Customer Reviews

NFL Fever 2002

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Everyone wants to know "How does NFL Fever 2002 compare to Madden 2002?" The answer is that Fever compares favorably, but is ultimately a different sort of football game. If you always thought Madden was "too arcadey" then you might want to steer clear of this one, as it plants itself somewhere between the simulation efforts of Madden and Sega's NFL 2K2, and the kamikaze kinetics of the NFL Blitz series. Fever is actually a very compelling and fun game once you get over the fact that you aren't playing Madden.

Fever easily pulls off the best graphics ever in a console football game. From the integration of many different intro shots for each play, to the exacting detail which accompanies every hit, jump, and stiff-arm, it is fantastically clear that the developers went the extra mile to really draw you in to the game and create an exciting & colorful world. The players jabber at one another, celebrate successful offensive achievements, and showboat after a steller defensive effort. It really does make Madden look fairly pale and colorless as a result.

The commentary suffers from some uneven choppiness ("FIVE... yard... reception by... ENGRAM!") but does give some timely insight in certain situations ("The defense is in a 3-4, a run would be successful here.") The much-touted graphics are indeed a step-up from Madden, but are not letter-perfect. The detailed faces are a very nice addition, but disappoint when Jerome Bettis looks nothing like Jerome Bettis. He's detailed, but looks nothing like the real guy. But it sure beats Madden's cheesy Kewpie-Doll faces.

The bottom-line really comes down to gameplay, and Fever tends toward "the big play." Interceptions are more common than in Madden, big runs, big returns, long gains, freight-train tackles, all of it brings make Fever seem a little over-the-top, and really makes Madden seem slow & pensive in comparison. Which is why some won't take to this more reactive arcade style of gameplay. Traditional football playcalling & tactics still apply, but the realism factor is purposefully loosened to create a more no-holds-barred atmosphere designed to ramp up the fun-factor.

Honestly, it took me a few times before I was ready to accept this type of football (not to mention getting used to the XBox controller) but once I did, I really started to appreciate the flair and style that Fever brings. I guess the telling thing is that I tried to go back to Madden and really had to mentally shift gears to prepare for a different sort of football experience. NFL Fever 2002 is fun, easy to pick up and play, easy to like, great 2-player fun, and a lot deeper than your average console football game. And they did an admirable job of injecting some life into a stale genre by pushing the fun-factor way up while still retaining the confines of real football.

If too many years of Madden is gradually putting you to sleep, get into the Fever and see how much fun a football game can be.

I first thought of NFL fever as a blow off game like gameday for PSx. but this game is BETTER than madden, at least this yr. 2003 may be another story. i played it at babbages and the controls are basically the same, and Fever is completely new and does show off the power of Xbox.
Ive been playing Madden since it first came out for Genesis, and im surprised to say Fever is better.

I am one of those diehard Madden fans (aka stat-freaks) and the only reason I get video game consoles such as the Genesis, Psone, DreamCast, Ps2,and now the X-Box is for the Basketball and Football. For all except the Dreamcast, its been all about EA sports. When I finally got my hands on NFL Fever (which was the whole purpose of me getting an x box) I was drooling. I turned it on and I was just blown away by the graphics.....It was unreal....actually it was soooo real! I have the "PIP screen"(picture-in-screen) on my TV, and I put NFL FEVER in the pip screen while I watched my Bucs beat up on the Lions this Sunday, and I must tell you....it actually looked as if I was watching 2 real games. The speed of the game was as close to the real football players as I have ever seen. I started playing and I was not disappointed...well, actually I was..... If only the developers would have included a more variety of tackle animations (I have only seen 4), and include all the penalties ( I have only seen 4)--if they didn't want to include all the penalties they could have provided the option to turn specific ones off ala madden---...also if they could have made the computer AI a little better (realistic) this COULD have been the best game ever.....and that's saying alot comming from a die hard madden fan....BUT THE GAME IS FUN ...

You want a football game? This is the one.Great graphics,fast loading time,and realistic players not those fake ones that look like zombies. You can change teames names to the Gladiators, Flowers etc. You can create your own players and set everyting to 100%. It even explains the game to you who have no clue what football is. It has traning modes which teach you how to tackel run, and throw. You can unlock teams in fantsy mode.I hope you get this game. Everyone will have it.

After playing this game extensively in a kiosk, all I've got to say is WOW. Madden and the Nfl 2k series are in for some serious competition. This game is incredible. It plays much better then I was expecting it to. The running game is the best I have played, with holes that open up if you hit them right. The passing games is spectacular as well, but no so easy at first. You have to have your QB set, especially if your throwing into the secondary as the pass gets will get disrupted easily. Defense on this game is also top-notch. The pass rushing is incredible as is the receiver coverage.

As for the interface on choosing the plays, it is easy, straight-forward and quick. The graphics are the best amongst football games, and some of the replays are absolutely hilarious. I can't really comment on the sound as I was ata kiosk, I can't wait to hear some of the bone-crunching hits in full 5.1 SS glory.

This game gets 5 stars as it easily beats Madden for football game of the year

NFL Fever 2002 combines fast and hard-hitting action with deep season and career modes. Designed exclusively for Xbox, NFL Fever 2002 features stadiums from all 31 NFL teams and enables gamers to participate in up to 25 seasons. Gamers can amass both individual and team trophies and build their own dynasties, season after season. The fast-playing NFL tempo lets gamers explode through the holes and break loose, just like real NFL players.

NFL Fever 2002 delivers all the hard-hitting action and in-your-face attitude of the NFL - right to the Xbox! Featuring players and stadiums from all 31 teams, NFL Fever 2002 lets you create your own NFL dynasty as you develop player's skills and abilities, draft, trade, and sign rookies and free agents, retire players and more while playing up to 25 continual seasons. Innovative camera angles keep you in the center of the action and the post-game highlight reel lets you relive those monster hits and big plays over and over again. With cutting edge graphics built from the ground just for the Xbox, you'll feel every bone jarring tackle, and see all the nitty-gritty details - including the facial animations of the players! True, smash-mouth NFL action at its finest - NFL Fever 2002!

Great Graphics:

* Lighting. Highlighting and shadows move across players' bodies and uniforms. Helmets include reflection of stadium lights and architecture, while dramatic day and night skies and shadows are visible.

* Models. Highly detailed player models reflect the size, shape and attitude of real NFL players, including variable accessories such as gloves, wristbands, face masks, taped fingers, QB play sheets, shoes, spats and pads. Players' faces animate and lip-sync for incredibly realistic taunts, celebrations, brutal hits and fatigue.

* Movement. Momentum-based motions in the game are captured at game speed with a highly detailed skeleton to provide some of the most bone-crunchingly realistic animation of any electronic football game to date.

Great Gameplay:

* Pace. Maximize the players' time on the field scoring points and delivering crushing blows.

* Player interaction. NFL Fever 2002 delivers some of the most intuitive and responsive game controls available in sports games.

Challenging Depth:

* Dynasty mode. Gamers can play multiple seasons and unlock Super Bowl championship teams that will become on-field opponents as part of the game players' future schedules.

* All-time challenge mode. Players can challenge the greatest Super Bowl teams of all time.

* Trophy case. Players can work their way into the Hall of Fame and collect virtual trophies for season and career accomplishments.

* Dynamic Player Performance Model (DPPM). Ratings improve as players improve their game characters' skills.

i bought NFL Fever because of all the hype, and it was true, this game is awsome! it's easy to play and easy to learn. if you're not used to the XBox controls like me, i'll take you a little bit to learn them, but other than that, this game is awsome. Here are some of my pros and cons about the game.

Pros
-easy to play

-awsome graphics

-very detailed graphics, i played the Falcons in 3 Com and on one play, Jamal Anderson was tackled and there was mud on one side of his uniform and you see his jersey is wet. espcially from around the shoulder pads.

-detailed fan graphics, you break from the huddle, and you see the crowd doing the wave. it's awsome. awsome details.

-realistic game play. by this i mean, well, i have Gameday 2002 and 2001 for Playstation, and the computer runs about 5 times a game. and when he has a guy like Emmitt Smith, the fullback, like Robert Thomas gets like 4 out of 5 carries. but in NFL Fever 2002, they run the ball quiet a bit.

-no inflated stats. some reviews here post that stats are greatly inflated, but that isn't true. Gameday for PS1 inflates your stats. you'll be ranked #1 in rushing and #31 in pass defense. but in Fever, like as of now, i'm ranked in the middle of the pack. very real gameplay. awsome.

-computer does run quite a bit. again, reviews posted mention that the computer doesn't run the ball, not true. they ran the ball on me quite a bit. i'm in the middle of the pack in rushing defense.

-easy to pass. this is good if you need a 1st down or a big play. bad if you're playing against your buddy. this is the only time when the stats could inflate.

-great playbook. tons of plays to choose from. 1st and 10, will i go 3 WR, 4, or 5? single back, wing, pro set, motion my slot WR, go to TE, auidible to a shotgun? so many plays, it's awsome.

Cons
-easy to pass. i played my buddy the other day. 49ers (me) vs. the Packers (my buddy). i beat him, 42-34, and i killed him.
in a 20 minute overall ball game, i had the ball for almost 16 minutes!!! i ran for over 100 yards and threw for over 300! my buddy ran for about 10 yards and threw for another 350 or so. it's to easy to pass, which is good and bad. that's the only problem with the game.

so you see, the Pros of NFL Fever 2002 outweight the Cons by a huge margin. this is a great football game. what hampers its overall sales is the fact that it is only for XBox. if they opened up Fever to the Game Cube and PS2, i guarantee, it would give NFL 2K3 and Madden a run for it's money.

awsome game that i highly recommend.
i also recommend buying or renting Fever 2002 before buying 2003. check this one first, you like it, buy 2003. that's what i am going to do.

The graphics on this game are just amazing. The crowd looks so real and the players act like real NFL players. This is a great game for the xbox and I definetly recomend buying it because it is worth the money!

One of the flagship titles for X-box and one of the reasons I was so looking forward to X-box to begin with...a great looking football game without having to learn all those massive key combinations like Madden (which can suck the fun out of a game if you're so busy trying to figure out buttons).

I'll leave the pro's quite simple, since many of the reviews you will read are all positive, and I concur for the most part:
- Game graphics are absolutely stunning.
- It is relatively easy to learn...you can pretty much master the controls 20 minutes out of the box, and the included tutorial is great.
- Tons of plays to chose from, some would even say too many...I know I can't possibly go through all the plays within 30 seconds per down.
- The stadiums are great as well as weather and lighting effects. All the teams are present, plus many to unlock and special teams.
- Accurate stats on all current players and extensive create player/roster functions.
- Highlight real and commentary add more realism.
- Great save feature.
- Practice feature.
- Energetic soundtrack.
- Force feedback on controls.

The not so bad cons:
- The manage teams (you play the role of manager) function is a bit overwhelming for the casual fan. You can literally spend hours building teams from scratch, trading players, working with salary caps, etc. This is micromanagement at its most and really detracts from the game unless you like that sort of control.
- Dynasty mode. You play a team for 25 years and try to make your mark in history. Fun, but the quarters are limited to 5 minutes thus really making it hard to make a game without huge plays (a big gamble).
- No season mode. Why can't I just pick a team, and play one season up to Superbowl? This is probably my biggest contention with the game.
- For novice players, the whole 3-4, 4-3, dime and shotgun plays need better description. With so many plays to choose from it's hard to decide on the best strategy with little description. Most of the time, you will just end up picking the `recommended' play that the CPU chooses.

All in all, this is a great and fun game to sit down with a buddy and play a regulation game with. I know my friends and I are sitting on the edge of the seats when we play and really get excited with great execution of plays. But the long dynasty and lack of one season modes make this game fall short of 5 stars.

The graphics are fantastic. My only disappointment is the limitation they place on the dynasty mode. 5 minute quarters do not truly represent a realistic game. There's nothing indicating the 5 minute quarters on the cover of the box or so far in any of the reviews I've read. If you're into true statistics, this might not be the game for you. But it's beautiful to watch. Madden 2002 pales in comparison to the graphics of NFL Fever 2002.