Underplayed Gems

ESPN NFL Football 2K4 (2003)

ESPN NFL Football 2K4 cover
Platforms
Xbox
Genres
Sport
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

Gridiron action paired with broadcast-style presentation gives this football sim a lively, authentic sports-game feel.

competitivefast-pacedsports-authenticenergeticbroadcast-style

About

ESPN NFL Football was released in September 2003 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is the only game in the series not featuring 2K in the title; 2K4 was instead regulated to the bottom corner of the box art. The game would expand upon the series' ESPN license, with players receiving reports and highlights from ESPN's Chris Berman and Suzy Kolber. New features were added such as first-person football and "The Crib', which serves as the players own digital apartment and trophy room.

More games like this

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.