FIFA Soccer 2002

"If it's in the game, then shouldn't it be in the game?"

Being an avid fan of the FIFA soccer series since its debut during the 16-bit days, I have always enjoyed trying each and every one of the various FIFA games to see what quirks and tidbits they offered. With FIFA 2002, I found that EA Sports has lived up to its reputation of improving on each game every year for the most part, but it also dropped down in some ways as well.

Graphics: 10/10
The graphics didn't suffer. Players move fluidly and very realistically. When players go down, you know that it's definitely got to hurt! Players argue with referees, celebrate goals, and do just about everything else you'd expect from a soccer game.

Sounds: 9/10
British announcer John Motson and soccer star Andy Gray provide commentary throughout the match. Unfortunately, it seems to get very repetitive at times, which is very surprising, seeing how the GameCube should be able to hold a great deal of data on one of their discs. On the other hand, the crowd cheers when a goal is scored, boos when a bad tackle is committed, and shows their excitement when a big play is made (like a big shot being stopped, etc.)

Controls: 7/10
The control department is where EA Sports committed a few fouls. For one thing, what happened to the spin maneuver? That was one of my favorite offensive maneuvers, and now it's gone? As for defense, you can either use a standing tackle or a sliding tackle. The intentional foul feature was taken out (but that might be for the better actually.) One gripe I have is using the triggers, since they are very sensitive and must be pressed very hard to get them to work.

Replay: 9/10
A full fledged player and team creation and editing system is available for people who want to reflect the trades or just create fantasy teams and/or players for the fun of it. You have several types of competitions, including tournaments and seasons, and you can create custom competitions as well. And, of course, there's the standard Exhibition (Friendly in England) mode which allows you to take on another team in a single match.

Overall: 8/10
It appears EA Sports didn't fully live up to their saying, ''If it's in the game, it's in the game!'' this time around, but there's always next year. Still, for soccer fans who own a GameCube, it's not a bad investment to hold you over untill the next installment comes out. Take this game out on the pitch and shoot for a goal!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/10/02, Updated 09/10/02