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ESPN NFL Football
Universal acclaim
Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 43 votes
Read user comments
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Game Info
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Visual Concepts
Genre(s): Sports, Football
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: September 2, 2003
Summary
ESPN NFL Football brings the complete NFL experience. Whether it's by making an opponent lose his shorts from a stop-and-go juke, by scraping your toes down as you make an acrobatic first-down catch along the sideline, or by piling on top of a swarming gang tackle on fourth and short -- you will truly feel everything that makes the National Football League so intense. Don't look. Don't listen. Feel.
Also On Metacritic
GAMES: ESPN NFL 2K5 NFL 2K2 NFL 2K3
Cheat Codes & Hints: 1UP Strategy Guide Cheat Code Central Game Revolution IGN Insider Guide
Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview IGN Preview Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Gaming Age
First Person Football is the monster addition though. With everything in the gameplay that was updated for 2K4, I don’t know how they found the time to add this big of an addition. First Person Football is a game unto itself, and you get it for free.
Read Full Review >GamePro
A masterful effort. It literally redefines itself within the span of one videogame football season and is a worthy preseason Pro Bowl pick.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
If you're looking for a solid football game that pulls you right in the action, ESPN Football will do exactly that. If you're looking for a football game that offers plenty of options and online features, you will find that as well. ESPN Football is one of the best sports games to come around in a long time!
XGP Gaming
It's clear after playing Sega's latest, that all others will bow down when ESPN comes to your town.
Read Full Review >TeamXbox
Just what the fans of the 2K series have been waiting for; an updated version with more polished controls, better computer AI and the best presentation possible...This game has the perfect blend of arcade and simulation football that should make it fun for every type of sports gamer.
Read Full Review >Operation Sports
The bread and butter of this game is it's gameplay and presentation. The graphics are bar-none the best out there. If you are looking for football at it's best, look no further than ESPN NFL Football.
Read Full Review >Gamezilla!
The graphics and level of realism are just unbelievable. Although there isn't a world of difference between the Xbox and PS2 version, the graphics are a bit better on the box game and it does support progressive scan.
Read Full Review >IGN
This is the tightest offering of the series to date, with improved AI--especially in the passing game-- and loads of features.
Read Full Review >GameSpot
While "Madden" is the most realistic-playing football game on the market, ESPN NFL Football is simply the most exciting football game on the planet.
Read Full Review >Official Xbox Magazine
No game, no TV broadcast... flat-out nothing I've ever seen has come close to re-creating the intensity of a real NFL experience like ESPN Football's First Person Football mode. [Oct 2003, p.73]
Game Informer
Madden still has the best pasing game and deepest franchise options; yet ESPN's running game is unmatched, and TV-style sequences which range from weekly wrap-ups with Chris Berman to payers leaping into the stands after a touchdown are far and away superior to anything in EA's camp. [Sept 2003, p.117]
GameZone
Aside from the occasional player gliding across the ground, the graphics are phenomenal and superior to "Madden 2004."
Read Full Review >Xbox World Australia
ESPN however has a certain appeal that comes from its brilliant presentation and easy to grasp controls, the addition of the crib makes this one of the best sports games available for the Xbox.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
Visually, ESPN NFL Football is top notch, especially the tackle and running animations. No other football game comes close in this area. Coupled with tight controls and great online play, ESPN NFL Football is a fine success. [Sept 2003, p.86]
Yahoo! Games
The competition may have a few small details and features over Sega, but no one can touch this gameplay. With subtle but effective tweaks made to all areas of the offensive and defensive games, ESPN NFL is certainly the toughest and most satisfying simulation currently available.
Read Full Review >Armchair Empire
"Madden 2004" may include more realistic gameplay and statistics, but ESPN is a much more satisfying experience when breaking down the purpose of games in the first place. To be fun.
Read Full Review >GamingTrend
ESPN NFL Football has the better graphics and commentary while "Madden 2004" has better controls, gameplay and arguably more replay value if you're into franchise play.
Read Full Review >Sports Gaming Network
ESPN's fatigue problems and lazy secondary play detract from the game, but the first person view, running game, and overall presentation show ESPN is a strong contender.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
It is the near-seamless integration of the ESPN look and feel that sets this game apart.
Read Full Review >Game Revolution
If ESPN wants to compete with an EA Franchise that has made some serious leaps and bounds this year, they’re going to have to buckle down in the off-season, tighten up their offense and maybe learn some new plays on defense.
Read Full Review >G4 TV
ESPN is incorporated seamlessly into the game, and it mostly works well, with solid pre-game coverage, a clean interface, and some slick graphic overlays in between gameplay.
Read Full Review >Xbox Nation Magazine
If there was no "Madden," ESPN NFL Football would easily be the best football game this year. [Oct/Nov 2003, p.96]
Cincinnati Enquirer
Year after year, ESPN NFL Football (formerly NFL2K4) inches closer to becoming the "must have" football game. Almost.
Read Full Review >GMR Magazine
On the field, Sega falls short of the more immediate action, tighter controls, and more powerful on-field flexibility of "Madden 2004." [Sept 2003, p.73]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 43 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Job A. gave it a10:
Unbelievable football game.It just gets better and better every year since nkl 2k on the Dreamcast.Madden is very generic and it has a few good things going for it but nothing compared to this title.For instance something small,the comentators for 2K aren't even real commentators but there commentary blow EA's Madden out of the water by a mile and Madden and Michael's have been in football forever.The gameplay,the excitement,the rewards,ect...ect... A true masterpiece of sport gaming!
dlo gave it an8:
its got some cool stuff but no way you can say its better than madden because that is the most realistic football game out there.
Fred C. gave it a 10:
This is by far the best football game ever made, period...blows Madden away by far. In Madden you touch shoulders when running from a guy and you all of a sudden fall over like you've been tackled...Madden is so over-rated its pathetic. This is the most realistic tacking and football period I've ever played. This is just plain great. ESPN football is the newest and best football around. Trust me, I know madden fans that own ever games since madden started and they said that they have switched, that they like ESPN much better....I can only agree because ESPN is WAY WAY better then madden...madden is glitchy, tackling is so unrealistic and I could keep putting it down all day. ESPN blows madden away, I dont even see how madden got on the list here on metacritic. I know why, because the name is madden....well move over madden, ESPN just stepped on you.
Skip C. gave it a 10:
More addicting than drugs, owns Madden without a doubt, most realistic game ever. I never want to leave my house because I don't want to stop playing it. If Jesus himself were a video game he'd be ESPN NFL Football.
Beach durden gave it a 10:
Best football game, better commentary, not as choppy and spliced as madden, doesnt have as much side game features but has more in game features to add too realism, better graphics, easy controls, the training and tutorials are not as good as madden 2004's,also adds the first person mode football which is a nice feature, but needs some tweaking, the only thing this game needs is maddens play maker feature, still it comes out on top.
Violent Love gave it a 10:
FPF has stolen so much of my life away...I played through four seasons the first week I had the game! It's just ridiculously fun...nothing I've ever played compares with it. As far as other features go, you get really in to the Crib. I thought it sounded dumb, but then I kept playing until I had everything. And everyone gushes over Madden's Coach mode -- do people actually play the coach mode? ESPN's might suck, I don't know, what matters (to me) is playing football. I played a demo of Madden and it was alright. Like I said, NOTHING compares to FPF...so if your fascinated by the price of hot dogs in your stadium, go for Madden, but if what you care about is dangerously addictive football action, you must get ESPN.
Hal W. gave it a 9:
Awesome Game, Lots of replay value. Almost like watching it on the tube.
