[Ghettoshark]

I posted this back in the final four thread. It basically states my argument for 2K5.

As good as Baseball Stars may of been, NFL 2K5 was in a league of it's own. Even now, there hasn't been a football game as revolutionary as 2K5 was. It's combination of top notch presentation, solid gameplay, and a die hard community is what makes it the best. There's really no choice but 2K5 if you want a quality football simulation.

For starters, the genuine ESPN presentation, including but not limited to Chris Berman's pregame and halftime shows, authentic ESPN graphics, Suzy Kolber's sideline interviews, and SportsCenter which even has Mel Kiper giving one the lowdown on the draft, has yet to be replicated 3 years and one generation later by EA. It sure was something seeing SportsCenter at the end of every week in Franchise, which even included in-game footage from CPU played games. And it wasn't just limited to scores. Using the real ESPN graphics, it also gave one the latest info on which star players were injured, and the latest blockbuster deals. In the end, the part that most people remember about NFL 2K5 was the presentation that was out of this world.

The gameplay was also solid. Rather than EA's confusing hitstick, 2K's Maximum Tackle provided realistic tackling animations that just felt natural. The QB was also given the ability to duck out of tackles behind the line of scrimmage, which was extremely useful during high pressure situations. Sure, it wasn't perfect, with glitches such as the infamous D-Line Glitch, but that same problem plague next-gen Madden today. And the VIP system accurately called plays depending on the coach of the opposing team, meaning teams like the San Diego Chargers would rather pound the ball on the ground with LT rather than airing it out. It also allowed you to test your skills against how the top ranked player in the world, your best bud, or even you yourself would play. Overall, the gameplay was great. Some may even say that it's still the best playing football game out there. And you'd be hard pressed to find someone who would disagree.

NFL 2K5 was more than just a game though. Never before could the casual gamer pick up a brand new football release for only $20. That selling point brought many into the world of sports gaming. After all, what do you have to lose? And the game also threatened the giant that is Electronic Arts. That's exactly why they bought the NFL license, since if you can't beat them, I guess you force them out. Even through that setback, the work of dedicated gamers like puja21 and FlyingFinn have allowed the game to be constantly updated so the entire sports gaming community could enjoy a (better) alternative to the recycled junk that is Madden NFL. It's going to be 4 years this fall, and you can bet that we'll have ESPN NFL 2K9 to play because of the hard work of the 2K5 community.

In the end, it's not about which game was better at the time. For that, one could put up a good argument for both games. It's about the community, us. NFL 2K5 revolutionized the way football was played on the console. For once, we got a game that wasn't about who could put up 100 points on the CPU or any of that. We got a game that was a simulation, and when the game is indeed the game of football, gameplay comes along naturally. Add to that the presentation of "the worldwide leader in sports", and you have the best sports game ever. In other words, you have ESPN NFL 2K5.