The best NFL game ever?I think so.
User Rating: 10 | ESPN NFL 2K5 XBOX
First let me say that I have always been a Madden player since the Sega Genesis days and on through PS1,PS2 and Xbox.But when I first played 2k5 on my Xbox, I was just stunned by this incredible game.The graphics,gameplay,presentation,sound,realism-everything is very close to if not perfection.I cannot believe sometimes the same people responsible for the other mostly bad NFL 2k games made this one.2k2 was just flat out horrible,2k3 was actually alright,2k4 was not balanced at all with wayyyy overpowered running.2k5 on all-pro difficulty is just right- very well balanced and just feels real.After playing this anyone who actually watches football regularly cannot deny it is better than Madden. The Graphics are so much better and more colorful than Madden-it almost looks like tv.The player animation is a little stiffer than Madden,but it is forgivable considering how superior 2k5's graphics are.The presentation is where this game excels,with two excellent(fictional) announcers and pregame,halftime,and postgame highlights and interviews with ESPN's Chris Berman and Suzy Kolber.They are both rendered in 3d and both of couse lent their voices to the game.Just excellent in this regard.And then just when you think this game can't get any better,it tops all the eye-candy off with superb,realistic gameplay.Sick of the "bumper-car" physics and "Mario" running that has plagued Madden since 2001? They are nowhere to be found in the superior
NFL 2k5-Running backs and recievers running routes will realistically use their hands to push off each other like in real life,not just get stuck on one another running in place like Madden.Sick of overpowed defensive backs able to leap10 feet in any direction?Not in 2k5.Again-realism.Tackling also looks much better in this game than Madden.Playing this masterpiece, I am not surprised at all that EA went to the lengths they did to keep anyone else from making NFL games.After all,Madden is their flagship title and this game simply pwns it.We can only wonder how good 2k6 would have been.If you love football and have never played NFL 2k5,do yourself a favor and get it.
