GameSpot head to head: ESPN 2K5 vs Madden 2005

A

Andy787

Banned
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104789/index.html

Offense: ESPN wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: ESPN wins
AI: Both win
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: ESPN wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: ESPN is the better game

*thumbs up*

popcorn.jpg
 
Andy787 said:
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6104789/index.html

Offense: ESPN wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: ESPN wins
AI: Both win
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: ESPN wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: ESPN is the better game

*thumbs up*
Click to expand...

While I pick ESPN overall as well, to give it the ups in Special teams is dumb. Sorry, but in the NFL occasionally kick offs DO get returned. They don't in ESPN.
 
LOL @ special teams preference.

Everyone has their own opinion, but it is hard to take an opinion seriously when it is so blatently wrong.

I prefer ESPN too, but giving it the edge in Special teams is a joke. The only thing they talk about is the kicking game. So they like the simpler method that ESPN has. That's fine. However they don't even touch on the kickoff or punt return game. Which is also part of special teams. The blocking on punt returns and kick returns is vastly superior in Madden. There is no blocking in ESPN.
 
My opinion

Offense: Madden wins
Defense: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden Wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: Madden wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden
 
CrimsonSkies said:
My opinion

Offense: Madden wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden Wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: Madden wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden
Click to expand...


I agree.
 
"While I pick ESPN overall as well, to give it the ups in Special teams is dumb. Sorry, but in the NFL occasionally kick offs DO get returned. They don't in ESPN."

I have returned a kickoff in an online game. Never a punt though.
 
Well, I'm no Madden-head, I very much support Sega and many of their sports games....but I'm at a loss as to how someone could pick ESPN if anything other than graphics was the main issue. I'm incapable of getting worked up about it since they said last year's was better as well.
 
CrimsonSkies said:
My opinion

Offense: Madden wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden Wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: Madden wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
My opinion, in case anyone cares:

Offense: ESPN
Defense: Madden
Special Teams: Madden
AI: Both lose
Franchise: Madden
Online: ESPN
Other Features: Tie/Don't have a preference
Presentation: ESPN by far
Graphics: ESPN
Sound: ESPN
Overall: ESPN
CONTROL: ESPN

I added that last one. Madden kind of feels like on ice skates. The momentum is overdone in Madden.
 
Here's mine:

Offense: ESPN wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: ESPN wins
Other Features: ESPN wins (Madden CE would win if I could count it)
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden is the better game

Don't get me wrong, they are both great games, IMO, Madden just has more and better gameplay, and that's what matters to me. Though I would LOVE to see the huge stat breakdowns like those in the ESPN league in Madden, and hot looking cheer leaders along with a decent half time show. Oh well, I'll take realism over that anyday.

Hopefully FMT will put his thoughts together. :)
 
Wellington said:
Oh well, I'll take realism over that anyday.
Click to expand...

Realism, like no penalties what so ever. No pi calls when your WRs get jacked, no face masks, clippings, no offsides, or anything. I have played over 14 games online and not one real penalty. Also, not being able to go for it on 4th down unless the game says you can is also ultra real. Realistic animations too. I love it when a RB gets stuck behind blockers and runs in place for 5 seconds before bouncing off a couple of people like a pinball and breaking a 5+ yard run.
 
Offense: Madden wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: ESPN wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden wins
 
TheDuce22 said:
"While I pick ESPN overall as well, to give it the ups in Special teams is dumb. Sorry, but in the NFL occasionally kick offs DO get returned. They don't in ESPN."

I have returned a kickoff in an online game. Never a punt though.
Click to expand...

I returned a punt with Dante Hall, but never a kickoff.
 
Cerebral Palsy said:
Realism, like no penalties what so ever. No pi calls when your WRs get jacked, no face masks, clippings, no offsides, or anything. I have played over 14 games online and not one real penalty. Also, not being able to go for it on 4th down unless the game says you can is also ultra real. Realistic animations too. I love it when a RB gets stuck behind blockers and runs in place for 5 seconds before bouncing off a couple of people like a pinball and breaking a 5+ yard run.
Click to expand...

Ive seen every penalty you listed,but pi so far.
 
Offense: ESPN
Defense: ESPN
Special Teams: ESPN
AI: ESPN
Franchise: Madden
Online: ESPN
Other Features: ESPN
Presentation: ESPN
Graphics: ESPN
Sound: ESPN
Control: ESPN

Overall: ESPN
 
Cloudy said:
Offense: ESPN
Defense: ESPN
Special Teams: ESPN
AI: ESPN
Franchise: Madden
Online: ESPN
Other Features: ESPN
Presentation: ESPN
Graphics: ESPN
Sound: ESPN
Control: ESPN

Overall: ESPN
Click to expand...


Roofles!
 
ROFL! Twice in one night the avatar/names have me on the floor...

Cloudy
No matter what name I use, I still own myself daily
(Today, 09:58 PM)
Reply | Quote
 
Spidey Sense Db's > Drunk Db's
 
Bowser said:
Offense: Madden wins
Defence: Madden wins
Special Teams: Madden wins
AI: Madden wins
Franchise: Madden wins
Online: ESPN wins
Other Features: ESPN wins
Presentation: ESPN wins
Graphics: ESPN wins
Sound: ESPN wins
Overall: Madden wins
Click to expand...


This man is correct!
 
Cerebral Palsy said:
Realism, like no penalties what so ever. No pi calls when your WRs get jacked, no face masks, clippings, no offsides, or anything. I have played over 14 games online and not one real penalty. Also, not being able to go for it on 4th down unless the game says you can is also ultra real. Realistic animations too. I love it when a RB gets stuck behind blockers and runs in place for 5 seconds before bouncing off a couple of people like a pinball and breaking a 5+ yard run.
Click to expand...

I love it when Tiki Barber flattens Julian Peterson by charging with his shoulders. I also love Warner's pinpoint accuracy and Shockey letting balls bounce of his hands and chest. I especially love scoring a touchdown when replay shows I was clearly stopped at the 1 yard line, plays that were called dead being reversed because the ref saw I was in even though I was clearly out of bounds when I gained control of the ball and hit two feet, the play being called dead before my runner is either on the floor or has had his momentum stopped (saved me a fumble once though, roofles.) and while running with one of the most fumble ready people in the entirety of the NFL, only one fumble in ALL of the games I've played with him

Get off it, I'm pretty objective when it comes to this matchup, and I'll readily admit ESPN does some things better than Madden. It's evident that the game is a buggy mess and I'd rather not deal with that when there are other products on the market.

Also note that, unlike you, I get all of my ESPN tourney/league games in right away. Don't cry to me because I prefer one game over another when it's clear that I like them both quite a bit.
 
Wow. And I thought all football games were the same. </sarcasm>

Good to see ESPN doing well... let's see if the masses agree (which they probably won't).
 
Wellington said:
I love it when Tiki Barber flattens Julian Peterson by charging with his shoulders. I also love Warner's pinpoint accuracy and Shockey letting balls bounce of his hands and chest. I especially love scoring a touchdown when replay shows I was clearly stopped at the 1 yard line, plays that were called dead being reversed because the ref saw I was in even though I was clearly out of bounds when I gained control of the ball and hit two feet, the play being called dead before my runner is either on the floor or has had his momentum stopped (saved me a fumble once though, roofles.) and while running with one of the most fumble ready people in the entirety of the NFL, only one fumble in ALL of the games I've played with him

Get off it, I'm pretty objective when it comes to this matchup, and I'll readily admit ESPN does some things better than Madden. It's evident that the game is a buggy mess and I'd rather not deal with that when there are other products on the market.

Also note that, unlike you, I get all of my ESPN tourney/league games in right away. Don't cry to me because I prefer one game over another when it's clear that I like them both quite a bit.
Click to expand...


This post gets the TJ Slaughter Seal of Approval.

Slaughter_TJ.jpg
 
I've rtn'd numerous punts and kickoffs for td's. I play with sliders between all-pro and legend. I guess some people have the Buc's curse. They've never had a kickoff return for a touchdown in a regular season game.
 
Dave Long said:
ROFL! Twice in one night the avatar/names have me on the floor...

Cloudy
No matter what name I use, I still own myself daily
(Today, 09:58 PM)
Reply | Quote
Click to expand...


Thank you, I am quite proud of that one...


The Spidey Sense DBs in Madden is pretty bad, but they toned it down a whoooole lot from NCAAs DBs. I can throw for 300 yards in Madden because touch and bullet passes work as compared to the college game.....

Running game needs some serious help....
 
I think they are both pretty bad, but in opposite ways. :/ Hopefully one of the devlelopers can create a middle ground for DB AI in next years games.
 
Deepthroat said:
Yay! EA lose again! I'd like to see a FIFA vs Winning Eleven head to head.
Click to expand...

Here you go:

Animation: WE8
Control: WE8
AI: WE8
Fun: WE8
Shitty licenced music: FIFA
Overall: WE8
 
Having played both for quite a while, I think both have their place. Offline, Madden is the champ. Running with the football feels more realistic in Madden and that's a big percentage of the gameplay in any football game. The other big percentage of time spent playing football games is on defense, and Madden takes this hands down. It also wins in special teams, and I could care less about extra features like a crib a month after I have the game. Football games are played for months and months and ultimately, you end up playing it almost exclusively head-to-head against buddies. This is why the gameplay is so important in sports games and the bells and whistles don't mean as much. It's also why NFL players choose Madden. Also, In Madden, if you're good enough, you can bust through the charting that goes on behind the scenes.

ESPN can seem entirely stat-griven. Uh-oh, Peyton has a crappy completion percentage. Suddenly, balls begin teleporting through defenders into the hands of Colts receivers. At least they somewhat fixed how receivers would flat-out drop easy passes simply because the numbers said they should. It does have a lot of shiny objects and the core gameplay is still fairly solid, but some players are far too dominant and it has a problem with one of the most simple parts of video game football, marking the ball.

Online, I would rather play Madden, but its online functionality on Xbox Live is abysmal. I haven't played the PlayStation 2 version yet, but I hope to god that it allows you to go for it on fourth down whenever you please. This is infuriating in Madden on Xbox Live. When you have the fall fourth and inches on the opposing team's 40-yard line, you should be able to go for it. But then, with ESPN, you're still stuck with the funky gameplay but the functionality is tops. Honestly, I haven't really enjoyed playing either online considering just about every game I win the guy unplugs his ethernet cable and 70 percent of the people playing are casuals who don't have headsets. I think I'd just rather play the computer.
 
They need to make offenses more adaptive. Madden has always felt like playing football in the past. More suited for grind it out, slow offenses. Visual Concepts captured the faster and more open feel of the modern NFL, but there are still some grind it out teams in the actual NFL. It'd be nice if you could play either way in just one game.
 
Cerebral Palsy said:
Realism, like no penalties what so ever. No pi calls when your WRs get jacked, no face masks, clippings, no offsides, or anything. I have played over 14 games online and not one real penalty. Also, not being able to go for it on 4th down unless the game says you can is also ultra real. Realistic animations too. I love it when a RB gets stuck behind blockers and runs in place for 5 seconds before bouncing off a couple of people like a pinball and breaking a 5+ yard run.
Click to expand...

I've never had a problem going for it on fourth down.
 
Both games are flawed people. You have to choose the lesser of 2 evils:

With ESPN you get some really stupid AI at times, DBs making you go "WTF" all too often, touted features that dont work (QB Spy), & superhuman, running back inspired QBs

With Madden you get a pinball running game, suction blocking (still), broken pass interference on both sides of the ball, and superhuman, mutant reflex/leaping DBs

Gamespot chose their version of the devil.
 
Deepthroat said:
Yay! EA lose again! I'd like to see a FIFA vs Winning Eleven head to head.
Click to expand...

You wished for it and here it is...

Offense: WE wins
Defence: WE wins
Special Teams: WE wins
AI: WE win
Franchise: FIFA wins(ok, I'm guessing here, I've never played FIFA franchise or whatever it has)
Online: FIFA wins
Other Features: WE wins
Presentation: FIFA wins
Graphics: WE wins(Its all about animation)
Sound: FIFA wins
Gameplay: WE wins
Overall: WE is the better game
 
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