Many sports
games have dedicated specific modes of play to the assemblage of legendary
athletes. All-Pro Football 2K8, the long-awaited spiritual revival to 2K Sports’
legendary football series, dedicates an entire game to that concept. The reason
is simple: EA currently holds an exclusive license that allows them to be the
sole developer of NFL-related video games. Not one to let a license get in the
way of good gaming, 2K Sports decided to create a franchise with the stars of
NFL’s past who are not restricted to EA development.
All
Pro
Joe Montana,
John Elway, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, and Mike Ditka are a few of the
celebrated offensive champions, while Ronnie Lott, Reggie White, Dick “Night
Train” Lane, and William “The Fridge” Perry are some of the leading defensemen.
But these touted stars don’t even scratch the surface of All-Pro’s full lineup.
The tagline is clear: “Over 240 legends. Full customization. This is football
resurrected.”
Dream Team
Without any
licensed teams on board, All-Pro Football 2K8 puts an interesting spin on team
creation and team selection. For starters, there are no teams to play with until
you jump into the game. Every mode – the main options being season, quick game,
and online – is based on the creation of the team you deem most effective. At
least one team must be created before the game begins.
Players are
separated by quality among three categories. Choose two Gold Star, three Silver
Star, and six Bronze Star players. Any position may be applied to these slots
with the expected limitations. You can only pick two quarterbacks, but they may
both come from the Gold Star tier, if that’s the way you’d like to construct a
team. The remaining players are generated randomly but with some direction. Each
position offers a couple different styles to choose from, plus a middle
selection that is a balance of the two.
QBs can be a
Scrambler and have weaker pocket passing, or have a “gift for standing in the
pocket” but lack the ability to run at top speed. Running Backs choose Power or
Finesse. Safeties, cornerbacks, linebackers, defense lineman and offense lineman
may receive coverage or run support. Receivers have the access to an ability
that sounds like a character from Metal Gear Solid, Deep Throat (new star
receivers go deep). Or they can choose the power of Possession and be pure
catchers.
"Yeah, I’ll have a number five and a large Coke, please."
Dozens of
player attributes are used to differentiate between the players. Some of the
highlights are Rocket Arm, which gives your QB top arm strength; 4th Quarter
Comeback, where your QB is best when trailing in the fourth quarter; and Speed
Burner, which provides the top speed for that player’s position.
Team logos,
stadiums, and uniform designs are comprised of pre-made, fictitious elements
(alphabets, generic animal and weather shapes, etc.) that don’t seem too cool at
first. But I tried not to think about that because the same could be said for
the logos and colors of real teams. There’s a loser or two in every sport. Once
a team starts to win, however, its name and logo are suddenly synonymous with
coolness. If my team is kicking butt, do you really think anyone’s going to care
that a lame twister is on my helmet?
The controls
are smooth, though not too unexpected. No question, All-Pro’s greatest strength
is its catching system, which is more thoroughly exhausted through player
participation. A well-aimed pass could make it into the hands of your teammate
all on its own. The AI is geared to direct your players in the ball’s direction.
But if you take control of the player before the ball arrives, a simple tap of
the R1 button (and a quick position adjustment, if necessary) will increase your
chances of a successful catch.
Realistic!
Not Realistic
All-Pro’s
graphics are like a new penny that’s dirty on one side – it shines from one
angle but is tarnished from another. The player faces aren’t that great, but the
body and uniform components (jersey, helmet, etc.) are incredible. When you zoom
in during a replay, the fabric, skin texture and helmet elements (reflections,
scratches and scuff marks) come to life in a way that’s sure to make Madden’s
graphic designers take notice.
Ball collision
is good but not perfect. When the ball makes contact for a catch, the animation
proves the action was legitimate. The player reaches and grabs the ball in a
believable manner. However, if the catch is missed, you may or may not receive a
reliable visual. I’m no pro athlete, so my passes aren’t always perfect. But
when my receiver fails to make the catch, I’d like to see more than a jerky
animation where the ball approaches – but does not touch – the player’s hands.
It spins, shakes, and falls to the ground.
As far as being
a next-gen game, All-Pro Football 2K8 misses the mark. It also loses points for
technical issues, and for being a game that isn’t too far ahead of the last NFL
2K. However, it earns points for being a fun, pick-up-and-play football game
that, if arcades still existed, would belong in a public gaming venue. The
replay value is above average when taking multiplayer into consideration, so
this is definitely a game you’ll come back to. But it’s not NFL 2K reborn.
Remember that before diving in.
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Gameplay: 7.5
All-Pro Football
2K8’s blend of classic athletes, player attributes, and a reliable catching
system earn accolades for this NFL 2K follow-up. Unfortunately, its lack of
groundbreaking content and so-so presentation keep it from being the football
equivalent to NBA 2K7.
Graphics:
7.9
Gorgeous and not.
All-Pro 2K8 is accurately animated and features some of the best textures around
(when zoomed in very, very close). But from afar, the player faces are the only
thing that stand out, and they are downright ugly.
Sound: 7.8
The commentary is
good and avoids being repetitive most of the time. However, the soundtrack is a
disaster for ruining good songs with lousy remixes.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Unless you’re new to
gaming, All-Pro 2K8’s standard gameplay mechanics will be easy to learn.
Concept: 7.7
Rounding out the
game’s original content are the classic athletes, which have been reborn in
virtual form (not an original concept to our industry, but is new to football)
and player attributes in place of statistics.
Multiplayer: 7.8
The single-player
thrills only last so long. Once those have faded, All-Pro 2K8 stays desirable
with its competitive gameplay and create-a-team feature, which will have you and
a friend battling with a cluster of players from different teams and different
eras.
Overall: 7.5
All-Pro 2K8 isn’t
all perfection but is a decent alternative for gamers seeking something other
than Madden.
