NFL 2K - Sega Dreamcast - Sega - Sports -1-4 Players
Graphics: *****
Sound: ****
Control: *****
Gameplay: ****
Replay Value: *****
Overall Rating :*****
Back in the days of the 16 bit systems Sega reigned as the undisputed sports king. When the 32 bit era dawned, Sega lost much of that luster (with the exception of the World Series Baseball franchise). NFL2K brings sega back to the forefront of sports gaming, providing the most realistic football experience to ever grace a console.
Let me start by saying if you've seen pictures of NFL2K, you can't judge the games look by them. The game is poetry in motion. You just can't help but be awed by the graphics. From the way players react to hits to the majesty of a long bomb hitting the receiver just right the game never fails to impress.
But any football game is ultimately judged by it's engine and AI, and NFL2K hold up here as well. The game features huge playbooks, perfect controls and more stats then you could ever want. While the game is laughably easy in rookie mode (Jets beat New England 110-7), the game solidifies at pro level and you'll find yourself playing games with scores that look like football scores. Both the passing system and rushing game take some getting used to, but become second nature with repeated playing. (and believe me, you will play this game repeatedly) Finally, with 2 VMU's you can implement VMU play calling which will allow you to call plays from your controller, hence removing the chance that your opponent is reading your play selection. Unless you're very familiar with your teams playbook (and each teams plays reflect their strengths and play styles) you may want to change the play calling option from formation to type so that you'll have a better idea of what plays you're calling)
However, there's always room for improvement in a game, and NFL2K is no different. Although the play by play is some of the best out there, it's often incorrect (saying the defense is doing a solid job blocking the rush because they blocked the running back on one play, when he already has over 150 yards rushing or the consistently wrong post halftime analysis) or inappropriate for the situation. The announcers themselves may not be real sportscasters, but they do an excellent job playing up the verbal jousting any good commentating pair comes up with.
On a last note, if you plan on having more games than just NFL2K you may want to pick up a second VMU, as the game takes up 191 blocks, leaving the card virtually useless for other games.
To sum it up, NFL2K may not be perfect, but it's the best football game ever made for a console system. I just can't wait to see what Sega has in store for us with World Series Baseball 2000.