were successful enough to merit a second manufacturing run, the company would re-evaluate its position on the inclusion of Albert's commentary. PC and PlayStation versions were planned but never released. Reception Reviews NFL Quarterback Club '98 received mixed reviews. Critics esteemed it for being the first Nintendo 64 game with high-resolution graphics, in many cases noting how this enabled a high level of detail on the players. IGN elaborated, "Players have realtime shadows, noticeable breath in frigid weather, and detailed uniforms and helmets." Next Generation said the high resolution "effectively takes away that nasty N64 blur we've all become accustomed to". However, critics widely opined the game's good visuals are outweighed by gameplay issues, specifically that the A.I. is easily exploited and often unrealistic, and passes float in the air for an inordinate length of time, even bullet passes. GameSpot explained the problem: "Because of this hang time, defenders have way too much time to close in. The ball often drops down in the middle of about three defenders that shouldn't have been there, and one wide receiver that should have been wide open. As the ball reaches the players, they all jump up to catch it, in what looks like synchronized volleyball. What's more amusing is that somehow the receiver still makes the catch. This happens so often that it seems like it was done on purpose to compensate for the game engine's shortcomings." Several critics also remarked that the audio is dry and sparse, and overall fails to provide an NFL atmosphere as compelling as other football video games of the time. They particularly said that Marv Albert's voice-overs were interesting solely for his then-recent sex scandals, as his actual commentary is remarkably dull. Even the game's visuals were not exempt from criticism, as many cited poor animation and odd player models with disproportionate arms. However, IGN instead praised the animation as fluid and realistic, and said the game's flaws are overall too minor to prevent the game from being recommended. The inclusion of full NFL licensing was widely praised. Next Generation stated that "In the end, serious football fans may want to stick with Quarterback Club 64 [sic] for its realism, but the slow play is likely to drive gamers crazy." Electronic Gaming Monthlys four reviewers instead argued that problems such as the poor AI and slow passes would inevitably irritate football devotees, while casual players were