Games:
Legends Football 98
- Platform: IBM PC Compatible
- Release Date: 1997
- Similar Games: NFL GameDay (PlayStation)
Game Description
NFL Legends Football '98 is a concept game. It takes the all-time team idea in the Madden series to the next level. You can be a team from a number of "eras". You can choose from either 1932, the 1950's, the 1970's, or from 1998 teams. Teams from all of the times are available. You can choose from the Spartans of the 1930's all the way up to the 1998 New York Giants (yeah baby!). After choosing your team and your era, you play.The game itself is quite similar to most football games. You go to a screen with the stadium (based on what era you play in), and just play a normal game of football. You can choose from a variety of passing plays, as well as numerous running plays, to try to beat the other team.
The game includes some full motion video (FMV) to add to the realistic feel the game tries to portray.
"Let's get ready for some football!" ~ Mark Kanarick, All Game Guide
Review: Enjoyment
No fun at all! ~ Mark Kanarick, All Game GuideReview: Overall
NFL Legends '98 Football is one of those games where you can only wonder, "what could have been?" I mean, the guys over at Accolade attempted to run with a pretty cool idea, only to forget about the important things along the way.
I really do like the idea of being able to be a team from a number of different eras, it could put an end to those conversations between sports fans where they say things like, "yeah, well, the 1970 Giants could have beaten the 1998 Packers," or something similar to that. The idea is that you can match up teams from different times and not worry about how they would have aged in real life.
However, that would be where the innovation ends. Just about all elements of this game are just not up to par with similar games in the football genre. The graphics are not all that good, and when you consider the fact that this game came out in 1997, the graphics look even worse. Although you can tell which player is which by the name underneath them on the screen, that's about all you can tell. The players themselves are made of sprites, not polygons, which also detracts from the gameplay.
The problem with this game, that I found, anyway, is that it just was no fun. Discounting the graphics, or lack thereof, the game still is not one you'd want to play, unless you have insomnia...
Perhaps one of the only good things I can say about the game is the sound. They appear to be rather realistic sound effects, with most collisions faithfully represented through your speakers.
If Accolade were to make another Legends-type game, they should think about investing the thought into making the gameplay better, and more enjoyable. ~ Mark Kanarick, All Game Guide
