Madden 2005 VS ESPN 2K5

[ak47]

I love the bit how it says ESPN's gameplay. "worlds above Madden 2004"

ESPN 2k4 was worlds above madden 2004, so this must mean "galaxies" above madden and potentially still a world above madden 2005.

There's obvious fanchise issues with ESPN, there was in 2004.

But overall with gameplay and franchise mode, andwhole game itself, inlcuding sound and presentation and everything else........ESPN got my vote

Its opinionated so suck one Ripper, coz thats the opinion of most with the credentials to rate a game (ie, the bloke with reveiwing experience and is paid, as opposed to the 100 million yanks that just go and buy whatever comes out 1st, on the way to picking up a free gun with the new bank account, whilst passing the hospital they were born in which is within 50kms of where 90% of yanks live today). They get home and play madden for 5 mins go onto GAMEFAQ's post their review, in which u look into, and relay it onto us

Believe nothin u hear, and half of what u see......ie believe nothing on GAMEFAQS, until u play the game to obtain a decent self opinion/observation, then play the game twice over again to ensure that opinion/obervation holds true and doesnt change.

I hated ESPN at first..............but i gave it more than 1 hour, UNLIKE MOST!!!
After 2 days - I am concreted, and glued to the the fact is shits on Madden in respect to an NFL simulation.

 

[Ripper]

Originally posted by ak47@Aug 25 2004, 02:55 PM
Its opinionated so suck one Ripper, coz thats the opinion of most with the credentials to rate a game (ie, the bloke with reveiwing experience and is paid, as opposed to the 100 million yanks that just go and buy whatever comes out 1st, on the way to picking up a free gun with the new bank account, whilst passing the hospital they were born in which is within 50kms of where 90% of yanks live today). They get home and play madden for 5 mins go onto GAMEFAQ's post their review, in which u look into, and relay it onto us

Little does AK47 know that ESPN 2K5 was released a few weeks before Madden and at a price that was 2 1/2 times cheaper then Madden

 

[sanzar]

Just one question: Who gives a ****? Shouldn't all you NFL fans be happy that there is 2 very high quality sims of your sport on the market? No! Instead schoolyard brats like ripper are whining and moaning about how ESPN couldn't possibly be better than his beloved Madden franchise! Oh dear god no! that would be unthinkable! Get over it.

 

[Ripper]

Handbags at Noon with SANZAR everyone...

 

[shiznit]

Madden as a franchise is all class, its the benchmark when Sports games are concerned.
i think even Mario could agree with that.
i just think if Madden is to continue being the best they need to be pushed.
i would hate for Madden to end up like Fifa.
im with you sanzar in thinking were quite lucky that the NFL has 2 very high quality games.

 

[ak47]

Review: 'NFL 2K5' edges out 'Madden NFL'
8/24/2004, 6:15 p.m. ET
By JIM SCOTT
The Associated Press

(AP) â€" The virtual football championship matchup this year pits "Madden NFL 2005" against "ESPN NFL 2K5" from Sega's ESPN Videogames division. Both E-rated ***les excel at delivering the National Football League experience to your living room through a combination of excellent controls, online gameplay and improved defensive features.

But there are some key differences.

Price is a big factor: "NFL 2K5" has rolled out a polished game for the bargain price of $20, while "Madden NFL 2005" goes for $50.

"NFL 2K5" has impeccable graphics, smooth controls and a deep franchise mode that matches Madden at every turn.

Players look and play like their real-life counterparts, and the top-notch presentation has been taken a step further this year with its exceptional use of the ESPN license.

A polygonal Chris Berman hosts halftime and postgame shows with video highlights on the Xbox and freeze-frame photos of key plays on the less-powerful PlayStation 2 and GameCube consoles.

ESPN's Suzy Kolber conducts postgame interviews, and Trey Wingo and Mel Kiper Jr. lend their voices in weekly SportsCenter segments and the NFL draft. Only some inexplicably poor lip synching for Berman and Kolber keep the spots from having a perfect broadcast feel.

The new VIP system of "NFL 2K5" is the most innovative feature for any football game this season.

Your VIP profile tracks all football playing tendencies and stats, from your favorite "hot routes" to the kind of defense you like to use on third and long.

You can then load and play against your own VIP profile, practice against a friend's profile, or download an opponent's VIP profile from Microsoft's Xbox Live online service to get a glimpse of their playing strategies. It's the closest any game as come to mimicking human playing tendencies.

The ability to chain moves together, slide between blockers and carry tacklers for extra yards makes running on "NFL 2K5" realistic and enjoyable. Establishing a solid running game is important in the NFL and it should be here, too.

"NFK 2K5" gives you some extra control with context-sensitive tackling. Tapping the correct button on your controller can make your defender shove the ball carrier, while holding down the same button triggers a vicious wrap-up tackle.

On the other side of the virtual gridiron is "Madden NFL 2005" from Electronic Arts. While last year's Madden game reinvented offensive play with playmaker controls, this year's shifts the focus to the defensive side of the ball with great success.

Defensive playmaker controls let you alter the pre-snap assignments of every player on the field. You can shift entire units of linebackers, defensive backs and defensive lineman as before, but now you can also adjust individual player assignments using the right analog thumb stick.

There are endless combinations of easy-to-use adjustments and defensive "hot routes" that have an impact on every play and reward strategists.

The new "hit stick" is a risk-reward feature using the right thumb stick. Flick the thumb stick quickly toward a ball carrier to unleash a teeth-rattling tackle. Mistime it and your player will dive aimlessly into the turf. It takes time to master; but when done right, the tackles cause fumbles, dropped passes and injuries.

Unfortunately, Madden has upped its defense at the expense of key offensive elements, and establishing a realistic running game on the All-Pro and All-Madden levels is unrealistically hard.

Even the most talented running backs get caught on offensive lineman on inside runs and blocking artificial intelligence is poor on outside running plays.

Madden's renowned "franchise mode" adds radio host Tony Bruno, who discusses league news, takes phone calls from listeners and interviews players and coaches. Local and national newspapers reporting weekly game stories, injuries and player milestones also feature prominently.

"Madden NFL 2005" brings a lot to the table and is available for a wider range of systems, including the PC, Xbox, GameCube, the PS2 and the original PS1, as well as the Game Boy Advance. "NFL 2K5" is available only for PS2 and Xbox.

Both games do a great job of recreating the thrill of professional football, but I'll have to give the edge to "NFL 2K5" for its lower price and superior graphics and presentation.

"NFL 2K5": four stars out of four. "Madden NFL 2005": three and a half stars out of four.

 

[shiznit]

i bought Madden 05 on friday and its bloody awesome.
although its not too diffrent from '04 just has the hitstick and the storyline central features.
the storyline is cool at first but after awhile it just gets generic because you see the same old stuff in the newspaper just with diffrent people. and the radio is just bloody annoying.
ill probably trade it for ESPN as soon as it comes here.

 

[ak47]

Originally posted by shiznit@Sep 27 2004, 05:16 PM
i bought Madden 05 on friday and its bloody awesome.
although its not too diffrent from '04 just has the hitstick and the storyline central features.
the storyline is cool at first but after awhile it just gets generic because you see the same old stuff in the newspaper just with diffrent people. and the radio is just bloody annoying.
ill probably trade it for ESPN as soon as it comes here.

i got it too

ESPN's wait is too long

its the same as all the maddens to me, but i reckon this one doesnt look as polished

the replays never come around too much anymore - half the reason u drule over the graphics

but i must say the offseason in Madden is easier to navigate around than ESPN
and thats massive in my books, coz all i do is simulate and and re-build as an owner
I just wished they had ESPN's presentation and gameplay, but maddens franschise.

Whats really strange and semi political i guess - Madden does Monday night footy, which is ABC, which is owned by Walt Disney (i think, a big company anyway), which also owns channel ESPN

maybe when EA's contract is up, the big fella will come over to ESPN.
coz as it stands in australia, the monday night game is on Foxtels ESPN coverage, coz we cant get USA's ABC. So hearing John's "Boom he got knocked right out there", and then 5 mins later in post game, hearing Chris Bermans wrap up on the same station is a spin out when they go hd to hd in video games

 

[shiznit]

yeah we get the ESPN telecast too.
we only get the ABC one come playoff time.
i moved the Raiders from Oakland back to LA and the fans gave it to me.
even in the papers i got a pasting. i know what you mean about the replay's too.
most of the replay's are in the play select screen and ive been caught out a couple of times for delay of game because im watching the replay of the play before.

 

[-JJ-]

Wow, if I was getting an NFL game, I know which one I'd be getting. ESPN 2K5 for only NZ$30. I could get ESPN NHL 2K5 and ESPN NBA 2K5 as well and still be paying pretty much the same amount as it would be for one EA 2005 game.

 

[Ripper]

Gameplanets the best place to go for ESPN 2K5 Games

NBA 2K5 And NHL 2K5 For 29.95 NZ each... only crap thing is that there not due till late November.

Anyone seen the stuffon ESPN NBA 2K5? That looks frickin awesome

 

[ak47]

Originally posted by shiznit@Sep 28 2004, 06:53 PM
yeah we get the ESPN telecast too.
we only get the ABC one come playoff time.
i moved the Raiders from Oakland back to LA and the fans gave it to me.
even in the papers i got a pasting. i know what you mean about the replay's too.
most of the replay's are in the play select screen and ive been caught out a couple of times for delay of game because im watching the replay of the play before.

i hear ya man

i have owned about 6 maddens by now i reckon

from Game Boy, Nintendo, to todays PS2 version

and by far i have had more delay of games than any other in this one

b4 i used to complain coz u had too much time to choose

now with all the distractions in the play calling screen, and options on pre-snap, delays of game happens all the time

i do like it tho...coz its like real life...........i used to wonder why they always took more than 40 secs to choose a play, and now i know why....all the changes u need to apply to the way the opposition has lined up...its good.

But f^ck still no running game....i am going to adjust my Run Block AI, coz u still cant run in Madden, not effectivly and realistically anyway.

 

[Ripper]

From what Ive played of Madden 2005 so far its better than 2k4/Madden 2004 (havent played 2K5 yet) but the Menus are a bit munted, I wouldve preferred last years color scheme but instead of the still photos used the moving footage.

Tony Brunos Radio show is ******* awesome, but the Newspaper are a bit light.

The Passing is as good as ever, although the running game takes a bit of getting used to, Hit Stick is fun, nothing more satisfying than hearing Eli Mannings Bones Crunch underneath a 2 man Gang Tackle souped up with the Hit Stick by Lewis and Terral Suggs

 

[shiznit]

you like the tony bruno show? i find it annoying. i turn it off most the time. the papers can be cool at 1st but like you said they are abit light. the only variations in most of them especially in post season is the name of the player involved and headline.

 

[Serge]

$30 for NBA 2K5??? How does that work!

 

[shiznit]

all the ESPN series are selling at that price.
there doing it to try and wrestle the manopoly away from EA sports.
no matter what you think about the ESPN series or the EA lot. its bloody good news for gamers.

 

[Muse_Cubed]

I have never got to play ESPN as I have a Cube. Not to worry though, because Madden does keep me satisfied. I've heard lots of good things about good games and each game has their own flaws. The ESPN stats suck apparently (Jake Plummer slower than Peyton Manning for example) but in this year's Madden there's been so much Pass Interference not called by the refs. I will keep playing Madden though as it's great fun.

 

[Ripper]

Sliders are your friends...

 

[-JJ-]

Does ESPN 2k5 have the little mini games that Madden NFL 2004 had? Does Madden NFL 2005 have that mini camp mode?

 

[ak47]

Originally posted by JJ-@Oct 25 2004, 02:40 PM
Does ESPN 2k5 have the little mini games that Madden NFL 2004 had? Does Madden NFL 2005 have that mini camp mode?

Yes

Madden has all the mini games etc

ESPN 2K4 had a few mini games to..........like air hockey and trivia

Not sure if the new ESPN has tactical tutorials, but they will have the air hockey and trivia and crib again.

Its a neat touch

Maybe rent both b4 buy

They both carry tonnes of pros and cons, in respect to each of the little gimmicks within NFL games

From what i have heard tho ESPN 2k5's gameplay and presentation is the benchmark
Madden wins in franchise and options, and diversity i think