ESPN NFL 2K5 vs Madden 2005

[JBRockBottom31]

So what does everyone think? Honestly I have had Madden as my top football game for years. But I bought ESPN the day it came out and received my Madden copy yesterday, I just feel like the graphics are better on ESPN. I feel bad about this, am I missing something with Madden? Don't get me wrong the new stuff is cool, like the Tony Bruno show etc, but the game play seems unrealistic compared to the ESPN game. Anyone else have thoughts about the games?

Also I am flying out of San Jose, CA tomorrow at 6 am to Houston to see the Boys Play, I will take a ton of digital pics and post them for everyone else to enjoy!

 

[jacs]

So what does everyone think? Honestly I have had Madden as my top football game for years. But I bought ESPN the day it came out and received my Madden copy yesterday, I just feel like the graphics are better on ESPN. I feel bad about this, am I missing something with Madden? Don't get me wrong the new stuff is cool, like the Tony Bruno show etc, but the game play seems unrealistic compared to the ESPN game. Anyone else have thoughts about the games?

i have'nt played nor seen those games in person but people have been saying that the graphics are better in the ESPN game but im sure that Madden will still be #1.

Also I am flying out of San Jose, CA tomorrow at 6 am to Houston to see the Boys Play, I will take a ton of digital pics and post them for everyone else to enjoy!

good luck and have fun at the game

 

[Mamba]

I had both, ESPN was good (especially for the price) Madden IMO is better, although i was disappointed in the fact that it's mostly the same game as last year. ESPN is on the right track, just a few adjustments and it will be my favorite football game.

 

[VirusX]

The adjustment from game ot game is much different.
ESPN is more fluid but madden seems to be more realistic. on ESPN I can run for 75 yards on any given play. Madden wont let you do that. You dont have the speed dominance from last year. Bradie James can run down clinton portis in madden. (I poped his *** with hit stick and cost him his career =) It was funny. Cuncussions are great) I think the both are great but madden is much more challenging. If you looking for fun and gun action ESPN is it. If you looking for REAL football you know the 3.3 ypc madden is a great challenge. Hit stick rocks and defensive hotroutes are a godsend. I shut the Commanders out 31 0 on pro Skins had 64 yards of total offense. =) With the updated cowboy roster and 1 trade (chris gamble from the panthers) Great fun from both. The Crib gives ya something to shoot for in ESPN madden cards are just boring. Enjoy

 

[viman96]

I've bought a copy of madden every year since way back in the 90's, until this year. ESPN 2K5 is great! I really liked ESPN 2K4 but I still went with Madden.

ESPN just seems more fluid.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

The first time I played ESPN was great.. ever since then I seem to have a lag in my audio... I will run a play and the audio commentary for that play will come like 10-20 seconds later, and sometimes skip like a bad vinyl record. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Tio]

The adjustment from game ot game is much different.
ESPN is more fluid but madden seems to be more realistic. on ESPN I can run for 75 yards on any given play. Madden wont let you do that. You dont have the speed dominance from last year. Bradie James can run down clinton portis in madden. (I poped his *** with hit stick and cost him his career =) It was funny. Cuncussions are great) I think the both are great but madden is much more challenging. If you looking for fun and gun action ESPN is it. If you looking for REAL football you know the 3.3 ypc madden is a great challenge. Hit stick rocks and defensive hotroutes are a godsend. I shut the Commanders out 31 0 on pro Skins had 64 yards of total offense. =) With the updated cowboy roster and 1 trade (chris gamble from the panthers) Great fun from both. The Crib gives ya something to shoot for in ESPN madden cards are just boring. Enjoy

I think it is the other way around. On all pro, the defenses adapt to your play and it is very challenging.

 

[Rude]

I love ESPN Football but the db ai is horrible other then that, this game is amazing.

Question for those that have played madden, Is the defense real good? I love close games and not high unrealistic scores

 

[Ken]

So what does everyone think? Honestly I have had Madden as my top football game for years. But I bought ESPN the day it came out and received my Madden copy yesterday, I just feel like the graphics are better on ESPN. I feel bad about this, am I missing something with Madden? Don't get me wrong the new stuff is cool, like the Tony Bruno show etc, but the game play seems unrealistic compared to the ESPN game. Anyone else have thoughts about the games?

Also I am flying out of San Jose, CA tomorrow at 6 am to Houston to see the Boys Play, I will take a ton of digital pics and post them for everyone else to enjoy!

I think your assessment is right on.

Madden is the same game its been. The franchise is awesome though. That blows espn away.

Espn's gameplay is just in another league. The graphics and presentation are also in another league. There are a few bugs in the game, but hardly anything to pick madden over it. The online leagues are awesome. A little buggy in the beggining, but they are fixing everything. I am in a 32 man league and the websites that go along with leagues are amazing.

If you havn't picked a game yet, ESPN is the right one.

 

[Mavs Man]

Here's a link to the review from IGN. It's nominally for the PS2 version, but it's the same review as for the XBox and PC versions.

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/536/536289p1.html

Also, here's the summary at the end of the review:

"Last year, I really thought Tiburon did a lot to improve the Madden series, but that was nothing compared to what they did this year. 2004 was about big, in your face features that everyone could acknowledge. This year, it's more about subtle gameplay issues, fixes that you might not even realize if you only play a few games, but to the hardcore Madden fan, these are changes that are a long time coming. The defensive improvements alone are worth the price of admission, but when you add to that the expanded franchise mode and all of the online improvements, you realize just how different this year's game not only looks but feels.

"In the end, it's a great year to be a football fan. With ESPN and Madden, you have two phenomenal games in their own right, each offering things the other doesn't. I love certain aspects about ESPN, the presentation, VIP, the highlights, but when it comes down to it, the things I like best about Madden are its franchise mode and, most importantly, its gameplay. And in the end, isn't that what it's all about?

"If you have $70.00, buy a copy of each game and be thankful for owning both. If you only have $20.00, beg someone for $30.00 more and buy yourself a copy of Madden. It's a close call, but someone has to win, just ask the Panthers."

 

[AceofSpades]

Heres a head to head comparison w/ video. http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104789/index.html

 

[CantonBound08]

Heres a head to head comparison w/ video. http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104789/index.html

Ace, I like the color of your game better than mine!

I have not played Madden this year. I had both last year and was really impressed with the graphics. I am not going to be buying Madden this year. I bought 2K5 and I am more than happy with it. The graphics are great, the game play seems to be more arcade like than realistic, but it is fun. I'm sure both games are really good, but just the addition of the hit-stick is not enough to convince me to buy the game. Plus 2k5 is only $20.

 

[LatinG187]

I bought both games this year and I think that Madden is better.Espn looks waaay better than Madden,but I feel Madden is better in almost every other category.Especially in the most important category(IMO) the Franchise Mode.That is where I spend 99.9% of time.Espn's Franchise Mode is okay,but Madden' is the Best Ever!Plus you can import your players from NCAA 2005 to Madden just makes it that much better.

 

[BUSDRIV3RDH]

I haven't played Madden 05'--but then again, I don't care to either. It was like this, I got a Dreamcast in 99, the year the first NFL2k came out and for the next few years while Dreamcast didn't have Madden I foamed at the mouth to get it while I played Sega's offering, thinking I was really missing somethnig by the way the Madden fanboys talk it up...well last year came when I had an XBOx and I finally went out and got this "marveled" at game...only to laugh my *** off at the lackluster everything in it. The graphics were bad, the game play is sluggesh, John Madden is about the single most annoying personality in pro sports today and I could go on and on...the only thing they had going for them was their 'franchise' mode. But that is definatly not enough to sway me.

ESPN all the way...just my opinion.

 

[baj1dallas]

Buying two football games every year is silly. I bought ESPN this year because it was cheap and the latest Madden I have is 2000. I would say buy ESPN this year because it's cheap, or wait until next year before you buy Madden, since there's no big improvements in it.