by Wyatt "JOEDOG" Elliott
NFL GameDay is returning to the PlayStation 2 for its sophomore year. What's that? No applause?
Okay, so maybe NFL Gameday 2001 for PS2 was a little rushed. Okay, it was pushed out of a moving vehicle.
In fact the whole 989 Sports line up for PS2 was dreadful, repulsive, and not worth mentioning, let alone playing.
Sony quite frankly was caught with their pants down on their own system. How embarrassed must they have been when they saw EA Sports' rookie offerings.
‘Cause at one point, you know the guys at 989 must have been patting each othe ron the back for a job well done. I have to wonder how many jobs were lost at 989 for that screw up?
This year will be different. This year NFL GameDay will retake its crown as king of the grid iron.
Well, maybe next year.
Don't get me wrong, NFL GameDay 2002 is WAY better than 2001.
I'm talking a butt load better. However, its still a few yards short, if you know what I mean.
It's a nice effort, but it looks like a first generation PS2 game. This would have been acceptable for the 2001 model, but not 2002.
It still would have come close to Madden 2001, but it could have been understandable given the new technology.
However, we have this for the 2002 edition and its just not good enough. I think its acceptable for an amateur effort like Konami or even Acclaim, but Sony was the best for many years.
The game itself is playable. I enjoyed a few hours on it. Yes, I said enjoyed. Its not unplayable.
Sure, it seems to use and reuse the same the same catch over and over again.
The animation fine from afar, but close up reveals how fake it really is.
Madden and Sega's 2K2 offers real lifelike players which includes facial features inside the helmet. GameDay offers no such realism.
If you are a true GameDay fan and do not care about graphics, only game play. Than Game Day 2002 will offer enough improvements to satisfy you.
For the cynical rest of us, I'm affraid NFL GameDay 2002 just can't hold up to our high expectations.
Which, I don't doubt have become unachievable at this point.
If you were a big GameDay fan as I once was, do yourself a favor. Rent GameDay 2002 for PS2 and see it for yourself. If nothing else it will give you hope for next year. Playing GameDay 2002 has eased some of the scars caused by GameDay 2001. I only hope it can do the same for you.
Let the healing begin. There are worse things in life. You could be a Detroit Lions fan.