ESPN NFL 2K5 (2004)

Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: Sega, Global Star Software
Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation 2
Genres: Simulator, Sport
Rating: 4.6 of 5, 25 player ratings
Where to get it: Website

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Playing feels like sitting inside a live ESPN broadcast, with slick presentation and weighty, deliberate football strategy that rewards careful play-calling over arcade thrills.

realisticpolishedimmersivebroadcast-stylecompetitivestrategicauthenticsimulation-focused

About

ESPN NFL 2K5 is an American football video game developed by Visual Concepts for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles. Published by Sega Sports and the Sega Corporation, it is the sixth installment of the NFL 2K series and the last to use official NFL licensing until an unnamed sequel is released in 2021. Gameplay is presented as a live ESPN television broadcast and features the voices and digital likenesses of multiple ESPN on-air personalities. The game was originally released on July 20, 2004. It was the last NFL 2K game to be released before Electronic Arts (EA) signed an exclusive rights agreement with the National Football League (NFL) to make 2K's rival Madden NFL series the only officially licensed NFL game and was also the last game still being developed by Sega.

What players say

Widely regarded as one of the greatest football games ever made, praised for fluid realistic play, deep strategy, slick presentation, and an aggressive budget price that cemented its legendary reputation.

Screenshots

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.