anyway, 2K5 adds some many little improvements (more advanced defensive line adjustments, individual defensive back adjustments, better tackling, better player physics, improved Xbox Live interface) that I can't list them all here.
But even without all of the new features, the gameplay of ESPN 2K5 is so realistic that that alone would warrant picking it up. The player animations coupled with ESPN's graphics often make it look as if you're watching a game on TV.
The Xbox Live component of the game has been made easier to use by providing more details, like PING time, in the game selection screen. There is also more information displayed about your potential opponents on the list of available matches like which team they play with and their win-lose record. All of these things help narrow down the list of potential opponents.
Although it is a great game, I do have a couple of complaints. First, the playcalling interface, which was changed for last year's version, makes it very difficult to remember where plays live. You have to scroll up, down and sideways to see all of the various formations. And unless you notice the tiny little page indicators, you won't realize that there are a lot more plays available. I wish they would return to the old interface that made 2K - 2K3 so easy to play.
The other complaint is the lack of HDTV resolutions. While the play animations are amazing, they can often look jagged around the edges. I really wish they would have supported 720p or 1080i.
Even with those two complaints, I have to give ESPN NFL 2K5 a 9.5 out of 10. It is the best NFL game at the best price. BTW, those of you looking for a beatdown can look me up on Xbox Live. My Gamertag is...sMoRTy71. Surprise!
OK, I've had a couple of days to play around with it and I feel it is safe to say that ESPN NFL 2K5 is the best football game I've ever played. Last year, I strayed from the 2K franchise in favor of Microsoft's NFL Fever due to changes in the 2K playcalling interface (which is still used in 2K5). It's funny how a $30 price cut will make you overlook some things that were deal breakers when the game is $50.
Anyway, 2K5 adds some many little improvements (more advanced defensive line adjustments, individual defensive back adjustments, better tackling, better player physics, improved Xbox Live interface) that I can't list them all here.
But even without all of the new features, the gameplay of ESPN 2K5 is so realistic that that alone would warrant picking it up. The player animations coupled with ESPN's graphics often make it look as if you're watching a game on TV.
The Xbox Live component of the game has been made easier to use by providing more details, like PING time, in the game selection screen. There is also more information displayed about your potential opponents on the list of available matches like which team they play with and their win-lose record. All of these things help narrow down the list of potential opponents.
Although it is a great game, I do have a couple of complaints. First, the playcalling interface, which was changed for last year's version, makes it very difficult to remember where plays live. You have to scroll up, down and sideways to see all of the various formations. And unless you notice the tiny little page indicators, you won't realize that there are a lot more plays available. I wish they would return to the old interface that made 2K - 2K3 so easy to play.
The other complaint is the lack of HDTV resolutions. While the play animations are amazing, they can often look jagged around the edges. I really wish they would have supported 720p or 1080i.
Even with those two complaints, I have to give ESPN NFL 2K5 a 9.5 out of 10. It is the best NFL game at the best price. BTW, those of you looking for a beatdown can look me up on Xbox Live. My Gamertag is...sMoRTy71. Surprise!
¶ 8:07 AM 
About Shawn Morton
Married father of 4, social media strategist at Nationwide, consumer electronics enthusiast, hair metal aficionado.
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