ESPN NFL 2K5

"Hall of Fame Calibur"

The Espn series has come a long way. It is really sad to say that this will be the last addition to the ever-improving football series. For the fans of the Espn series a dark day has arrived and that day was when EA bought the NFL name. I normally do not review sports title, but I felt I owed it to myself to pay one last tribute to a great football franchise. I have always preferred the 2k/Espn series over Madden. At the price of 19.99 Espn 2k5 is an absolute steal. 2k5 offers a superb online experience, a deep franchise mode, and visuals and gameplay that in my opinion far exceeds that of Madden. Any fans of football should definitely pick this game up.

What strikes me is the superior animation and visuals that Espn offers that Madden does not. When someone is tackle or when the QB is throwing the ball the animation is very fluid and looks fairly lifelike. This is compared to Madden's extremely stiff animation. The animation is so good one can almost feel the pain of the players when a hard hit is delivered. The attention to detail is just astounding; when a player catches it near the sidelines they do their best to tap both feet in before going out of bounds. This allows players the realism that Madden lacks. When you score a touchdown the player end zone celebrations look very natural and realistic. Everything runs smooth with no hiccups whatsoever when your playing. One gripe is that the crowd does not look as good as the other parts of the game.

While there are many great things about Espn 2k5 there are 3 things that stand out that separates Espn from the rest. These three things are its deep franchise mode, dynamic gameplay and one of the best online experiences around. What makes Espn NFL 2k5 so great is the fact that it plays like a real football game. One can see the receivers getting open or watching holes form for your halfback. You can call double teams or switch plays on the fly allowing the playroom for flexibility. One can experience the gameplay when a player throws the ball to hard or not allowing time for a receiver to run its route. Unlike Madden where one can score easily Espn takes some skill. When I first bought this game I went through a streak of 15+ games of not allowing more then 17 points, which I admit is quite an accomplishment considering I was playing human players and human players tend to score more. When a player has the ball he has total control of the receiver or back and he has an array of moves such as lowering their shoulders or placing a stiff arm. I am a power player where I run a lot so I have a tendency to pound it up the middle by lowering my pads. As I was playing(mind you I am using a rather weak team for franchise mode) I realize how momentum plays a big part. If I throw a few incompletes all of a sudden it seems I am losing my edge or when I complete a few passes it seems I am building a rhythm.

The franchise mode is extremely deep and one can expect to be sucked in to its offerings. The user can sign players, analyze the players in the upcoming draft, trade players and a whole assortment of freedom in its off-season. One can watch their rookies or players grow or decline as seasons pass. Trying to build a dynasty could be hard at times especially considering Nil's one game playoff elimination rule. The player will get a chance to play or simulate 16 regular season games and more games depending whether the user makes the playoffs. In franchise mode one can keep track of their stats and keep track of players career just like the real Nfl. This realism allows players to experience some Nfl action without having to step on the gridiron themselves.

One of the best sports titles to play online is definitely 2k5. If your looking for a total blast then look no further because the online portion is simply amazing and breathtaking. Let me tell you a quick story about one of the most thrilling online experiences I have ever had. I was down by 14 entering the fourth quarter and I scored a touchdown in the early beginnings of the fourth. I got the ball back with about 2 minutes and I get stopped on fourth down. The other player tried to run the clock out, but I had all my time outs and I stopped him. Soon after I was marching down the field and spreading the ball around with my receivers. I was totally in the rhythm as I kept connecting with my wide receivers. With about 10 seconds left I threw a touchdown pass to Todd Heap and tied the game. Soon after I won it in over time. Throughout that fourth quarter my heart was pounding because of the competitiveness and the intense gameplay. Anyways enough with the story and back to the review. The online portion of 2k5 has a lot to offer such as a brilliant season mode where people can compete against each other in a season. It's really easy to just pick up and play online. The only bad part is when your dominating your opponent many people just quit or reset their Xbox on you. That is basically my only gripe about the online interface.

Now one thing I would give Madden over Nfl 2k5 is its commentary. I much prefer the commentary from John Madden then the ones that are in here. However they are still solid for the most part. The lines that they say are a bit repetitive, but for the most part they do a solid job. The music is fairly solid, but it does not stand out. The cheering and boos from the fans are also very well done.

With a deep franchise mode that will surely last you a long time and the unlimited amount of hours that you will play online makes 2k5 a games that has a vast amount of replayability. Sure there will be times when you get blown out and you wish it will end, but in the end this game has more bright sides then there are bad. The franchise mode will also last a long time especially if you want to build your team into a dynasty. Other modes such as first person football and reliving great games in the past are also a nice touch and will give you incentive to come back to this game.

The Espn presentation is extremely well done and it really makes the game that much better. The half time reports and the sportcenter updates really make this game lifelike. Instant replay and injury reports also add to the realism of 2k5. Everything from the bone crushing tackles to the graceful catches as your reciever's toes are barely touching inbounds adds to the realism and overall experience of the game. The addition of Chris Berman is also a nice touch and I really enjoyed it. The graphics are very good for a football game and the animation is far superior to that of Madden. Then you add 2k5's dynamic gameplay and you have yourself a superb game.

Overall I would have to say Espn is the best football game on the market. Anyone who is a football fan should definitely get it. At the price of 19.99 you couldn't have found a better deal. The great experience and the overall gameplay makes this game a must have and one of the best sports and overall titles this year. So do yourself a favor and get this great football game. In the end Espn Nfl 2k5 is like the Patriots they are both champions and both have a winning formula.

Pros
+ Deep Franchise
+ Bone crushing animation
+ Online
+ Online seasons
+ Espn presentation
+ Lasting value

Cons
- Commentary not that strong
- Lag at times online

Graphics - 9/10
Gameplay - 9/10
Sound - 8/10
Value - 10/10
Presentation - 9/10
Overall - 9.2/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/05, Updated 11/28/05