During my
fifth hour with NFL Street 2: Unleashed, it became clear that Sony’s PSP is
the greatest videogame invention ever made. It’s not anymore powerful than the
PS2, nor does it play revolutionary games that put the PS2 to shame. Currently
all it plays are variations of and sequels to our favorite PS2 games. This
means we can finally take that home console experience with us when we go on
family vacations, or to anywhere else that bores us to tears.
The
brilliant part of the console, the thing that makes it the greatest invention,
is that now I have another way to perfect my gaming skills before taking on my
friends.
Possible
scenario: I arrive at my friend’s house while he and other friends are playing
NFL Street 2. I normally would have to wait for them to pass me a controller,
but instead I pull out my PSP and begin playing against the computer. I take
this time to better prepare myself for the goals I am about to score, making
certain that my victory is as devastating as possible. When it’s my turn to
play, I shut the PSP off, stick it in my pocket, and beat the pigskin out of
my friends.
This is
something I’ve been wanting for years. It’s one more way for me to extend the
time that I get to play. And with the amount of time I spend away from home,
I’ve been using my PSP more than any other console.
True
NFL Street gameplay! On a small screen!
Part of the
reason for my addiction is NFL Street 2: Unleashed, a spectacular port of the
home console version. It has a few exclusive mini-games to help differentiate
itself from the other versions, along with a couple graphic glitches and
unusually long load times. Essentially it’s the same game, and although I hate
buying the same game twice for home consoles, I couldn’t be happier with
Unleashed. It’s the only version that I can play anytime, anywhere.
Unleashed is
faster, hits harder, and plays better than the original NFL Street. There
weren’t enough plays before, and while Unleashed isn’t fully satisfying in
that department, several new plays have been added. They’ve been manipulated
for the new gameplay direction, a direction that requires creativity on the
player’s behalf. I’ve played the GameCube version quite a bit and still had
trouble with the speed and intensity of the game. I had to work a lot harder
and become skilled in everything. Volume 1 was very much a game of evasions
and interception, but with Unleashed you can’t win solely by intercepting
passes. Ask my friend, he’ll attest to that. That’s why he likes the first
game better. In Unleashed, he can’t win by playing cheap.
NBA Street’s
unique GameBreaker move is now a tradition among all the Street games.
Unleashed could’ve left it the way it was and no one would have said anything.
That was the last thing I thought they’d improve (it didn’t even seem
necessary). They did it anyway. They evolved the GameBreaker, creating
GameBreaker 2. If the first one was rated PG-13, then the sequel would
definitely get an R rating. Once unleashed this new move will automatically
steal the ball from your opponent. Press the square button and watch as your
players cockily take back what’s rightfully theirs. If they already have the
ball, use it to score an easy touchdown.
The
GameBreaker 2 is a lifesaver.
To achieve a
GameBreaker 2, simply choose not to unleash the first one. The meter fills up
quick – gain a hundred thousand points and you’re there. Now you have the
option to use the original GameBreaker and gain a boost in speed, agility and
strength, or save it wait for a greater power to come. The choice can be a
risky one, but it’s not one that can be made ahead of time. Only in the moment
will you be able to decide what to do.
By far the
best addition to all the versions of NFL Street 2 is the wall moves. Throw
yourself at the wall and ricochet to score a touchdown. Jump up and run
alongside the wall (a la Prince of Persia) to avoid being tackled. Use the
wall to launch yourself higher into the air for an insane quick pass. They’re
seamless, easy to do, and incredibly fun to execute.
As far as
the controls go, Unleashed’s are 95% as good as the home versions. The analog
movement is just as good, but the PSP has button limitations (six instead of
eight), so the developers had less room to work with. This wasn’t much of a
problem though – I adapted almost instantly.
If anything
matters more than the controls, it’s the speed and flow of gameplay. You will
notice some graphical flaws for certain (floating balls; tackles where the
players don’t appear to be touching, etc.). But make no mistake: the gameplay
is just as fast as the PS2, GameCube and Xbox versions. This game flies,
removing all the bad memories of the crappy, two-dimensional sports games that
came before it (you know what I’m referring to). All the elements, all the
nuances, every little thing you can think of is here.
"Pssst!
You’re going the wrong way!"
"Who’s gay!?"
"No, you’re going the wrong way!"
"Sway? I prefer to juke."
"Ughhhhh!"
I love NFL
Street 2: Unleashed so much that I hate to go into the game’s many glitches,
but I know I must. Most are graphical, but there were some strange instances
that didn’t make much sense. One occurred when I re-started a game. If I
re-started right after my opponent scored a touchdown, I would (on occasion)
end up just a few feet from the goal. If I scored I’d get two points, acting
as though I already had a shot at a touchdown (I didn’t, but my opponent
scored one before I re-started the game). Afterwards the ball is returned to
my opponent, in which case they have the upper hand.
This is a
minor flaw, but it’s one of the many you’ll notice. The characters look good
from afar except for the jagged edges. Jagged edges seems to be a trait of PSP
games, at least for now. Hopefully that will change.
Another
trait is ugly faces. NBA proved that the PSP is fully capable of rendering
realistic-looking players. I thought long and hard about the best way to
describe exactly how the players look. Muddled is all I could come up with.
These are not the detailed character models we’re used to seeing in EA sports
games. I’m sure Madden will be beautiful and drop everyone’s jaw. Until
then…
As severe as
these complaints may be, none of them are hugely detrimental to the gameplay.
The gameplay is, for the most part, a perfect conversion from the home screen
to the tiny wide screen. I will play this game for the next eight months, no
doubt (it’s presumed that NFL Street 3 will be released in December 2005 or
January 2006, otherwise I’d still be playing this version). Unleashed will
likely be the game that helps me cope with my anticipation during the flight
to this year’s E3.
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Gameplay: 8.0
Pinch me, I must
be dreaming. NFL Street 2: Unleashed plays just like the PlayStation2 version!
How is this possible? Why am I so baffled when I’ve been playing great PSP
games for over two weeks now? I suspect the amazement will continue for quite
some time.
Graphics: 8.0
Good, but could
have been better. Unleashed has a lot of stuff going on, so your eyes will
never be bored, though they might be a little nauseated by the players’ faces.
The jagged edges also tend to stand out. By that some token, the stellar
animation, style moves and hard-hitting tackles really stand out, as do the
nicely rendered backgrounds.
Sound: 7.0
Again, it’s good,
but it could have been better. Too much rap is not a good thing, and not all
of the rock songs sound like rock. There are few good ones, but nothing
stellar. Nothing that will have you wasting battery life with the sound turned
up.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 7.5
A perfect port of
the home console versions … almost.
Multiplayer: 8.0
The multiplayer
mode is great (it’s the heart of every Street game), but it doesn’t appear to
support online play. Your friends will have to be within the vicinity if you
want to experience head-to-head competition.
Overall: 8.0
You should’ve
seen the smile on my face when the game first loaded. "This is it," I said to
myself. "The moment I’ve been waiting for has finally come." NFL Street 2:
Unleashed is nothing short of amazing. If you’ve played the PS2, GameCube or
Xbox version then you know exactly what I’m talking about. It might seem
strange to deem a game a "must-buy" when it receives a score lower than 9.0.
Normally I’d agree, but Unleashed doesn’t get its praise for perfection. It
gets its praise being the most addictive arcade-style sports game on the
planet.
