All Pro Football 2K8 Review (360)

[HMcCoy]

Great detailed review TC.

My .02...


1-10 scale

*Offensive Gameplay 9
*Defensive Gameplay 8.5
Special teams Gameplay 6
Player Models 7
Overall Visual Presentation 8 (TV-style)
Off-the-field depth 4
Online functionality 9
Glitchs/hiccups/QA 7

Total 76/100


*These ratings are doubled to tabulate final score.

Bottom Line: Eager fans of Visual Concepts pigskin should prepare themselves for a return to the familiar hour-long 2K5 games from the good old non-exclusitivity days, because they will again feel the need to replay every other snap for 5 minutes each. Fluid branching animations and complex interactions at every position are still the main draw for APF, and will still mesmerize those who have overcome the slightly robotic feel that defines the 2k football engine. It's a real shame that spotty DB animations still show up on occasion as the only uninvited blacksheep at this reunion, but thankfully it's far less prevelant than it has been in the past, and having imperfect DB's is to some slightly more realistic than having a slew of psychic friends with stickum endorsements roaming the secondary, but to each his own. The presentation still nails the feeling of controlling a Sunday afternoon televised game (including a great ticker that gives updated scores and news, both good and bad...you won't find drug suspensions and arrests reported in any other videogame, trust me), albeit the commentary is really showing it's age. The tier/special ability system feels fresh and truly gives definition and texture to the various skill levels. Stars dominate like stars, likewise for scrubs and roleplayers. The intelligent use of your dominant players and the chess-like exploitation of matchups have never been better captured. Unfortunately, using NFL legends is the only non-gameplay facet of the title that sparks any positive energy, because while the online play is robust, with leagues, lively lobbies with a pretty good mix of sim-style opponents, and rock-steady 60FPS lag-free ballin'....the feature set flat-out sucks for a sports title released in 2007, the roster control is almost non-existent besides picking your superstars, and the team creation process is forced upon you, eliminating the freedom of pick up and play with friends.

Still, a must-buy for any open-minded gridiron fanatic who enjoys and appreciates the intricate details and nuance that make up the game of inches, and a welcomed return to glory for those who already enjoy 2k's interpretation of the sport. Just don't expect much depth besides a rudimentary season mode, and a nifty uniform editor.

[grunt]

Quote: Originally Posted by HMcCoy

Great detailed review TC. My .02... 1-10 scale *Offensive Gameplay 9 *Defensive Gameplay 8.5 Special teams Gameplay 6 Player Models 7 Overall Visual Presentation 8 (TV-style) Off-the-field depth 4 Online functionality 9 Glitchs/hiccups/QA 7 Total 76/100 *These ratings are doubled to tabulate final score. Bottom Line: Eager fans of Visual Concepts pigskin should prepare themselves for a return to the familiar hour-long 2K5 games from the good old non-exclusitivity days, because they will again feel the need to replay every other snap for 5 minutes each. Fluid branching animations and complex interactions at every position are still the main draw for APF, and will still mesmerize those who have overcome the slightly robotic feel that defines the 2k football engine. It's a real shame that spotty DB animations still show up on occasion as the only uninvited blacksheep at this reunion, but thankfully it's far less prevelant than it has been in the past, and having imperfect DB's is to some slightly more realistic than having a slew of psychic friends with stickum endorsements roaming the secondary, but to each his own. The presentation still nails the feeling of controlling a Sunday afternoon televised game (including a great ticker that gives updated scores and news, both good and bad...you won't find drug suspensions and arrests reported in any other videogame, trust me), albeit the commentary is really showing it's age. The tier/special ability system feels fresh and truly gives definition and texture to the various skill levels. Stars dominate like stars, likewise for scrubs and roleplayers. The intelligent use of your dominant players and the chess-like exploitation of matchups have never been better captured. Unfortunately, using NFL legends is the only non-gameplay facet of the title that sparks any positive energy, because while the online play is robust, with leagues, lively lobbies with a pretty good mix of sim-style opponents, and rock-steady 60FPS lag-free ballin'....the feature set flat-out sucks for a sports title released in 2007, the roster control is almost non-existent besides picking your superstars, and the team creation process is forced upon you, eliminating the freedom of pick up and play with friends. Still, a must-buy for any open-minded gridiron fanatic who enjoys and appreciates the intricate details and nuance that make up the game of inches, and a welcomed return to glory for those who already enjoy 2k's interpretation of the sport. Just don't expect much depth besides a rudimentary season mode, and a nifty uniform editor.

Good review.

[bigfnjoe96]

7 seems to be the score most reviewers are giving this game due to (Lack of Features) I'm not surprised OS gave it a 7. Hopefully people will @ least give this game a rent during the football season & not solely make a decision because of a review, which seems to be a trend with gamers...

[dbrandon]

I'm not trying to start anything, but I have yet to see (MARIO RUNNING) I have only play 14 games.

[GMonroy]

Quote: Originally Posted by dbrandon

I'm not trying to start anything, but I have yet to see (MARIO RUNNING) I have only play 14 games.

Same here but with more games. Also Mario running is not a true statement either. Go play Mario 64 and run to a wall. He does not keep running in place.

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by bigfnjoe96

I'm not surprised OS gave it a 7. Hopefully people will @ least give this game a rent during the football season & not solely make a decision because of a review, which seems to be a trend with gamers...

I'm not surprised either. While I'd love to see an APF2K9, part of me takes the "hope people look past the scores it's getting" mentality and don't play it. I think we'd see a situation similar to NFL2K5 where that game was released at the time it really wasn't fully appreciated for what it brought to the table. Three years later and Madden/NCAA '05 are somewhat distant memories, yet we're still discussing 2K5 innovations/gameplay. I think we'll be having the same needless discussions three years from now if APF2K turns out to be a one and done. I think there are tons of intangibles that aren't taken into consideration when judging the game, unfortunately. It's been said before, and will be said again - part of it is personal opinion, but I think Madden/NCAA will need to feel/play a lot more like APF than vice versa. That says a lot imo, especially since this is a generic game with the complications that come from attempting to do something unique.

Still, the review was very well written and thought out and I respect the writer's opinion even if I don't agree w/all his points (and it's not required - it's all opinion). It'll be interesting to see if the Madden/NCAA reviews are as meticulous in discussing the respective games' strengths and weaknesses, and not just comparing the new versions to the subpar next gen iterations of previous years.

[GMonroy]

Yeah. I hate reviews that just focus on comparing last years game with this years game.

[Bacardi151]

Quote: Originally Posted by GMonroy

Same here but with more games. Also Mario running is not a true statement either. Go play Mario 64 and run to a wall. He does not keep running in place.

try one of the old marios, like the original SMB