Pros: All the Teams, PS2 Graphics, Fun, Spirited, So Many things to do
Cons: PS2 Graphics from Last Year, Pass Defense
The Bottom Line: A must-have on gameplay alone, but with a chance to take your school to a National Title, and your favorite player to a Heisman, why miss out?
bulmoss's Full Review: NCAA Football 2002 for PlayStation 2
NCAA 2002 definitely delivers the goods. Many people prefer college athletics over pro sports because college athletes LIVE and LOVE their sports. EA Sports has done a great job of bringing the love to a console. A game where you can be any of 117 Division 1-A schools trying to win a National Championship, pushing Heisman hopefuls, and recruiting high school players is a must-have for anyone's PS2 library. This game is the reason that I bought a PS2.
Critics will tell you that the graphics are a year behind, but Madden 2001's graphics were already so impressive that even a year later, they're still stunning. On the sensory side though, the sound is remarkable. The commentary is done well, with Lee Corso being just as aggravating on the game as he is in real life, but the atmosphere is where this game stands out. Playing at Tennessee with their checkered endzone, seeing the Florida Gator mascot, and, best of all, hearing your fight song, make you ready to head out to the real stadium on Saturdays in the Fall.
The game has all of the modes that seem to be included in every sports game nowadays... single games, single season, and the rest of the lot, but Dynasty mode rules the roost. I really enjoyed leading my alma mater, LSU, to a National Championship, but thanks to my great leadership, I lost some great underclassmen. However, I picked up some blue chip recruits during the offseason and headed into spring drills. It's little nuances like this that give this game the emotional thrill ride typified by college sports. The fact that you can pick who to redshirt, or if you should maybe just cut the player, is just one of the great details of Franchise mode. And don't forget about exporting draft classes to Madden 2002. It was nice to be able to play with the players that left my team early or graduated (but that's another game).
Gameplay is great, but since no games are perfect, I'll point out my disappointments. If you've played Madden 2002, you realize already that EA Sports doesn't really like allowing your defensive backs to be able to tip many passes or make too many interceptions, the same is true for NCAA. Contrary to Madden, the offensive passing game is extremely easy, with corner routes and outs being almost unstoppable, even on higher difficulty levels.
Now that's all the bad things I have to say. The option, a trademark of college football, is so much fun to run, and making the right decision on when and whether to pitch the ball are extremely important. Being able to run the ball inside and out, when done properly was also very rewarding. Defense could have a few more sacks, and it seems like my quarterback always goes down when he's fixing to be tackled while the computer always gets rid of the ball.
Campus Cards allow for unlocking All-America teams, hidden teams, and arcade-style bonuses. Single player is fun, and if you have a friend over, there's nothing like playing those big college rivalry games, or upsetting his powerhouse with your small school.
All in all, there's nothing like sweating through the season, watching your team rise and fall in the polls, and trying to win a Heisman and National Championship. This game will have you in the College Football Mindset throughout the entire year.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.