Hardcore is All-Pro with All-Pro Football 2K8

Published August 7, 2007

With the release of All-Pro Football 2K8, those of us who game the Hardcore way finally have a quality sports game on which to wage tactical warfare.

Sports games in particular require careful consideration when choosing how to master them. The casual gamer can be excused from marching up and down the field on the trifling Pro difficulty with a host of Hall-of-Fame skill players bolstering their squad. For the hardcore, the road to satisfaction must offer a more legitimate challenge. Are you worthy of All-Pro acclaim?

Better be a manual catch.

Jack be Nimble
The thick-set rumbling halfbacks that produce yards from pure power require little thought or strategy to achieve success. Point them at the blockers and plow ahead. Rushing success for the hardcore needs to be a bit more challenging. Consider only the more tactical, elusive, and agile backs that demand skill, not just button mashing to gain yards. Find glory with the likes of Dave Meggett, Ricky Watters, and Roger Craig, and you'll achieve an inner sense of satisfaction.

Five Minute Records
Achievements are the proverbial "carrot on a stick." The hardcore must come by them only through exceptional prowess. Since so many All-Pro achievements require single-game or season-long records to be broken, be sure to stick with the default five minute quarters at all times. Any lengthening of quarters will cast instant suspicion on any record-based achievements.

The hardcore gamer can hardly bear the thought of
A.I. assistance, so when any opportunity arises to
take manual control, they must do so.

Longer Online Games
In their wisdom, Visual Concepts eliminated any record-based achievement gathering in online matches because they're too easy to manipulate. But of course, you can still compete online in ranked matches using ten minute quarters. A lengthier match against human opponents more accurately reflects the natural flow and momentum of a real football game. These lengthier games help ensure that skill, not luck, wins the day.

Reception Control
The hardcore gamer can hardly bear the thought of A.I. assistance, so when any opportunity arises to take manual control, they must do so. This is particularly true when controlling defensive backs and wide receivers. The casual player is permitted to have the A.I. bat down a ball or make a leaping catch, but if you consider yourself a hardcore All-Pro gamer, you must take full manual control of all game actions.

My Mom could win with Joe Montana.

Whenever the ball is thrown (either by you or your opponent), take control of either the wide receiver or defensive back and know that whatever happens, the result of the play is due to your skill or lack thereof.

Tactical Legitimacy
There is no more cowardly strategy in sports games than going for it on every fourth down, tossing endless fly routes, and always trying the onside kick. Even remotely legitimate gamers must shy away from such shenanigans and embrace a realistic, balanced, and dare I say it, courteous, approach to football tactics.

Coming to get ya!

Sans Quarterback
Well, of course, you must have "a" quarterback, but if you really want to embrace the challenge factor, pursue victory without a star quarterback of any kind. If you can win with a journeyman quarterback with any consistency, you know that you have mastered careful tactics and precision skill and gained complete respect of the Hardcore following.

All on a Side
Similar to the previous suggestion, another option is to focus all your star players on a single side of the field. You might have an all-star offense but a leaky defense. Try stopping Emmitt Smith with nary a star linebacker or lineman, and you'll know the need for a perfectly called defensive scheme on every snap.

Give it a try, Hardcore faithful! Go All-Pro and see how far you can master the difficulty and the excitement of All-Pro Football 2K8.

Article by Hardcore