Unlike EA's other sports games, Knockout Kings 2002 does not have very many game modes.  That's not a problem though, because this is a boxing game, and all I wanna do is get in the ring and fight.  The five modes featured in the game are: Play Now, Exhibition, Tournament, Career and Tutorials.  All of these modes have appeared in several other games, so I don't think I need to explain what they are.  Instead I'll get right to the point: KK 2002 is a fun, but very limited game.  The "fun" comes from the intense battles between you and a heavyweight champion.  There are tons of different attacks (punches) that you can unleash on your opponents, as well as a number of evasive moves and techniques.  All of the moves must be mastered or else you'll never become the heavyweight champion of the world, regardless of which boxer you're controlling.  Remember, in video games, a champion is only a champion when YOU make him the winner.  Becoming a champion is not easy, but I've always liked a good challenge, so bring it on!  Then the computer did, beating me to the ground -- literally.  The fallen boxer's eyes open, you're treated to an awesome wavy effect that moves the screen left and right, as if you were a little woozy from the onslaught of punches you just received.

As fun as all of this is, the entertainment is rather limited.  Boxing-obsessed gamers may beg to differ, however, I cannot.  The somewhat sluggish control mechanics result in a mostly slow and repetitive gameplay experience.  There were times when I felt like I'd have better luck if I just button-mashed my opponent to death.  Such flaws are not acceptable in fighting games, so why should they be acceptable here?  Boxing is merely a variation of the fighting genre.

The situation gets even worse when you're in one corner and your opponent is in another.  Due to the angled camera, you'll assume that pressing up will make your boxer move forward.  That sounds logical, right?  In a perfect world, up would always be the direction that you press the stick in when you want to go forward.  But in this case, up moves you backwards.  Confused?  I certainly was, until I realized that your movement is pre-determined, meaning that up will always move you in the direction that it moved you in when the match started.  Once the boxers move around and the camera shifts, "up" no longer moves you forward.  The game should reset itself so that the controls are always changing to match your latest position (a technique used in games like Dead or Alive 3).

Knockout Kings 2002 is a fairly realistic-looking game.  EA must love real-time lighting effects, because they've found a way to incorporate them into almost every game they've released, including this one.  The light bounces off the boxers' unusually shiny bodies, creating an interesting effect that isn't seen often (if ever) in real life.  (For such an effect to occur, the boxers would have to be covered in sweat or some highly-reflective body lotion.)  Unrealistic or not, it looks pretty cool.  It adds more variety to the game's visuals, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that you can never get enough eye candy on the Xbox.

Aside from the shiny bodies, Knockout Kings 2002 features facial damage, tiny particle effects (spit and sweat), detailed face models, intricate muscles, and a few other really cool effects.  However, some of these effects are overshadowed by the poor collision detection shown during the replays.  It seems like I had a 50/50 chance that I'd actually see the fist touch my opponent.  The blow had already been dealt, and the damage had already been done, but the replay can't seem to fully understand that.  It may sound like a minor thing a minor thing to complain about, but once you've see it for yourself, you'll realize that my complaints are justified.  We take good collision detection for granted with games like Tekken, Soul Calibur and Dead or Alive 3.  I've never thought twice about how amazing it was that Eddy's kicks hit his opponents perfectly every single time, both during actual gameplay and during the replay.  But now that the collision detection is lacking, it stands out like a sore thumb.  I couldn't miss it if I tried -- it's that obvious.  Please note that this does not affect the gameplay in any way, it just makes the graphics look a little (or a lot, depending on your own personal view) less spectacular.

Although this may not be much of a compliment, Knockout Kings 2002 is the best boxing game I've played on a next-gen console.  Die-hard boxing fans will enjoy it.  I definitely recommend it as a rental, or maybe even a purchase.  Everyone else should pursue with extreme caution.  KK 2002 is a good game, but in a world where only "great" games are worthy of taking your money, "good" just isn't good enough.

Gameplay: 6.5
Knockout Kings 2002 is like Sasha Cohen -- one minute it's good, and the next minute it's not.  Unlike Sasha, however, Knockout Kings 2002 deserves a bronze medal.  Hardcore boxing fans will probably overlook the game's flaws and try to have a goof time, but the rest of us are going to be left looking for a better, more refined experience.

Graphics: 8 
You know you've got a problem when a game looks better than it plays.  Technically, this is true of many games, but in this case, the graphics are roughly 15% better than the gameplay.  That's too high if you ask me.

Sound: 4
And the award for "worst soundtrack of the year" goes too...Knockout Kings 2002!  I love EA, but they have got to get some new music composers.  I'm not sure KK 2002 had one to begin with.  At least the sound effects are half-decent.

Difficulty: 7
I hate it when I play a game that increases its difficulty by causing you to screw up.  Maybe that's not this game's intention, but it sure feels like it.

Concept: 5 
Perennial updates of really good games are always welcome in my home, so long as they play better than the previous version.  In some ways, Knockout Kings 2002 is better, but it's hardly a unique concept!

Multiplayer: 6
The multiplayer mode (which allows for a whopping two people to play simultaneously) is above average, but it's not the kind of game I'd want to play with a friend for too long.

Overall: 6.5
If you love boxing, chances are you've already purchased Knockout Kings 2002.  However, if you don't love boxing, but decided to make KK 2002 your first impulse-purchase of the year, stop what you're doing and think twice about the mistake you could be making.  Regardless of whether or not you "think" you're going to love the game, never, EVER buy a video game on impulse!  You'll regret it later, guaranteed.  If you still want to proceed, then please rent Knockout Kings 2002 first.  That way you'll be certain that it's what you want.