NCAA Football 2002

"The best college football game ever made..."

I must begin by saying that Madden 2001 for PlayStation 2 was without a doubt the best football game ever. It went to lengths that other games could other dream to achieve. However, in spite of it's success, Madden 2001 still had some problems. NCAA Football 2002 fixes most of those problems, but at the same time creates new ones.

Presentation (9/10) - NCAA Football 2002 has an abundant amount of options available to the player, and the options screen is almost exactly that of Madden 2001. The interface is easy to navigate, and since the screen loads up beforehand, it doesn't take much time to load any of the settings or gameplay modes. A well-polished presentation that is short of a perfect score simply because there are no Bowl Mode or Championship options.

Graphics (9/10) - The graphics are definitely something that helps this game. They out do Madden 2001's graphics, and are the best football graphics around. The downside is that in between plays the animations can be choppy for one or two seconds, but that isn't much of a problem. The faces now show animations, something that Madden 2001 lacked, and the overall gameplay graphics are improved.

Sound (8/10) - The sound is probably the thing that lacks the most in NCAA Football 2002, and since it was given an 8, that shows how good this game actually is. The commentators still get annoying say the same lines over and over. EA tried to get it to be play-by-play commentating, but they fell short of a smooth announcing job. To add to that, the major schools have their own school songs played by the bands, which is really neat. The sound is overall above average, once again out doing what Madden 2001 had to offer.

Gameplay (10/10) - The gameplay of this game simply blew me away. Not only are their many different modes to choose from, but each team's stadium is so well put together you might think your actually there. The bands sit where they do if you were to actually go to the game, and they play the team's songs (if they are, say, good enough) :) and much much more. The look of it gives this game its punch, but the actually playing of the game makes it even better. NCAA Football 2002 has an increased number of plays from Madden 2001, and the tackles are much smoother, you rarely see the ''shot in the back'' tackle that Madden was doomed with. There is one drawback, after and before each play there might be some slowdown you'll have to deal with, but since this stops as soon as the ball is snapped, so there isn't much to trifle with. Excellent gameplay.

Lasting Appeal (9/10) - The depth of the game is certainly, well, deep. There is exhibition, which you can do to just get used to the game, or duel off rival teams. Then there's the incredible Dynasty mode, which can keep you busy for a long time. The multiplayer also adds benefit to this powerhouse of a game. The only thing holding back is that if you got bored of Madden quickly, then this might not be as much fun, but if you loved Madden for a while (at least 1-2 months) then you'll play this just as long.

Is it a buy? - It's a tough decision to figure out whether you will want this game and if it will benefit you. If you loved Madden, and have plenty of cash for Madden 2002, which is just around the corner, then go ahead and get this game. If you only have enough cash for one game right now, and don't like college football that much, then hold off on this game and go for Madden. If you absolutely love college football as much as I do, then buy this game without delay.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/02/01, Updated 08/02/01