NFL Head Coach
by EA Sports
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Video Game Reviews of NFL Head Coach
Customer Review: Needs work
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm not a big fan of the Madden games so I bought this one because it was different. However, after playing this game for two days I am dissapointed and wishing they had kept a few of the Madden style interfaces.
The first off-season is a bit tedious, with all the tutorials and whatnot, but after you get through those and start to learn the interface things really pick up.
I like most of the options that you have and the things you can do,(manage salary cap, change playbook, hire free agents, ect) what I didn't like is how much you are ruled by your schedule and how little input you actually have over it.
I was also dissapointed by the in game play calling, audibling and roster management. They all seem to be missing features that madden and other sports games have had for years, such as being able to mass substitute and flip plays with an audible.
However, the interface is the real key. It's clunky, clumsy and just doesn't give you enough information to make informed choices. The worst example was not being able to find out how many draft picks I had during the draft! The only way to find out was to try and trade with another team or look at the info box to see if I had one of the next five picks.
I like this game enough to keep playing for a little while, but I hope they come out with some patches to beef up the interface.
Customer Review: Task based and boring
Summary: 2 Stars
I am a huge fan of Madden NFL series. This game is not very much like anything I've seen. I agree with other reviewers that this is just not as fun as Madden NFL. Running practice is boring, the whole task based interface is dumb, esp. since you can't switch office hours tasks or some other tasks. It seems if you sim the tasks, your players often get hurt even on non contact drills, and game day is not very interesting.
The interface for viewing your players and their stats sucks. Even changing the deepth chart is work.
I like putting together playbooks and calling plays, but my D coach quit after the first regular season game.. I had to hire him back for some reason. I started letting him call all D plays and he seems happier. Well that takes half the game calling away from me.
Your relationship with the coaches are based on a trust level thing, and through most meetings, all options bring trust down. (only once in a while will a conversation option raise the trust level).
I am going to start simming all days up to the game day, and maybe sim some games just see how the game performs.
I don't have any software problems or slow graphics or jerky video or sound.
I recommend you not buy this version and keep using Madden NFL for your coaching fix.
Customer Review: A Nice Start
Summary: 3 Stars
If you liked playing Madden, but always wanted to do more "coach work", this game is probably for you. It is heavy on the strategy and realism end however, which may be more than most Madden simers can handle.
Personally I really enjoy the game. There is a lot to do here, and they do a good job of putting you in the coach's seat. Being a coach is being a man of details, and as you can see some reviewers found those details to be a little tedious.
There is certainly room for improvement. The team roster interface could be a little cleaner and easier to navigate. They certainly could add a touch more of an RPG element to the coach's life, and more meaningful dialog between coaches and players.
Some of the complaints here are not really valid. For example, you CAN sim through the draft until your next pick, and it is clearly marked on the screen. Granted the use of the [ and ] keys for such actions can be questioned.
Overall we have a good but not great product, as long as you can accept that it is very detailed coach simulation and not the "light strategy" of Madden siming. Tiburon is well known for improving their products on subsequent tries. Improved graphivs and interface would go a long ways to making next year's edition (EA has not announced one yet) better.
Customer Review: BORING
Summary: 1 Stars
This is a horrible game. I played Madden for the strategy part, and I was really looking forward to this game. But as the other reviewer said it takes forever to do anything. I gave it 30 minutes and didn't even get past the tedious introduction. Boring, boring, boring. And from reading your reviews, it doesn't seem like I want to spend another 9 1/2 hours to get to a lame game.Customer Review: Lots of Hype - Even More Disappointment
Summary: 2 Stars
I was really looking forward to this game because I play Madden in "sim mode" all the time because I like the strategy aspect of the game more so than I like the "video game" aspect. I was in for a big surprise, however. I knew I was in trouble when I was interviewd for the head coach position of the Oakland Raiders and expected to be across the table from "The GodFather", Al Davis. But no, some guy names "Marquis" with a white beard.
Not good.
The graphics quality is what Madden was back in '01/'02 - which is good, but not what we expect. The roster functionality will frustrate you to death - you just can't see what is going on with your roster as easy as you can with Madden.
Here is what I liked:
- Interaction with Agents. I loved this. You are able to negociate with the agents, and if the deal isn't perfect, the "call you back". I hope Madden has this.
- Emails from other GMs offering trades. This is also a nice touch and an area Madden has suffered in. The problem is, the email says to call them back, but when you attempt to, you are informed you can't do that yet.
- I like the meetings with the owners, coaches and scouts. I also liked at the beginning when you were able to choose who you wanted to keep, and who you wanted to fire. Nicely done.
- there are some great quotes from past coaches that are in the "waiting" screens. For example, "The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary." - Vince Lombardi. Classy.
What I didn't like:
- the owners do not carry their real names.
- player rosters are difficult to manage.
- too much "loading" in between screens. You spend more time "waiting" for the game than you do playing sometimes. Make sure you have something else to do while playing this. It does help.
- the free agent signing was a little disappointing, and not as easy as it is with Madden. You can find the players you want with Madden easily. Here, it takes quite a bit of effort.
- the rating system for players is different than with Madden.
I'm going to keep playing, just because I am curious about how future years are handled. I'd wait a week or two when the price for used ones drops to half of the cost of new. The game isn't worth $40.00.