I know what you are thinking, "Not another sub par game from 989 Sports". That is what I was feeling when GameDay 2002 arrived on my lap last week. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I booted the game up and found that I could actually play and enjoy this year's iteration of the once mighty football franchise. Last year's game was very rushed and as a result was an embarrassment to Red Zone Interactive, 989 Sports and Sony. Many gamers and media alike wondered how a first party title could be so poorly conceived. Thankfully, the folks at 989 Sports and Red Zone went back to the drawing board and have redesigned the game from the ground-up which incorporates a new game engine that better suits the potential of the Playstation 2. Although nowhere near perfect by any stretch of the imagination, GameDay 2002 is a much needed step in the right direction for 989 Sports if they are to regain the fan base they once enjoyed on the original Playstation.

The visual experience has improved greatly over last year's travesty. For those who care to remember, last year the QB was pivoting to throw one way when the ball mysteriously went in a totally different direction. That problem and many other visual nuances have been remedied thanks to extensive player motion capture and 3D player scanning technology. The player animations look more like Playstation 2 models this year. Portraits of faces, arms, torsos and legs have been scanned in full uniform. The result is lifelike facial features, skin colour and uniform textures. Player movement is improved thanks to the aforementioned motion captures. Something new in a pigskin game is how Red Zone used simultaneous motion capture sessions with two defenders trying to tackle a ball carrier in order to have gang tackle sequences. The tackle animations are well done and varied but tend to emphasize more over the top tackles rather than the usual take downs seen on television. Other new animations include bobble catches, one handed grabs and diving two-handed snags. The stadiums this year seem to more detailed and alive than last year's game. Still there is room to improve the crowd and sideline action. Sideline occupancy is very static and upon closer observation many of the figures are nothing more than sprites rather than full 3D interactive models. This does not deter from the gameplay but let's face it, with the supposed power of the PS2, we expect a lot more in all aspects of game design. The instant replays are fine but do not compare to those found in Madden and NFL2K2. The in-game sound effects are standard fare for the genre. Interactive crowds, stadium announcers, referee calls and between play music is all present. Play-by-Play commentary is courtesy of Dick Enberg and ABC colour commentator Dan Fouts. While believable at times, they both become repetitive much too early in the game. To this day nobody has been able to touch the excellent voice work in Visual Concepts' NFL2K series.

As with any sports game, gameplay and control is everything. GameDay 2002 has improved greatly in this area over last year's effort but there are still a number of quirks that need to be ironed out for next year. Controlling the players is pretty standard as football games go. The problem is the inconsistency. At times it is ridiculously easy to fire passes left, right and centre without any opposition. While at other times, trying to get a ball to a receiver is near impossible. The running game is also not as tight as it could be. If you break through the line and find an opening, you can run around the field at precarious angles without any opposing player touching you. At first I thought it was a fluke but upon further tests it was frequent and quite hilarious to witness. Therefore, the A.I. needs to be able to adjust more carefully in order to make the game more competitive. There are a number of money plays that the A.I. does not react to. To its credit however, the A.I. does a pretty good job during the 2-minute warning. Appropriate time outs are taken and the offence or defense occasionally adjusts their plays. Another issue is there is no clear cut ways to differentiate between various players' specific skills. Thus, it does not matter which QB you are using, as every game you can throw over 400 yards or more. More consistency is needed in these areas to create a better polished final product. The play books are competent but do not offer the depth found in the other PS2 football games.

GameDay 2002 offers the standard features in terms of game modes found in football games: Preseason, Season, Tournament and General Manager. The General Manager mode gives you an opportunity to test your skills as a Coach and General Manager during a multiple year format. You'll control a team by making every important decision including replacing retired players, resigning players, drafting players, deciding which rookies will make the cut and salary cap management. The adjustable player level difficulty actually makes an impact on how the game is played, although further refinement is needed. Absent is some sort of incentive such as the player cards and cheats found in Madden 2002.

NFL GameDay 2002 is a positive sign that things may be back on track for Red Zone and 989 Sports. GameDay 2002 is not a bad game in its own right but rather an average game in a competitive marketplace. Football fans will find more polished experiences in Madden 2002 and NFL2K2.