Dan’s Super Terrific Bloggy Awards
Here we go.
Best Game: Half-Life 2. It is awesome. Better than Halo 2. An absolute must buy, just an amazing game. The single player is a lot of fun just in itself. Buy this game now via Steam.
Next Best Game: Halo 2. Well, it definitely has it’s moments, but it’s short in single player — shorter than HL2. I enjoy HL2 more. Even online.
Best Sports Game: ESPN NFL 2K5 (Xbox) Again, it’s not even close. This game is easily the one I’ve had the most fun with online and offline in 2005.
Sports Game Honorable Mention: I think Sony/989’s MLB 2005 has a lot of potential. I loved putting myself in the game via the Eye Toy. The game itself was a lot of fun; in fact, I probably spent the most ‘game time’ on this baseball game. MVP had more depth, ESPN was good but tedious IMHO. MLB was a plain vanilla game — no editing, no downladable rosters, but I think Sony can fix this. I hope they do, because I’d buy next year’s if all they did was make the rosters editable, allowed more people on the roster, and had league play. Then the game would really rule. I especially enjoyed the player career mode — instead of a ‘franchise’ where you control a team, you control a player, get a contract and have to earn your keep. I was a pitcher with crappy skills and an old one at that. However, I hung on, I went 9-2 but didn’t have a lot of innings (usually I pulled myself after the 5th). But anyway as you can see by my prose, I did enjoy the game. Make it better and I’ll be happy.
Biggest Surprise of the Year: ESPN College Hoops 2K5. I’m not a huge basketball fan and even less of an NCAA Basketball fan, but when Bill and his cohorts kept telling me to get this game, I finally did. Whoa! What a game. I’ve been lucky not to run into legacy issues myself, but the on court gameplay is challenging but fun — you don’t feel that EA like catchup logic and can almost understand why you got beat. A lot of fun for $19.99.
Weirdest Game that was Also Cool: Katamari Damacy, PS2. Only in Japan would they say “hey, lets make a guy control a big sticky ball that can pick up stuff it rolls over, including crabs, erasers, batteries and whatever else it hits, and then let’s make a king take that sticky ball and throw it up into the sky as a constellation” as a premise for a game. But damn, what a game. And, you have never heard a cooler musical score. This is another cheap game that’s well worth it.
Game I would have given major props to had there not been an EA Boycott: Burnout 3 is a fantastic game. Unfortunately, it’s distributed by EA and therefore under my boycott.
Game that actually hasn’t been released yet but I’ve played and is a major disappointment even if there isn’t an EA Boycott: NFL Street 2. Same shit, different day. Still an NFL Blitz wannabe. I’d rather play the most recent (aka ’shitty’) incarnation of Blitz than this turd.
New Platform that people are buying for no apparent reason: Nintendo DS. Why?
Better Platform that people should be buying but aren’t: Tapwave Zodiac. PDA? Check. WiFi? Check. Bluetooth? Check. Bigger screen than GBA and bigger resolution? Check. Six buttons plus analog stick? Check. Licensed games that I bought before the boycott like Madden? Check. No support whatsoever? Check. Crappy licensed games like Madden? Check. Zero buyers? Check.
The Terrorists Have Won Award: Electronic Arts for their good for them, bad for America decision to get the exclusive NFL license. If we can continue to count on more shit from them like NFL Street 2, the NFL’s license in 2009 will be worth $10.23.
Best State for Voter Fraud: Ohio of course. Hey, let’s make a voting precinct that’s heavily democratic near a college have only 2 voting terminals and have 10,000 voters. That makes sense — but when they all go home because of the lines, then it’s not voter fraud.
Next Best State for Voter Fraud: New Hampshire. 2 Republicans and high up in the Bush chain, were charged with jamming get out the vote phone lines in 2002 during that election, effectively killing the Democratic rides to the polls lines. 1 has pled guilty. Good thing Republicans like to make sure every vote counts — becuause when that happens, they lose, like in Washington state.
Best Coffee Maker: The single cup Keurig coffee maker is the greatest invention ever!
Best New material Thing in Dan’s Life: HDTV, easily, with on demand cable a close second.
Game I had high hopes for but sucked: Like Bill, I have to go with NCAA Football 2005. What a massive letdown.
Game I wish would be released next year: Microsoft High Heat Baseball 2006.
Best redesign of a console: PlayStation 2. Anytime you can get people to buy a 5 year old console at the old price, you’re doing a good job.
Best online service: Xbox Live. (Duh)
Worst Online Concept: EA Sports Premium Pass. Hey, let’s pay for something we get for free with a game that costs $30 less! What a concept. Can’t wait to see what they’ll think of next year when they are the only game in town. Assholes.
So there you go.
December 23rd, 2004 at 2:55 pm
Here we go again with NFL Street (this time version 2.0). I agree that the game is more of the same, but the same was very good. Maybe you just suck at the game and for that reason you cant stand to say that its a good game. I understand your boycott, but you didnt seem interested in the first version, at which point the boycott was not in effect.
It certainly doesnt say much for your thoughts and impressions on a game if you are willing to reduce a score for reasons other than actual gameplay.
December 23rd, 2004 at 3:20 pm
Wow so anti EA. I’m entirely in agreement however. They really disappointed me with Madden, esp when I sat down and really took the time to learn something new with NFL2k5.
I’m hopeful that the NFL2k series will continue on in another form so when the exclusive license ends that they can pick up where they left off.
As well, I’m wondering if it’s possible for EA to sublicense the NFL/NFLPA to another company. What if they said you can use the license, but it’s x$ up front and $15/game sold. That way they could allow and profit off of competition (and force them to have a huge price) as well as selling a buttload of Maddens.
PointGiven
December 23rd, 2004 at 5:06 pm
I hated the first game. It was becuase of the horrid gameplay. The control was awful! The gameplay was even worse, especially online, and this game is more of an add on pack than a whole new game. You can now run up the walls. BFD.
If you liked the first, you’ll definitely like the second, since it’s the same freakin game. Sure mucle the guy with the ball is a cute mini game, but no way I’m paying $50 for it.
There don’t seem to be that many more plays you can call in this one than in the last one, either.
I expected more from NFL Street 2. What? I don’t have an answer. The GameBreaker 2 gives you (drumroll)…two gamebreakers! Wow! In NBA Street, it was actually a much cooler interface seeing the points being scored. You do see a three way pitch for the GB2 in NFL, but then you have to take control and it’s not guaranteed. But if you lose, don’t worry, you have a second gamebreaker. Basically, what’s the point? Why not just fill up the GameBreaker meter, use it and fill it up again? STUPID!
But, like you said, you’ll like it if you like the first. That’s not a slam — you will often see reviews that say “if you’re a fan of the series…blah blah blah” This new game will absolutely appeal to fans of the series. However if you thought the first one was underdeveloped, you’ll think the second one as far as gameplay goes, is also. The mini games and additional modes are fun — but the gameplay of the core is not.
December 24th, 2004 at 10:34 am
Yeah NFL Street 2 sounds like too much of the same thing. I just couldn’t get into doing tricks the same way I could in NBA Street. Gamebreakers don’t make up for the limited playbook.
And if you’re going to have an arcade game, support multiplayer online. Would be so much better playing option with a human teammate. Problem with EA is they just do the minimum when it comes to online.
ESPN NFL 2K5 just had too many little faults. The first week, it worked well online for the PS2. Then it got progressively worse. Even the online leagues couldn’t save it as league management options were limited (you couldn’t replace AWOL owners for instance).
December 24th, 2004 at 10:44 am
I don’t know about the PS2 version, but I do know on the Xbox version the commissioner can drop owners and replace them….(ESPN NFL 2K5)