NFL 2K's graphics are amazing, they can be easily be mistaken as the real thing from a distance. |
NFL2K is the same game you�ve been playing since about 1997. You�ve got your polygon-based 3D players, full NFL stats, and announcers.
The passing system is the same as NFL Gameday. The kicking system is the same as the original John Madden Football for the Genesis.
The only innovative aspect: it�s been done to perfection.
The first thing you notice are the mind-blowing graphics. The players are so individually detailed that you can see the sleeves of an
undershirt on one player, elbow pads on another, and receiver�s gloves on a third. Neil Smith even has a breath-right strip! In all
there are twelve different facemasks, two breath-right strips, six neck pads, and a horde of other ways to distinguish players. In
designing a player, all of these options are available to make him look like he eats nails for breakfast.
Once you start paying attention to the players� motion, though, the game really sets itself apart. There are over 1,300
motion-captured moves that blend in seamlessly with the game environment at 60 frames per second. A typical 49ers versus Jets play
might visibly include all of these elements:
Steve Young walks up to the line and waves his arms to quiet down the crowd. Bryan Cox creeps up to the line of scrimmage, bent
down low to prepare for a blitz. The center hikes it, and Young steps back into the pocket with the ball cocked. Cox now sprints
at Young, but only gets a piece of him. After Steve Young keeps himself off the ground using his free hand, he stands back up and
rifles the ball downfield. Jerry Rice puts a move on Steve Atwater, and Atwater has to spin his body around to change direction.
The ball is thrown a little long, so Rice has to reach out with one hand � but his hand reaches right to the ball and pulls it
in. After he crosses the goal line, Atwater is kneeling on the 10-yard line and beating his fists into the turf.
A play like that is completely possible, but if you�re up against the computer you�ll probably be on the defense when it happens.
Despite the fact that NFL2K uses the same principles found in all other football games, it takes a while to master. For one thing, the
physics model is entirely 3D based. Have you ever noticed how a receiver in NFL Gameday can extend his hands two feet away from the
ball and still make a reception? That�s because all of NFL2K�s predecessors only counted if the ball was in the same general area as
the player, and then calculated a catch based on the quarterback and receiver�s ratings.
The Dreamcast's processing power allows NFL2K to go way beyond that. In NFL2K, a receiver will always catch the ball exactly in his
hands � even if it means he has to slide feet-first to do so. If a smaller guy like Rod Woodson tries to take down a powerhouse like
Jerome Bettis, Woodson may jump on Bettis� back and merely slow him down. When a linebacker tries to knock down a ball, he doesn�t
just stick his hands in the air and then get hit in the numbers. In NFL2K, he�s going to reach out and swat right where the ball is.
The game is far more realistic than any other football game you've ever played. |
The hard part is getting used to that degree of accuracy in a game. NFL2K helps you out quite a bit by picking the motion that is best
suited for what you are trying to do � such as diving for the ball instead of one-arming it. It�s still a whole new game, especially
when you consider the fact that you�re probably not all that used to the Dreamcast controller. The biggest difficulty I�ve had is
figuring out which button is "B" in time to throw it! Take the time to work it out, though � it�s worth it.
One of the few new ideas in NFL2K is VMU play calling. You know your friend that blitzes every time you call a toss right because he
watches your half of the play-calling screen? With the Visual Memory Unit (VMU), you can choose your play using the display on your
controller. Multi-player games will never be the same.
The main sound you hear is your typical announcers: an uptight play-by-play guy flanked by a former player who just loves the game.
They do a great job of commenting and don�t really get repetitive until about your 4th or 5th game. The hits in the game sound
realistic and like a great deal of pain was inflicted. There�s also players taunting the other team during the snap count and a
stadium announcer. It all blends together to reflect an average Sunday afternoon on Fox NFL.
The season options are more carry-overs from Madden, Gameday, and QB Club. You can set up a trade, and the teams may reject it if you
try to trade Warren Moon for Bubby Brister. You get your weekly Pro Bowl voting to see how your stars are doing, and there are plenty
of categories for the statistics buff. One stat I could not find is QB rating -- although I'm sure it's in there somewhere.
Lastly, NFL2K offers a "Create Team" mode where you pick the city, team name, logo, and uniforms. From there you can create a whole
squad or run a mock draft. This option is just begging for an internet mode. I can see the ability to create teams, upload them to a
server, and set up an online league for VMU downloading. The only thing Visual Concepts would have to do is make sure there was no
easy way to cheat (for example, turning off the system with a minute left in the game so it doesn't get saved to the VMU). This is one
of the many promising features in NFL2K.
One of NFL2K's few flaws is the somewhat skimpy playbooks. |
First off, I had to be ultra-picky to find faults with this game. Nonetheless, a few are there.
The VMU is the only new addition Visual Concepts gave football games, and it�s got major problems. First, NFL2K takes up 188 of 200
blocks in the memory unit to save anything. They should have at least put in an option not to save player statistics so that you
wouldn�t have to buy another VMU devoted entirely to NFL2K. Second, the VMU play-caller only sees the names of the formation and play,
and nobody else on the team can even see that. It would be very useful to display at least the passing routes and defensive coverages
� and to extend this to the other players on the team so that 4-player modes aren�t a game of whispers.
The defensive coverages are another problem with NFL2K � there simply aren�t enough of them. 80% of the coverages are man, and 85% are
blitzes. It feels like the only defensive strategy involves picking a formation and who to blitz on a given play.
The offensive playbooks are pretty weak as well. Each team has its own playbook, but they're too similar. Rarely is there a hole for
the running back to go through, and offensive linemen running traps don't seem to make a difference. The result is all the running
plays can be broken down by who gets the ball and which way they should start out running. The passing plays offer some great
variations on receiving routes; the only problem with them is that screens are non-existent. Since the defense is constantly in man
coverage, there's no way a wide receiver could step back a couple yards and be open. Instead, they run three yards downfield in a
quick out pattern while the other receivers go long. These playbook limitations don't detract too much from the game, and you can
expect they'll be covered in next year's version.
And the absolute worst problem of all: Visual Concepts didn�t release an NCAA version of this amazing game. Keep your fingers crossed
that one comes out for the 2000-2001 season.
In the early 90's, Sega's 16-bit Genesis was the system to own for sports games. You wanted football; you played Madden on the Genesis.
Then 32-bit systems started pouring in. The Sega Saturn sports games couldn't hold a candle to NFL Gameday and the new Maddens - now the
Saturn is in the same half-price bin at Toys R' Us as "Wet My Bed Suzie." Now the Dreamcast is out, and NFL2K is the only sports title
available at launch. If Sega's going to regain the market, this one's got to be good.
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