PlayStation 2

NCAA Football 2002

With the Madden 2001 engine firmly in place, EA was able to implement everything you’d ever want in a college football game. The gameplay is incredibly smooth, and the Dynasty mode is overflowing with customization options. It even has a Campus Challenge and collectible trading cards. Booyaa, baby!

Considering the fact that Madden 2002 is less than one week away from its release, many gamers are probably tempted to pass this one up. However, if you consider yourself a huge college football fan, that would be a huge mistake. Offering a compelling mix of solid graphics and college-specific gameplay, along with the best dynasty mode to date -- NCAA Football 2002 is without competition. And by the way, I don’t know about you, but I have absolutely no faith in that “other” sports developer. And while it’s not perfect (what game is?) this gamer says, “It’s a no-brainer, buy it... case closed!" Now if you’ll excuse me, gotta go -- The Hurricanes are stormin' the field, and I’ve got me a national championship to claim!

Off the field, I loved digging deep into the Dynasty options. From redshirting freshmen to scouting high school talent to inputing the players' real names, I just couldn't get enough – especially since I'll be downloading my senior class into Madden 2002 as rookies. These goodies, along with the title's speed, really gave me a sense of the college game. Whether you compare it to the pros or not, it's hard to ask for more.

Overall I couldn't help but feel the same way I did about NCAA as I did with Madden. It plays remarkably well, and looks just as good. The game features a plethora of replay value, the Dynasty mode is literally the core of the whole game, this package would be absolutely lacking without it! I'm more than content with NCAA 2002. It's currently the best football title out there. If you can't wait until August 28 for Madden 2002's release, I highly recommend NCAA 2002, in fact I recommended it anyways, not just as a fix.

Whether you're looking to lead a new dynasty or enroll yourself in the college football team of your dreams, NCAA Football 2002 is the ultimate experience. Strap on that helmet, put on your pads, give yourself a scholarship, and get into the game! And I mean now!

My personal opinion is that this is the best college football game ever made and has more replay value than you could ever hope for in a $50 purchase. I, for one, expect to get more than 200 hours out of this baby and will be playing it long after the Miami Hurricanes wins this year's National Championship.

The commentary of Corso, Nessler, and Herbstreit is somewhat improved from the Madden/Summerall tandem, although that may be more a matter of perception than of reality. For example, one of the biggest complaints about the Madden/Summerall commentary was that it didn't vary much. I've noticed greater variation in NCAA 2002, but then, you don't necessarily get color commentary every game. See, for NCAA, the games have been divided up into Regional Broadcasts, National Broadcasts, Game of the Week, and then the rest of the games.

NCAA Football 2002 is saddled with the same gameplay kinks, such as the sluggish controls and money passing plays, as its NFL counterpart. However, these problems are easily offset, as the game has plenty of positives to offer. The season and dynasty modes are packed with a variety of features and options, the stats tracking is incredibly intensive and comprehensive, the graphics are ultrarefined and unsurpassed in the level of detail, and in general the game authentically captures the institution of college football.

NCAA Football 2002 is simply a really good football game If you have no interest in college ball you might find greater enjoyment in the new Madden 2002 game, but as college ball games go, this game is a smash. It's fresh, it's fun, and finally Cal can kick Stanford's ass.

The gameplay is rock solid, and the Option play (rarely used in the pros) is done to perfection. Little details like the height of player's socks shows just how much effort was put into this game. A minor problem is an excessive number of fumbles. Also, someone needs to tell the voice talent that the Maryland Terrapins do NOT play in Baltimore. Other than that, EA has delivered another great football game.