PlayStation 2

Arena Football

Arena Football is a very impressive effort for a first-time franchise. On the field, the action is fast and furious, if you don't mind playing with non-NFL players and teams with WNBA names like the Blaze and Soul. While the season mode is shallow, online play and solid multiplayer action will keep you bouncing off the walls for some time. Priced at a frugal $29.99, Arena Football is a fantastic way to cure those post-Super Bowl blues thanks to the numerous spectacular plays you will witness every game. This game is really, really fun.

EA Sports' take on arena football is mostly a mechanically sound game of football, but it doesn't quite nail the thrill of the real sport.

Arena Football has the potential to be a nice counter to Madden, but as it stands now, is just a poorly thrown Hail Mary.

If this game sounds like it should be a freebie feature in Madden or if you're asking yourself why you don't just play NFL Street (which is more fun despite its faults), you're not wrong. I have no idea why this title was even made.

Arena Football seems like a good idea on paper, but the execution of the idea is miserable. Nothing new has been brought to the table, and many modes that you normally associate with sports games are nowhere to be found. The visuals are unimpressive and the audio is downright offensive. In the end, you get the feeling that the game was put out solely because EA had the license and they were obligated to release something. If this was included as a bonus when you pre-order Madden, or even included as part of the next Madden game, it wouldn't be so bad, but to expect people to pay even $30 is wishful thinking.

Arena Football is perhaps best received as a football enthusiast's introduction to the rules of the AFL. It'll take some getting used to before you stop being penalized for simple mistakes, but the game does a good job of indoctrinating new players to the sport. As a stand-alone game of football, it doesn't quite compare to Tiburon's Madden games, or even Blitz: The League for that matter. We encountered a few animation bugs during online play, and duplicated players during the fantasy draft, questionable issues for the retail version of the game. Still, the solid online play saves Arena Football from being a dust-gatherer, as sometimes it can be fun to run up a high-scoring game against decent competition. Arena Football was released at a considerable price reduction compared to other current games, debuting in stores at $29.99. While this may be a bargain for those without the highest standards, it's important to remember that with many video games, you get what you pay for.