Madden NFL 2001

"If you are a football fan, have even a maderate interest in video games, and own a Playstation 2 this is the game for you."

If you have played any football game in the last 5 years you know what to expect. You run, you kick, you throw. So it is normally the roster updates and new twists in game modes that keep seasoned football players coming back for more. Fortunately this is the area that Madden 2001 shines the best.

Graphics 10/10- The graphics in this game are simply amazing. The players blink, celebrate, and move exactly like you would execept them to in real life. Player animation is fluid and the level of detail is great. YOU CAN SEE THE HOLES IN THE PLAYERS JERSEYS. The faces inside the helmets tend to all look the same, but a select few really look like their real life counterpart.

Control 10/10- All the controls in this game are crisp and responsive. The game play takes momentum and size into factor on your turning ability when you run, making in so that you can't use speed burst all the time. When defenders try to tackle you the computer also factors in momentum and size to decide if the player tackles you or not , which is awesome. The passing game is easy to work and excel at, and the running game is even better than it was last year. Both passing and running games have a bevy of moves to use at your disposal, but you will find that you will use speed burst 95 percent of the time. Defense is more difficult this year, you must pick your defensive plays carefully or the CPU will walk all over you, even in normal mode. Defensive line play has been made a lot more real and difficult, getting one or two sacks in a game is VERY, VERY, VERY good.

Game Modes 10/10- There are many different game modes in this game including: franchise, season, practice, quick start, and exhibition. If you love your football games than franchise is where it is at. Ever since they started including franchise modes in their games it has been al that I have played. Franchise allows you to manage a time over many seasons; trading, drafting, releasing, and re-signing are all crucial parts of the game. Quick start is useless, but exhibition is great for head to head play. Season is just a shorter, and less in-depth franchise mode. Practice allows you to work on your timing with the wide receivers, and practice running through the defensive line with your running backs. You can also practice defense.

This game will keep you busy for hours. If you are a fan of football, have at least a moderate interest in video games, and have a Playstation 2 this is the game for you.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/07/00, Updated 12/07/00