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NFL 2K3 for Xbox
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NFL 2K3 for Xbox
102 reviews   4.11 of 5

Product Description

Summary

This Game has become one of the best over the years it has constantly been innovating if you look at the first 2k four years ago and this game now you can tell that they re-evaluted there game and try to make it better well it's that time again folks I was lucky enough to get a sneek peek of this game well look at the cover *wink* As last year is game we still have flying tackles which are abosoultey wicked! they made the game Like I would play defense just come flying into the 2 hole and causing havoc The defense or ai has really been tweaked dbs actually run up the ball and steal it. the graphics are once again jaw dropping and run good If I was you Put me between the center and tackle well Run me up and let me knock the snot of the qb works everytime and the franchise mode is great you can now upload your ncaa 2k players seniors on to his game ^_^
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Summary

We received a gold copy of NFL 2K3 a few weeks ago from Sega to build our August 'buy' quantities based upon our feelings of the title.

From our initial play sessions, I can assure you that we are going to buy a lot. This game is incredible!

Over the last two years, Madden and Sega Sports' 2K series have been compared and contrasted to death. The differences between the two were so slight, that either game you choose would have satiated your football whims for the season. However, this year's iteration of Sega Sports Football is quite different from Madden.

While both titles have great looking character models, deep franchise mode, multiple season modes, and a million other options and features. What Sega has over Madden this year is overall polish and presentation that far superceeds anything we've seen in a sports title. With the aquisition of the ESPN license and enhanced architecture of all the next gen consoles, Sega blasts ahead of Madden in visuals, presentation, and in the overall feel of real football that seems to escape Madden in this year's offering.

Sound

When comparing this to Madden, again, NFL 2K3 proves to be king when you talk sports comentary. The 2K announcers are back again and shine as they always do. Crowd effects are top notch as well as play calls and the banter between linebacker and QB. Simply brilliant execution all around this year for Sega.

This game has it all. There are two camps out there: The Madden camp and the Sega Sports camp. Both of these groups will bicker on endlessly over who's football title is the beat-all-end-all football title available. The bottom line is: Madden is great, but this year, Sega is greater.

Gameplay

As in previous years, 2K3 offers play modes out the arse. If you choose to jump right into an exhibition game you will see how many additions Visual Concepts has made to their existing football engine. New animations and stronger offensive/defensive AI make the game so much more realistic. But enough about that. I want to share MY experience with the game with you.

When we started NFL 2K3 on the Xbox there was an entire SportsCenter pregame show, complete with the on-air personalities and the patented ESPN music and themes. From there we choose to play the Steelers versus the Cowboys in a rematch of Super Bowl XIII. As the game loads, you are treated to a vocal matchup synapsis and animated player cards (flat, but slick presentation).

Even with the Xbox controller, the playablity of the NFL 2K series seems natural. Maximum passes on out patterns make for incredible sideline grabs. A draw play up the middle, a post over the middle, or even a QB sneak to the left can all make you feel like you KNOW what it is like to play football.
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Sound

The announcing is breathtaking. The announcers' comments aren't repeated nearly as much this year. They even refer to what happened earlier in the game. NFL2k3 has the best announcing on any football game this year. On the field sound is also spectacular. You can hear players trashtalking each other and you can also hear the sound of heads banging together when someone gets tackled.

If you like football games, this is a must have. This game blows the competition away

Gameplay

The gameplay is stellar. It's the most realistic football game out there. The AI is smart, and to pass the ball, you have to actually know where the coverage is and time your pass. Madden doesn't even compare. The running game is also realistic. You can't break 6 tackles in one run like in some games. You'll have to be smart when you run, you can't expect to just plow through everyone. Now I'll get to the new and improved franchise mode. This mode is awesome, and I'm sure I'll play it for hours. Scouting for new players is involving, and you have to know what you're doing to actually have a successful team. Then there's the online play feature, which isn't available yet, but it will be soon. And considering the experience Sega has in online football, I'm sure it will be great.
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Sound

Pretty good, ESPN did well by abandoning their hopes of competing with the big boys in gaming and joining one of them. Their presentation is great and really hels in creative ways. Example: during game loading, their is an ESPN preview of the game, so you hardly realize the game's loading. Also, there's an espn ticker at the bottom and a weekly wrap-up that's cool. The in-game sound is good, hits sound hard. Rain sounds like rain. The announcers don't get too annoying. NOTING Like Summerall saying, "Why go for it there, John?" I wanted to throw the nearest available object at the TV every time I heard Madden speak, and thanks to Sega, that won't happen again.

Gameplay

In Madden, the Browns have had the same playbook for five years, I'm not kidding. EA has not changed their gameplay in years, so by now, you know what works and what doesn't and you're dominating the game two hours after you buy it. Not here. Sega's gameplay is better, not just newer, but better. The graphics are WAAAAY better, the franchise mode is more indepth with scouting combine and trading block features absent from EA. The most important feature is that this game is online for the XBOX Live. That means not only are you able to play other users once you're whooping on the computer, but that you can download roster updates for trades/player progressions that happen during the NFL season this year. Madden used to do this for the computer platform and it was a great feature.
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Sound

Never thought I 'd say this but the Madden/Michaels combination is awesome, and beats out Sega easily. Maybe next year, with the ESPN license, with Berman and Jackson, they can compete. Madden was a very pleasant surprise. On field sound, Sega is better..great trashtalking..

Gameplay

Advantage goes to Madden. The menu system is easier for selecting plays to start. However, and this was true last year with the NFL2k series, is the unrealism of NFL2k3 in the pocket. In Madden, if you feel pressure from the outside, you can step up in the pocket, just like the NFL, and deliver a pass, thus avoiding a would be sack. Madden 2003 is flawless. In NFL2k3, don't try it. I wish the Sega programming team would have realized the problem last year. Move up in the pocket, and the defensive linemen will lunge 5 yards and sack you immediately, Not realistic. Sure, sometimes you should get sacked, but Madden is much more realistic. However, with NFL2k3, the running is a little better, because the holes open up. I thought madden had eliminated the problem this year, but lo and behold, last night, running up the middel on a HB slam, and I'm stuck behind my lineman. Not as bad as previous years, but NFL2k3 with the RB maneuving in the hole blows Madden away. Madden really improved the passing this year. Overall advantage goes to Madden.
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Sound

If there are any faults with the game it could be the sound. I would like to see the sound and music parallel the energy of NFL Fever. I'm not complaining but this game is so good I had to find something.

Gameplay

NFL2k3's gameplay is what makes this game a new football experience. The speed of the game has been turned down a notch and to my suprise it has all the trimmings of a simulation and exciting arcade game. At the speed the game runs I am able to choose from any of my special moves with time enough even to "turbo" my player up. I can see holes open up and follow blocks at will. I did however set the camera angle at "far" as to see my receivers on the sides. At first I thought I was sacrificing something by doing this, but it just enhanced the game to the point where I'm up at 1am typing this review because I had to tell somebody.

To really appreciate this game and what it does play against the Steelers and try to take down Jerome Bettis. Wow!!!!!!

The physics of intercepions is another area that brings this game to the top of the heap. Gone are the days of not knowing why you didn't pick it off or why you got picked off. Get to the spot and out jump your opponent and the ball is yours. Un-freaking-believable.

The gamplay is so good that you actually forget about how deep this game actually is. I have been playing for two days and I have yet to ticker with all the frills and options.
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Summary

This game is the best version of NFL2k series that I ever played. It's like a fine-tuned version of football. NEW features added and new and improved gameplay added. ESPN menus are amazing...with the ESPN music playing, you can change the menu music if you don't like it, they have a bunch of songs that you can select. I used to play NFL2k1 and this version is pretty similar but they have improved so much and so polished that everything seems to look great. From AI to graphics to animations to the model to the sound of the crowd to the play selections to franchise mode, everything look great but yea there's a BUT...but i still feel generic about the whole overall atmosphere of the game. I think the biggest flaw is the audience and the stadium. It's just not convincing, they're not animated and it's just look bored. I know they're not part of the game but trust me, if they can create a game with a lively crowd animations with sideline people really involving in the game, NOW that's what you called ATMOSPHERE baby!! It'll give the game an authentic feel to it and i just don't feel it overall. Now i am just talking about the overall crowd, not the gameplay of the in game action...just the crowd and the sideline crews, they're not animated enough to make me feel like this is a real authentic football atmosphere.

Sound

The sound is also improved. The announcers have more things to say this time. They will occasionally talk about the previous drive. The crowd is louder this time and seems to be more intelligent. They encourage the team to get it on when they're struggled. But the crowd doesn't seem to be loud for a lenthy period. They still stop too quickly i think. I want the crowd to continue to get loud after i scored a TD and continue to go crazy. I thought they had that this year...but i don't know they still stop short, although did improved though.

Ok this is not related but a suggestion for NFL2k4:

1)Make the stadium lively...crowd animated and sidelines people too, when i say lively i mean lively in a convincing sense, not just someone that did this animated thing over and over. That's generic, not lively.
2)Make the turf deteriate verrry badly and the jersey too.
3)Make the roar of the crowd continue to go crazy
4)Highlights of other games at HALFTIME (they better have this feature in NFL2k4)

Other than that, i don't know what to say, eveerything looks great! Just improved on them i guess.

Gameplay

Gameplay is awesome...AI is verrrry intelligent in this game. There are hardly money plays like NFL2k1. I remember i used to throw deep to Randy Moss and expect a TD all the time..now that's gone. You're more likely to get intercepted if ur not watching carefully how the defender is guarding ur man. Running looks great...there are power running and you have to be good at it. Catching animations are also amazing. You will see receivers bend down and catch it or defenders bend down and intercept the ball. On defense u have to be precise in terms of tackling...the gameplay is very authentic.
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Sound

The best sound by the commentators and ceratinly more exciting than Madden. This must be played on a 5.1 or 6.1 dolby sound stereo system.

Gameplay

The gameplay is where this game hurts the most. The player move incredibly slow at times while the computer A.I. is extremely fast at getting at your quarterback in the pocket. The speed burst button should be called the the slow burst button because by the time your man with the ball gets going he has been tackled. The best 2k version football in my mind still remains the original NFL 2k for the dreamcast. If the game is this slow withoput being on-line,one can only imagine what its like when you do go on-line. Don't believe all the reviews that you read on this game. They must have a version that I did not pick up. No, mine does say NFL 2k3.

Let's give this game credit though. It has the deepest play calling book of any footbal game out there. However, you will get frustrated with this game with your running backs, your wide receivers and your defense. Unlike, Madden this one will take you for a spin. You will really have to think about which plays to run to get past the defense.

The greatest part of this game are the cut scenes.
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Sound

This is where the game excels. I love the ESPN music, commentary, atomosphere etc. Thank God ESPN ditched Konami, they simply need to stay away from sports anyway.

NFL 2K3 has an excellent tv style presentation making it look like you're watching a real game on tv. The commentary is well done, as Sega always gets this right. There are some ESPN tidbits from actual ESPN commentators at the intro and many parts of the game. The actual commentary is done by the same no-name dudes of the past, but they do their job and do it right. Probabaly better than E.A.s Al Michael's in term of quality commentary and lack of repetition.

However, some will notice the crowd gets too loud. It's almost to the point of being crazy as the crowd gets so noisy you can't hear the commentary at all, especially when you have the dolby digital kicked in. Turn the crowd noise down in the options if you want to hear the commentary.

Final Call: I buy two football games every year, and it's always by Sega and E.A. But for those of you who only buy one? Know that I put 2K3 on the shelf and it will be there till next time. Madden is the better game, no question. Sorry Sega. Maybe next year.

Gameplay

I thought the game played a bit lathargicly. The players took to long to make a manuever such as spinning, doing a juke etc. Response times are critical for football and it really can't hold a candle to Madden's game. True story. My buddy and I turned this on to play a quick game. After the first quarter, we were bored with It just didn't grabe me and it's just not exciting sim of football. I don't know what is it, but it just lacks the luster of the NFL to boot. The passing game is too easy, you can let your computer catch everything without having to switch. On Madden there are more realistic dropped passes. It's hard to play defense too. I could be standing directly in the line of path of a pass and it would go right by my defenders hands. It's just not tight enough for me. I want control, and Madden is still the one to get!

The playcalling screen is still annoying in my eyes. Your opponents can still see what plays are looking at. Madden's play calling screens are simple, to the point, and easy to navigate. It's a given Sega has more plays, but I'll take the easier to read easier to navigate idea anytime.
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Summary

After much debate, I finally decided to pick up NFL 2K3 and after initially being undecisive about whether or not it was better than Madden, I have reached the conclusion that they are both very good, but in their own way. 2K3 is an awesome playing football game with only a few drawbacks that I will discuss below. At first I thought that there was no way that 2K3 could compete with Madden, but I have been proven wrong. However, it would be nice if it had a game within a game such as the Mini-Camp, 2 Minute Drill, or something similar to the Madden Challenge. This would at least give you some gameplay options. Maybe they thought that this would be too much of a copy if they did something like that, but I always enjoyed the challenge of trying to do specific tasks during a game in order to receive points, cards, cheats, etc. Maybe sometime in the future they will implement their own challenge feature. Speaking of challenges, why no option to challenge plays in the game? You can do this in the real NFL so why not in the game? It would be nice to challenge a call late in the game and have it overturned. Negatives aside, this is simply an outstanding football game. It makes you want to keep playing. It is very addictive and very hard to put down. This is due to the good computer AI. It will definitely give you a run for your money. The computer will pick up on your tendencies and if you try to throw into coverage, run through a crowded pack, etc. you will pay for your indiscretion. I learned this the hard way. The first game I played I had 7 interceptions and I thought that this was a complete joke, but once I learned to pick my open receiver the pick-offs have dropped considerably. I guess that I was just used to throwing into the crowd and coming down with it, much like you can do in Madden. I feel that EA has shot themselves in the foot so to speak. I am tired of paying $50 just for updated rosters and a few new animations. I want major improvement and that is what SEGA Sports has done this year. That have taken major leaps over previous versions of NFL 2K and it shows.

Sound

The sound is above average for a football game. I have read that some people think it is the best commentary ever. While it is quite good, but there is always room for improvement. I have not noticed much repetition so far and the announcers seem to be very accurate with the play calling, but some added enthusiasm might have been nice. Also, if you want to hear the commentary well, you need to change the sound from the default over to the TV style presentation. If you don't, the crowd will drown out the commentary. You can also adjust this manually by moving the sliders on the sound options screen. The on field sounds are done very well, from the players taunting one another to the bone crunching sounds of every tackle.

Gameplay

The gameplay is absolutely awesome. The players move very realistic with the exception of an occasional 10 yard diving tackle. The animations are done very well. When a player is hit hard, you really feel the impact. Having been a big Madden fan for the past few years, it is taking a little bit of getting used to. The on field actions and button presses are slightly different, but it is becoming much easier with time. On the flipside, the ESPN added game summarys and half-time updates are awesome, but more post game highlights would have been nice. I guess they had to leave some stuff for next year.
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Sound

sound is fantastic. the espn feel is all over this game. the commentary on the 2k series has always been awesome and still is.

Gameplay

this is where it shines the most. players move realistically and seems to be at the right speed now. looks like sega toned down the speed just a bit. you can still change game speed if you like to slow or fast. running is fun and makes you stay behind your blockers just like the real nfl. the passing is done as usual with the icons on the controller being eligible recievers. the A.I. is smart, so just like brett farve you have to be smart and sometimes you gotta move out of the pocket. this is real football and fun! im not much on the franchise feature but it looks to have everything they left out on last years version. exhibition, practice, quick game, season are in there as well. also they have a sega challenge mode. here you have to enable the feature which sets all the gameplay options to default and start a game. the game is recorded on your user record and saves your stats along with a code. youre able to upload these codes to segasports.com to see how you compare with other players. cool idea for players who dont play this online. and this game will be online compatible when x-live rolls out.
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Sound

The sound is the best in the business. In the menus you can listen to SportsCenter music, and I think that's pretty cool. The commentary is awesome, and there's still no one better than Sega at it. You don't hear wierd pauses like in some games, it's smooth and clean. The commentaters will also comment on what has happened earlier in the game, and compare. If you do something stupid, they'll catch you on it, like if it's 4th and 10 and you're going for it in the 1st Quarter. The commentators know what's going on, and it helps the overall feel of the game.

On the field sound is also amazing. You can hear the players taunting each other and shouting out random football lingo, which is one of the extra touches that makes this game great. The crowd is the basic crowd with boos and cheering, not much different there.

Gameplay

First let's talk about in-game gameplay. Visual Concepts slowed the pace a bit from past versions but its still the fastest moving hardest hitting Football sim out there. Passing and Running is balanced great. 2K3 has the biggest playbook on offense of any football game ever made.

In the running game, and after catching a pass, you have a few options. You can spin, hurdle, juke, studder step, stiff arm, and speed boost. You'll need to become very comfortable will all these moves if you expect to be a pro at the running game, because the AI is simply awesome. The thing I love most about the running game is that it's not as easy to break tackles as it has been in the past. You can run right into somebody and break tackles very often unless your a power runner, but usually you'll slow down after your hit and then get nailed by someone else. To get good yardage, you'll have to do some moves. Sometimes you'll get lucky up the middle, but don't expect 6+ yards there. To run on the outside you'll have to use speed boost and probably a juke move or a stiff arm, and still less than 30% of the time, you'll get over 6 yards. Overall, the running game is a gem, and is very fun and exciting.

Now about the passing game. When you drop back to pass, you have a few options. If the pressures on and you think you need to scramble out of the pocket, or if you think you can pick up some good rushing yardage, just hold down the L button and the passing icons will go down. If you want to pump fake to throw off the defender, you push white. You can also throw the ball away as long as you're out of the pocket. To throw the ball, you select the button