Next-Gen Sports Games

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by Eddie1967

I haven't played the show so I can't comment on the gamplay. NHL 08 was awesome graphically but it was missing major elements of what makes really in a hockey game for me to like it. No board play, no separate line changes, tape to tape passing whether it was a goon or a skilled player, no scrums, awful fighting engine and pretty much having most of the players play the same no matter the skill level. NHL 2K8 has everything that NHL 08 is lacking. Board play, separate line changes, scrums in front of the net, awesome goalies, puck physics, and you can truly tell the difference between the skilled and the not so skilled players. The only area were 08 blew 2k8 out of the water was presentation. I know 08 got great reviews , but for me after I got past the visuals I lost interest. Having said that I am excited after reading about nhl 09 because they are adding a lot of the things that I mentioned above so it looks like I might be spending 120 on hockey games this year.

The thing is, the board play the 2k series has, would 8 out of 10 times be a holding penalty in todays NHL, don't get me wrong I like that its there, but its been the same since 2k3. It could use some tweaking. Goalies I'll agree with you on, that along with scrums in front of the net do appear to be remedied with 09 though like you mention as are seperate forward and Dman line changes along with only the skilled stars being able to do one handed dekes and such. So it seems like most of your gripes with 08, valid gripes mind you, are being changed for the better.

The thing that has really bothered me the past couple iterations though is 2k hockey up til now just feels stale and adding things like cinemotion didn't help much. Also we could debate forever about the controls, I know some really do like 2k8's controls, I found them to be all sorts of clunky and unintuitive in comparison. The other thing for me is I'm mainly a franchise offline guy and 2k's ai is lightyears behind EA's currently imo.

[metallicatz]

The answer to the question was adequately put on page 1. Those non-sports games had MUCH more dev time, and they still have plenty of bugs. I played all those games listed and they definitely have their fair share of bugs and glitches. I always preferrred the NFL2K series on the last gen, but 2K5 didn't happen overnight. It was a 5 year process of building on the engine put forth on NFL2K for Dreamcast. Nor was it wasn't the first year they had the ESPN license, and they simply built on what they did with 2K4. I recently popped it back into my 360 and can now see that NFL2K5 is one of those games that, like Goldeneye, will appear better over time than it actually was simply because of the impression that it left for its time. It's been surpassed at this point as far as gameplay IMHO.

Best next gen sports title for me BY FAR is NHL08. Easily the best hockey game ever made in any generation. For looks, AI, and pure innovative gameplay there's no comparison.

And no, the players in NHL08 do NOT play the same "at any skill level". Start a Penguins franchise in NHL08 and go ahead and try to get as many goals with Laraque as you can with Crosby or Malkin. I dare you. It won't happen, not at any difficulty level.

[umd]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

Interesting...pretty rare to see someone with mlb 2k8 and nhl 2k8 up there. What specifically in graphics and gameplay separates those games from their rivals (show, nhl 08) to you?

MLB 2k8 was not a very good game. Mediocre at best standing by itself. Put it side by side with The Show and it doesn't even compare. I felt like it was missing something I just can't put my finger on.

[RealmK]

Quote: Originally Posted by umd

MLB 2k8 was not a very good game. Mediocre at best standing by itself. Put it side by side with The Show and it doesn't even compare. I felt like it was missing something I just can't put my finger on.

Polish and atmosphere?

[dave374]

Quote: Originally Posted by umd

I felt like it was missing something I just can't put my finger on.

40 frames per second?

[Eddie1967]

Quote: Originally Posted by RealmK

The thing is, the board play the 2k series has, would 8 out of 10 times be a holding penalty in todays NHL, don't get me wrong I like that its there, but its been the same since 2k3. It could use some tweaking. Goalies I'll agree with you on, that along with scrums in front of the net do appear to be remedied with 09 though like you mention as are seperate forward and Dman line changes along with only the skilled stars being able to do one handed dekes and such. So it seems like most of your gripes with 08, valid gripes mind you, are being changed for the better. The thing that has really bothered me the past couple iterations though is 2k hockey up til now just feels stale and adding things like cinemotion didn't help much. Also we could debate forever about the controls, I know some really do like 2k8's controls, I found them to be all sorts of clunky and unintuitive in comparison. The other thing for me is I'm mainly a franchise offline guy and 2k's ai is lightyears behind EA's currently imo.

Yeah I know a lot of people had problems with the controls in 2k8. I had a lot of difficulty shooting with the sticks in nhl 08 and never really got used to it. Like you said a lot of my gripes have been answered in 09 and that along with the already great presentation will make it difficult to pass on it this year.

[metallidevils]

Most likely, if you didn't vote for The Show, then that probably means you're a 360 owner.

How is NHL 08 not on the list? The only way I see NCAA Football getting any votes if is those voters didn't play any of the other games on the list.

[metallidevils]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheFuture15

Interesting...pretty rare to see someone with mlb 2k8 and nhl 2k8 up there. What specifically in graphics and gameplay separates those games from their rivals (show, nhl 08) to you?

I tried the MLB 2k8 demo, and it was simply awful. MLB 08 The Show was easily the best video game I've ever played, not just sports game. It was pretty much universally considered a lot better than 2k8.