ESPN JULY 20th date is now OFFICIAL

[Lockdown]

The countdown has begun!

http://www.espnvideogames.com/

[Devil]

IN!

On the 24th  :cry:

[Eco-Logic]

Can't freaking wait!

Box Art!

[Hetz]

YES!

I can't wait!!!

     

[jimmyorr99]

ahh this is excellent news for football fans.
i cant wait ether im countign the days now.
 

[stiffler]

I'm going to buy it since it's only $20.  I'm going to go with the Michael Vick boxart.  I can't believe I'm actually getting excited about this...

[Eco-Logic]

They should have made a Steve McNair Box...

I would buy it if it had Bart Simpson on the front though.

[Lockdown]

They should have made a Steve McNair Box...

Somebody slap Eco!

[naednek]

They should have made a Steve McNair Box...

Somebody slap Eco!

Don't need to, just watch McNair get slammed around all season like normal, and then choke in the playoffs

Damn that sounds like Garcia too

[pr0ner]

They should have made a Steve McNair Box...

I would buy it if it had Bart Simpson on the front though.

If you're going to want Steve McNair on the box, you might as well put Trent Green on there!

Mike

[Eco-Logic]

I really do feel that McNair is the best QB in the league, or at least equat to Manning.

If only he didn't get hurt so often.  Still, I also think he is one of the toughest QBs to ever play the game

[Hetz]

Some new movies are up over on Operation Sports! One is a nice video of an off-season Sportscenter. They also have some screenshots of a draft preview Sportscenter and a Draft Review Sportscenter...

http://www.operationsports.com/reviews.asp?game=espnnfl2005xbox

This game is just incredible in terms of the presentation this year!

[naednek]

The rumors floating around that it might be released on monday is looking promising

http://www.espnvideogames.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23529&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Woot

[Eco-Logic]

Check out a live demo of the webp side of the Online Leagues for ESPN NFL 2K5

http://leagues.espnvideogames.com


Username: demoUser2k5
Password: ESPNnfl2K5demo


Checking it out now.

[TheMissingLink]

Oh man, Eco, that sure is cool.  I like if you go to scores it looks like a REAL ESPN SCORE PAGE!

[stiffler]

Very, very nice.  I went through the demo page as well and found it to be extremely cool.  Like TML said, it is just like the ESPN page.  The weekly scoreboard, the team stats and leaders.

Holy cow, you can even check out EACH INDIVIDUAL PLAYER!

Spending a lot of time just clicking on the various hyperlinks.  It's amazing stuff.  The entire ESPN website has been redone specifically for this SINGLE league!

[Eco-Logic]

Teamxbox reviewed it!

http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/766/ESPN-NFL-2005/p1

9.5


In regards to Ziff Davis' sold out EGM's review.

ESPN NFL 2K5 has the best graphics that I have witnessed in a sports game to date.

Sounds like the EGM guys had just eaten 3 magic mushrooms a piece before they reviewed the game.

[Hetz]

No doubt...that EGM review is going to stick out like a sore thumb.

Madden has better visuals...LOL, I don't think so EGM.

[Balshazaar]

Part of the irritation is that people who don't really follow gaming mags and such have been playing Madden for years, and EA has them brainwashed to think that it's the only viable game.  They won't even notice ESPN and will walk into the store the day Madden hits the shelves and gladly fork out as much for it as the store clerk asks.

[Hetz]

MY EB JUST CALLED AND SAID THEY ARE GETTING THE GAME  IN TONIGHT AT 8PM!!!!      

They are sending someone to pick it up special from Miliwaukee...

[Eco-Logic]

MY EB JUST CALLED AND SAID THEY ARE GETTING THE GAME  IN TONIGHT AT 8PM!!!!      

They are sending someone to pick it up special from Miliwaukee...

Ah, lucky dog Hetz!  So, I expect you'll play 2 or 3 games then come here and post right?  Please?!

[Hetz]

MY EB JUST CALLED AND SAID THEY ARE GETTING THE GAME  IN TONIGHT AT 8PM!!!!      

They are sending someone to pick it up special from Miliwaukee...

Ah, lucky dog Hetz!  So, I expect you'll play 2 or 3 games then come here and post right?  Please?!

You know I will!  

[jersoc]

MY EB JUST CALLED AND SAID THEY ARE GETTING THE GAME  IN TONIGHT AT 8PM!!!!      

They are sending someone to pick it up special from Miliwaukee...

Delafield said between 6 and 7. Too bad I work then

[AgtFox]

I stopped at EB today, they said in-between 10am and 1:30pm tomorrow, although they've said that before and the game surprisingly shows up during the night...we shall see.

[jimmyorr99]

you better hope it comes in before that   i want to hear the report for hetz though, you gotta keep us posted
*sits anxiously, bites nails, twitches*

[Hetz]

Just got back from EB with the game!  

First impressions are: The Manual Sucks (as usual) and the box is nice looking!

I'll be back in a little while after I have played the game a bit....

[denoginizer]

I picked it up around 6:30 pm tonight.  I've played 1 online and 1 offline game so far.  I am very impressed by the gameplay so far.  The passing game is very similar to last year.  I actually had Quoncy Morgan make a bobbling catch.  Which I never saw in 2K4.  The running game seems much better also.  Its seems like the WRs don't block like Tony Boselli this year, so you can't turn the corner as easily.  Breaking tackles seems toned down also.  More impressions later.  If anyone else gets it I should be online all night.  Hit me up for a friendly game.

[TheMissingLink]

You lucky BASTARDS!  Impressions  Must hear impressions!

[denoginizer]

Just played a great online game.  Browns vs Steelers.  I actually had 2 goalline stands in the 24-10 Brownie win.  No longer can you just rely on your back breaking tackles to get in the endzone.  There are now tackles made where guys will hang on where I fully expected the back to break away.  So far the game is living up to the hype.  Another thing I noticed is thet the coverages are even more disguised this year.  For example last year when someone ran cover 2 man, both safetys lined up just outside of the tackles even when the offense was on a hash.  This made the post pattern tough to stop unless you manually moved the safety before the snap.  Now the short side safety lines up in the middle of the field.  I haven't even played around with the individual defensive hot routes yet.  I'm loving it so far.

[Hetz]

Quick Impressions before bedtime after 1 game:

+ The Presentation is just awesome. Lots of new ingame stat overlays, great new player cut scenes etc...it really feels like you are watching a real game on TV now.

+ Halftime and Post-Game shows are amazing. I love watching the highlights.

- Chris Bermans voice is sometimes a little off on the highlights ie. BRETT FAVRE!!! (loud voice) passes over the middle for 25 yards (quiet voice). Not a big deal, but you notice it.

+ Lots of new animations for tackles and the running game is MUCH improved over last year. It feels much different.

So far, I am loving it. Oh and the graphics are the best I have ever seen in the sports game. Very impressive.

That's all for now, I am dead tired...more in the morning...

[Nth Power]

MORE IMPRESSIONS!  So I can live vicariously through you until my copy arrives later this week!

[Hetz]

Ok, a couple more impressions now that I am more awake...

The custom music feature is even better than I thought it would be. You can pick how long you want the music to play and where in the song you want it to start...don't think the intro to the song is good for the situation you picked (ie. Sacked the QB)? Just tell the game to start the music from the :25 second mark on the song and play it until the 1:20 second mark, or whatever you want...very, very nice! I am going through all my CD's now and ripping them to the Xbox for use with this, it's awesome!!!

More about the running game...it is SO MUCH IMPROVED. It feels a lot like NCAA this year, except faster. The animations are great and the control is spot on and unlike the slower NCAA pace, this just feels perfect.

The tackles are just BRUTAL. Lots of gang tackling and it looks very realistic.

Well, I'm off to play another game of it...I'll check the AI this time and let you know about that. It seemed fine last game and it was a great close game...I lost to the Panthers 21-20...

[Hetz]

Oh and I also have to mentiont the AWESOME new stat overlays...

Some new ones that I have seen off the top of my head:

Recieving Duo - Your Top 2 recievers stats

Sack Leaders

Possession Chart

Interactive Passing/Running Chart - AWESOME

+many more that I just don't have time to write out...

All of them have great new ESPN graphics and really make the game feel like a game you are watching on TV.

[denoginizer]

Another nice addition is the favorites section on your playbook, so you can come back to plays that are successful.  Also if you push in on the right thumbstick when the plays are on the screen it gives stats such as how many times you have run them, yards gained, etc.  I have really been struggling to run the ball on all-pro so far.  Even with Jamaal Lewis the Eagle defense stuffed me pretty good.  I did play another game against the AI in All American mode.  Down 21-7 in the 4th quarter the AI Steeler squad actually ran the hurry up offense on me!  It looks like they are going to wait for the season to get closer to update the rosters because many of the guys have pretty much the same ratings as last year.  Kellen Winslow Jr sure is a nice addition to the Browns passing game though  Last year their Tight ends were awful.  Oh well I 've gotta go play golf now.  I think I would rather hop online for a few games, but oh well.

[Lockdown]

I will have my totally unbiased impressions   up sometime tonight.

Thanks Hetz and Denog.  You guys are doing great.  

The only disheartening thing is hearing how hard it is to run against the Eagles.... not from a "realism" standpoint mind you, but from a "I've got to listen to Devil gloat when Wheatley gets stuffed" standpoint.

Also, I have read that defenses are disguised better this year, not that I am any good at 'reading defenses' anyway, but do you guys concur with the defenses being harder to figure out this year?

Let me know if anyone is willing to play some multiplayer over the next few days... I have to prepare for His Dorkness to return from vacation.
 

LD  :wink:

[AgtFox]

Lockdown, I'll probably play ya sometime before The Horned One comes back.  I plan to get the game this afternoon, come home and play.

[Lockdown]

Fox -

Fantastic.  I had a tremendously hard time being competitive against the Vikes last season, so that would be great fun for me and great practice.

Looking forward to it.

-  -  -  -  -

Mike, I also will be looking for you over the next 4 or 5 days.  I haven't forgotten.

LD

[Captain Caveman]

I posted this over at GoneGold:

Well, I FINALLY have the game in my grubby little hands. I just played a half on all-pro difficulty to get a feel for it, and I have to say, I am not disappointed (except, perhaps, in my in-game skills). I chose to play with the Ravens so I could see just how much the unstoppable running back problem of 2k4 was addressed. Well, I played on all-pro and Lewis gained 34 yards on 14 carries. Part of that is because I suck, but I can definitely see that tackling is much improved. As for the rest of the in-game experience, it is really spectacular. The graphics on my HDTV are the best I've seen in a sports game (especially in the replays and close-ups), the gameplay feels much like 2k4 but with subtle helpful tweaks, and the presentation, as others have mentioned, is incredible. Some interesting things I noticed that others may not have talked about yet:

1) there is a "favorites" formation in your play calling screen that automatically stores the plays you use the most often

2) there is now momentum while running. this was especially noticeable on kickoff returns. no longer can you barrel ahead full-steam and then turn on a dime. the running game is also more challenging as a result.

3) there are TONS of cool new cutscenes, full of voiceovers by players and coaches. for example, i went for it on 4th and 1 and ran up the middle with jamal lewis. i barely made it over the first down line, and the measurement crew came out while lewis hung out nearby yealling "c'mon, it's a first down!". then when the chains showed it was a first down, lewis started pumping his fist saying "yeah, baby, yeah!". good stuff.

ok, i need to get back to playing now. i really suck. at halftime i was down 21-3 to the redskins. portis had 70 yards at half with a TD and coles had a 40 TD reception. i'm really bad at this point, but hey, i haven't even looked at the manual yet, plus this is my first time playing a sports game on the xbox. i'm not used to the controller yet.

Since then, I set up the stadium music to play "Baby Got Back" when I score a touchdown. I just scored on a 30 yard TD pass from Manning to Harrison. On cue, the music started. It even sounds like it's coming out of the stadium speakers. Too cool.

[stiffler]

The custom music feature is even better than I thought it would be. You can pick how long you want the music to play and where in the song you want it to start...don't think the intro to the song is good for the situation you picked (ie. Sacked the QB)? Just tell the game to start the music from the :25 second mark on the song and play it until the 1:20 second mark, or whatever you want...very, very nice!

That's great!  I was going to edit all my tracks to play just the part I wanted and then burn the edited parts to CD, but now I don't have to!  Awesome.  I must commend them for their forward-thinking here.