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FIFA 2002

Score: 90%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Games
Media: CD/1
Players: 1 - 8
Genre: Sports

Graphics & Sound:

Another sports masterpiece from EA Sports, FIFA 2002 follows the trend with awe-inspiring graphics that any follower of the genre can be proud of. The many stadiums to play in are splendidly modeled after their real life counterparts, complete with background scenery and cheering crowds. There are player animations aplenty, keeping the action fresh no matter how often you play, and although the character models may seem slightly limited, it's not enough to take away the experience. The only real down side to it all is that players can get a little grainy from a distance, but you'll never stop play to complain about it.

And while keeping a close eye on the graphics, the developers didn't forget to keep a keen ear on the sound. From the earthshaking roar of the crowd all the way down to the tearing sound of the grass being ripped up from a slide tackle, FIFA 2002 delivers with style. It seems no expense has been spared with the bells and whistles here. And neither was the music allowed to be second rate. A myriad of artists lent a hand in the creation of this game's musical score, much to my ears' delight, and all the tracks are used to their full capabilities.


Gameplay:

Saying that this is the best soccer game around is an understatement. Not only does it cross the finish line well ahead of the competition, but it keeps on going after everyone else stops. With just about every team and every player from every professional league in the world, 12 different major tournaments, a new passing design, and the ability to create players, teams, and tournaments from scratch, you really can't go wrong.

FIFA 2002 offers Exhibition, Season, or Tournament modes. 15 different leagues from around the world can be taken through an entire season of their own, with you at the helm of your favorite team. From the MLS to the Korean League, they've got them all.

But maybe you don't want to make the long haul with a season, and instead go for the glory with one of 12 different tournaments, including the greatest tournament on the globe, the World Cup. Utilizing teams from their respective global locations, each tournament is different in both style and prestige.

Would be managers take note: creating your own team is as easy as ordering a hamburger. You can customize everything right down to the away jersey. This time round though, every team has a limit on how much money they can spend on players. If a team does well in a season or tournament, their limit will increase, allowing for better players to be traded to them. Creating new players also has its limits in this respect, in that making the best player in the world will cost your team a pretty penny. Starting out with a team of misfits might be the way to go, playing your way to the top, not only in the charts, but also in owning the best players.

A Multiplayer mode is offered, allowing up to eight people to take to the field, with a max of four to a side. This is a nice option to round out a very dynamic game, and only adds to the replay value every time you find a new friend to play with.


Difficulty:

Those who haven't heard of the game of soccer might have a rough time feeling out the rules. Everyone else will probably just take a little time deciding on the best way to beat the offside call. Apart from the strange rules, FIFA 2002 should be accessible to all. Adjustable difficulty settings and a modifiable referee strictness should allow just about anyone who wants to play be able to.

Game Mechanics:

If there was ever a reason to buy a game pad for your computer, this was it. It's not impossible to play with the keyboard, but it's a lot harder than playing with a controller. The arrow keys are used to move and pass, amongst other things, giving you eight general directions you can aim in. Trying to adapt to the FPS fans and using a general 'wasd' format to control a player's actions (with the addition of a few other closely accessible keys), FIFA 2002 does its best to use what most people have. All of it may seem odd at first, but a few hours of playing will yield a very satisfying experience.

The greatest new addition to this game is the new passing scheme. All it does is to put a dotted line before the person being passed to, giving the passer a good judgment of how hard to pass. Complex to observers but easily understood to the users, this scheme allows the execution of such plays that make soccer the greatest game on Earth.

Apart from the constricting peripherals at hand, the game plays smoothly. Running players up and down the field is a smooth action, possibly trading in a hair of realism for an increase in gameplay. There is hardly anything to scoff at in this game, and is a must for anyone who enjoys soccer in the least. And I wouldn't be surprised if FIFA 2002 turned a few hardcore American football fans to its side. So go buy this game and have a good time. Do it NOW!


-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications
AKA Andrew Horwitz

Minimum System Requirements:



Windows 95/98/2000/ME; Pentium 200MHZ; 32 MB RAM; 4 MB Video Card memory; 56K modem; 4X CD-ROM; 100 MB hard drive space
 

Test System:



Windows 98, 1.4GHz AMD Athlon, GeForce 2 mx 32MB video card, 40 gig hard drive, 56x CD-ROM, 256MB DDR Ram, Sound Blaster Live! sound card, T1 Internet connection

Windows F/A-18 Hornet Precision Strike Fighter Windows Fighting Legends

 
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