ESPN NFL 2K5 Preview

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrel Owens is a controversial athlete. Sometimes over-the-top, the wideout is a physical specimen running around in his spandex warm up suit. He’s a fantastic athlete that’s set for a dominating season with some new teammates in the City of Brotherly Love. Take in account all of this, and it makes sense that ESPN NFL 2005 signed him on board to be the cover boy of this year’s football videogame from Sega. This is the season that both of them let the world know they’re here and show off what they can do.

Having noticed that their titles sold much better on the Xbox than other consoles, ESPN Videogames made NFL 2005 for the Xbox. Why not use all of the Xbox’s capabilities with its massive processor? And this is how they came up with triple pass rendering, a term so juicy it must do something good. Implemented in all the ESPN Videogame titles this year, triple pass rendering shines on the screen splendidly. I’m serious guys, this game looks incredible. Sega has always had the reputation for amazing graphics, and they just keep on setting the bar higher and higher. They’re going to need a jet pack to jump over this one. Everything looks sharper, particularly on the Xbox. If there were doubts about the best looking football game, they’re history (best looking sports game goes to ESPN NBA 2005, which also uses triple pass rendering).

A few gameplay additions have been made. First of all, the game looks a bit slower and easier to control. That was my major issue with the last few versions. The running game was a bit difficult, and the speed of the game was a bit much. It seems cleared up now, but it’s still an early build. One of the bigger additions to on field gameplay is the Maximum Tackle feature. In the continuing effort to give players more control, the tackle button has two functions – hold down the tackle button to wrap up the offensive player or tap it to deliver the big hit and possibly force a fumble, or possibly miss completely. On the offensive side, while being wrapped up, tapping on the X button causes the ball carrier to give a little extra, possibly breaking the wrap or getting those few extra yards that may make the difference between first and ten or fourth and short. QB evasions are also now computer controlled for those who have a weak offensive line or stay in the pocket too long. Control a player like Michael Vick and watch him duck, twist, and hurdle would be tacklers in the pocket with the flick of the right analog stick.

Online play will be retouched as well. ESPN NFL Football allows for customizable leagues for tournaments or online leagues. Play a season with friends, or a one day tournament with strangers. And finally, FINALLY, fantasy leagues and drafts have been implemented. FINALLY! NFL Football 2005 allows gamers to take fantasy teams online against other online users and enjoy ‘living rosters’, meaning that rosters carry over from game to game. Say your quarterback gets a concussion and misses a few games – he’s out for a few games, no more resetting the rosters. Everything counts, and if you’re like me, it’s what we’ve all been waiting for. Big props to Sega for getting this done.

Presentation has also seen more changes. In addition to the ESPN-style presentation, a fully rendered three-dimensional Chris Berman introduces the game from the GameDay desk. He’ll dissect the game with precision at the onset and at half-time. ESPN broadcaster Suzy Kolber even conducts post-game interviews with the player of the game. I can’t wait to see these new features that blur the line between real broadcasts and videogames.

Ultimately, the gameplay will determine whether or not this game is worthy of being in your console. I’ll let you know when I find out, you can bet on that. ESPN NFL 2005 will be available at the onset of the NFL season.

For All E3 2004 Previews