ESPN NFL 2K5

"A true rival to Madden has finally arrived, and for one easy payment of $19.99"

For years now the Madden series has been the dominator of football video games. It would appear that finally a true franchise has come to dethrone Madden. The reason Madden has been so dominant is, quite frankly, it's always been the best, and all the other football games were never as good, but still cost $50. Well now not only is there a game that rivals Madden's gameplay, this game only cost $20. Such a small price to pay for such a quality game.

Graphics - 9/10
Don't be frightened when you see Ray Lewis coming at you with a full head of steam, it's not real. It only looks real. The graphics in this game are top quality, and you'll think you're really in the game. Not only are the on-field graphics fantastic, but there's also inside the ESPN studio, and inside your crib. It may seem rather comical seeing a computer generated version of Chris Berman at first, but that's only because it looks so much like the real Boomer. There may be an occasional glitch or two every once in a while where one of the players will look 2d, or very skinny, but I've only seen it once or twice. The graphics are the best that can be expected, and were definitely an accomplishment that meed the basic standards and more.

Sound - 10/10
"I'M COMIN' FOR YOU MCNABB! YOU AIN'T GETTIN NOTHING!"- Just one of the many sounds a line backer will shout at you before a snap. They put in so many in game sounds, you'd really think that it's a real team. The sounds range from tackling noises, kicking sounds, and multiple threats. Then in the ESPN studio, you can go to sports center and hear Chris Berman talk about multiple scenarios. The voices are perfect. It doesn't sound choppy or cheesy. Like in past football games where they say the name of a team or player, and it's not the same tone or pitch that the rest of the sentence is. Everything sounds very fluent. The music is taken straight from ESPN sports. The sounds of this game are PERFECT. Absolutely nothing to complain about.

Gameplay - 10/10
This has everything that has made Madden such a popular franchise over the years. Obviously, playing football is playing football. You have entire playbooks at your disposal. You call the plays, you call the shots, you do whatever it is you want to do with your team. You can substitute any player to any position if you feel like doing it. The challenging system is a bit more ramped up than it has been since it was first introduced a year or two ago. There are more things you can challenge now, such as the spot of the ball, or different scenarios as to why a play is or is not correct. You have the option of preparing your team throughout the week for the next game. This includes physical training, or just basic conditioning, or practicing certain plays. You can also go to sportscenter before each game and listen to Chris Berman tell you all about the past weeks highlights, and tell you about this weeks match-ups. You also have your own "crib" which you have to get "crib credits" to upgrade or buy new things to put in your crib. You can also buy a trivia machine and test your football knowledge. They really went the whole 9 yards...or 10 yards I should say, when they made this game. They really made an incredible game for $20.

Replay Value - 7/10
Obviously you can do as many seasons or franchises as you want. You can play through and keep getting crib credits so you can keep unlocking or adding to your new crib. And for people who just enjoy playing football, you can just play games as long as you want.

Buy or Rent
I definitely say buy it. No point in renting, it's only $20 to buy, and it's more than worth every penny.

Final Thoughts
I was always a firm believer that sports games were way overpriced, and should have always cost around 25-30 dollars as opposed to 50. So I would only buy a new sports game of each sport every few years. Well I originally didn't intend to buy a new football game until next year, but with a price tag of 20 dollars, and the same, if not better game quality as Madden, I had to pick it up. And I officially converted from Madden to ESPN. I think many people are going to realize that, and the sales in this game will at least rival those of Madden's. Hopefully more and more companies will catch on and start making their sports games in the $20 range.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/05/04