New Big East: Georgetown vs. Cincy

[GUHoya07]

I was checking out some college hoops video game reviews and game across these screenshots.

GO HOYAS!!!


And we're ready for the tip in the first meeting between these two programs since the Bearcats joined the Big East along with 4 other C-USA schools.



Georgetown controls the tip and sets up their new motion offense under coach John Thompson III. Air Force One is setting things up while Brandon is calling for the ball.



The Bearcats take possession and push the ball up the floor. Off-balance shot is no good!



The game is all tied up at 2, three Hoyas are setting screens off the ball and the Georgetown player with the invisible head is coming off a screen along the baseline for an open shot. Ashanti Cook, wearing #21 again gets him the ball and he nails the open 3!!!!



Georgetown hurries back on defense and forces Cincy to run their offense. Man goes baseline where he is cut off by two Hoyas and forces a tough runner that rims out and is collected by Brandon Bowman.



Georgetown is up by 2 in the final seconds of the game. Cincy pushes the ball up court and #14 of the Bearcats is met with Amadou's stifling defense. He fades away just in time to get a shot off but it misses and the Hoyas emerge victorious.



After the big win, the Hoyas travel back in time to replay the 1982 National Championship game. Up by 1 with 32 seconds left, they are on defense. MJ passing the ball inbounds, but no, he will not hit that shot this time. Meanwhile, Fred Brown is taking a quick breather on the bench and familiarizing himself with Carolina Blue-like colors and says, "damn man, can't we just go by tradition and wear our dark Georgetown Blue?"

[CAHoya07]

Haha, 007, where do you find this stuff?

[GUHoya07]

I think it was gamespot.com

CambridgeHoya got me started on it a few days ago when he started telling me about the new ESPN game, College Hoops 2K5. So I was comparing the EA March Madness 2005 game to it and found these screenshots, haha.

[JimmyHoya]

So what's the verdict, which is a better game?

[GUHoya07]

From what I've heard and read the better game is ESPN College Hoops 2K5. I've always been an EA Sports guy but I'm gonna break that trend for once and get the ESPN game.

It's just gotten better reviews all around seems to be much more popular right now. The recruiting aspect is also much more accurate and in-depth as you can recruit all year long, allocate different resources and various amounts of time to it, and there is an early signing period. Also, as I saw from the screenshots, they show pictures of the recruits faces during the recruitment. I remember from my last EA March Madness game that you would recruit some guy with a really black name and he would end up being white, or vice versa. I'm just picky about that kind of stuff, so its nice to see some of the improvements the ESPN game has made. Also, its apparently only $19.99 somehow. I don't know how that works because these games are usually like $49.99, but it sounds awesome.

I'm just gonna have to get it and then give a first hand review of it. Until then Cambridge can answer all questions about it, haha ;D.

[JimmyHoya]

Yeah, that price tag is its selling point...Madden 2005 was a better game than NFL 2k5, but it was $30 cheaper, so it got better views...

I adore the arena pulse stuff though. They had the same thing in the football one and it really added something special to the big time rivalry games.

[IceHoya]

Yeah 007, get the ESPN one. I'm usually an EA Sports guy too and I got the ESPN one and have been really happy with it. All that stuff you said about recruiting is true, and I like the fact that you have to start off at a smaller program and work your way up. So that's good times all around. I mean for $20 you can't go wrong right?

[Joe Hoya]

I've played the 2004 version (I believe) of EA Sports, and liked the whole "dynasty mode" (I think that's what it was called). Is the ESPN one comparable to that? I'm looking into getting XBox, and I would be getting college hoops and football for it (haven't decided between pro and college though...any recommendations?), so I thought I'd get a read on whether the ESPN one had the same feature I liked in March Madness 2004.

[GUHoya07]

Yeah, the dynasty mode type thing is sort of a basic requirement in all of these games now. From what Ive read about the ESPN version it is just improved.

It's called Legacy Mode I believe (I think I remember reading that) and instead of 30 seasons in EA I believe, you have 40 in the ESPN game. Also, in the ESPN game you start at a small program and your coaching attributes are all low.

You also have an actual staff of assistants, which is not the case in EA. Your coaching rankings approve when you reach certain goals and there is apparently even a coaching carousel system where coaches are fired at certain schools and the job opens up. I don't know how different it is from the EA game in that respect but apparently is it more than just a thing that pops up on a screen and says that a job is available.

You can also fire assistants for better ones and your assistants can leave and take head coaching jobs. This is just from what Ive read though, so I'll let the people with the game clarify. Sounds like a real keeper though.

[JimmyHoya]

So could I start out with the Hoyas? We're a small program, ain't we?

And if you think playing agrainst the Princeton offense is annoying in real life, imagine the insanity caused by it in a video games. ;D

[aussiehoya]

i bought march madness 2005 recently. i wish they put more time into the game, because it has the skeleton of a great game, but with none of the polish. i really think it all has to do with how many units they're moving - if there was more interest in the game, they would spend more money developing it. but as far as sports games goes, i assume that EA's priority for developing this above others it pretty low. However, the current game engine, which is a slightly tweaked NBA Live 2005 engine, is decent and makes the game playable. also, there's something weird happening with the camera, because it feels way too zoomed out, even when you're fully zoomed in, which makes it MUCH harder to properly position yourself for blocks in the back court.

it is really fun on two player (playing on the same team), b/c you can pressure the hell out of the ball and run a pretty cool two man game on offense - pick and rolls n stuff. my roommate and i just lost to the Zags in the NCAA championship game. We lost by one point - quite disappointing, but the good thing about video games is next year can come within a few days (if you know what i mean).

I also recommend starting a dynasty and naming all of the players on the team after your buddies. It is funny to be able to curse out your friends for missing shots etc. I just put one of my friends on the bench after a bad shooting game. I subsequently told him (the real life guy) about his "electronic" benching - he was pretty unhappy with it.

[Cambridge]

Definitely go with the ESPN version. Both have their pros and cons.

The "gamepulse" and general gameplay of EA is great and adds a lot, but ESPN -- while lacking gamepulse, is not as guard-centric and allows the big men to be more of a focus -- BIG PLUS for a gtown fan.

ESPN also made gtown better talent wise than EA. The "potential" -- a great rating addition that determines how quickly players develop, is off the charts for Green and Bowman, allowing their ratings to become incredible after just one season. Green is soooo strong and finishes with authority. Hibbert is pretty great. Rebounds well. Has a nice jump hook. Faster in the game than in real life. Hahaha. Wallace is a non-entity. However, you are able to bump the stats up and add player names in the roster management. Let's just say that after Davidson I bumped his three point ability a touch...hahaha.

The free throw shooting in ESPN is awesome. It isn't one of those weird meters anymore -- but it is like a real shot. You push and hold the shoot button while the shooter bends and shoots. Release at the top. Much more of a focus on form -- unique to each player -- and the more you practice the better you get. Very realistic.

The off the court stuff is waaaaay better in ESPN. No comparison at all. Recruiting is way more in depth and assistant coaches come into play. You have to prepare for games, practice, scout and recruit each day. Balancing your time and focusing your programs efforts is the key. They get the early signing and late signing periods in there...no verbal commitments though- at least I have garnered one yet.

You can also edit your school unis, fight song, arena music etc. You can actually compose arena music. I have not tried it, but it is possible I guess to compose the fight song? They have over 100 fight songs in the system but none are ours. What gives?

A side note. I played a bunch with my two brothers over Thanksgiving and it was incredible how much easier the game is with multiple user. With three of us on the squad we were able to run a really effective 3-2 and 2-3 zone that pretty much stymied the computer's offense. On the other end we were able to administer the Princeton O against the slow footed computer man to man D via some nasty picks, back door flashes and effective three point shooting. Still really hard to beat te big ACC teams, but much easier than when playing alone. Hard to set up your offense when you are playing alone. Have to really use the "plays" to get Hibbert or Green down low. Thank god Bowman, Cook and DJ can shoot the long ball in the game!

Anyways, its addictive. and only $20.

[lichoya68]

how about the new big east louisville in football thats something go hoyas

[TrueHoyaBlue]

I wonder if they only have fight songs for schools that play 1A football, so they would get double bang for their buck with both sets of games.

Or maybe they're just lazy.

[GUHoya07]

Yeah, they have the fight song in EA Sports March Madness, at least they did last year, so Im assuming they do again. It's slightly off at one point, but they do have it. I'm still gonna go with the ESPN game though.

[Deleted]

I recently sold back my PS2 and made the switch to X-Box. Boy was I pleased. Far superior machine. The only thing I'm missing out on is Gran Turismo, but to counter that I've got the Halo seires (of course I do have to wait a year for the X-Box version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas).

As for EA vs. ESPN, the ESPN 2k5 series has pretty much gotten better reviews across the board... NFL, NBA, NCAA. I will never stray from Madden, so they've got me on lockdown. But I've rented and played both March Madness and NCAA 2k5 in anticipation of buying one. ESPN's is just plain and simple a better game in all aspects. Plus, if you're smart enough to have an X-Box, your online experience will be IMMENSELY better, making the game itself that much more valuable.

On-line play is the wave of the future (Halo 2 online is the best gaming experience since the 99 lives cheat in Contra for NES), and X-Box is currently CRUSHING PS2 in that arena.

GO HOYAS!!!

[JimmyHoya]

Out of curiosity, after do you one season...does either game swap Cincy, Louisville, etc.'s confrence allignments or are they eternally stuck in C-USA?

Thanks for the feedback on the games!

[Cambridge]

I haven't checked, but you can edit conference lineups...which is what I did during my first season and brought in the the era of the New Big East a season early.

[DrumsGoBang]

I don't have any of the 2k5 games yet. I have to sit at home and play my inferior 2k4 game, but you know what the most fun part is of these games? Cutting people!! My friend Zo agrees nothing is more fun then destroying some young virtual kids dream of a college education. You are the first from your family to go to college? Too bad sucker. I just got a freshman with 2 more overall points then you! Bye bye. Don't let the door hit you on the way out! Even better I just build a team of 7-3 monsters with perfect ball handling, 3 point shooting, and post ability. That means I get to cut everyone. You can also give Big Roy some big cool shades. I just only wish after games to celebrate I could destroy the other team, their fans, mascot, and coach, Grant Theft Auto style. Now that would be a college basketball game!

[DrumsGoBang]

Sitting in class not able to go to the Penn State game tonight I have come up with more ways to make a very good college basketball game. First I would like the option to become virtual president of the univeristy and be able to choose whether my program will be dirty or not. Of course those pesky NCAA people will come around and catch you at times. Also you should be able to virtually fire your whole Athetlic Department. Georgetown really needs to do that in real life, but I will be satisfied with the virtual pink slips. I mean why does albanio mullet man still have a job? Those of you who have been to games know who he is. You can't miss him because he has a giant white mullet. There are a few others that need to be virtually fired too. I won't name names but you might know them as "shinny pants", "wide load 1" and "wide load 2". After the massive layoffs, you should also be able to build new arenas sim city style. Just take your bulldoozer icon and highlight burleth. Then you can bulldooze all the hippies complaining about traffic. DAMN HIPPIES! Also there should be minigames like in GTA. Dance Dance Revolution to the band or having cheerleaders fall from the rafters and you have line them up in pyrimids like a Tetris game. Then a mascot fighting game mortal komat style. Yes all these mingames would allow you to buy more bling bling for your players. Shinny new rims for their Escallades, money to pay child support, new grey uniforms, or talent for the band. Now that would really be a good college basketball game.
Well back to real computer class. I think when I get home the first thing I am going to do is turn on the old PS2 and cut Sead. It opens a scholly for next year, and plus like I said before its fun to cut people.