roheblius's Full Review: Madden NFL 2002 for PlayStation 2
I've had this game for some time now. Originally I wanted to get a review out right from the start. However, I decided that I wanted to play this game enough to submit a formidable review. By reviewing it off of only a few games played, I wouldn't actually know how the more in depth aspects of the game played out.
Right off the bat, you'll notice the graphical upgrades. It's mostly in the player models as they look more human, especially in their faces. No more wandering Chemistry professor eyes like we saw in last year's version. But most everything in last year's version, was kept in place. There weren't any large graphical upgrades, but simply touches of improvement here and there. Some of the animations look to be improved on, making them seemingly smoother. You get resemblances of coaches as EA decided to give us a little better versions of the guys on the sidelines.
Graphics are great, but the meat and potatoes is in the game play. If graphics were the most important thing, then maybe Microsoft's NFL game for the XBOX would be good, but from what I hear, it isn't. This is where Madden usually shines. The button system is the same as last year as far as I can remember. The control is simply awesome. The only problem I have, and thus far I've only heard of a couple people with the same problem is that my analog controls will take over. Since I don't enjoy playing with the analog control, I'm deemed helpless and am usually sacked 90 percent of the time. If I turn the analog off, this won't happen, but then my controller won't be able to shake when I crush Emmitt Smith with Bryant Young. The one thing that feels different is the speed, and it's more noticeable on the defensive side of the ball. I usually control one of my safeties because it helps at stopping the run in case a running back gets by my defensive line. But it took me a while to get the control down because the angle I took to the ball carrier would always be short and I'd get hit for a big gain. Sometimes, I'll still get beat that way, but that's originally how I noticed the improved speed. Not saying it's really faster than last year, but the running backs are fast, like running backs should be, out running slow, but hard hitting safeties so it's more balanced.
There are a couple problems I have with the artificial intelligence within the game. On the offensive side of the ball, the running game is tough. And one of the reasons is because your running back will not shift his weight to fit in between smaller holes like running backs do in real life. You just have to put your running back in the hole and hope that they don't touch anyone. It's really tough to run the ball in between the tackles this way, thus making you run to the outside more, which is a more generous way to gain yards. As far as the passing game is concerned, you'll see more dropped balls than normally accustomed to.
On the defensive side of the ball, the players are almost superhuman with one deficiency. If you think of the defensive players as Superman, their kryptonite is actually catching the football (interception). Your defensive back will bat many balls down. Your defensive back will tip many balls. But they will not intercept many balls. Even if the ball is thrown right to them. Now while intercepting is a true chore, the rest of the defensive play is very solid. Your linebackers read plays extremely well, and for the computer's sake, almost too well. There will be times when you're on offense and you'll throw an out pass only to see a linebacker streak toward the pass to get a hand on it and break it up. There's a feature that can help you here and it's the sliders feature. This feature will allow you to turn up or turn down things like defensive and artificial intelligence (if the computer plays too smart), computer and human catching ability, running ability, blocking ability and many other things. So tweaking the game to your taste is also here.
The options are basic Madden options (exhibition, season, franchise) but this year the two minute drill is updated and there's a new create a team option. The create a team option is cool, but adds no value unless you're playing in a franchise. Basically, you create a team using a myriad of options including uniform colors and logos. But you don't create the players within the team. You simply take the players off a team and they end up on your created team. However, after the first season of your franchise is over, a new franchise is added to the league. In real life, this team is going to be the Houston Texans. But if you have a created team, you can use that one instead and they will be the expansion team. (I'll get to the expansion feature in the Franchise mode in one sec.) My friends have added teams like the San Jose Smog and the San Jose Sabrecats. One weird friend that I have named Randy created a team called the San Jose Lovely Ladies. I don't know what the heck kind of team he's was thinking about making.
You can have all the new features you want, but hardcore gamers are going to go straight to one feature, and one feature only. That's the Franchise feature. Here, you are GM, coach, and player of your team, taking them through the entire year, both during the season and in the off-season. The off-season features include a free agent period and a collegiate draft (if you have NCAA 2002, you can upload your draft eligible class into Madden, thus creating the real draft). It's really a treat. After playing a full 16 game season, you go through the off-season, trying to make your team even better. Do you trade one of your players for the top pick in the draft? Do you pick up a hot shot free agent, who is very expensive? And you'll also have to deal with players retiring. You can not just cut players who still have years and money left on their contracts. You will take cap "hits" meaning you'll have dead money that you won't be able to use the next year. Things like that make this as real of an experience as possible.
To go back to the create a team feature within the Franchise modes, this is how it works. At the end of season one, a new team will be added and your conferences will be restructured. Like I said in real life, the Houston Texans will be added. But if you've created a team, you can add them as the expansion team. Whatever team you're currently using (as will every other team) you will put up five players to be drafted in the expansion draft. Everytime the expansion team takes one of your players, you have the option of taking one of those remaining four back to your team. It's a good way to get rid of some expensive players without taking that salary cap hit that I talked about. As the 49ers, I let Dana Stubblefield available in the draft because of his large salary and he was taken by the Texans. This feature is just another cookie within the Madden game that makes it even more sweeter than the past versions.
As I am finishing my second year in my Franchise, I must say this game is even more addicting now than when I first bought it in November. It's one of the must own games for the PS2. I don't need to say anymore than that.
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