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LTM360
08-04-2003, 08:09 PM
Madden 2004 - "Act Like a Professional"
Everyone | PS2 (reviewed) | GC | XB | PC | GBA | PSOne

--> It's significant that radically divisive language is often used when describing Madden. You'll hear passionate football gamers talk about how Madden pretends to be hardcore, suffers from rehash syndrome, and generally lags behind in innovation. Then you'll hear, "But it's the greatest f****** football game ever created."
Madden's long-running history is both burden and buoy, as a product doesn't get this poslished without continuing to improve on what's right. 04 offers more of the same, but also takes encouraging steps toward true innovation.
EA's vaunted Playmaker feature gives you the ability, on offense and defense, to interact with or change the game's A.I. on the fly. Need a DB to dropa bit deeper during a pass play? Want to get that pulling guard to swing upfield? That's what Playmaker allows for, and it's a perfect implementation of an easy, fun, and rewarding feature.
Owner's Mode checks in as the other major improvement here. Now, users are given free reign over everything from the price of concessions (cheaper beer!) to the pursuit of builind a new stadium.
Online play is refined thanks to EA's new messanger system, which lets you chat in lobbies and look for your buddies online. In-game voice chat is a hoot, as long as you stay in your age group.
Other titles may impress this fall, but anyone who tackles Maden should come out Grinnin'. It's superb in every regard.|<-_Dan Leahy

GMR - 9/10 "Sack!"
Better Than: All the rest
Not as Good as: Meeting Ray Lewis
Wait for It: NFL Street

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN NFL Football - "Sega's Still in The Game"
Everyone | Xbox (reviewed) | PS2

---> Until the release of ESPN NFL Football, elegant end tables and professional football lived in separate realms. But thanks to The Crib, one of several new features in Sega's latest football title, fashion-forward football fans can follow their on-field exploits with an interior-chaser.
Formally know as the critically acclaimed NFL 2K series, Sega's partnership with ESPN goes furthur towrad incorperating television-style presentation and production values than any other game on the market. Chirs Berman's pre- and post-game delivery is vintage Boomer, and ESPN's graphical overlays for replays, stats, and player profiles look sharp.
Unfortunetly, on the field, Sega falls short of more immediate action, tighter controls, and more powerful on-field flexibility of Madden 2004. 2K3 fans familiar with Seg's more realistic take on football might disagree, but this feels slow, flat and less exciting in comparision.
It's not that ESPN FOootball is subpar. On the contrary-this year's game is better than ever, with a strong Franchise mode, and efficent play-calling interface, a cool First Person Mode (!), and The Crib. Designing and decorating your own plush pad is more intriguing than it sounds. As you accomplish certain feats, the game places collectable objects in your crib.
But the Action doesn feel quite right. Players' animations, while smoother, feel floaty and imprecise--sometimes, it even looks like their gliding. This makes the passing game particularly frustrating; not being able to see a reciver's final cut on a fly route can mean the difference between a TD and an incompletion or worse. On the plus side, the new power-up turbo option allows players to execute special jukes by holding down the Turbo button instead of tapping it.
ESPN Pro Football lives under a massive shadow, but the First Person mode, the solid gameplay, and the other new extras make it a worthwile purchase for gamers intimidated by Madden.... or those just looking for a different experience |<-_ George Jones

GMR 8/10 - "Juke!"
Better than: NFL 2K3
Not as Good as: Madden 2004
Wait for it: NFL Blitz

wweomaniac
08-04-2003, 08:14 PM
so they're dissing the player animations of Sega's NFL game when to me, they seem 200x more realistic and more enjoyable to the eyes.

am I right when I say that?

Seawolf X
08-04-2003, 08:34 PM
I do agree with them about gameplay for nfl2k3 and probably espn 2k4 that the gameplay is kinda slow and boring at times.

DZNUTZ
08-04-2003, 09:18 PM
whateva..iz madden online for xbox?
aight then...
everyone is gonna have their choice.
i was a madden fan since day numero uno, but i don't care if its twice as good...no LIVE support...no consideration of even buying it.

i absolutely loved 2k3...so if 2k4 is better, sega can already count my 50 in their earning reports.

DocHoliday78
08-04-2003, 10:01 PM
Originally posted by DZNUTZ
whateva..iz madden online for xbox?
aight then...
everyone is gonna have their choice.
i was a madden fan since day numero uno, but i don't care if its twice as good...no LIVE support...no consideration of even buying it.

i absolutely loved 2k3...so if 2k4 is better, sega can already count my 50 in their earning reports.

Exactly, also madden to me is extremly slow and the WR controll is horrible. Another thing is why dont they have the same guy review madden and nfl2k4? I think its stupid that they have two diffrent people reviewing it.

CarGuy
08-05-2003, 12:03 AM
"In-game voice chat is a hoot, as long as you stay in your age group."

Only XBox has voice chat, right??

Xbox Owner
08-05-2003, 12:40 AM
Originally posted by CarGuy
&quot;In-game voice chat is a hoot, as long as you stay in your age group.&quot;

Only XBox has voice chat, right??

Nope..PS2 has voice chat for Madden and espn now.

Ugunnalose
08-05-2003, 01:26 AM
yeah im buying espn nfl football even though i gotta wait

Heavens Gate
08-05-2003, 07:01 AM
Originally posted by DZNUTZ
whateva..iz madden online for xbox?
aight then...
everyone is gonna have their choice.
i was a madden fan since day numero uno, but i don't care if its twice as good...no LIVE support...no consideration of even buying it.

i absolutely loved 2k3...so if 2k4 is better, sega can already count my 50 in their earning reports.

Damn right. Count me in as well. That's .... let's see $52.79 with tax times 2 equals $105.58. Anyone else?

Heavens Gate
08-05-2003, 07:03 AM
Originally posted by LTM360
Madden 2004 - &quot;Act Like a Professional&quot;
Everyone | PS2 (reviewed) | GC | XB | PC | GBA | PSOne

--&gt; It's significant that radically divisive language is often used when describing Madden. You'll hear passionate football gamers talk about how Madden pretends to be hardcore, suffers from rehash syndrome, and generally lags behind in innovation. Then you'll hear, &quot;But it's the greatest f****** football game ever created.&quot;
Madden's long-running history is both burden and buoy, as a product doesn't get this poslished without continuing to improve on what's right. 04 offers more of the same, but also takes encouraging steps toward true innovation.
EA's vaunted Playmaker feature gives you the ability, on offense and defense, to interact with or change the game's A.I. on the fly. Need a DB to dropa bit deeper during a pass play? Want to get that pulling guard to swing upfield? That's what Playmaker allows for, and it's a perfect implementation of an easy, fun, and rewarding feature.
Owner's Mode checks in as the other major improvement here. Now, users are given free reign over everything from the price of concessions (cheaper beer!) to the pursuit of builind a new stadium.
Online play is refined thanks to EA's new messanger system, which lets you chat in lobbies and look for your buddies online. In-game voice chat is a hoot, as long as you stay in your age group.
Other titles may impress this fall, but anyone who tackles Maden should come out Grinnin'. It's superb in every regard.|&lt;-_Dan Leahy

GMR - 9/10 &quot;Sack!&quot;
Better Than: All the rest
Not as Good as: Meeting Ray Lewis
Wait for It: NFL Street

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN NFL Football - &quot;Sega's Still in The Game&quot;
Everyone | Xbox (reviewed) | PS2

---&gt; Until the release of ESPN NFL Football, elegant end tables and professional football lived in separate realms. But thanks to The Crib, one of several new features in Sega's latest football title, fashion-forward football fans can follow their on-field exploits with an interior-chaser.
Formally know as the critically acclaimed NFL 2K series, Sega's partnership with ESPN goes furthur towrad incorperating television-style presentation and production values than any other game on the market. Chirs Berman's pre- and post-game delivery is vintage Boomer, and ESPN's graphical overlays for replays, stats, and player profiles look sharp.
Unfortunetly, on the field, Sega falls short of more immediate action, tighter controls, and more powerful on-field flexibility of Madden 2004. 2K3 fans familiar with Seg's more realistic take on football might disagree, but this feels slow, flat and less exciting in comparision.
It's not that ESPN FOootball is subpar. On the contrary-this year's game is better than ever, with a strong Franchise mode, and efficent play-calling interface, a cool First Person Mode (!), and The Crib. Designing and decorating your own plush pad is more intriguing than it sounds. As you accomplish certain feats, the game places collectable objects in your crib.
But the Action doesn feel quite right. Players' animations, while smoother, feel floaty and imprecise--sometimes, it even looks like their gliding. This makes the passing game particularly frustrating; not being able to see a reciver's final cut on a fly route can mean the difference between a TD and an incompletion or worse. On the plus side, the new power-up turbo option allows players to execute special jukes by holding down the Turbo button instead of tapping it.
ESPN Pro Football lives under a massive shadow, but the First Person mode, the solid gameplay, and the other new extras make it a worthwile purchase for gamers intimidated by Madden.... or those just looking for a different experience |&lt;-_ George Jones

GMR 8/10 - &quot;Juke!&quot;
Better than: NFL 2K3
Not as Good as: Madden 2004
Wait for it: NFL Blitz


This reviewer is an ass. Is there some reason he didn't mention the online play for 2k4? What a biased piece of shizit

yall
08-05-2003, 09:12 AM
[i]On the plus side, the new power-up turbo option allows players to execute special jukes by holding down the Turbo button instead of tapping it.
[/B]

New? Hardly. This has been in place since 2k1.

Perhaps they should get someone that knows something about video games to do these reviews.

Duke
08-05-2003, 10:36 AM
Seems to be the general consensus that Madden will be better than 2k4.

Don't care. As has been said before, no live play, no buy.

Got a housemate picking up an xbox in a couple weeks who isn't interested in live, so I guess I'll be able to check 'em both out.

Hugopolo
08-05-2003, 10:46 AM
The reason nobody talks about xbox live when they review 2k4 is because every one is reviewing the Ps2 versions an they talk about ps2s online thing egm did the same thing and didnt put any concideration that madden isnt on live and espn is

borka105
08-05-2003, 11:12 AM
the thing that worried me about that review is that he mentioned the same WR problem from last year. You would think they would get that fixed............ I mean not seeing your WR running their routes in unacceptable...... hopefully, he has no clue what he is talking about.



-borka105

AlBoogy
08-05-2003, 12:28 PM
I really hope that is just your typos and not the reviewers mispelling. Because if it is, I disregard anything he has to say.

ARONO129
08-05-2003, 12:40 PM
First off I don't like EA because they won't support Live. Graphically Fever has always been better but the AI has been awful. I don't find winning 55-7 all the time fun. And that's even on the hardest setting.

As for ESPN I don't think first person perspective will work and I don't care if I have a "Crib" or not. That leaves Madden. Sorry guys but the AI is tight. That's important to me.

CrazyCougar
08-05-2003, 12:46 PM
I'll be getting both Madden and ESPN. Madden will go hand in hand with my NCAA, so I can draft my seniors that i groom through their college years. ESPN I will get for league and online play. I think both Madden and ESPN will be on the same level this year, both games will have their ups and downs equally.

LTM360
08-05-2003, 08:12 PM
Originally posted by ARONO129
As for ESPN I don't think first person perspective will work and I don't care if I have a &quot;Crib&quot; or not. That leaves Madden. Sorry guys but the AI is tight. That's important to me.

cannot belive I forgot that

| First Person Football |
--> We hear your skepticism, but trust us--ESPN Football's First Person mode is actually quite fun to play. It's not perfect, but this unique experience looks good and provides a promising diversion from traditional play.
The lack of peripheral vision (you can only see in a 70-degree cone) means that some elements, like the passing game, and secondary coverage, are more challanging. But it's also more realistic. Dropping back five steps, identifying the pass coverages and blitzes, and then delivering a strike to a reciever you can't even see is no easy task, but it provides one heck of a rush. Ask any NFL Quarterback.
Here's hoping Sega keeps First Person mode in future versions. The notion of 11-on-11 First-person game makes us feverish with future anticipation. |<


|Picture Subtitles|
<-- The hits are big and the defense tough in ESPN NFL Football. If you're brave enough to rely primarily on a passing game-Like say, oh, the Raiders-expect to get picked off like flies near a bug zapper. Mixing up your attacks to spread the opposing team's defense thin is key here. Plus, ESPN supports Xbox Live, where as Madden does not

-> "Grab that S***!" You might holler as you attempt to reel in the rocket your QB just launched at you. ESPN's First Person mode is yet another innovation the trend-setting team at visual Concepts has produced. Bet on Madden to try and implement something similar next year.

Corona
08-05-2003, 11:34 PM
Originally posted by borka105
the thing that worried me about that review is that he mentioned the same WR problem from last year. You would think they would get that fixed............ I mean not seeing your WR running their routes in unacceptable...... hopefully, he has no clue what he is talking about.



-borka105

All you have to do is go to the camera options, and them change the setting to QB zoom out, so that you can see the two Wide Flankers.

Rooster
08-12-2003, 02:40 PM
Okay I have played the 2k series since it came out. 2k3 was a tough, challenging version. Yes it had some flaws, but at the core was a great product. A football game with full scaled players and massive hits. I find the review posted here very shallow, epsecially when the fully done version of the game is not even released yet. As for the dropped catches last year and other things, I went to the sliders and they worked much better. I also cannot believe I hear people complaining about the limited view in the helmet, well duh!!! Do you think that qb's can see everything out there? If you have watched any football head cam you will see the same thing!! The developer was interviewed about the dropped passes, etc. they said they balanced things out and fixed the things that needed to be fixed. I say wait until the final version of the game is out and then we will see. If you read the E3 demos impressions they do nto say what he says about the game, they said it was improved big time. Unitl the final build comes out I am going to believe that.

Bakeman
08-12-2003, 02:57 PM
Originally posted by yall


New? Hardly. This has been in place since 2k1.

Perhaps they should get someone that knows something about video games to do these reviews.


I dont' think the reviewer said what he was trying to say correctly.

Yeah the turbo thing has been in place alll along. But it has been re-worked this year. If I remember correctly it has something to do with being able to setup moves in advanced, stringing along multiple moves .... Spin , Stiff arm, charge.. TOUCHDOWN lol

Anyways, maybe that's what the reviewer was tlaking about, but it sure didn't seem like it.