NFL Fever 2002

"A great first effort that needs to go back to training camp before getting ready for the Super Bowl of gaming."

NFL Fever 2002 was released as an Xbox launch title on November 15, 2001. Fever was developed and published by Microsoft. This is the first home football that MS has ever created. Many worried that, because this was their first home football title, that the gameplay would suffer. Many people worried that the game would be trampled by the other football titles on the market. Namely, E.A.'s Madden series and Sega's NFL 2K series. However, I'm happy to say that the gameplay, while not as refined as it is in those games, is more than adequate for a first-time effort. The only first-time effort I can think of that was as good as this one, was NFL 2K on the Sega Dreamcast. We all know how that series has evolved since it's inception, let's hope we see that same kind of dedication shown towards to the NFL Fever series. Now then, let's get on with the review.

As far as the gameplay is concerned, Fever holds up quite well when compared to either of the aforementioned titles. The gameplay engine is well put together, enabling ultra-smooth gameplay that is made all the better by the game's exceptionally fast speed. The game plays faster than any other football game on the market and it really adds to the overall feel of the game. The smooth and fast gameplay, often times, gives a more accurate representation of an actual American football game, which does wonders for the authenticity level. However, the gameplay tends to get a bit too fast. Sometimes, the game is so fast that it's near-to-nigh impossible to have time to make decisions during gameplay. This is the nature of the beast though, and it doesn't really harm the game all that much, it's just a minor annoyance.

The control in the game fares about as well as could be expected. The controls are sharp and responsive. However, the X factor with the control is the Xbox controller. I've found that the controller often does more harm does good in this game. The button layout is awkward and makes simple things such as play-calling, more work than they need to be. In the heat of the action, the odd layout can cause you to make mistakes that you might not make with another controller. I've found myself trying to execute one maneuver, then hitting the wrong button and ending up S.O.L. It's a damned shame that the Xbox controller causes as many problems as it does with this game, because the control would be great if it wasn't for the damned button configuration problems. These control problems can really ruin the game.

The graphics in the game are some of the finest I've ever seen in a football game. The player models look fantastic. They're chock full of details. Each player model is huge, these huge models lend themselves to making things such as tackles seem all the more damaging. The animation featured in the game is fantastic. Each and every animation in the game, from the smallest passing of the ball, to the hardest-hitting tackle, looks stunningly realistic. The graphical tour de force is topped off with stunning graphical effects, like the clarity of the company logos on the players’ helmets, that add that little bit of polish to the game. It's been said that the little touches can make good things great, and that statement rings true for this game.

The sound in NFL Fever 2002 is a mixed bag. On one hand, the game’s music, which is played primarily in menus, is fantastic. It has a fast tempo and gets you into the mood to play the game. On the other hand, the commentary featured in the game is sub-par. The commentators feature tons of sound bites, so much so that it seems like they’re watching a game as it happens. On the other hand, they have no flow, there is no interaction between them as there is during a real football game. The commentators just report what’s going on and that’s pretty much it. Given how American football announcers are supposed to be able to suck you into the game, this is a huge letdown. Hopefully, this kind of downfall will be addressed in future installments of the series. As it stands, the commentary is adequate, yet disappointing.

All in all, NFL Fever 2002 is a great American football game. The gameplay and graphics are ready for the Super Bowl. But the sound and controls need to go back to training camp. This is a fine first-time effort from the folks at Microsoft. I truly hope they are able to address the issues concerning this game, and remedy them for future installments. If they do, it could be the 2K series all over again, or, if they don't, we could witness the second coming of the fall of the Gameday series. For some more insight into the game, check out www.xboxexclusive.com or www.teamxbox.com.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/15/02, Updated 06/19/02