2002 FIFA World Cup

"A must-have title for soccer and World Cup fans alike"

Here's my review! I hope this helps and you all find some answers to your questions about this game in my review. =D

GAMEPLAY (9/10) The gameplay in this game really delivers, as it pulls off fast-paced action throughout the whole match. The new air-juggling system totally works, and cool stuff like players' signature/special moves are sweet additions. The new way you can pass in this game is very fresh and intuitive, thanks to the pressure sensitive passing system that allows you to pass or shoot at your own desired speed. The harder/longer you press the button, the faster/farther it goes, and vice versa. It really makes passing feel realistic, while not taking away any of the fun.

GRAPHICS (10/10) Very impressive graphics here, especially the way the players and the spectators come alive. The fans has everything from flags, to letters, to symbols, to confetti, and more. The visuals in this game WILL NOT disappoint. Entrances for teams are very well done, and get you pumped up for the match. Player animations and textures are very well done, and represent their likeness of the actual players very closely.

SOUND (9/10) The sound quality in this game is done very smoothly, where you can hear everything that's going on in the field very vividly, and little things like the ref's whistle, down to the commentary are crystal-clear. The commentary from Andy Gray and John Motson are spectacular. The game also features individualized chants and raves from the spectators. You can hear the spectators and fans cheering on their teams when they get the ball, and are going for the offensive. The spectators even sing and shout simple rhythms and tunes to support their teams. It really amazed me when I was playing as the Korean team, and I hear John and Andy commentating about Korea's complete history in the World Cup series, dating back to 1954. I really didn't expect them to put in THAT much detail into the game, but they did, and EA did a VERY good job on small details like that.

CONCLUSION (9/10) I was kinda skeptical when first starting up the game, cus I've read reviews on major magazines and web sites, and it only received poor-to decent reviews. But I really didn't care and decided to buy the PlayStation 2 version cus the World Cup 2002 just plain ROCKS!!! And after playing the game, I really must say this game truly is awesome. The whole stadium comes alive every match as you go for the goal. Gameplay is great, graphics are unrivaled, and sounds are nothing less than spectacular. If you're a soccer fan and thinking of getting a good soccer game, then don't hesitate to get this one! The only thing I felt that could've been added to this great game were some extra modes. The game only has 2 modes, and it really could have used some more. But other than that, this game's worth your money!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/16/02, Updated 06/16/02