The skinny:
NFL 2K5 could be the best pro football game out this year for many reasons. First, it will run you only $20. Fact is, even if Sega weren't cutting the standard price for a new title in half, NFL 2K5 still has enough features to make it a No. 1 draft pick. You can go for a textbook hit and wrap-up tackle on defense, but Maximum Hit, a new feature, lets you order up a highlight reel assassination attempt. The bigger the hit the more likely your victim will drop the ball, but you're also more likely to whiff completely or bounce off the runner. Quarterback Evade allows you to duck, weave and act as slippery as a greased-up Fran Tarkenton, but not nearly as sexy.

If you liked this game, you'd like:
NCAA Football 2005, NFL Blitz Pro, running an over-under office pool on how many times Dick Vermeil will cry during press conferences this season

Hours to complete:
You can't complete this game.

Tantalizing tidbits:
The biggest advancement is the VIP system, which studies your habits on the field and develops a profile based on how you play the game. Other players can then load your profile either directly on your console's hard drive or from online (2K5 supports both Xbox Live and Sony Online) and practice against your "ghost." It's more challenging than playing the game's native AI and it's a great way to cheat death. No matter what happens to your physical body, your cheap-ass Manning to Shockey Tight End slant route will live on. It's win-win!

Buy, rent or run away screaming?
It's a must-have, and, at the price, you'll have enough jack left over for corn dogs!