NFL Fever 2002

It is a breath of fresh air for football fans that enjoy Madden, but are looking for something more innovative and different...[It's] better than "Madden NFL 2002" on the Xbox!

Spectacular debut football sim. [Dec 2001]

It's a great football game, but Madden edges it out because of superior execution and substance.

Has enough great looking textures to knit a quilt. You will be able to make out the grass, and even the line paint on the grass. The turf looks like turf, not just a brighter shade of grass.

If you’re a diehard gridiron fan looking for an accurate simulation of the sport, you’ll likely want to stick with EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2002. With that said, NFL Fever looks and sounds awesome, and plays fast, so if it’s an arcade football game with all the trimmings that you’re after, NFL Fever 2002 would be an excellent addition to your playbook.

Seems, at first, complex, but is in actuality a football fanatic’s dream come true. The game may feature animations that are a little too swaggering, but otherwise well done. And the player AI is incredible.

Simply put, it's just plain fun, and I couldn't stop playing. The game plays great, but the only drawback to this is there aren't that many different modes.

Never before have I played a football game that really allows you to watch the blocking unfold in front of you (or break down) and then make your move.

I have major complaints regarding the game’s interface. Although it might be made with simplicity in mind, it lacks the functionality required for guys that spend a lot of time in the roster screens and stat screens...[yet] a refreshing, but incredibly fun and exciting football game.

You don't have to look forward to next year. [Dec 2001, p.104]

Surprisingly, the running game – usually the bane of first-time developers – is absolutely top-notch. [Jan 2002, p.82]

Despite these problems, NFL Fever 2002 is a resoundingly solid game that will hold much more appeal for novices than the infinitely more arcane "Madden 2002."

The game's soundtrack mix of classic football marches combined with hip-hop and drum loops...gets almost annoying by game two.

Just don't expect to be rewarded for a consistent effective ground game or sound offensive or defensive strategy. With Fever you just fire up your Xbox and let 'er rip.

Actually playing a game that has a mix of simulation physics and overriding arcade control is really anticlimactic since it doesn't do quite as good of a job at either style of play. Be that as it may, NFL Fever 2002 is still a very solid game.

Fans of games like "Tecmo Bowl" and "Cyberball," who don't want to invest the time or energy required to learn the intricacies of this sport, will get a lot more out of NFL Fever 2002 than players who've logged months, even years with Madden or NFL 2Kx.

It’s a game I think I should like, but have no desire to play it and when I am playing I am usually hoping it will be over soon.

Easy to get into and with a boatload of options, it provides a worthy alternative to the status quo, although hardcore ballers might scoff at the game’s arcadey nature.

The gameplay and graphics are ready for the Super Bowl. But the sound and controls need to go back to training camp.

In the end it’s the accessible gameplay and entertaining Dynasty Mode that will keep players interested, and for a first effort on the Xbox, the development team did an admirable job.

Like many of the also-rans, it failed primarily to the questionable secondary AI. There are some bright spots in the game.

It needs some retooling – mainly better defensive A.I. [Jan 2002, p.229]