I'm glad you are enjoying the football game as much as I am. I too have been playing football games forever and this game by far is the best and funnest football game to date.
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Reddog said:
OK, so I am one of those old farts on this board who has been playing sports games forever too. I have never really been a fan any one football game maker, rather I would get all of them at some point and spend some time playing each. I got Madden 2004 when it came out on the PC because I love the graphics the PC can offer. I was under whelmed to say the least. The game played well enough but just felt too similar, especially John and Al talking. Then I got Fever for the Xbox. I love the idea of R&L passing and it really is a blast to pass in that game. They make it hard to hit your receivers in stride (at least for me), so when you actually do it just feels awesome. However the presentation of the game was pretty average if you ask me. They do some things nice like alternate camera views when you break from the huddle. The commentary is average to poor. I also really liked the whole control scheme in terms of calling defensive schemes, hot routes and audible. I did not care to much for the whole blur thing for the background. It looks...well fake at times. On a big screen TV it just looks weird. The player models are great but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The 5.1 dd is really nice and I like the menus in the game. Overall I was happy with the purchase (especially since I got it for $39 at gamestop). Being the sucker that I am I went and picked up ESPN football after work last night. Luck was on my side and I got a 20 minute break from the wife and kids to go throw the game in and jump into an exhibition game. I think I moaned allowed when the game started. The graphics were better than Madden on my PC. The proof is in how round the helmets look. I don't know if that is the 720 support that gets rid of the jaggies or what but f*&k that game looks like I am watching ESPN Sunday night football. So yeah the intro is great and the players looks better than any game I have played, but how does the game play feel and look. I wet myself after the 1st quarter. It was just 'real' football. I forget whose review said this, but they were spot on when they said this game 'just does a hell of a lot of things right'. The tackle animations are leaps and bounds above the rest. You are constantly seeing group (gang) tackles that look very realistic. And the animations are varied. Passing was a little hard for me as I need to find the right camera angle. I love the default perspective in Fever (or maybe I have it set to action...don't remember).
Anyway, this game is flat out kick a%%. I am keeping Fever just because of the R&L passing, but I don't know when I will find time to play it. Thanks to everyone who had great things to say about ESPN that motivated me to pick it up. Best $50 I have ever spent on a videogame.
09-04-2003, 08:14 AM
