Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: Visual Concepts

ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 presents a solid gridiron game-play experience where strategy and realism return to virtual football. Look no further for a true and authentic football experience. The lack of franchise, and the limitation of only controlling user-created teams lessens the replay value, but the in-game on-field and online experiences are second to none. Head-to-head and online gamers will get hours of value out of the title while single player gamers will find it lacking. Purchase or rent, it’s at least worth 20-30 hours of game-play.

We’ve all been privy to the office, schoolyard, or bar “what if” conversations of sports legend match-ups; Tyson vs. Ali, Jordan vs. Bryant, Ruth vs. Aaron, Sanders vs. Payton, etc. 2K Sports gives gamers an avenue to put their football-great arguments in action as 240+ gridiron legends battle it out on the virtual football field in ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8.

Game-play is where this title truly shines. The responsiveness of controls, artificial intelligence, ridiculously large playbook and strategy involved are mind-boggling to say the least. To finally have a game where the defense is just as much fun as the offense is an accomplishment in and of itself. Gone are the days of using money plays, stacked or unfair teams and missed assignments.

ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 exploits what the true-life gridiron world hangs its hat on: match-ups. The inability to use the preset teams forces each ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 player to use their noodle and concoct a championship caliber team by selecting a mixture of All-Pro legends and their role-player counterparts. Some players possess special abilities which translate onto the field, properly differentiating star players from generic players.

Having a defense-legend heavy team translates into a less than stellar offense, and vice versa. Personnel will dictate play-calling philosophy, which translates into a game rife with strategic thinking. Football is a game of out-thinking your opponent and exploiting match-ups and this title nailed that aspect on the head. ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 takes the cake in creating an enjoyable, realistic and memorable football gaming experience.

The always entertaining pre-game, half-time and post-game shows all make their appearance once again, albeit in a reduced form compared to their previous stints in NFL 2K5 (ESPN segment and personalities gone). Dan and Peter are legends in virtual football gaming and by far outperform any sports game’s commentary team. Stadium audio, crowd response, and color commentary all come together to immerse the gamer into the world of All-Pro Football.

The graphics of ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 are very similar to NFL 2K5, with obvious improvements to a number of areas such as textures, animations, and lighting. ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 shines in presenting the little things that no other title seems to touch. Player interaction and animations are unbelievable as a new collision detection system and animations have been noticeably added. Fully animated and interactive models on the sidelines, interactive referees on the field throwing flags, and crowds actively cheering/booing teams all enhance the immersive effect. You’ll often find yourself trying to pull off spectacular offensive and defensive plays to get that breathtaking replay, that you’ll save to your hard drive and relive over and over again.

Features is where ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 starts to get a bit sketchy. Having a next generation football game without franchise is unforgivable in the eyes of some gamers. Also, the inability to use preset teams limits head-to-head or single-player selection to the 8 user-created teams. Sadly, editing appears to be limited ONLY to created players. ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 does however, have endless possibilities online. Online leagues, stat tracking, and a plethora of online features exponentially increase the replay value for those who are avid online gamers. Creativity and strategy differ in every household and you’ll never play against the same team twice.

Those looking for superior football game-play and immersion with limitless online features should look no further than ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8. Those single player gamers will find ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 intriguing for a week or two until the newness wears off. In spite of the lacking features, ALL-PRO FOOTBALL 2K8 is a game that warrants any sports gamer’s time.