NFL Head Coach

"Pleasure and Frustration - It what makes a coach...and this game"

Vince Lombardi once said, "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." and the only people in this world who understand that the most is an athletic coach. NFL Head Coach puts the player into the position of those who slave day and night to please his school, athletic director, community, and/or players. EA has consulted many NFL coaches to try and get this game as close to authentic as possible, and so far, all is good...

Graphics - 7
Using the Madden engine to show the games, NFL HC has four-to-six different places in the game. From your office to the field, HC looks just like what you'd expect from a football game. Your office will become very boring very quickly. The boardroom becomes a change twice a week, but still, never changes. The games are where this game graphically shines...but it still looks like a Madden game. While playing a game there are many different views you can watch the game from. One of the views is the "First-Person Coach" view...it takes me back to my days as a player, as it looks exactly like you were on the sideline. You can also choose (at the beginning of the game) what your coach looks like. So many options to choose from...squinty eyes or fat lip, you report, you decide. The ESPN shows you watch, as well, are very well done and very crisp. The mouth-voice matches up and, if you didn't know you were playing a game, you would swear that was Mel Kiper's flowing hair during the draft.

Sound - 8
When you are in your office, instrumental music will play...and this music will play...and play...and play...you get the point. The music is very catchy, too, as (since there are only a few instrumentals) you will find your self whistling it at work or school...and that can make you look weird. The only reason I give sound a seven is the sounds you hear while playing a game are what you would hear on the sideline of a real football game.

Gameplay - 7
The things a coach does is what you will go through as the player. The play during games consists of plays and watching as the CPU either kicks other CPU butt or fail helplessly. Sometimes (like in your office) it can be really, really (really) boring. However, sometimes (like during games) you will be so happy you will want to jump for joy, or get so frustrated with your QB or D-Line, you will scream at the TV and throw sharp objects into fire and then throw your PS2 into the pile and hit a puppy.

Controls - 9
The HUD interface and in-game/in-office are easy and simple to use. It takes just a few minutes understand how exactly to navigate through the options so that you are the least frustrated. The one problem is that to do a task, you have to make time for it and the only way to make time for it is to schedule it in your calendar by swapping out another task for it. In order to sign a free-agent you see on the list, you have to make time for it (and sometimes that could be a few days down the road), you might miss out on the player...but, hey real coaches have schedules they have to keep to and you have to keep to yours, too.

Replay Value - 7
The time spent in the off season can be very lackluster. You will meet with people, sign players, talk to agents, meet with more people, sign more players and talk to more agents...it isn't until the draft and preseason practice that the game becomes interesting and, for some reason, this game will make you want to do mindless tasks until you get there...almost like a reward. You will want to play this game until it gets good...and trust it can get VERY good.

Rent or Buy - DEPENDS
Rent: If you have no idea who Hank Stram is, if you don't know who Lambeau Field is named after, if you consider an athletic coach "just another person", rent this game and see how you like it. You might like the slow paced almost-RPG type play or you might not.
Buy: If you know all the things I mentioned above and have huge respect for athletic coaches...GET THIS GAME! I especially recommend it to someone who is considering a career in coaching (in any sport)...Head Coach will show what kinds of things you have to put up with being a coach.

Closing Comments
In the end, NFL Head Coach is a great new game style that I hope is emulated into other sports. If you want a fresh, new way of playing sports, this game is for you. Maybe if this game does well, we could see a rise to MLB Manager, NBA Head Coach, and NASCAR Crew Chief. I believe EA is on to something here, a few more tweaks and EA should have another excellent franchise to add to its already-well-stocked repertoire of sport games...Because as the great Coach Lombardi said, "If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?"

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/23/06