Let's face it, when Dreamcast launched in North America, NFL2K redefined the sports market along with the next generation of gaming. At that time, many onlookers in the industry believed that if Sega went to strictly publishing for all consoles, it would give EA Sports a serious run for its money. Here we are almost two years later with the Dreamcast on its last legs while Sega pushes forward as multi-platform publisher. It was no surprise when Sega announced its Sports franchises would appear on all of the next generation consoles. First stop: NFL2K2 on Playstation 2. Is it the Madden killer? Unfortunately it is not this year but is an incredible effort for a first outing and for a development cycle of only 5 months.

The visual presentation is a mixed bag. When I let a couple of 12-year olds try out the game, they could be heard saying that the "graphics look like something from ages ago" and that was with the PS2 hooked up in a component configuration. While I don't totally agree with their observation, there is something about 2K2 that doesn't look quite up to standard with what the PS2 can truly handle. The game is more or less a port of the Dreamcast version which looks a lot better on the Dreamcast this year. Minor improvements between the two versions comes in the form of more realistic player's faces and some more textures on the field. The game also appears to have a higher resolution. Regardless, it does not look like the awful visuals in 989's games or the other sub-par football games on the market. It also does not have the polish found in Madden 2002 but yet holds its own and is actually amazing considering it only had 5 months of development time. This fact in itself should point to a stronger visual presence next year. On the positive side of things, the animations are well drawn and sharp. The running game is incredible and as a result the animations showing breaking tackles is fantastic. Watch defenders get plowed into the ground and stood up with strong stiff arms. Even the throwing and catching animations are tight. Player models are not quite as smooth as those in Madden but still manage do the game justice. The stadiums are highly detailed and the sidelines are packed with people. Cut scenes to the sidelines are not as interactive as those found in Madden nor are the crowds. Weather and time of day effects are also nicely implemented. The replay modes are actually a lot better than Madden. A new history database makes for intelligent replays from earlier plays. The front end of the game which worked well on the Dreamcast is pretty messy and difficult to navigate on the PS2. Next year, VC should think about something that is more appealing to the PS2 environment. Visual Concepts has set the standard when it comes to sports commentary. Sega decided to go with professional voice actors instead of celebrities and the pay off is outstanding. There are more lines of dialogue than any other NFL video game in history. Not only is the commentary deep but it also delivers situation-specific dialogue.

The gameplay is also a mixed bag and will entirely depend upon how you like to play your football games. The controls are easy enough that anyone can pick up the game and get into the heat of things instantly. The play books are not as deep as those found in Madden but still offer enough of the core plays to keep even the hardcore football fans happy. Actually we found a number of people who enjoy the simplicity of 2K2 as they find Madden too difficult. It is the pace of the game that people may question. NFL2K2 is a very fast paced game that some people will argue that it is too arcadey. The ironic thing is while it is fast, it is not arcade-like when it comes to AI. In most arcade type football games, the AI can be found doing the most asinine things. This is not the case in 2K2. If you call a good play and the defense does not counter it, you will find yourself making a huge play quite quickly. On the other hand, the running game is a little over the top. Breaking tackles is excessive and quite fun in the beginning but becomes problematic when it is happening to your defense and to players who it should not be happening to. Another issue is the excessive amount of interceptions in the game. Sure, a good safety should be able to pull in a sloppy pass but when linebackers start making interceptions that defy what happens week in and out in the NFL, things become pretty ridiculous. Get past these two quirks and the game plays reasonably well.

Replay value is high thanks to the various modes including: Practice, Tournament, Exhibition, Season, Franchise, Quick Start and Customize. We spent most of our time in the Franchise and Customize modes. In Franchise, you must take over the job of general manager and coach as you guide your team from season to season. You will have to cut and sign players, draft college players, and manage the salary cap in your quest to build a dynasty. Our issue here is the complexity of moving through the menus and options in order to draft and sign players. The front end in this mode is all over the place and needs major tweaking for next year. And while quite immersive, the franchise mode could use more depth and complexity to keep gamers more interested. The customize mode is nice as it lets you design your own players and teams, and keep tally of your personal in-game records and review the records of other human players. The two-player game is good but the awkward play menus do little to protect your friend from figuring out what you are going to do.

So in the end people are still asking the question, Which is better Madden or NFL2K2? Madden is more polished in all areas of the game but 2K2 offers more speed and immediate action. I have no problem recommending NFL2K2 as a solid purchase but if you are still unsure then renting both games should make your decision easier. If you already own Madden, NFL2K2 will serve as a nice companion as runner-up this year.