efore there was a Madden NFL 2002, there was a game dubbed Madden 2001. This was a well-liked game that received much praise. The acclaim that it got is nothing compared to the accolades that 2002 deserves. When I tell you that I've never had such a fun and intense football experience – ever – you may think that's a natural progression for this next-gen sequel. However, that would be underestimating the strides this title has made, and just how high the bar has been raised.
Graphically, it's the little things that make this a huge improvement over last year. Recognizable player faces and more detailed jerseys are just the tip of the iceberg. I was awestruck to see almost whole plays that contained tackling and running animations I had never seen before. After 2001's cover star Eddie George complained to developer Tiburon that he never got knocked flat on his back when tackled, this Madden has put in a more natural rendering of momentum. You'll see rushers and linebackers collide, twist, and fall to the ground in a more realistic fashion. Accurate weight transfer is also important to the passing game. QBs have to be much more careful of planting their feet when throwing. Madden 2002 shows lots of cool lame duck throws and more interceptions in general, due also to a smarter secondary. New animations are also very evident in WR's catching of balls. My favorite is when receivers have to adjust to balls thrown behind them. In fact, even the dropped passes are more fluid and bring out more variety of motions.
I've played my share of Madden through the ages, and one of the many things that brought a smile to my face this time around was the fact that I wasn't immediately killing the computer. Getting used to the swatting vs. interception shoulder buttons (L1 and R1), defensive spin move (L2), and shorter dives (which meant choosing the correct cut-off angle for tackles was more important than ever) made the game harder, even though I already knew it like the back of my hand. Unfortunately, I was also familiar with the iffy collision in some of the replays, but this was more than made up for by the fact that dramatic, letterboxed, and Matrix-style replays are shown after big plays.
Madden is even deeper this year with the return of the Create-a-Team and the Two-Minute Drill, but that's not why my jock is still on the field. Tiburon could have merely made these additions, but it went the remaining nine yards to make a football game that is that much closer to perfection, if it hasn't already got there.