Madden NFL 2001

"Coming close to Video Game Heaven..."

Video gaming has reached a new peak. We go from the black and white Pong to the wonderful Madden NFL 2001.

Pros:
Control- This game takes full advantage of the PS2’s Dual Shock 2 controllers. Because of the pressure sensitive buttons and analog sticks, players have the capability to ease gameplay by determining the length of a pass by tapping or mashing the button. The controller-to-screen flow is also excellent. As soon as you nudge the stick to one direction, the player immediately moves. This makes the entire game a lot less frustrating.

Graphics- Sure, graphics aren’t everything, but something as pretty as this shouldn’t be left out. The PS2 engine is almost flawless, and character designs are better than previous NFL games on the Playstation. Be sure to check out the instant replays and try rotating the screen while paused.

Replayability- The Madden Cards are actually a nice touch; it’s not overbearing because the cards are actually *gasp* useful. Pretty amazing, huh? Cards can do anything from unlocking new teams to boosting characters. Another aspect of this is just having fun with friends. Combined with the extremely slick gameplay and the beautiful graphics, having a friend/sibling/relative there playing with you can lead to hours of fun and pointless yelling. Just beware of the Doritos.

Overall game design- This part is great, especially for a sport-related game. The game moves you away from strict football playing by rewarding you with Madden points, which are used for buying packs of Madden Cards, mentioned above. The cards can also be traded, or just kept for bragging rights. You can also unlock teams, from the Egyptian Mummies to professional teams from years past. You can relive any Superbowl, play out a season, or just play a quick game with someone else. The play selection screen has just been slightly tweaked in order to give players a user-friendly feel. You can plays by player, formation, or make your playbook from other coaches’.

Cons:
John Madden- If you watch any televised sporting event on television, you’ll get a taste of this. Sure, you can definitely play this game for hours and enjoy it, but beware of Madden’s voice coming back to haunt you when you’re walking to the bathroom at night. I really don’t remember him commenting on every little thing in a football game on TV, but maybe I’ve been playing too much. If you’re playing at someplace quiet, consider inviting a few more people to drown out Madden droning on and on about your QB’s thumb. If I had a mother-in-law, she would be less yappy than him. Consider yourself warned.

Bottom line: Great football + Nice graphics + Customization – Madden’s bushy eyebrows = Hours of fun and one helluva football game.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/05/02, Updated 02/05/02