by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Video Game Editor

With the competition getting as fierce as it is on the gridiron the last few years, ESPN’s decision to sell ESPN NFL 2K5 for $29.99 should make things very interesting considering Madden 2005 is a full $40 more expensive. But money aside, the developers here, Visual Concepts, have ensured that you get a lot of bang for every buck you spend on this game.

An innovative new addition this year is the VIP System, which keeps tabs on how you run your team on the field. For instance, if you tend to run the same passing play or run the ball in the same direction over and over again, the computer will pick up on it and act accordingly. It’s worth watching the computer play with your VIP profile, as you’ll be very surprised how close the computer plays like you. But don’t forget that a human opponent can use your profile against you too, so it’s always a good idea to mix things up a little.

The Weekly Preparation mode is also new this year and it allows you to plan ahead before your next game during a season. You can send players to “alternative methodology” like yoga, ballet and a slew of other activities. You can have them take aerobics training, so they won’t tire out as fast in games. You can even watch and break down video from the last game.

Where actual gameplay is concerned, some notable adjustments have been made this year. On offense, wide receivers won’t drop the ball as often as they did last year, but things have been skewed so much in the other direction that a reception in double coverage is almost a guarantee now. The running game is the same story. Where it was far too easy last year to gain good yardage on a run, this year sees a tougher defense in front of the running back. But with special moves at your disposal courtesy of the right analog stick, the running game is still a little too easy at times.

Tackling, meanwhile, is also made more efficient thanks to a choice of how you want to take down your opponent. You can hold down the X button for a big hit, or just tap it for a simple tackle. Though it is an improvement, it’s nothing like the Hit Stick feature in EA’s Madden 2005.

The graphics are even better this year and player models look fantastic, by far the best in any football game on the market. The ESPN overlays and all the personalities add a real semblance of realism to NFL 2K5. The sound from the field is good, but the announcing team is weak. There just seems to be a real shortage of unique lines and they end up repeating the same things several times. And the lip-synching from Chris Berman is some of the worst I’ve ever seen. A glitch like that is inexcusable in a game trying to compete for top spot.

The online mode on Xbox Live is still as good as it’s ever been, with joining and setting up leagues now an option for gamers everywhere. You can check your stats online through your PC, and even store all your rosters on a central server, so just you and your league competitors can make trades with each other.

After all is said and done, ESPN NFL 2K5 is easily the best game you’ll find for such a low price, although it isn’t quite at Madden level yet. The graphics are better, and the gameplay is much improved with a solid Franchise mode, so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth with this one.

Publisher:
ESPN Videogaes
Sega

Platform:
Xbox

Rating: 9/10