Madden 2003 vs NFL2k3...the Real Deal
ok, first of all, my background. I am a long time Madden guy who made no bones about the fact that I bought the first NFL2k game and did not like it and it solidified my Madden bias.
Due to EAs horrible decision making process this year, I finally had had enough. Being mainly a Madden pc gamer, I had felt EA had screwed over the true football gamer one too many times. Madden over the last few years was famous for it's bugs, bad AI, and we fans were always waiting for a patch 1.1 to come out, and then patch 1.2, and then 1.3, and so on and so forth. However, because the pc version had the greatest football gaming mode EVER (online franchise leagues), we put up with it.
But, one of their awful decisions was to kill the pc online frnachise mode this year, and of course the other horrible decision was to not participate with XBL. Well, all I can say to EA is THANK YOU!!
Without these awful decisions, I would have never strayed and given Sega NFL2k3 a shot. Wow.....this game is EXCELLENT. I cannot say enough about NFL2k3 right now. If you love football, and you love football gaming, then my god, this game is for you!
I have both Madden 2003 and NFL2k3. Madden 2003 is a good game, nothing wrong with it (as far as I can tell so far....AI is always a worry). But, it just is sort of there. Doesn't get my juices going really. NFL2k3 is different though. I am INTO this game.
As a FORMER Madden guy, it does take a little getting used to NFL2k3's player models and graphics. They seem a little "cartoonish" to me at first compared to Maddens. But, after I adjusted to the difference, I now can appreciate just how nice the graphics are on NFL2k3. Different than Madden, no doubt, but top notch, nonetheless. Stadium models are better than in Madden. Why? Because in NFL2k3, you get a truer sense of just how big these stadiums are. In Madden, the players always seem a little out of proportion in relationship to the stadium size.
The overall presentation of this game is TOP NOTCH. Madden does not even come close in this dept. NFL2k3 has raised the bar in this area to new heights. It is just an incredibly well thought out, well put together football game. The ESPN tie-in is SUPERB. They really nailed it. LEad in to games are excellent with actual commentary relavent to the two teams and how they are doing in the current season. The weekly wrap up is really nice. REALLY nice. Even though the play of the week seems all too often to be the same play! Again, Madden has nothing to even compare to in the area. The Franchise mode is DA BOMB. The best I have seen, and this is where a football game is won or lost with me.
As for game play....NFL2k3 is TOUGH. Now, I know why Urlacher is on the cover......in this game, defense counts! I like that. I got my butt whip 42-0 and 38-6 my first two games. There is definately a learning curve, ulike Madden, where you can just jump in and not really know what you are doing and still score 17-21 points in a game. NFL2k3 is a much better sim of the NFL game. No question.
Commentary: Oh my god, Madden is still using the same exact canned phrases that he has been sputtering for the last 3 years. I was shocked. I can't listen to these same old phrases anymore. It DRIVES ME NUTS! Al Michaels is ok, doesn't add too much, but is ok. NFL2k3, I'm not totally thrilled with the two announcers, but, I must say, the game is called very well. It's called in a way that makes you feel like this actual game is being called. It's not just a bunch of canned phrases repeated over and over everyu single game.
Madden has some things I miss, like more adjustments on defense, but, overall, I have to say NFL2k3 is the best football game I have ever played. Truly, Sega has raised the bar.
My Ratings:
NFL2k3: 9.6 out of 10
Madden 2003: 8.6 out of 10
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