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NFL 2K3 for Xbox Videos >>
Rating Reviewed By MarkFrom Cheyenne, Wyoming Review Date 08/24/2002 Overall Rating  4 of 5 Rate this review? Summary NFL 2K3 is the best NFL football game out for 2003. While I have enjoyed playing, I feel as though there is something missing. The Commentary is sharp as ever, and better than either Fever or Madden. Overall I have to say that NFL 2K3 is the one football game to buy.Sound Best Commentary in the business as usual! And with the ESPN music and half time shows, it's that much better than before.Gameplay The game is quite fun, yet can be very frustrating. Once problem that has plagued this title since it game into existence has been the difficulty levels. Rookie is far to easy. Pro is far to difficult to play with some teams, and All Pro - forget it. There needs to be some form of happy medium. An improvement this year over past years has been the availability of custom difficulty levels. This allows you to set the difficulty levles to manageable levels. The CPU seems to get to the quarterbacks far to easy, while the actual players can barely record a sack. The running game is improved from last year, while at times it seems to stagnate.The passing game is difficult as ever and requires more skill than past years. Overall the gameplay is better than the competition (Madden or Fever)! Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary I bought this over Madden for two reasons, 1.) I liked the reviews I saw better and 2.) Madden 2002 on the XBox was a severe disappointment for me.I've played Madded 2003 at a friends and I must say that I like NFL 2K3 better. Its the first time I've seen a football game with better presentation than Madden, and its gameplay is pretty close. Sound My speakers are really old stereo speakers so I think I'm not the best guy to discuss this. I found that some of the announcers were very difficult to hear, and I had to turnthe crowd almost all the way down to make out what they were saying. It seemed like a mix problem to me.Sound effects were great and added to the hard-hitting NFL feel, and again, the ESPN music was fantastic. Gameplay Like I said, the gameplay is close to Madden. In some areas like running, I like it better. Passing IS very hard, especially when you play the Falcons, but you have ultimate tweakability in the custom difficulty settings screen to help that.Besides, once I played most of the preseason in franchise mode I had my passing down on corner and out routes to where I could play a full game on Pro mode and get 70% passing. However, my oponent often will pass for much better because switching to a corner while the ball is in mid flight will often cause the DB to suddenly jump away from the receiver. Weird. The only MAJOR gripe I have is the lack of a swim move as a lineman. All of the X-Box controller buttons at my disposal and all I can do is turbo and jump. That is an oversight. Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By John SpanglerFrom Bryan, OH USA Review Date 08/23/2002 Overall Rating 4 of 5 Rate this review? Summary One little war going on is not between the systems, it's against software developers, and it's Sega VS E.A. Sports, and it's one of the best video game wars since their battles on the Genesis. Simply put, NFL2K3 and Madden 2003 is a war, but this is a war where someone always ends up happy, because we are all getting quality product from both of them. The big question is, "which is better?" Well first things first, there really is no better, it's a matter of tastes and people are going to argue which one is better anyway, so does it matter what people think? It's really up to you, so read on determine it for yourself. As a whole, I personally prefer Madden 2003, but NFL2K3 is different, but since the quality is so good, it still deserves my attention.Originally I bashed NFL 2K3 on an earlier review, I criticized the gameplay, and that even the graphics were second rate. But when I spent some serious time with it, I got attached in no time. NFL 2K3 has all the offerings anyone could possibly want with a football title. A full franchise mode, Season, Exhibition, practice, and even a nice Coach mode. It have to say it's not as robust as the offerings as E.A.'s game, but as a whole, it's got the goods to simulate the NFL and that's why it will sell. One more thing. NFL2K3 for XBOX is online this November, and Madden is not. If you're into matchin' up online, this should play in as major factor on which game you choose. So be aware of this. Features: ESPN got sick of Konami crud and joined Sega for some excellent Broadcasting Presentations, Replays, scores and authentic ESPN music. Cool. Draft players from NCAA Football 2K3 from Sega if you own that for XBOX. New animations including tons of new tackles and fancy catches. Player faces look better than ever, more variety, easier to recognize your favorite guy on the field. Online Play: Go online in November 2002. Sound The addition of ESPN joining Sega is all for the better as the atmosphere and feel of NFL football is first rate with NFL 2K3. It's got authentic ESPN music, halftime recaps, and still solid commentary from the dudes that have been doing it for three years now. I actually think Al Michaels does a better job on Madden, but that may be a biased statement as I'm comparing him next to Sega's no name commentators. With the Dolby Digital 5.1 kicked in, Sega pierces you with screaming crowds on your back speakers, sometimes obliterating the commentary all together. You thankfully can turn the crowd's volume down in the options menu. The rest, including sounds of trash talkin, smashing tackles and great crowd reaction, make for an incredible sounding football game.*Final Call** Although I've always preferred Madden and I still haven't changed my mind this year, I have to say anyone that gets this game will be happy. The ability to play online gives it a signifcant advantage against Madden. It plays well, has great graphics, great style and presentation and is right up there with Madden in terms of overall replay value. My only gripe is the relentless running game by the computer A.I., play on the middle "Pro" level and you'll see how hard it is to win a football game. But as a 2-Player game, 2K3 is a gridiron classic! Gameplay NFL2K3 plays very well and is a very realistic football simulation. Although this is the area where I personally say Madden plays better, 2K3 has nothing to put it's head down about.First I'm going to get the flaws out of the way, then talk about the good, because there is a lot to know about Sega's game. My biggest gripe with 2K3 is stopping the computer's relentless running game. My first game I gave up 200 yards with 6 minute quarters. I know, you can simply say I suck, but I constantly picking goal line calls and I still couldn't stop the attack of Eddie George of the Titans. I feel it's far too easy (for the computer mind you) to break tackles. One instance I counted a total of 5 broken tackles on one play. This is my biggest gripe, I even tested my theory on the Coach mode. I made the computer choose the recommended plays, and even the computer gave up like 8-10 yards on every rushing play attempted. Then on the other side of coin, I was lucky to run for 20 yards in an entire game. Mind you this was on Pro level, and I'm sure things get easier on rookie, but I do appreciate the challenge, but the running game is far to relentless when you are playing the computer on a higher level. Be that as it may, things are more realistic when you are playing a friend, so as a 2-Player experience, it's a near perfect football game. The passing game is awesome. I still switch to my receiver as soon as I throw it to take control of what he does. You an either jump, dive or stand still to make a catch, and when you take control of your receiver, as in Madden, you increase your chances of making a catch. It's smooth and easy to accomplish with practice. As stated above, defense is tough as 2K3 has a relentless running game, against the pass, I can hold my own. People used to Madden will be a bit uncomfortable with the control scheme, but I caught on after a couple of quarters. The play calling screens are still well done, but I still don't like showing my opponent what I'm picking. But the choices of plays are jammed pack, you won't run out of different plays and what could happen on the field. Running against human players is very realistic, it's easy to make big runs if you call the right play at the right time. The juke move and stiff arm is your greatest friend in 2K3 so use them a lot. Turbo is still there, but the effect is not as powerful as it used to be. The Coaching mode is actually quite enticing for me. I like being able to comfortably choose a suitable play and see what my team can do with it. Unfortunately, when you play the computer, you're in for a long day, as that DANG running game is so hard to stop. Try a coaching mode with your friends instead and you'll be pleasantly surprised how fun it is just watching the action after your plays are picked. The features with NFL2K3, while still not as deep as Madden, still is a nice package for NFL Fans. A full fledged Franchise mode, where you can trade, draft, recruit and release players. And with the ability to play through multiple NFL Seasons with your favorite team with full stat tracking, it has some serious replay value. Classic teams from the past, Exhibition and even online play in November, NFL 2K3 is more than worth the 49.99 price tag. Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary Beware of the uber geeks!! football fans. Why someone who loves another game would actually take the time to trash a competitor is beyond me(I think these are probaly very young kids ).I've never played Madden and I'm sure from the reviews it's a safe buy. I can say however that this game is unbelievably great! I'm still getting used to all of the things you can do in this game. You can create a team, coach, or player based on yourself if you like altering everything down to shoes, and tape!and put your name on the back of the jersey> you can alter the difficulty to suite your abbilities in so many ways you won't believe it. The graphics are incredible, the players actually look like the players in the game!. Reflections of the stadium shine off helmets,. you can match up specific dbs to the best receivers , you can practice moves plays etc. in practice modes, you can call audibles at the line of scrimage on the fly!. you can control all aspects of your teams management in a deap franchise mode. Actually the ammount of things to do in this game wil take many hours to figure out. Sound sound was great the announcers were perfect!This is a very deep and incredible game and for those who are even bigger football fans than me, I'm sure you could pick up on other things I may not have noticed (p.s. I am a big football fan) Gameplay Gameplay is challenging, however you do have the ability to change the settings of the players besides the three levels of play. THE PLAY BY PLAY ANNOUNCERS SPECIFICALLY COMMENT ABOUT EVERY PLAY YOU MAKE (VERY SURREAL). The computer a.i. won't let you go down the field with the same play over and over!. Defence is tricky to me you need some quick fingers to interfere with passes,calling defensive plays is fun.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary I rented NFL 2K3 to see if Sega had finally returned itself to glory. Although the game has a lot of bells and whistles it still lacks the polish and depth of Madden. Overall, this game is a great game and comes down to a matter of preference for the gamer. Every gamer is turned on by different items. Both Madden and NFL 2K are not flawless and the flaws they do have are nit-picky items that do not hurt the game. Madden has more game modes but NFL 2K has way better presentation and sound.Sound What can I say. The best sound in any football game. The only other game that comes close is NCAA 2003. The play-by-play is the absolute best on any game. The player specific remarks and variety of conversation is refreshing. The stadium announcer and player chatting is extremely well done. You will not find better sound in another game. Of course, one area that still suffers is the sound of the ball being kicked. Sounds horrible.Gameplay The gameplay is accurate with the Dreamcast version, which is not bad. My only gripe is with the passing. It seems that the speed of the game slows down when the ball is in the air, especially on kickoffs. Also, why do I need to continually tap a button for speed burst?? And, when you do tap the speed burst button you don't really see a speed burst. However, this game is still a whole lot of fun. Altough it is not as deep as Madden you will still be stuck in front of your TV with drool running down your chin.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary Overall, this game is a bad product of what is known as HYPE. The reviews by the professional sites had me pumped up for this game. I got it an opened it up and played it, and its like what are these people talking about? The game is terrible, and every other 2k game besides the original is funner than this. It isn't really any different from those 2k games either. Sega is going to have to revamp the engine before the next generation consoles hit, because if they release something like this a gain they will neveer catch Madden(if this game actually played well Madden would be running away, but Sega fumbled)Sound Basically identical to the DC versions. If they are going to have the ESPN liscense, they need to get rid of those two hotshots, they ruin the atmosphere. The crowd is above average, but it seems like they only respond at certain sposts, like inside the 20. The player chatter and sound effects seem recycled from last year. Still the commentary is better than Madden, but if you played this on DC don't expect nothing new.Gameplay I'd give it a 0 if possible, I never expected all this when I got it. Lets start here:-the playbooks were supposed to be tossed, what are they still doing here? They are even worse than before, and the defensive plays have me scratching my head. This MUST go next year. In 2-player games the play is still displayed for your friends to see. -Control - Does not respond to taps, this is when I gave up on the game. The defensive swim moves are all but useless(good luck getting ANY sacks, fumbles, or injuries in this game) the jump moves is inconsistent on defense. Finally not being able to see the plays diagram with the coach cam on the field before the snap really hurts this game. And they need to axe the power bar for running, that was great in 2000 for DC, but now it has run its course and just makes the game more unrealistic Oh yeah, the tackles are straight from NFL blitz, the skinniest guys on the cpu with the lowest ratings will consistently maul jerome bettis from 5 feet away(super human dives are a problem STILL). Add to the fact that you can never evade a tackle without special moves, the super tackles/dives, and the cheap ai, nfl3k3's running game is useless. For passing, it gets worse. The drops are just as bad as last year. Throw the ball to a guy with a step on a cb in man coverage, and he'll CATCH the ball. After he catches it, the defender makes a dive and pops it out for an INC. Again the whole process looks very unatural On defense, getting int's is more luck, and the physics for fumbles and punts are horrible(ground). the d ai is stupid, always breaking early for the ball and giving up big plays. The clock management is still behing where it needs to be. Kicking is bad because of the simplified 2 click system, and when did the wind affect the pre-kcik. Franchise is bad because of: draft inaccurate -horrible stat tracking -horrible edit player feature -random and worthless play of the week feature. sega should not of spent so much time making the pda and computer etc.. and worked on the game Game: -Lack of create a play -Lack of minicamp -Lack of 2 min. drills and football 101 -Lack of comprehensive stats -Scoring bugs(you'll see) -Bad use of ESPN liscense -No sidearm throws -no madden cards or easter eggs -not enough classic teams and such horrible intro Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary This game rules, period. I was never a Madden Fan and i never will be thanks to NFL 2k3. Everything in this game owns, gameplay, graphics, and sound.Sound it just keeps on getting better, you can't coach that.Gameplay What seperates Madden 2003 From NFL 2k3 is the fun factor. to me, Madden isn't fun, But NFL 2k3 is awesome. I mean, come on, isnt that what video GAMES are for? its suppose to be fun and NFL 2k3 is. the controls are very simple et realistic and gives total control over the player and/or team and of course its fun. I just LOVE the weekly wrap-up!Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary This game is so fun even though it is very hard, especially if you are new to the 2K series. This is the most realistic football game out there, the stats stay right on target and you actually have to think to beat this game. Madden is good this year but 2K3 is better in almost every way. The only thing Madden has is more stat category's and minicamp. 2K3 has enough stat category's to please just about everyone, and minicamp, who cares, it doesn't help you to much in the game.This game has the ESPN liscense and they did a great job with it. Halftime reports, weekly wrap ups and players of the week are announced.Sound Announcing is the best out of all the games, less repetitive. It flows real nice, no pauses. The announcing sounds so natural, like it is live and wasn't read from a transcript. Players talk trash to each other. The on field sounds like hits are great, the players even grunt and groan as they play and get hit. The stadium music sounds like you are watching your home team for real. Fans react extremely well to what is going on, on the field.Gameplay Gameplay is awesome, MANY animations. When you run you actually HAVE to follow your blockers and get through the holes. Passing is tough, you can't just throw it to anybody, you better make sure your receiver has his man beat or you WILL get intercepted. I wasn't familiar with the 2K series so I had to learn the controls and menus. The menus can be tough at first, but you get used to it and you can make your own playbooks, yes plural, you can have two of them. Madden has slightly better tackling animations, but 2K3 has better simulation animations in every other department. Great franchise mode, hangs with Madden.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Jeff BrannanFrom Atlanta, Georgia Review Date 08/22/2002 Overall Rating  5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary OK. I have to tell you that I am a diehard Madden guy from way back. I have played in leagues and everything. I've been watching the hype machine build up for this year's annual "football video game war." So, I purchaed NFL 2K3 and Madden 2003 this year and made an informed decision. Madden 2003 is a great game. It is everything you would expect form the fine folks at EA Sports. I don't think anyone could be disappointed with Madden. However, I took Madden back and kept Sega's NFL 2K3.Sound The commentary is actually appropriate and beneficial. Who would of thought that was possible? You also hear alot of chatter by the players before the ball is snapped (ex. "watch for play action!"). Superior to Madden in everyway.Gameplay NFL 2k3 shine when it comes to gameplay. Let's get this out of the way, it is NOT easy. There is a definite learning curve that you will have to master. You will have to actually read defenses. You will have to actually follow your blockers when you run the ball. You will have to vary your play calling. You can't just blitz on every down on defense. However, you will feel a real sense of accomplishment as you learn to play.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary The overall visual presentation of this Football game is incredible. The only gripe that I have is that it's a little "cartoonie". Madden seems to look a little more realistic, but doesn't come cose to matching the graphic capabilities of 2k3.Sound 2K3 scores a touchdown again for their excellent sound! The commentary is the best in the business. The crowd noise is awesome, the field noise is great!! The bumps and thumps sound authentic!! GREAT JOB!Gameplay The gameplay is typical SEGA. They're leaning more towards the "fun" department than the "real" department. The running game makes you think! you can't just run over people, spin away from folks, or juke them out of their shoes. You have to find the holes, follow your linemen...etc. The passing game to me, is a little disappointing. The ball doesn't seem to have that ZIP! even when you try to throw a bullet pass! The ball also seems to stay in the air a little too long. Expect the defence to pick off a lot of your passes.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary This game is ok, but not worth the hype. The running game is horrible, the receivers drop way too many passes, and you'll get as many Ints as tackles. My biggest beef with the game, though, is the tackling. You can dive from 5 yards away from the ball carrier and still make the tackle and the tackles and player movement look cartoonish. The commentary and graphics are solid though.Sound The commentary is excellent.Gameplay As I stated earlier, interceptions come easy, the running game is unrealistic, and the receivers drop way too many passes. The tackling animations are cartoonish and NFL Blitzish. The franchise mode could use some work as well and the 'extras' don't compete with Madden.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Gamer IncognitoFrom USA Review Date 08/21/2002 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary Last year, NFL 2K2 crossed platforms for the first time, hitting the PS2 in the fall of 2001, and the Xbox version around Super Bowl time. Both games were obviously superior to the lagging Madden series - not only was the game fairly realistic and pretty darn deep, the game was played at a great pace and was fun to play - the most important thing of all.So here we are a year later, and NFL 2K3 is now launching at the same time as Madden, instead of sitting on the sidelines for 3 to 6 months before a head-to-head competition. Madden certainly has risen to the challenge and is a much-improved effort over the stale Madden 2002, but Sega's NFL 2K3, now rounded out by an extremely improved Franchise mode that surpasses Madden, as well as THE name in sports on TV: ESPN. Just the ESPN license alone will sell copies of this game; just look at the rather decent success of the horrific Konami sports games that carried the can't-miss license. Simply put, NFL 2K3 is once again the superior football game - hands down. It's a little closer than last year's giant gap between 2K2 and Madden '02, but 2K3 is still the best bet for NFL games, no matter what system you buy it on - but the Xbox version is easily the finest version you can buy. Sound NFL 2Kx has always beaten Madden in sound, and this year is no different - despite the recycling of all the old phrases and sounds. The same acting announcers Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon are back (well, really Dan Stevens and Peter O'Keefe, but they sound like Johnny and Ed sometimes, scarily), and call the action perfectly for the 4th straight year. However the lack of a lot of new material is fairly frustrating - with the exception of the new players, teams, and stadium announcements, most of the phrases are from as far back as NFL 2K.On field effects and music are too recycled from NFL 2K games of the past - not much new has been included. However, what's being recycled was darn good to start off with, so it's not that bad, really. The home crowd goes wild for the home team and sighs and moans when the visitors score points on you, and there's a ton of chatter between players on-field. One new addition is the inclusion of the ESPN license again - the Sportscenter theme is mixed in in the menu screens. Also, some voices of ESPN personalities are included, like Dan Patrick in the beginning intro, and an ESPN voice-over guy doing halftime updates and the weekly awards and recap as well. Most likely even more ESPN personality will be mixed in time for NFL 2K4...at least I hope so. ---Overall--- No doubt about it, NFL 2K3 comes to play, and once again comes away king of NFL football games. Despite tough Xbox competition in Fever and Madden (as well as the classic NCAA Football 2003), 2K3 is yet another classic entry in Visual Concepts' legendary football series. Every year the series gets better - 2K3 is just the latest addition to the legend. In a lot of ways this is still the beginning though - with ESPN now on board, NFL 2K3 has the chance to become not only a better playing game than Madden, but also a better selling game as well. Gameplay Visual Concepts has notably changed the gameplay a lot; not enough to make it feel like a much different game than the previous games in the 2K series, but enough to get the narrow-minded folk who thought NFL 2K2 was just an 11-on-11 version of the putrid Blitz series. 2K3 feels much more like a real NFL game - the pace isn't quite as spastic...but not sluggish at all. 2K3 carries some momentum, but nowhere near as much as Madden does (and even they have toned it down for Madden 2003), but enough to make sudden stops and starts less prevalent; yet give enough room to make a turn upfield without going 10 feet the other direction.In terms of difficulty level, 2K3 feels very much like the original NFL 2K on Dreamcast. That means the game actually presents a challenge, something a large amount of gamers get scared at. Don't worry, there's Madden-esque sliders to tone down the game to make it a tad easier than the default level - but nothing is given to you AT ALL. Running the ball is nowhere as easy as 2K1 or 2K2 were. Instead it's possible to get 5 yards a carry only if you're smart enough to know which holes to run into, or figure out if there's a lane to run a different direction than the route suggests. Yeah, sometimes the defense stuffs you, but that's because your line collapsed. That little element is called realism. The O Line doesn't always stuff the line, sometimes they get beat. But for every time you get hit for a loss or no gain, it gives you a chance to get 10 yards or more on a well executed play. Running the same play over and over (and over) results in getting stuffed more often, so I highly suggest mixing up the plays to keep the computer off-balance. Also, learn the various buttons for stiff-arms, jukes, etc - you'll need them. Putting the ball in the air is no easier, but as long as you play smart, it's easy to carve up the D. As soon as you learn to not throw the ball into coverage, or at least wait until the receiver gets a step or 2 ahead, it won't be so hard. If you don't, you get picked off constantly - and playing like that deserves the interceptions. Mixing up not only the plays but the play types will be to your benefit as well - don't be running 4 straight Outs plays and expect to burn them on #5. Pass it to different receivers, mix it up. This isn't Madden where running the same play constantly will move you down the field...this is for the thinking football gamer. If anything, playing defense is a challenge, but with time you'll master it too. Pass defense is very difficult, with receivers making some tough grabs. Once you learn to change to the defender and bat the ball down, or tackle the guy hard as he catches it, it won't be so easy for them to slice and dice your defense and embarrass you. Oh, and don't run a lot of nickel or dime plays as a deterrent to the pass, because they'll run on you and hurt you just as bad on the ground. Play balance and variety is the name of 2K3's game - learn it and be successful. Stuffing the run revolves around being able to tackle. Against a strong runner like Ricky Williams or Anthony Thomas, prepare to have a tackle or 2 shrugged off, but if you keep at it they won't go far. Don't be diving 5 feet at the player or he'll just bounce off you...be smart. Stopping the run is definitely not as tough as stopping the pass, but playing stupid will get you beat badly. As far as game modes go, 2K3 holds some great features. Most importantly are the Franchise and Online modes. While Xbox Live is still not out yet and unable to review, the Franchise mode is more than enough to keep you playing for multiple seasons. You can even play pre-season games to tune up - however Madden does beat 2K3 in this category simply because you can improve your players in these pre-season games. During the season it tracks all sorts of statistics and lets you have complete control of your team, from signing, trading, and releasing players. 2K3 features the Trading Block that lets you put players on the market for other teams to make offers on - looking around at other teams might find you a good deal for a player you either covet or need. Unfortunately 2K3 lacks the career records that makes NFL Fever a fun Franchise mode - though all Fever has going for it is that franchise, compared with 2K3. Off-season duties are improved as well - 2K3 features a spectacular combine mode for tracking rookies - instead of picking blindly you actually can see how good a player is based on performance, not stats. Plus importing your NCAA Football 2K3 rosters will let you possibly pick from players off your college team. Also, the signing periods are much more Madden-esque - instead of just picking a player and signing them in a ho-hum experience, 2K3 has you fighting it out with other teams to bring in the winning contract for a big star free agent. Since the other teams are very aggressive (if they have the money, that is), the odds of landing all the players you covet is a rare instance. What all this means for NFL 2K3 - not only is it now the deepest and best playing NFL game series, it's not the deepest and best non-gameplay NFL game as well. Just like Sega's amazing World Series Baseball, the Franchise mode is enough to keep you playing until the newest version is released. No longer can Madden claim to be the deepest football simulation - now Sega Sports carries that claim. Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary this is by far the best football game to come out ever. this game is the nearest thing to perfect as a football game can come. there are some problems that sega refuses to fix but besides hat. madden and fever aren't even in the league as nfl2k3.Sound it sounds great what else can i say? the players let you know when they have been tackled which thrills me, especially if the qb hangs his reciever out to dry across the middle.Gameplay the game play on 2k3 has improved somewhat. the tackling is a big improvement. speedy/slipery running backs like m. faulk aren't as imposible to take down as they have been in the past. the pass rushing is absoluely terrible this year. you have to have 2 probowl defensive ends on your line just to be able to get anywhere ethe qb. and dont try to blitz yourself, because even the sorriest o-linemn with a rating of 40 can hold you up. the only thing that really made me P.O. was the play editor. i still dont know why sega refuses to put it back. thats the whole point of having your own team, you create the play. madden brought it back this year, why didn't 2k3???Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By BJ LewisFrom Austin, TX Review Date 08/20/2002 Overall Rating 4 of 5 Rate this review? Summary This game has been considered by many to be not only the stiffest competition for EA's Madden 2003, but perhaps an even better choice. Respectfully, after playing both games for a few hours a piece, I disagree. Although 2K3 is a big step up from last year's effort, Visual Concepts still has a few hurdles to get over in order to dethrone king Madden. Like Madden, NFL 2K3 has earned the distinction of being a true "sim" this year, however it is sim-ply not enough for football purest like myself to digest without a few complaints. Tackles made by leaping lineman 5 yards away are common. Running backs and receivers getting hit in a way that causes them to float 5 yards across the turf is not a rarity either in this game. Above all, the difficulty of the passing game is far beyond what I would expect as a real quarterback in a real NFL game. It's just plain HARD to complete passes with any real consistency. My overall impression of NFL 2K3 is that it was designed only for those who know football well enough to be an assistant or head coach at the pro level.Sound Very nice. The commentary is insightful and timely. The overlaping of team names, player names, numbers, and color commentary on the action is seemless (no pauses or sudden change in voice inflection). The crowd is very responsive and the player chatter is a nice touch. ESPN's theme music adds legitimacy to the game and makes it feel like your really watching it live on a Sunday night. As far as surround quality, it is difficult to judge since I do not have my XBOX hooked up to my surround sound system anymore.Gameplay Satisfactory. 2K3 is a lot of fun to play considering the fact that every down is a challenge. You cannot succeed in this game by just winging it. If you throw into coverage, the defense WILL pick it off almost every time. If your receiver gets hit within a half a second after making the catch, he is certain to drop it rather than tuck it away and take the hit like a man. If your QB is on the run and tries to throw across the field there won't be a lot of zip on the ball and therefore it is likely to be picked off. I mention throwing on the run because you will be doing it most of the time. The pocket collapses within 2 or 3 seconds virtually every down and the defense has an uncanny ability to lunge at you from 4 to 6 yards away so you have to run scared constantly. As you can imaginge, it is quite difficult to get a good look down field usually and what makes it even more difficult is the default camera angle is not wide enough to see your wide outs until they are about ten yards deep. Quick passes work best when you throw up the middle since you can't see close to the sidelines. The running game is exceptional. On the plus side, your offensive lineman make good holes and stay out of the running back's way (unlike Madden). On the down side, once the runner is tackled he could end up 3 to five yards further ahead than he should be due to the floating along the turf he does in response to the hit. This is where 2K3 still plays a bit arcadish.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary One of the better football games that I have ever played. It's a bit of a challenge as far as a learning curve but it is most rewarding once you get the hang of it. Franchise mode is one of the best if not the best available. Tons of replay value. A must buy!!Sound Great play-by-play. They are a joy to listen to and for the most part are very accurate. The sounds of the stadiums and fans are pretty good as well. The player chatter is also a welcomed addition.Gameplay I have been playing Madden for years so it took me some time to get used to the way this game plays. After a few games I sort of have the hang of it, but in my opinion it plays better than other football games out there. Overall, the gameplay could be a little tighter, but very good job overall. I recommend the S Controller for this game. It is a joy to use.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Surround Sound BoyFrom Canada Review Date 08/19/2002 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary Finally the wait is over! It was a painful summer waiting for this game, but it finally came out. I found myself palying my Dreamcast alot this summer because the Xbox(besides Halo) was really lacking a fresh game. I Have been a fan of the 2K series ever since 2K1. WOW. This game is slick. The presentation is amazing, the menus are cool and the franchise mode is deep.Sound This game is offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and it dosent dissapoint. The hits r thunderous, and the commentary uses the centre channel(ala World Series on Xbox) which is the way true d.d 5.1 is used. Dan and Peter are back and better then ever. You will hear repetition in their comments but nothing to complain about. Michelle Westphal sounds hot..I want to date her...ha..j/k.Gameplay Gameplay comes in different forms. Exhibition, situational, Season and Franchise. Franchise is all I have ever played and it is very deeep. I thought the NFL combine was amazing. There are a few things during gameplay that bug me but they r minor. First is the ticker. I love hearing the ESPN chime but the ticker is only on for like 2-4 secs most of the time. What is the pt? I also miss telling the crowd to quiet down with my qb or pumping up the crowd on defence. Any true 2K fan should miss that. I found the half time report to be cool while the post game wrapup is simply amazing. The play of the week is cool as well. The Xbox version even lets you save an amazing play to the hard drive(with the hd room you could save alot). Very cool. Would of been awesome if you could somehow make a continous video of them with music from the HD but thats pretty pickey. Im thankful for what is there. I also love the way you cant cheat in this game. No folks Im not talking bout the A.I. It is awesome but in the pervious 2K games if i was out of timeouts I would from time to time use the computers but this yr when I access choose sides it wont let me. Good stuff. Running is fun but can be easy to turn up that slider and passing is cool but what those picks.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Jason P. Jason PFrom NC Review Date 08/18/2002 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary First of all-What an awesome game!!! After getting hang of the controls, this game has a ton to offer. WOW! I have not played Madden or Fever so I cannot make comparisons to them. This review is based on my opinion of 2K3. This game looks sooooo good! When the thing first starts off Dan Patrick gives an introduction speech with full ESPN support!! This is not some CG Dan Patrick this is like a video. Cool. This is a great purchase for a real gamer. My biggest question is why is the Steelers field called "Pittsburgh Stadium" instead of Heinz Field?????S | |||||||||||
4.11 of 5
