One could make a case that EA Sports' Madden series
is the true "killer app" of the 128-bit generation. After making
its next-generation debut to dropping jaws and raving reviews on PlayStation
2 in 2000, the latest and greatest edition of Madden, Madden
NFL 2002, appeared along side the 2001 release of Nintendo GameCube.
You will not believe the differences and improvements between GCN Madden
and N64 Madden.
The Game
Madden NFL 2002
represents an evolution in video game football. At its core, this is still
classic Madden, with an ever-growing need to be more realistic. The number
of modes and options increase every year, but the game gets better and
better at replicating almost every facet of the National Football League,
which includes noticeable improvements to the AI. Fortunately, in case
you were worried, the GameCube controller does Madden justice. You can
do everything you want to do, and it provides the responsive level of
control you would expect.
Graphically, though, Madden
NFL 2002 is revolutionary. It's breathtaking, crystal clear, incredibly
detailed, and super smooth. The between-plays (and instant replay) camera
work is astonishing and almost rivals a real broadcast. The players look
unbelievable. However, it should be noted that the in-game graphics—when you are
actually running an offensive play or when you are defending a play—still follow
the classic Madden viewpoint.
The sound got a makeover, too. If you are not familiar
with anything other than cartridge-based N64 sports games, you will be
shocked when you hear Madden NFL 2002.
The sound is a significant step up from the cartridge realm, with high-quality
samples and tons of voice. On the other hand, the sound is not vastly
improved over CD-based games of the past. Nevertheless, the sound really
helps capture the football atmosphere, and this is the last version of
Madden to feature Pat Summerall as the play-by-play announcer.
Final Words
In short, Madden NFL 2002
is the epitome of NFL football games. No other game packages everything—graphics,
sound, control, realism, artificial intelligence, gameplay, options, etc.—so well. Compared
to its cousin on PlayStation 2, the GameCube incarnation runs perfectly
at 60 fps, contains shorter loading times, and includes subtle graphical
improvements. You absolutely must own this game. It is a ton of fun.
Final Rating: A+
