So after three days of Madden, I'm back playing ESPN...

[Pared]

...and WOW! I completely forgot how great this game is! Graphics, presentation, variety of on-field animations... man, we really have two great football titles this year (And NCAA to boot!)

I think I'm going to spend my time with Madden and NCAA for franchises, and ESPN for fantasy football and Online play... I really would like to get into a PS2 online league (so if anyone knows of any, please let me know! I'll take the Colts! )

Anyone else finding themselves torn b/w all this? On top of all that, I still have an MVP 'chise going on my PC AND I'm beta-tesing Raw vs. SmackDown!

Man, it's good to be a gamer right now...

[Triggerfish]

I agree! All 3 are fantastic! Too bad I have to spend most of my waking hours working..I have got to win the lottery...then I can give all 3 the time they deserve!

[Pared]

Oh, and I don't know why so many people are knocking Madden this year... it's really, really good... Best football 'chise out there. Don't know where all these "arcade" comments are coming from... If you give it time, it's almost as in depth as ESPN, shockingly enough...

[rudyjuly2]

We shall see in two days for me. The presentation of both games couldn't be more night and day. ESPN does it so well. Even the cheerleaders in Madden are horrible. I had read they were brutal but they look like dark alley prostitutes without a shower.

I think I do like the interaction between the players (ability to get off blocks) better in ESPN and when I use the coach cam to look at my receiver's routes, I really miss not seeing the opposing DBs names so I can look for mismatches. Playmaker to change the direction of runs is great. The camera is better in ESPN imo. Haven't played much Madden yet but the franchise is pretty cool. Training camp battles are fun but don't make sense for me sometimes. Example: Madison and Surtain battling when there are two starting spots. In game saves fantastic!! I wonder how many ESPN fans would trade in little used first person football for that feature alone (me). ESPN has the presentation (by a huge margin) and Madden the franchise. Don't know yet where the gameplay will take me as this matters most. Only really got barely a day in, we'll see how I feel after more time. Still haven't fully changed over to the control scheme. The games are just so different in how they feel - from charging up to holding a sprint button, etc.

[chansi]

I don't really like their running game. I think ESPN NFL is better. The maxium tackle and QB Evade in ESPN are awesome. Madden just feel like you are fighting with the control.

[Heelfan71]

I am enjoying them both right now. A few things I do like about Madden:

Pre Season: Cpu actually plays backups in 2nd half. Position battles are cool too.
Punt/Kick returns: I think they are more realistic in Madden.


ESPN Presentation is the best of any game I have ever played and the game play is quite addicting.

[LionsFan2004]

both have good things about them, buts its hard to overlook how a 20 dollar price tag could change the videogame industy. (you laugh but the music industry has had to lower their prices).

ESPN to me offers something different from year to year they try to give their customers something different. whether its the online leagues, the very cool idea of vip profiles, and the gameplay.

on the other hand Madden is the same year to year, i havent seen anything too innovative from EA since the training camp mode.

[warnerwlf98]

Quote: Originally Posted by rudyjuly2

. . . Playmaker to change the direction of runs is great. The camera is better in ESPN imo . . .

You can do the same thing in ESPN. On Xbox, press Y for the audible, then click the right thumbstick to flip the play. It also works to flip the directions of receiver routes for passing plays.