NFL 2K2
- January 11, 2002 11:25 AM PST
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Now that the outstanding NFL 2K2 finally takes the field with Madden NFL 2002 and NFL Fever 2002, Xbox pro football is officially a sure thing.
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Football at Its Finest
The best thing to be said about 2K2 is ?whoa!? It?s basically a port of the PlayStation 2 version, but on the Xbox, its graphics are so much sharper and?despite the beating the Xbox controller seems to be taking?the joystick-dependent interface feels just right.
Imagine that, a game that embraces the Xbox control layout. Maybe the similarity to the Dreamcast controller is no drawback after all (especially when it comes to the 2K2 series). It?s a snap to quickly and precisely cycle through your playbook just by swinging the joystick. The controls also hit the onscreen action just right, striking a nice balance between Madden?s sim-style action and Fever's over-the-top player movement.
Of course, there?s always a wish list. Football geeks would like to be able to lay the play diagrams over the defense as you come up to the line like you can with Madden and Fever. You also can?t see diagrams when you set audibles during a game. You can call an audible and shift the defensive line, but you can?t shift the linebackers. Also, the sensitive kicking cursor requires a real touch on any field goal attempt.
Visually, the player graphics are a knockout. They masterfully display the now-familiar 2K2 arcade-stylized player models. On the field, the animation is crisp and expertly detailed; you can almost feel every hit. The close-ups of the player faces are uncannily realistic. This is what football fans are looking for when they peer inside the helmets of their favorite players.
The audio rocks. The generic announcers sound okay, but they are right on with their play-by-play. The replay calls, in particular, are standouts as they practically identify your controller button presses.
The Neverending Season
Madden NFL 2002 and NFL Fever 2002 have probably already wiped out a lot of Xbox football budgets. NFL 2K2 would have been a no-brainer if it offered updated stats, especially for stars who emerged in 2001 like Tom Brady of the Patriots or Ahman Green of the Packers. If you?ve already invested in an Xbox NFL game (or two), the reasons for going for 2K2 at this point in the season?even as cool as it is?are slim. But if you?ve come lately to season X or if football insanity runs in your family, NFL 2K2 deserves your most serious attention.
