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by Quietcool72
Senior Writer/Co-Founder
Consolesports.net 6/24/2007 One thing is for sure, its shaping up to be a great summer for football games. EA really seems to be focusing on many things about the NCAA and Madden series that hardcore gamers have cringed at for the past several years, and from what Bangpow saw at the EA Tiburon Studios earlier this month, I think there's some big-time cause for excitement this year.
However, as excited as I am for those games- I have to say that what I'm really anticipating the most is the release of 2K Sports' All Pro Football 2K8. That's not to say I don't expect the EA games to be good, and much improved, but I'm expecting All Pro Football 2K8 to be "different". And I mean "different" in a good way.
First, lets expose my bias right off the bat. I love classic players. To me, the NFL reached a plateau in the 70s, 80s, & early 90s that I'm still in awe of. That's not to say that the game is "bad" now. The NFL is fine today. But the brand of football that was played (and was allowed) by the NFL in its past was something very special, and there's been many special players from the NFL's past who's images and abilities will stick with us forever. And that's where the "chance" for this 2K football product is. Those of you who know me have read my criticism of 2K marketing.... or lack thereof. I stand by that 100%. Something is very wrong with how things are done over there, and its getting to the point where many people (myself included) are wondering how stable of a company 2K sports really is. However, if this game is done right, a chance exists for the game to succeed beyond its so-far-non-existent marketing.
It's happened before, and its happened in football video gaming. 16 years ago, a football product was released in the U.S. by a Japanese company that had no commercials, no hype, and virtually no marketing blitz.
Of course, I'm talking about the legendary Tecmo Super Bowl. The formula for TSB's success was to focus on the star players and their abilities, put out a fun, addictive game of football that had tons of features, and make it memorable. All Pro Football's reliance on the special players throughout NFL history to carry this title may sound "gimmicky" to some, but its focus might just be the ticket when it comes to breaking into the market with something both different and memorable. Sure, they are going against an 800 lb. gorilla with the tag-team combination of NCAA Football 08, and Madden NFL 08, but if they build a quality football product, I think people will buy. (Many people forget that Tecmo Super Bowl (NES) released at the same time as Madden '92 (Genesis)- yet which game today is more memorable to those who played both?)
Some of the design decisions that went into APF2K8 I would already call "brilliant". (And remember folks, I'm a big-time Madden player too... so don't confuse me with a 2K fanboy!). But I use the term "brilliant" because of the "make your team" philosophy in APF2K8. From the 240 plus legends, you pick 2 Gold level legends, 3 Silver level legends, and 6 Bronze level legends.
Looking over the names included in this game... Marino, Elway, Payton, Rice, Montana, Lambert, Lott, Barry Sanders, Greg Lloyd, Dick Butkus... heck, I'm gonna feel like a suddenly reformed anorexic at Old Country Buffet who's only allowed one plate! Think about it..pick 11 players from the 3 tiers... okay... Now, what positions? Who do you want to blow your 2 Golds on? What about your 3 Silvers? Do you really want Neil O'Donnell or Andre Ware as your bronze QB if you already blew your Golds and Silvers? Heck..how do you want to split those picks between offense and defense at various positions?
Secondly, what offensive philosophy? Defensive? What does your personnel dictate? The possibilities are endless. ...and, oh by the way... did you just notice that there's suddenly in-game team parity, particularly online? You won't have cases where "Oh, Jimmy used the Patriots and I only used the Browns." Nope. If you don't like what you have in APF2K8, its your own damn fault. (Ah..now Bangpow can't whine that I picked a better team than him when he inevitably gets smoked like a cheap cigar!) Okay- now to top it all off, you edit your own uniforms, and pick your own stadium... and throw in some online leagues for good measure (EA, are you listening? Let me play that back for you- Online Leagues.. we have the technology....its 2007.)
What's even better, according to recent previews (though they are too RARE at this stage..) you can create your own players/legends, and they can be assigned various levels of abilities that will make them standard, Bronze, Silver, or Gold depending on how you set them up. What does that mean? Well, I know I plan on doing some research into the stats, physical characteristics, and game-day traits of Legends who didn't make it to the game. For instance, a certain 6 foot 1, 227 lb thick-legged multi-sport athlete running back from Auburn with blazing acceleration, speed, and good power..who wears number 34... Or, a 6-2, 200 lb QB out of Alabama with a rocket arm, great read & recognition, zero mobility, but a super-fast release..who also happens to be a pretty-boy who was known to wear men’s fur coats.. ..Who also has a thing for wanting to kiss Suzy Kolber. The possibilities are endless.. the team combinations are endless. The other great thing about the idea behind this game is that the special players of the NFL's past will get some overdue notoriety by the kids out there who think that "Great" is defined by the likes of Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, and Clinton Portis. (Wait'll they get a load of Earl Campbell, Dick Butkus, and Barry Sanders..)
Frankly, there hasn't been a football product who's design philosophy was this different since Tecmo Super Bowl. (A game that was 5 to 10 years ahead of the competition on full season play, injuries, player streaks, differentiated players, and stat tracking). Plus... I think the folks at 2K are keenly aware of the Tecmo legacy and the notoriety that Tecmo's old game gave to some of the NFL's star players that year. Not surprisingly, I counted about 106 legends out of the 250 are players that were included in 1991's Tecmo Super Bowl.. a game that started out as kind-of an underground cult hit that grew in steady notoriety. Unfortunately, due to 2K's marketing "prowess" so-far, APF2K8 will probably need to rely on a "cult following" of fans out of the gate, as well as some much needed critical acclaim (if it's worthy of it) from IGN, Gamespot, etc. But stranger things have happened.
It won't beat Madden's sales, but I'm hoping it will be a great game, and open up the market to ideas that are bigger than the norm. It might also make us old codgers who miss the days of Barry Sanders, Joe Montana, Christian Okoye and "QB Eagles" really get into this game. And, if this game is done right..just wait 'till today's kids get behind the controls for Butkus and Lambert... Urlacher who??? ;) Between APF2K8, NCAA 08, and Madden 08...It's looking like this could be the best year in recent memory for football video gaming.
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