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Ever since they go an exclusive hold on the NFL licence, EA has seemingly been dragging their feet and doing the bare minimum with the Madden franchise. Features come and go, bugs plague the games at launch, with some never getting resolved, and the games resemble yearly paid roster updates more than actual yearly installments. While Madden has gotten a bad look over the years, one franchise that has remained beloved is the ESPN 2K series, despite over a decade of inactivity due to the aforementioned exclusivity deal with the NFL. Some fans just pop in 2K5 and swear by it over the yearly Madden product. While that may seem exaggerated, the games are insanely fun and still hold up. These are 10 things the 2K series did better than Madden.
10 Contracts
Setting up smart contracts are an important part of building your franchise to last and surrounding your ream with quality players. So why is such an important feature still inferior in 2020 when compared to a game that released in 2004?
2K5 allowed players to get creative with contracts and work around the cap. Different bonus percentages could be selected and contracts could be structured a handful of different ways, be it front-loaded, back-loaded or whatever else. Compared to how barebones contracts are in Madden, this is a no-brainer.
9 Trades
It took years for Madden to allow players to trade future draft picks. These small details are imperative in making the experience seem more like the real product, and 2K5 had it in 2004.
It’s not like Madden was quick to add this feature in following their exclusivity deal either. It took years for it to finally make it in the game. While fans were happy to have it, one has to wonder why it took so long.
8 Weather
Weather plays an important role in the game of football. It can effect outcomes and change how you play. While modern Madden titles make use of dynamic weather, there’s one thing about weather in modern titles that’s off.
You wouldn’t turn on a playoff game in Green Bay and expect sunshine and clear skies, with not a hint of snow on the grass. 2K’s weather system might be dated, but it was at least more consistent in presentation. It’s a small detail that goes a long way when trying to really make everything seem authentic.
7 The Commentary
While Madden has gone through its fair share of line-ups, 2K5 absolutely outdid any modern sports title with the amount of commentary and attention to detail when it came to replicating media coverage in the NFL.
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2K5 featured the voices of Dan Stevens and Peter O’Keefe in the booth, with Suzy Kolber on the sidelines and Chris Berman in the studio. The draft also had an engaging sequence with Mel Kiper Jr. providing a recap.
6 Info Graphics
Having information about not only the game at hand, but other games going on around the NFL is imperative in creating an authentic experience for players. And 2K5 did it well.
The game let players catch up on the games around the NFL while also keeping tabs on the various players within the game at hand. It was both useful and representative of actual NFL broadcasts at the time.
5 Tackling Animations
While a lot of what made the 2K games so great were the smaller details, the actual gameplay itself is why so many fans g back to them. Tackling was certainly a standout on the defensive side of the ball.
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Though Madden has the hit stick, the 2K games just felt more authentic to the actual product. The tackling was fluid and despite some clunky and dated animations, was atop of its class in its time.
4 Pass Rush
Pass rush has changing substantially over the years in Madden, and while you have to credit them for trying to keep things fresh, 2K5 had it locked down.
Rushing the passer and defending the run was a more rewarding experience. Getting off the edge or moving past offensive linemen felt like an achievement once you pulled it off, and smashing into the quarterback was the best reward of all.
3 Attention To Detail
Though it may sound general, the attention to detail in 2K5 is still noticeable today. A lot of little things went into making the game the classic it’s still revered as, alongside some amazing gameplay during the games.
You can turn the game on and still have as much fun now as you would have had 10 years ago. A lot of that is thanks to all the small things the game gets right.
2 Catching Animations
Though lacking the flare and flash that Modern Madden has going for it, catching the ball in 2K5 was one of its best features. Yes, you’d get the occasional brick-handed receiver or tight end dropping a catchable ball, but blame the low catching ratings for that.
The catching animations were much more aggressive, more physical. Like a lot of the game it just seemed fluid, like it managed to flow better than the competition did.
1 Running The Ball
Running the ball in 2K5 is something that still holds up to this day. Be it bouncing the ball to the outside and employing a series of spins, jukes and leg-breakers or going up the middle and trucking through massive defenders, it was way ahead of its time.
The animations and fluidity of 2K5’s running game was never replicated, and while we have modern titles that are technically sounder, they’ll never be able to capture the straight forward fun of running the ball in the 2004 title.
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