ESPN NFL 2K5 PS2 Review

We have got to admit that we aren’t too fond of the glorified game of Rugby that the American’s like to call Football. The warped rules are horribly daunting and the amount of stoppages do nothing but slow the pace of the game down. Reviewing ESPN NFL 2K5 was quite a task for us then and despite our dislike of the sport we have tried our best to be as fair on the game as we possibly could.

The level of detail on display in NFL 2K5 is unbelievable and everything from the interacting players to the lovely presentation is sure to delight those in the know and even people who just enjoy such glitzy presentation. It really does genuinely seem like an actual match is going on inside the TV, which is always a major coup for any sports-based title.

Down on the field things are as equally impressive and when the action gets going things begin to look eerily realistic. Players violently barge into one another like steamrollers and every hit connects with the utmost of authority, there’s no need to have any collision detection concerns either, as we honestly didn’t see a single graphical glitch. It’s all as solid as the iron shoulders of the players, albeit without the padding.

American football really places the emphasis on creativity and NFL 2K5 assures that you can design a play like the sturdy professionals. It’s really quite a satisfying moment to pass the ball to a receiver and then make up a huge amount of yardage in the process or to just run like the wind and worry about your opponents after the touchdown. Defensive play isn’t quite as satisfying; things just feel like they are leaning in the AI’s favour opposed to your own control, although extinguishing the flame of an attack just before they reach a 10-yard line marker is always a nice and fulfilling achievement.

Like all the ESPN titles, NFL 2K5 offers a comprehensive amount of fan pleasing options. The Franchise mode is a returning feature and it’s notable that it has a deep hole like depth. You literally take control of everything for your chosen team. There’s even a rather obscure mode, which allows you to play from a first person perspective, although we don’t really see the appeal in doing so beyond the initial novelty factor.

For fans of the sport ESPN NFL 2K5 is sure to hit the spot. The game is definitely a very solid title, our only reservations stem from the sport itself, which we find to be needlessly complex. That said, at such a cheap retail price even the most causal of fan would be a fool to let it pass by.

7/10