NFL 2K1

Product Description ------------------- If there's one game that deserves equal time as the highly anticipated Madden NFL 2001 for the PlayStation2, it's Sega's NFL 2K1. Game developer Visual Concepts tweaked the artificial intelligence and improved the gameplay of the inaugural edition while preserving the incredibly detailed graphics of the series. We recently put a preview copy of the game through its paces and immediately saw some major improvements over NFL 2K. Many of the bugs that hampered the earlier installment, such as the second-player difficulty in calling a time out, have been fixed. Also, we found no lag problems in a half dozen tests of the game's Internet mode. Sega is cling that gamers who play NFL 2K1 on SegaNet (its online gaming service) will have no latency problem. NFL 2K1's running attack has been tweaked, and a juke option has been added. Beyond that, backs have been given real-world balance as they make their way through the line of scrimmage. For instance, they shift their weight and put their shoulders down to gain yardage and deliver a blow instead of waiting to be tackled. The quarterback animations have been redone, too, providing smoother movements when they tuck the ball in and fake a run or unleash a bomb to a streaking receiver. Gamers will find the same easy-to-navigate play-calling menus with some new plays on offense and defense. A new franchise mode allows you to play general manager and draft, trade, and release players to free up money under the salary cap. In terms of who will win the Lombardi Trophy for sports game of the year, it looks like Sega's NFL 2K1 will be a good bet in the office pool. --Todd Mowatt .com Preview ------------ If there's one game that deserves equal time as the highly anticipated Madden NFL 2001 for the PlayStation2, it's Sega's NFL 2K1. Game developer Visual Concepts tweaked the artificial intelligence and improved the gameplay of the inaugural edition while preserving the incredibly detailed graphics of the series. We recently put a preview copy of the game through its paces and immediately saw some major improvements over NFL 2K. Many of the bugs that hampered the earlier installment, such as the second-player difficulty in calling a time out, have been fixed. Also, we found no lag problems in a half dozen tests of the game's Internet mode. Sega is cling that gamers who play NFL 2K1 on SegaNet (its online gaming service) will have no latency problem. NFL 2K1's running attack has been tweaked, and a juke option has been added. Beyond that, backs have been given real-world balance as they make their way through the line of scrimmage. For instance, they shift their weight and put their shoulders down to gain yardage and deliver a blow instead of waiting to be tackled. The quarterback animations have been redone, too, providing smoother movements when they tuck the ball in and fake a run or unleash a bomb to a streaking receiver. Gamers will find the same easy-to-navigate play-calling menus with some new plays on offense and defense. A new franchise mode allows you to play general manager and draft, trade, and release players to free up money under the salary cap. In terms of who will win the Lombardi Trophy for sports game of the year, it looks like Sega's NFL 2K1 will be a good bet in the office pool. --Todd Mowatt

undefined