by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze
Video Game Editor
With
the competition getting as fierce as it is on the gridiron
the last few years, ESPN’s decision to sell ESPN NFL
2K5 for $29.99 should make things very interesting considering
Madden 2005 is a full $40 more expensive. But money aside,
the developers here, Visual Concepts, have ensured that you
get a lot of bang for every buck you spend on this game.
An
innovative new addition this year is the VIP System, which
keeps tabs on how you run your team on the field. For instance,
if you tend to run the same passing play or run the ball in
the same direction over and over again, the computer will
pick up on it and act accordingly. It’s worth watching
the computer play with your VIP profile, as you’ll be
very surprised how close the computer plays like you. But
don’t forget that a human opponent can use your profile
against you too, so it’s always a good idea to mix things
up a little.
The
Weekly Preparation mode is also new this year and it allows
you to plan ahead before your next game during a season. You
can send players to “alternative methodology”
like yoga, ballet and a slew of other activities. You can
have them take aerobics training, so they won’t tire
out as fast in games. You can even watch and break down video
from the last game.
Where
actual gameplay is concerned, some notable adjustments have
been made this year. On offense, wide receivers won’t
drop the ball as often as they did last year, but things have
been skewed so much in the other direction that a reception
in double coverage is almost a guarantee now. The running
game is the same story. Where it was far too easy last year
to gain good yardage on a run, this year sees a tougher defense
in front of the running back. But with special moves at your
disposal courtesy of the right analog stick, the running game
is still a little too easy at times.
Tackling,
meanwhile, is also made more efficient thanks to a choice
of how you want to take down your opponent. You can hold down
the X button for a big hit, or just tap it for a simple tackle.
Though it is an improvement, it’s nothing like the Hit
Stick feature in EA’s Madden 2005.
The graphics are even better this year and player models look
fantastic, by far the best in any football game on the market.
The ESPN overlays and all the personalities add a real semblance
of realism to NFL 2K5. The sound from the field is good, but
the announcing team is weak. There just seems to be a real
shortage of unique lines and they end up repeating the same
things several times. And the lip-synching from Chris Berman
is some of the worst I’ve ever seen. A glitch like that
is inexcusable in a game trying to compete for top spot.
The
online mode on Xbox Live is still as good as it’s ever
been, with joining and setting up leagues now an option for
gamers everywhere. You can check your stats online through
your PC, and even store all your rosters on a central server,
so just you and your league competitors can make trades with
each other.
After
all is said and done, ESPN NFL 2K5 is easily the best game
you’ll find for such a low price, although it isn’t
quite at Madden level yet. The graphics are better, and the
gameplay is much improved with a solid Franchise mode, so
you’ll definitely get your money’s worth with
this one.
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