*** THE CASUAL GAMER ***
| Main | Rating: Transcendent |
NFL 2K3
NFL 2K3 is the latest offering from Sega's sports division. Developed as usual by Visual Concepts, 2K3 shaped up to be the best game yet in the already strong series of 2K football games.
Newest to Visual Concepts' series is the addition of the ESPN license. This aspect helps out a lot in the presentation of the game. The menus are now very much like what you might see on SportsCenter, and it makes navigating the game much simpler than it has been in the past. The ESPN look also pops up at various places, like the half-time and end of game reports, adding a TV-like presentation to the game. Beyond aesthetics, though, the ESPN license doesn't have much of an influence on the game.
The gameplay of the 2K series has been given a boost for this year's title. While already solid, the gameplay has been tweaked to balance the game further, possibly to make it more simulation than past titles have been. The overall game speed is a little slower, but not by too much. The running game is still fantastic, but seems to have been toned down a little, cutting down on some of the huge gains that were prevalent in the past titles in the series. The passing game, on the other hand, seems a little bit easier than before. The passing seems more fluid, and overall pass accuracy seems to be up. That is definitely a good thing.
The graphics of the game have also been given a lift. The series has always been a heavyweight when it comes to graphics, and this year is no different. The players in last year's title looked a little boxy, but this year the models are much more round and lifelike. They aren't perfect, but they make Madden's player models look like children by comparison. The stadiums all look great, too, but you will probably be too busy managing the carnage on the field to notice all the details. The animation is also well done, with numerous tackle and endzone celebrations looking very real.
NFL 2K3 is fantasic, but not without some minor complaints. The create-a-player mode and create team modes still need some work. This year's creation modes are significantly better than last year's, but still falls short of Madden's. It would be nice to be able to tweak the player's physical features more, and to be able to cutomize my team's uniforms as I see fit. Also, I would like to create my coach's look. I hate to say it, but Visual Concepts needs to swallow their pride and just copy most of Madden's creation modes.
Another minor complaint is the Pro Bowl voting. I created some players for my created team, and then played through an entire season with my team. A couple of my players, my QB and half back, were rated #1 in the league for their respective positions, but received lowly amounts of Pro Bowl votes. Not only that, but I had Marshall Faulk on my team as a backup, and only used him for kick returns, but he still managed to place 3rd in Pro Bowl voting for half backs. The voting system seems to need some tweaking.
The AI in the game seems to be solid, but I noticed that the game seems to "cheat" at the end of games, namely the fourth quarter. I played my season on pro difficulty, and, when the opposing team would be losing in the fourth, they would go on a virtually unstopable charge down the field, using only passes. They would just throw quick 10 or so yard passes, at about a 95% success rate, until they scored. It was frustrating as hell knowing that no matter what defense I picked, the computer was going to get that first down and keep on going. Also, my defense always seemed to jump up to swat long passes, only to miss and give the receiver an open field to the endzone.
One other small peculiar problem that I had exclusively with the Xbox version was with the game freezing up. If you create a team, and then start a season with them, you have to make sure to load your roster data first, otherwise the game can't find your team and freezes up. Although this is more an annoyance than a real problem, it would be nice if the game didn't have this glitch.
Now I will freely admit that I am not a hardcore football fan, or even a hardcore footlball game fan, but I do enjoy some pigskin gaming. I think that NFL 2K3 is a fantastic football game, and it is probably my favorite football game ever. But most people will probably be wondering whether or not this game is better than Madden, and I don't think that that is a simple judgement to make. Neither title has a real distinct advantage, and it really comes down to the small details. I, for one, always liked the 2K series for its more arcade feeling, hard hitting action. 2K has always been a little more over the top, with faster gameplay, cooler tackles, a better running game, and more realistic looking players. Madden is a slower game that seems to really sweat the details. The players kind of look like midgets, at least compared with the 2K series, but are still pretty solid models. Madden has a slight advantage as far as options goes, because it has superior player and team creation and a new training camp mode, but the 2K series is catching up fast. But, as I was saying, which title is better really comes down to what style of football you like better. If you want to get as realistic as possible, with lots of stat-tracking and little extras, then get Madden. If you want faster gameplay, more realistic looking players, harder hits, a more fun running game (just my opinion), and some colorful commentary, get NFL 2K3. Honestly, you can't really lose with either one. In fact, hardcore fans would probably do well to pick up both. That's what I did last year, and may very well do again this year.