ESPN NFL PrimeTime 2002

Konami/ESPN the Games

PlayStation2 (PC, Xbox)

ESPN has been positioning itself to become a player in the world of premium sports games for Playstation2. Probably not the best and probably not the worst, its football game may just crack EA Sports’ John Madden-line games’ near-monopoly on arcade football; in the meantime, it might be the best way to avoid Madden’s evil mind.

The ESPN version of football does everything EA and Sega’s do, and little more or less. You’ll find the requisite features: exhibition, season, and playoff modes; general manager, coach, and practice modes. The coach and manager modes are slightly above average, which will appeal to players who prefer a more cerebral seasonal strategy and lots of game time; gamers can draft new players and watch them develop, or even create a fantasy team from scratch. (Those hoping for some ESPN Classics-inspired retro teams, however, will be disappointed — that option isn’t included, probably because it would violate all sorts of merchandising agreements.) If you are into designing, drafting, training, and trading for 16 full weeks, and then some, this may be the football game for you.

Stylistically, the game simulates an ESPN broadcast, which is good if you’re sick of waiting for Madden to lose it on the air and get fired. Players are a little blockier and jerkier than one would hope for, perhaps as a concession to game speed, and stadiums and backgrounds often fade to a muddy green color, giving the impression of playing in an eclipse. On the other hand, the game’s controls are freer than other footballers’; whereas other games sometimes leave you madly fingering buttons and spazzing out when your player gets stuck in a pack, ESPN allows you to actually control your players. And when you’re controlling the players, they will bust some heads. Despite some drawbacks, ESPN NFL Primetime 2002 offers decent gameplay and long-term playability — plus you don’t have to take advice from John Madden.

This article appears in December 21 • 2001.

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