Return to 2k5 - Fetter21's Blog

Fetter21's Blog

Return to 2k5

Posted on April 4, 2009 at 12:10 PM.

All of the debate I keep seeing over how great NFL 2k5 was and how horrible the Madden series is made me decide it was time to pop 2k5 in and take a stroll down memory lane. Here are some of the things I found notable in my experience.

The Good
PRESENTATION: Obviously this was something I still remembered was much better than the current football games, but playing it just reminded me of how amazing it was. NFL 2k5 really had seemingly come as close to presentation perfection as you can come in a football game. For all the people posting that they won�t buy Madden unless it has presentation as good as 2k5, they can consider that $60 safe, cause I can�t possibly see Madden making a stride like that in 1 year. Since 2k5 is still light years ahead of other titles. The way they did the halftime highlights seemed as if it was straight off of TV, the cut scenes and commentary seemed so realistic that I just don�t expect other titles to get that right already, but hopefully one day.

And one thing I was most surprised that I liked in presentation was the chain gang. Hearing people clamoring about needing it back in Madden made me think what a waste of time cut scene, they trot them out there just makes the games take longer and it�s not enjoyable. However when I got a 4th and short, and got close to the line, I have to admit that I did like seeing the chain gang come out and quickly check the spot (key word there is quickly) it is a nice touch.

RUNNING GAME: It�s fantastic. I think that Madden made great strides in the run game last year, but still don�t think the holes open up like they did in 2k5. My hat�s off to the great work they did with this.

Audible box seeing what the play looks like, it might fall into the presentation, but it�s nice to get to see what the audible looks like before you call it.

The challenge system: 2k had this right just right. I don�t understand exactly how they could do this so well, and Madden could do this so poorly, but some how they do.

The not so good.

Players get sucked into tackles, if a guy is pulling you down it�s almost like you just stop making any progress and get vacuumed into him. Then you just fall like you�ve all of a sudden become 1,000 pounds. It just feels strange, and completely unnatural.

Strange oddities like seeing a ball get fumbled and two players who are all alone reach out and dive to fall on the ball instead of scooping it up and running for the endzone. The game does have it�s share of weird occurrences like this.

Weird Ball Physics: ball gets tipped, it floats strange, which also leads to the passing game just not feeling right. It�s not horrible, but it definitely doesn�t feel right, Madden�s may not be perfect, but it�s always been more natural feeling than 2k5.

Defensive players with hands of stone, it�s frustrating seeing the ball go directly to a defensive player and him dropping the ball as he just stares at it.

There is no doubt that NFL 2k5 was an amazing game, but it was far from perfect. It�s a shame that they had the rug that was the NFL license pulled out from under them, but hopefully we�ll see them bring another title to gamers one day.