NHL 2002

The Good
NHL 2002 has plenty of things to like. The graphics are a big improvement over 2001, the faces are detailed enough that in some cases you can actually tell who some players are!! Tons of stats are available on players(draft positions, career stats etc.) as well as lists which record all trades which take place. For stat fanatics like myself, this may keep you playing for hours on its own. The gimmicky tweaks made by EA such as the hit and save replays and goal celebrations are cool enough without distracting from the actual gameplay.

The Bad
The biggest knock against NHL 2002 is that it doesn't play like the NHL. It's full of highlight reel goals and hits that you'd see once a month in the real league. While this is great for some, as a serious hockey fan I found it too unrealistic. There are too many glitchy goals as well, passes sometimes end up in the net, weak wrist shots from the blue line, I've seen too many bad goals to describe in this review. The "commentary" gets annoying very quickly.

The Bottom Line
NHL 2002 was good enough to spend allot of time on my hard drive when it first came out and its allot better than NHL 2003. It's the best game on the PC for casual hockey fans who just want to see some impossible hits and goals every once in awhile and can probably be found for cheap. Serious hockey fans on the other hand are better off picking up NHL 2004

The Good
NHL 2002's most outstanding feature has to be (aside from the superb graphics) the appeal to players of all skill levels. Whether you are a novice or experienced hockey gamer you will like the fact that you can configure the game to your specifications... When I started playing EA Sports NHL series on the Sega Genesis in the early 1990s the single-player got old after awhile. Not with NHL 2002! It has been on my hard drive for almost two years now.

The Bad
There are a couple of "glitches" within the game that do annoy me from time to time...

1. Own Goal - your forward skates through the crease and accidently pushes the puck past your goalie;
2. Colour Commentary - it did get on my nerves the first six months but nowadays I hardly notice Don Taylor's idiotic attempt at humour :P
3. Floater Goal - while trying to make a saucer pass to the players in front of the net, the puck will "float" by everyone and over the goalies shoulder.

The Bottom Line
If you are a hockey fan (or just like hockey gaming) NHL 2002 should be part of your collection. What makes a good game great? It's replayable and it's fun to play. NHL 2002 has both of these elements in abundance.