- 2K3: Jerky movements due to lack of physics
2K4: Weight has been added to the physics for 2K4. The animation was always so real, and on top of it being even better this year, the herky-jerky movements are gone. The noticeable weight and momentum of the players has fixed a number of niggling problem that were more than just aesthetic.

- 2K3: Defenders FLY off blockers to make tackles
2K4: Goodbye Superman tackles. Visual Concepts has found what feels like the perfect blend between being able to make a human controlled tackle and flying 5+ yards on every dive attempted. Defenders can’t shoot straight sideways off a blocker to make a tackle anymore, nor will they cover five yards of turf on their way. You can attribute some of the success on the new felt weight of the players as stated above. What they have done, is allow a small amount of tracking when you take a stab at the ball carrier. If he’s on your left side and you dive towards the bottom of the screen, you’ll be grabbing air, but if you can get yourself traveling in the general direction of the player, you’ll at least make some contact.

- 2K3: Too much emphasis on breaking tackles and Players “quick” movements close running holes
2K4: Gone is what I was calling the pinball effect. Last year players got bounced around at the line of scrimmage and could literally stumble for huge gains. The ricocheting that occurred bouncing from defender to defender made it feel like control was taken out of the gamer’s hands. Again, back to the issue of weight and momentum, tackles hit hard and bring runners down. Holes stay open more realistically because the ultra fast tackles off blockers has been fixed. I also love that the ball carrier will lower his head into a pile and push the lineman instead of spinning his wheels in place.

- 2K3: Too little time to check down receiver list and Dropped passes
2K4: Pocket passing is some of the best I’ve ever seen. On passing plays, the QB will automatically (if no directions are pressed) drop back the appropriate number of steps (3-step drop, 5-step drop, etc.) while your O-line works their heart out to keep you safe at that distance. This makes it much easier to concentrate on the secondary’s coverage of the play. Oh the dropped passes. How many times could you hit a receiver in stride in 2K3 and have him flat out drop the ball. No star player was safe. Not only has this number dramatically decreased but for good reason as well. I’m shocked at well each and every play on the ball is modeled on the field. I remember watching slo-mo replays of balls magically jumping into players hands and balls that looked locks in a grip fall to the ground. This year, the realism level is so high that I challenged a play that looked like an incomplete pass but was called a fumble, and I could honestly see the defender hand poke the ball out of my receiver’s hand before he had two feel down.

- 2K3: Can‘t see man assignments
2K4: Yep, my only complaint with the defensive backs was that you couldn’t see man assignments on the Coach’s view of the play. Ok, that’s fixed. Next.

- 2K3: Defenders fly 5 yards or more in diving tackles
2K4: Well, I was talking about the Superman tackles affecting line play, and that fix has already been covered. I do want to note that the line play is still excellent, and getting to the quarterback is very satisfying.

- 2K3: Sound/Commentating??
2K4: Wouldn’t change it. They didn’t change it. It’s awesome, and now we have the voice of Chris Berman doing pre-game and NFL Primetime spots. It freaked my wife out the other night when she heard Berman announce the highlights and score of the Dolphin’s victory even though we knew they had lost that day (I finished my game right as the real Primetime was coming on). You can also play your own soundtracks on the menu screens and in your Crib, and I’ve even found songs from the Jet Set Radio Future soundtrack unlocked after a few games.

So, that’s pretty much it for the gameplay. The franchise mode is pretty much the same, but two big things were added to 2K4, Crib Mode and First Person Football. Crib mode is Sega’s answer to Madden Cards, and a nice little addition it is. Trophies, music, furniture, décor, team memorabilia, etc. can all be unlocked through completing certain aspects of the game. Once you receive the items, you get a chance to play decorator and actually set up your crib.

First Person Football is the monster addition though. With everything in the gameplay that was updated for 2K4, I don’t know how they found the time to add this big of an addition. First Person Football is a game unto itself, and you get it for free. It could be the worst thing to ever hit a console and you are not allowed to complain because the real game is a complete marvel. What’s amazing is, even though I wrote this mode off as a gimmick, this giant extra is actually worth investing some time in. Certain things are broken due to the constraints of a first person view, but on the whole it’s actually playable and a nice change of pace. True to life, you can’t see very well over your offensive line, and this makes it very difficult to find your open receiver. This is further hampered by no peripheral vision. The game is kind enough to let you scan left and right with the right analog stick, but since that’s the thumb you use to choose a receiver, you can’t do both at once. The running game and the defense is really where it’s at. The first time I lined up at the defensive end position, shoved the lineman out of the way, and sacked the quarterback, it was such a rush. You can see it, hear it, and almost feel it like you were right there in the play. It captures the essence of a real gridiron game like no other.

I don’t want to finish without mentioning excellent Live play online (something EA can’t be bothered with). It’s obvious voice chat was meant for football games. I can’t stress enough how impressed I am, not just with the overall product, but with the lengths at which Sega and Visual Concepts took to ensure that the publicly criticized flaws in last year’s game were cleared up. I feel loved.