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16 September 2007
Let me start this off by saying All Pro Football is a difficult game to review.
I personally feel that no football video game has had as much pre-release anticipation as APF2K8. However, I think its also fair to say that no football game has also had as many pre-release questions surrounding it. Would 2K deliver the goods? Can retired players carry a non-licensed game like this? Would the game be everything we expect from 2K football? Would it play a solid game of football?
To me, after almost two months with the game, the answers to those four questions are “sorta, maybe, no, yes.”
Yeah, I know- that is anything but definitive.
But let me start off by saying that on what I personally believe is the most important part of the game- the actual football between the end-zones- 2K delivers a very realistic, very deep, fun-to-play, strategic experience. The football engine is lifted almost entirely from NFL 2K5 – which is a very good thing. Its been a bit tweaked and improved, but for the most part, it wasn’t broke, so there was little need to fix much. For me, I think playing APF2K8 against a human gives you a better gauge of actual football knowledge and strategy between two players than any other football video game out there does. On that portion alone, I’d recommend any football fan to pick up this game.
But for the most part, the question becomes, “Is sound, realistic football enough to carry a non-licensed football game?”
The football itself is incredible. The game gets the tackling, blocking, strategy, and mechanics right- probably better than any other football game. Unlike other games, QB footwork is important. You cannot effectively sprint backwards like a fool and chuck the ball downfield with anything resembling accuracy. As a matter of fact, you better not be moving much at all if you are throwing. The running-throw animation is a long animation for most QB's, and a huge deterrent that often leads to a sack. Also, QB arm strengths are more realistically modeled than most games. Take a silver legend guy like Ken Stabler, who doesn't have a huge arm and try to throw 45 yards downfield. His wind-up is an exhaggerated, slow mechanic where he rears back to get more strength to chuck the ball downfield. (Its usually innacurate, and the long animation can also be sack-bait..) However, for a big arm guy like Dan Marino or John Elway, a quick flick of his strong right arm sends the ball screaming 35 yards downfield with relative ease.
The feel of passing the ball in APF2K8 is the best of any football game in my opinion. The release speeds are quick and realistic, and you have good control over where you want to put the ball (if you set your feet with a decent legend QB when you throw.)
Running the ball is fun, and the blocking is good. Sometimes too good to the outside, in my opinion. Certain sweeps have blocking that sets up a bit too well, letting faster speed backs get LARGE sweep yardage to the outside. Some of the legend RBs are beasts too, particularly Earl Campbell. He's simply deadly. And then there's OJ, Billy Sims, and Gayle Sayers on sweeps... wow. I realize the quality of those guys' football talent is pretty extreme, but the blocking of even non-legend o-lines can be very devastating to the outside, so mix that factor with backs like these, and if you are on defense, you had better play the game of your life and put a legend safety like Jack Tatum in the box to help stop those guys.
Defense is a bit of a mixed bag. Its "good", but it needs some tweeks for next year. (And according to a Gamespot report, there WILL be a next year for this product). The sometimes poor coverage of out-patters can lead to headaches. Out patterns are a little too high percentage for my taste in this game. Also, the player momentum physics on the defensive side of the ball is a bit rough to deal with at times, by you adjust. I'd liked to see that tightened up a bit in the future. However, I'm splitting hairs here. Overall, defense is good- and fun to play in this game (especially if you load up with legends on that side of the ball.).
The kicking game will probably be a bit of an adventure at first in this game, but you adjust. The control method for kicking is somewhat different by comparison to most games, but once you learn it, you'll probably be okay. On a very positive note, crazy stuff happens..such as botched holds, high snaps, etc..and the new kicking method forces you to adjust to the placement of the ball by the holder, and time your kick accordingly. Very nice. Very real. Well done.
In terms of graphics, its also hard to give a definitive answer. If you are using an HD TV with 1080i or better, you are in for a graphical feast. With those settings, I’d put 2K’s looks up against EA’s football games –which also look stellar this year- and have a difficult time declaring an overall graphical winner. The 2K players- and their uniforms- look extremely detailed and move well, some of the presentation is extremely well done, and the sometimes-off-the-wall APF2K8 stadiums look dazzling. The player models could use some work. They are "good" but still retain a bit of that "stretched-out" look that 2K's players have had in the past. Still- they are good, and on a good HD TV, they look fantastic.
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