NFL 2K

"Wow"

When I first read in EGM that Steven Speilberg was stunned after seeing NFL 2K in action at E3, I was impressed. I mean, this guy deals with state-of-the-art special effects daily in his film making, and he was STUNNED by a video game? Oh yeah, that's common. But this game wasn't just any game, mind you. It was a Dreamcast title. And it was only a first generation game. This game is the pinnicle of sports games, not just football (that is, until NBA 2K is released...)It is probably the best looking Dreamcast launch title, other than maybe Soul Calibur. Its also one of the best playing ones as well. I would rank the sheer gameplay alone right up there with the Madden series. Its that good. Some may not agree with me, but believe me: you have to play it to appreciate it.

Graphics:(10/10)- One of the best looking games EVER, if not the best looking. You'll be hard pressed to find another sports game that moves as smoothly, and as detailed as NFL 2K. You can even see the tiny mesh holes in the player's jerseys. Simply amazing. I can't wait to see next year's edition.

Sound: (9.5/10)- The sound of this game is outstanding. All of the grunts are realistic, and the PA announcer adds a nice touch. Even the announcers are right on target with every play, and they are often pretty funny as well. If only the announcers wouldn't repeat some things so often. Oh well, I guess I'm just being picky.

Gameplay: (10/10)- NFL 2K's gameplay is probably its best feature. It's up to par with the Madden series, and with good reason. The running game is realistic, so you won't be runng for 25 yards on every play, and the passing game is spectacular. Even the AI is super-realistic. It will adapt to your style of offense after a few downs or so, so that you can't use the same play two or three times in a row with sucess. Like the ads say, "It's thinking." The game is amazingly deep too. You can play a season, trade players to any team, and even create players and teams. NFL 2K is so customizable, that anyone can play it and adjust it to their needs. You can even choose plays secretly if you own a VMU.

Replay:(8/10)- The game's fun and all, but don't expect NFL Blitz-type of replayability. It's a great multiplayer game, but not as wild as Blitz. You can still play with up to four players, but since it's a simulation, its not as fast paced as Blitz. It's still plenty fun with friends, and the scores are usually close. For added replayablity, when you play a friend, or friends, turn off pass interference. It'll make it a lot more interesting. I do this all the time with my friend,(cough-Andy Johnson-cough), and we usually play for it quite a while on Saturday nights. Jolly good fun.

Buy/Rent- You can't rent it anyways, so just buy it. You won't be disapointed.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 01/13/01