Cons: Quirky save feature, minor holes in AI, minor clipping issues.
The Bottom Line: Madden 2002 raises the bar again for all football games everywhere. Vast improvements to AI, control and gameplay make this more just an update.
Note: This review covers both the Gamecube and PS2 version of the game. Both games were actually played side by side in writing this review. Differences are minor and noted within.
Last year’s Madden was nothing less than groundbreaking. As a PS2 launch game it was reason enough for every one in line with me to buy a PS2 at 5:00am that October morning. Madden 2001 upped the ante for graphics, gameplay, control, and realism in a sports title- something that’s hard to follow up on. So one year later, with three platforms to support, the question is how can EA perfect perfection?
The short is answer is yes (whether or not this violates the definition of perfection can be taken to the comments section). At the level of detail that the Madden series is at, this doesn’t take major reconstruction. Instead, changes to Madden are mostly minor, but the whole of these changes is what makes up a more entertaining, more satisfying football experience. At the core, Madden plays the same as it ever did, leaving “arcadey” elements to the Blitz and 2K2s out there, while providing serious players with a faithful football simulation.
To prove it, take a look at Madden’s overhauled Training Mode. This year, the trainer gives an in-depth look at the game of football, explaining formations, plays, and player roles. This is all done by Madden himself- no pages of text to read or second-rate voice over. If you don’t know what a halfback should be doing check this out- it opens up the game to novices inviting them to play, learn and improve. Players can select a formation and play, then get both of those explained and watch the computer run the play. Once you watch an attempt you get to give it a try. Mess it up and Madden explains what you did wrong, get it right and you impress him. Even for veteran players, this is a helpful tool for doing a play over and over just to watch how it should unfold. Once you have it down you can hit the regular game modes and be treated to the most refined football gameplay and control ever.
The level of control on the field is staggering- even more so than last year’s. On offense you can still change individual routes, call audibles, or set a man in motion before the snap and ball carriers can still execute stiff arms, hurdle, juke, dive, slide, and spin. Defensively, Madden brings back audible calling, play flipping (in huddle and after), defensive hot routes, defensive line shifting. After the snap defenders can still dive, jump, and strip the ball from carriers. On top of all that, the 2002 edition tweaks the running game with better ball control, allowing gamers to actively switch the ball carrying hand without stiff arming every time. The juke move is also improved- the stop and go is much cleaner and responsive to the players current speed. Juke at full speed and you won’t get the kind of lateral movement you want, slow down and you’ll get a great jump to the side.
Defensive control gets a little more shine than offense, with the addition of several new moves. This year’s game lets players shift not only their defensive line, but also linebackers! Gone are the days of selecting linebackers then running them individually to the side of the field you need coverage on. This addition to control makes a huge difference in stopping suspect running plays on one side of the field without opening yourself up on the other, a consistent problem last year. After the snap, the defense can now spin away from blockers, swim against them, and even swat the ball out of the year. The swats were in last year’s game, but were automatic.
Overall, control is as tight and responsive as ever. Player physics are solid- from colliding players to the internal physics of one man. When players hit the response is accurate, not always resulting in players going down. The level of detail is so high you can watch leg movement that’s accurate to the point of being able to tell which way you should move in order to keep balanced. If there’s one offensive shortcoming it’s what could now be called a perennial pain (even across other football games)- the stiff arm. Developers just don’t seem to get the stiff arm, making it react more like a shove against a tackle than off one. You don’t expect to see running backs knocking down tacklers with a stiff arm. Instead, you expect to see them roll off those off-center tackles with their arm. What Madden does do with the stiff arm is delay those “just out of reach” tackles you see, and it does this well. What it doesn’t do is capture the perfectly executed tackle that gets a defender off balance and down, making it too unrewarding for the risk unless you know you’ll be going down.
The good news here is that you’ll find yourself in that situation a little less often, thanks to some greatly improved AI. In Madden 2002 blockers finally get smart about doing their jobs- opening up holes that only a second human player could before. This is noticeable from the first punt return you’ll ever do in the game. Where 2001’s players would simply get in the way of the rush, 2002 AI gets your blockers to go after defenders and engage them.
The improvement in AI isn’t only an offensive one, either. On defense, the same ability to target a player is applied to cornerbacks. As a quarterback, you really have to pay attention to what’s going on downfield now- no more passing to your primary receiver every time. Whether you throw a bullet, lob the ball into the air, when you throw the ball: it all matters, and makes the game more realistic than it’s ever been. These advancements do make the game more challenging, but to the end that it makes Madden true to the real game while still being fair- it’s not over-frustrating and allows advanced players to rely on audibles or hot routes in order to get around defenders.
When it’s your turn to stop the computer’s running game, you’ll also benefit from smarter corner backs. The AI is thoroughly consistent, doing the same things right for you as it does for the other team. However, if you do decide to take control of your passing coverage you may run into the one defensive hole in the game, and really the biggest problem with the gameplay here. In a passing situation, a missed swat or interception attempt can result in easy touchdowns, especially on a long pass. Defenders who go for the ball and miss usually can’t recover and get back up to speed to go after the wide receiver- this is understandable in a lot of situations. But even with plays where you have a Strong Safety or Free Safety ready to cover this guy they can never pick up enough speed to get him, leaving players with only one option which is to not go after the ball, and hope for an incomplete pass or go for a quick tackle afterwards.
But you won’t run into this every game, and the rest of the improvements far outshine this one problem. Other game modes just serve to keep gamers more hooked. Situation mode lets you set up a pre-existing game and go in to finish it off. Two-Minute Drill, a cool multiplayer mode, is back. In this mode players get possession of the ball for two minutes trying to get as many touchdowns as possible. Of course, there are still the season, playoff, and franchise modes for the hard-core. Save for some bad statistics gathering during season play (play short quarters and you’ll get shortchanged by the AI vs. AI games), these are as solid as you remember and worth the investment.
Playing in Situation or Two-Minute Drill modes is not only fun, but also a quick way two net some tokens for Madden Cards. Tokens are earned by pulling off certain Madden Challenges (heroic plays like breaking a 60 yard run), or other achievements in special game modes. Players can then cash in their tokens for Madden cards, which can be used to activate cheats during gameplay or just to unlock Easter eggs in the game. Doing the card thing is definitely optional, but fun except for the fact that it’s very easy to forget to select a profile to tie a game to, causing all your Madden Challenge accomplishments to go to waste. In fact, the whole saving scheme really is too cumbersome, just like last year’s. The game doesn’t ever prompt you to save changes to your profile making it too easy to power off before a save and lose everything you just did, and on the Gamecube you’ll need a full memory card just to avoid tapping through a save space warning screen that misinforms you about the space requirements the game has in the first place. And let’s not get started on not being able to import your 2001 game’s data…
Other minor differences between Gamecube and PS2 include inherent control differences. PS2 gains the upper hand since the series’ new control scheme was birthed here. The Gamecube version completely drops analog passing (in case anyone was actually using this in the first place), and requires some doubled up key presses to get different moves. Both versions have been graphically improved. Sheen on helmets has been muted a bit to look more realistic and clipping and collision have been given a work over. Players reach around each other more frequently than before, getting limbs tangled without melding into the other as badly as last year’s version. On celebration animations, though, collision detection seems to be turned off altogether since players near a celebrating player can literally walk right through them. A few extra animations make gameplay easier, instead of just prettying things up. When looking for an open receiver the game actually animates receivers who are open with some hand waving. It will only do this when they’re wide open so as long as you get a good pass off it’ll almost always connect.
If you don’t happen to catch the animation you’ll even hear players calling out “Over here!” So now along with the standard grunts were used to we actually get some helpful effects. Commentary is still delivered by the Madden/Sommeral combo- while Madden has great insight, Sommeral still fails to inject much excitement into the action. Your mileage will vary with taste, but commentary is almost always accurate and mixed in well. Unfortunately Madden doesn’t get the DTS treatment other EA titles have been getting, instead still giving us standard Pro Logic.
Visual options aren’t as prehistoric: both versions support wide screen sets, but to Nintendo’s benefit the Gamecube version actually supports HDTVs by sending a progressive scan signal. In the end, ease of control far outweighs progressive scan, making the PS2 version the one to get for multi-console gamers.
Either way you go, this is still the best football game available for PS2 or Gamecube. Football simply doesn’t get anymore realistic than this. As for upgrades, only the most casual of football fans can be forgiven for saving their money. For owners of last year’s game, though, the updated rosters, new teams, and AI improvements make it new enough to be well worth the $50.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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