NFL 2K4 Impressions

During our visit to the Sega Sports section of Sega's E3 2003 booth, we got to take a look at NFL 2K4, the fifth installment in Visual Concepts' critically acclaimed series of football games. From what we could see, NFL 2K4 will play much like its most recent predecessor, with a larger emphasis on use of the ESPN license, a number of new features, and loads of graphical upgrades.

All the features from NFL 2K3 will be returning this year, including the standard exhibition, season, tournament, and franchise modes. Little was said about upgrades to these features, but it was made known that this year's franchise mode will feature a multiplayer component, letting you and your friends design competing NFL franchises on the same saved game. The revered NFL 2K gameplay hasn't been changed much, but some interesting tweaks were evident. For instance, 2K4 will feature a new "charge" system that works as a power boost for your controlled player. This is similar to the normal turbo boost from previous games, but it affects all actions performed by your player.

NFL 2K4 also sports a new play-calling system that does away with the usual overlay routes and instead features fully integrated menus for selecting your plays. The playbooks have been updated, and though specific numbers weren't available, there will be a much higher overall number of plays. Another new feature making its series debut is something football fans have been demanding from Sega for quite some time--a challenge system. You will now be able to challenge referee calls by throwing down the infamous red flag and hoping things go your way.

Visually, NFL 2K4 is looking fantastic. The character models look roughly the same as last year, but the facial maps have been redone for a more realistic feel. The number of in-game animations has clearly been greatly increased on both sides of the ball, with hosts of unique catching, throwing, blocking, and tackling animations. Additionally, the in-game crowd graphics have been totally redone in 3D, with lots of little features like fans who will mug for the camera when they see themselves on the JumboTron and shirtless, die-hard fans for each team, complete with face paint and team logos painted on their chest. The ESPN-style presentation has also been integrated in a much more notable fashion this year, with more true-to-life overlays, stat menus, game introductions, and replays, making for a very realistic representation of an ESPN broadcast.

NFL 2K4 will also be online once again for both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The PlayStation 2 version is set to feature both voice chat via a peripheral headset and USB keyboard support--two features missing from last year's PS2 iteration. Not much else was revealed about the online component for both versions, but you can likely expect upgrades to existing features, such as downloadable rosters, online rankings, and stat tracking.

NFL 2K4 will be released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox this fall. Expect further coverage of this game in the coming weeks.