NFL 2K5
This year’s version of SEGA’s NFL franchise has vastly imp roved graphics, sound and more extras than Madden’s Thanksgiving Day turkey has legs.
I have to say that I was a little nervous about this years offering; at a price tag of on ly $20 bucks usually a cheaper price tag on new games means one of two things.
- It is the same game you played last year just with a new name.
- Total and complete crap and should be avoided at all cost.
Neithe r is the case with 2K5. This game is so tight and slick you feel like you pulled a fast one on the college kid at the mall.
When you boot the game up for the first time, you will be asked to set up a profile. It sounds pretty basic, but it goes much deeper than just serving as a placeholder for your win/loss record. Changing the splash screens to your fav orite team colors to setting up your preferences the profile is key. There is even a virtual apartment call “the crib” where you records will be kept and tons of unlock able features are stored. New players, some team memorabilia are all displayed here. Seems like another worthless feature, but it is more fun than you think. You can also play som e classi c games from the past and try to re-create some amazing games.
Graphically, everything is bigger and better. The players look and act so real you can play for days and still be impressed by the attent ion to detail. When you start a game, Chris Berman will introduce the teams and the match up with typica l ESPN style. The fans look and act pretty realistically right down to the guys with the big fo am fingers to the same tank-top-wearing hottie at every game that loves the home team. After the post game w rap up the annoying and shrill Suzy Kolber will speak to t he player of the game.
The game sound is pretty much what you would expect from any football game. The announcers will start to repeat themselves soon er or later, songs in between plays and for touchdowns and typical player smack ta lk. (Did I mention Suzy Kolber has an annoying voice? Lemme check. Yup. There it is, up there) The biggest and best feature in the sound department is the ability to create a c ustom sound track for the stadium. There is nothing better than scoring a TD and then ha ving SYSTEM OF A DOWN blasting “Chop Suey” as the players pile on and celebrate.
The addition of on-line support is also pretty sweet, playing your friends or the people who you think are you friends online can be fun. Downloadable roster changes, team balancing makes the game worth it in the long run. Keep in mind yo u are going to need an ‘XBOX LIVE’ subscription to use anything online ; nothing is for free.
Overall this is a great time, and with a price tag of $20 bucks or lower it i s the perfect time to check out “the other” football game. I know that there are going to be some madden junkies out there that are gonna send me some hat
