With the passing years, it is beginning to look like the glory days for the NFL Quarterback Club franchise have passed. The series which first debuted to glorified reviews was back on the N64. The series never really made the jump to the next generation of consoles. An attempt was made on the Dreamcast but it could not hod up to the superior NFL2K series by Visual Concepts. Even the jump to PS2 last year was overshadowed by Madden 2001 which was one of the best games period last year. As I have stated in many reviews recently, in order to remotely compete with the best, you have to at least emulate what they have done and then take that formula and expand it. Once again this year's iteration of NFL QB Club comes nowhere close to the competition. A neat Quarterback Challenge has been added but it is no substitute for an otherwise watered down experience.

Graphics/Sound
Credit has to be given to Acclaim for trying to fix the numerous problems found in last year's game. The graphics engine has been tightened to try and give the fluidity of the game. However, it is still miles short of the milestone visuals found in Madden 2002 and the upcoming Sega NFL2K2. The player models have been improved somewhat in order to convey different body shapes. However, they still look bulky and roam around quite awkwardly. During plays and especially tackles they seem to just pile up. On pass plays, when the receiver catches the ball, he appears to stop for a moment which always results in a tackle. There is no follow through momentum as in real-life. If you are running full steam ahead, it is not humanly possible to just all of a sudden stop dead in your tracks. The stadiums have a lot of detail in them and the sidelines are a lot busier than last year but when it is all pulled together it does not flow. It is more like patch work. On the positive side, Acclaim has managed to pull off a nice blurring effect similar to the one used in Square's The Bouncer. This effect is mostly used in between plays to convey multi-layers of depth on the field. It is a shame that more of this couldn't have been pulled together in a nice comprehensive visual package.

Play by play this year is courtesy of Kevin Harlan and colour commentary by Bill Maas. They both provide some insightful voice work and compliment each other nicely. As is the case with most football games, their receptiveness occurs too soon and variety of samples is not enough. Thus far in football game history, Visual Concepts is the only developer that has used voice actors with hours upon hours of samples that work and are credible. As for stadium and on-field sound effects, they are both pretty standard for the genre. More player talk would have been nice.

Gameplay
The gameplay mechanics are a little improved over last year but it is still sorely lacking. The play layout is awkward to use and as a result you waste a lot of clock time trying to manipulate the menus. The on-field play itself is not balanced as it should be. The running game is just way too easy, especially when you control one of the superstar running backs. Bursting through the line and sprinting down the field to a touchdown is more regular than it should be. As a result, the game is just too easy to win. Only by playing another human player will you have any real challenge. The actual in game controls are pretty standard but we had difficulty with the play books. Although the standard plays are present, their depth and options are weak. The available receivers are shallow. The play book recommends the best route and who to pass to but as in real life football, changes are made at the line of scrimmage. Trying to pass to the other receivers usually ends up in a dropped pass or even worse an interception.

Value
The standard modes of play are present including: Exhibition, Season, Playoffs and Practice. A simulation mode has been added to allow you to create or re-create your very own football moments through computer simulation. Sounds like a great idea but in reality is boring to watch with the kinds of visuals present. Perhaps the biggest feature this year is the inclusion of a Quarterback Challenge. In this mode up to 8 players compete to see who has the top quarterback skills. Players can share a single controller or use up to four controllers using the Multi tap. There are four challenges: Speed and Mobility, Accuracy, Long Distance Throw and Read and Recognition. Each is a blast to play with a bunch of friends over. Otherwise, a couple of times through by yourself tires easily. There is the ability to unlock retired QB greats such as Elway, Marino, Young, Kelly and Simms.

Final Word
The best part about QB Club 2002 is the QB Challenge. It is nice mini-game to an otherwise overly watered down football experience. If you are a fan of the franchise, a rental will suffice. Otherwise, at this point Madden 2002 is the king of the grid iron this year.