Madden Wishlist's ESPN 2K5 Review

[onetonmartin]

Quote: Originally Posted by GAMEC0CK2002

I call this debate a draw. just get 'em both.

This is a football forum, not Soccer! there are no draws in Football! JK

[M3Rocket]

Bravo seanmac! I don't think that there is a question about the review trying to be unbiased--all reviews are biased. Or the amount of work that went into it. Or that the many shortcomings of 2K5 mentioned don't exist. However, the choice of words in which spin16 chose to arrive at his conclusion in spite of the shortcomings of the review itself is the issue.

Example from the end of your review: "Well, it's a good game, but after having played Madden, it's not worth your money.

So instead, I'll make the opposite recommendation to ESPN fans. Trust me, you owe it to yourself to give Madden a try this year."

That's a very presumptuous thing to say--that ESPN is not worth my money. Obviously, more people think so than not, since it is selling well based on anecdotal evidence so far. It may not be worth yours, but that's excatly what you should have said instead of speaking on our behalf and then have the gumption to ask us to "trust you?" How is it any different than this: Trust us, you owe it to yourselves to give ESPN a try this year?

BTW, it's pathetic when you have to use another review to justify your own--I can point to many reviews that contradict yours. But that leaves us nowhere. I respect your review and your take on things--but it seems to me that you're trying to be genuine, but come across as disingenuous at best.

[NoSkillz50]

There ARE draws in football...

[Kanobi]

Quote: Originally Posted by GAMEC0CK2002

I call this debate a draw. just get 'em both.

agreed.

[bassiladelph]

Spin, very good review, although it's not as in-depth as I would like for it to be. But back to that in a second. Seanmac, absolutely brilliant post. It's rare to find people who are actually fair to a game. The sheer # of things said shows your passion for both games, and it's refreshing to read a post that doesn't flame or actually uses intelligence to make their points known.

Spin, you've restated that although ESPN does some things well, it doesn't compare to the improvement that Madden gives you for $50. Madden finally does some things right, and it's being met with accolades. But, and I'm not alone in this thinking, it's too late, simply because ESPN brings a more in-depth, fresher game to the books. Most of ESPN's fans are former Maddenites who have gotten tired of the same old gameplay. For a while, as tired as the gameplay was, nothing else compared to it. Now ESPN brings something different to the table, as well as presentation and a slew of other features, combined with how EA has treated the gaming community with minimal improvements, has increased ESPN's fanbase. Competition only works out for us in the end, because if ESPN wasn't here, what motivation would EA have to improve, and vice versa?

The fact of the matter is you're getting a very good game for $20. All of your praise for ESPN, yet it's not worth $20 when compared to Madden? And there are some people who would argue with you that it IS worth it, because the improvements from 2K4 (which you have admittedly not played) far outweigh the improvements to Madden.

Which brings me to my point I alluded to earlier. It's impossible to really gauge what kind of game ESPN has even by 20 games, especially if you've never at least seen 2K4 before. There are so many little touches in the game, so many different things that can be brought up, that it's impossible to see them all. The unpredictability in that respect that truly, no two football games play alike, should be more than enough reason to kick out $20 to at least try it. But it takes some time to get into it than Madden, and if you've played Madden for x years it's going to feel different and not as comfortable.

And as a final note, this isn't directed to you, but I wish a lot of reviewers could spend more time going over games, especially sports games. Q'n'D doesn't cut it for a sport as immersive as football, and even now you're still learning new rules and re-learning old ones. It's disappointing to see people automatically give games high marks, yet not get really into the game. I was disappointed in IGN for both their reviews. They didn't break out the flaws in franchise for ESPN, and their overall ranking for Madden made little sense, when compared to ESPN's ranking.