NFL 2K1 review (Dreamcast)

Visually, the game looks almost identical to the original NFL 2K. The game does, however, feature graphical additions such as real-time lighting reflections off the players' helmets, an animated crowd, and field deterioration. The game also has new motion-captured animations for tackling, running, catching, tripping, and just about everything else. In all, NFL 2K1 features somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 motion-captured animations. The game looks very smooth, and it doesn't appear to suffer from any of the slowdown that plagued the first game. The game does have some minor graphical problems - the details on the players pop up rather suddenly as the camera gets closer to them, and it isn't nearly as subtle as in the first game. Overall, the players look a little more polygonal and not quite as detailed as in the first game. The front-end menus look a little sharper this time around, as do the play-selection screens.

In the audio department, the game is incredible. The commentary is more insightful and situational than any other sports game before. The commentators make references to plays, players, and teams right on cue and in amazing detail. The players on the field yell back and forth to one another and actually taunt each other before the plays and sometimes even call each other by name. The sound effects and stadium announcements are, for the most part, identical to those of the first game.

In the end, NFL 2K1 is a deeper, more refined version of the original game. The vastly improved running game makes all the difference in the world, since now you can truly mount an offensive attack that consists of a true-to-life air-and-ground assault. The game plays faster, more precisely, and closer to the real thing than any football game has before. The addition of the online gameplay feature and franchise mode is more than enough reason for you to upgrade to NFL 2K1. If there's still any doubt in your mind that NFL 2K1 is anything less than revolutionary, squash it and get to your local video game retailer before it sells out. The game is just that good.