NFL Fever 2002

Donovan McNabb drops back, looks over the middle and fires. Interception! Brian Davis of the St. Louis Rams picks it off inside the 10. However, on the ensuing play, Kurt Warner is dropped in the end zone for a safety. Two safeties and a field goal later, the Philadelphia Eagles have knotted the score at 7-7 at halftime.

Undaunted, Warner, with Az-Zahir Akeem as a primary target and Marshall Faulk taking passes from the backfield, racks up 298 yards and four touchdowns en route to a 28-7 whipping of Philadelphia.

Microsoft’s NFL Fever 2002 for the Xbox console system seems, at first, complex, but is in actuality a football fanatic’s dream come true. The game may feature animations that are a little too swaggering, but otherwise well done. And the player AI is incredible.

This is a program that allows players to bypass the techno-speak and get on with the game, if so inclined.

Know what Buck Dog Cover means? How about a Thunder Dump?

This game allows players to select the recommended play in any given situation and then play from there. As mentioned, the AI (artificial intelligence) is very good. Receivers run their routes and catch the ball without a lot of controller manipulations.

Not so good at playing defense? If you are in the rookie difficulty level, then most of that is done for you. Players will respond according to their individual profiles. A quick click will get you to the player nearest the ball, and you can launch a tackle to try to dislodge the pigskin.

“Hey Warner, I’m going to bounce you like a ball!”

Tough talk, especially when a 54-yard pass later bleeds the defense for six points.

Dick Stockton and Ron Pitts handle the play-by-play and commentary for the game, which is prone to the failings of other similar games. The opposing QB hooks up with a receiver for a 24-yard play. Pitts remarks that it doesn’t get any better than that. Hmmm, on the previous possession by the other team, the QB connected with one of his favorite targets for 54 yards and a touchdown, without any ‘wow’ type remarks. Yes, there are some stock phrases thrown about, but overall, the sound does a great job of keeping pace with the graphics.

Control-wise, this game will take players some time to adjust to. Though there is a tutorial, which will guide the newcomer through the basics of running, passing and tackling, in the heat of battle, those keys may become somewhat confusing.

You can play either a single game or take on a team and try to guide it through to the playoffs. Once you enter a season format, you can select which ‘dynasty’ you will create. This includes front-office options such as drafting or trading players. All the teams you decide not to represent can have games simulated. This rounds out the season standings.

Graphically this program really does a nice job of representing the player characteristics of the game. A lot of the AI comes into play, meaning players won’t have to worry about making the catch, or working defensive skills. If the game has any drawbacks graphically, it is in the player faces, which all look alike, and the constant shoulder swagger exhibited by almost all the players. Lighting effects, the camera controls, and instant replay options are incredible. However there are some setbacks. For example, a receiver may seem five yards off the area where the ball is coming down, the area flooded with defenders, when suddenly the receiver comes from out of nowhere, makes the catch and heads down toward the end zone. There seems to be a slight blink in the video when this happens. Or, inexplicitly, the kickoff return seems to slow down slightly. Normally this is a quick-paced game, and the slowdown is not only noticeable, but also uncharacteristic.

This game is option heavy, but only to increase the entertainment value and cater to a football fanatic’s need to control multiple aspects of the game.

This game is rated for Everyone, and supports up to four players in the multiplayer mode.

Gameplay: 8.7
Overall the program is very well rendered, and the games are fast paced, but there are some video breakdowns that seem uncharacteristic for the general flow of the game. A nice touch is allowing players to simulate games of teams they don’t control personally.

Graphics: 8.5
The faces of the players look all the same, each player has a similar shoulder swagger, but the details of the uniform, field and ball, as well as the lighting effects are excellent.

Sound: 7.5
The audio portion of the game is well done, and exactly what is expected from this type of game.

Difficulty: 8.5
The program’s AI is incredible, and the options package is excellent. The control elements will take time to get used to. The player interface adequately gives gamers access to all the options this game offers.

Concept: 7.5
Football isn’t exactly a new game for consoles, but this product does a very nice job of making the play accessible to anyone of any skill level.

Multiplayer: 8
Like most games in this genre, the single player may be good, but the action and intensity really picks up when playing a multiplayer game.

Overall: 8.5
There may be a few setbacks in the graphics and game-play departments, but this game really does a great job of making the pro football game accessible to all players. It looks great, has solid sound and plays very well.