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Madden NFL 2002 ps2 Game Reviews
Madden NFL 2002
Critic Score
Metascore: 94 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.2 out of 10
based on 23 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 34 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

The industry football standard returns featuring the Houston Texans, new player face and body technology, the ability to create your own team with custom helmets, uniforms, and stadiums, and a new training mode that let's you learn from Madden, the master himself.

PUBLISHER: EA Sports
DEVELOPER: Electronic Arts - Tiburon
GENRE(S): Sports
PLAYERS: 8
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: August 21, 2001

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100
Core Magazine
From player ratings, to defensive-back AI, to ball physics, they've made a lot of smart adjustments to the game that may go unnoticed by many gamers, but are a joy to discover for savvy football gamers.
Read Full Review
100
Hot Games
Once again, Madden leads the field in video game football, and as of right now, there’s no one near him in coverage.
Read Full Review
100
G4 TV
Even though the competition has weakened in recent years, the "Madden" series is at the top of its game, and this is close to perfection.
Read Full Review
100
Adrenaline Vault
With gameplay oozing off of this disk like gravy out of Refrigerator Perry's hot beef sandwich, fans of the gridiron will lose themselves in hours of rapture and may very well forget to eat or sleep.
Read Full Review
100
GamePro
This year's real highlight for Madden madmen is the buffed out A.I.: On defense, the game reacts more rapidly than ever to your offensive tendencies and in particular makes tough half time adjustments.
Read Full Review
99
Electric Playground
The defensive AI has been cleaned up and perfected. I do mean perfected.
Read Full Review
98
Game Informer
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.
Read Full Review
95
GamerWeb Sony
Superior technical capability coupled with the seemingly hundreds of little things that make a football game enthralling and entertaining allows Madden 2002 to reign supreme yet again.
Read Full Review
95
Sports Gaming Network
EA must have been hanging out in newsgroups, forums, and review sites listening to consumers complain about the passing game as the secondary AI has definitely improved for the better.
Read Full Review
94
GameShark
The overall movements of the players are much more fluid and they don't look as stiff as in 2001.
Read Full Review
93
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Once you get past gameplay which is deeper than a black hole, you’ll find an endless list of options and features. [Oct 2001, p.146]
92
GameSpot
It is a bit disappointing. Even still, the game manages to one-up last year's Madden in most categories.
Read Full Review
92
IGN
When you take these two factors together -- great single player and great multiplayer game -- what you get is a football fan's wet dream and one of the greatest sports titles that have ever graced a videogame console.
Read Full Review
91
TotalGames.net
Damn them… why could they not have implemented the fantastic Player Editor last time? Why couldn’t they have made it easier to get into last time? Why now a better interface, sideline players, cheerleaders and cool boxes?
Read Full Review
91
Game Revolution
Encompasses just about everything a pigskin fan could want in a football game, from the outstanding presentation to the solid mechanics. Though it isn't perfect, it's very good.
Read Full Review
91
GameSpy
Time and time again when the AI is down late in the game and needs a touchdown to win or tie, it refuses to call for a deep pass play...Complaints aside, Madden 2002 delivers the best arcade football experience to date.
Read Full Review
91
Gamezilla!
With the lone exception of the commentary, Madden 2002 represents a substantial upgrade from last year’s version and a worthy purchase for football fanatics everywhere, with beefed-up graphics and improved gameplay in several key areas.
Read Full Review
90
PSX Nation
New modes, better AI and less of the floaty artificial feeling from 2001 makes Madden 2002 a football game for the ages. It's going to be hard for anyone to make a better pigskin game than this.
Read Full Review
90
Playboy
It's the most realistic football game on a console, guaranteed to make you sweat puddles at its highest difficulty setting.
Read Full Review
90
Cloudchaser
The gameplay still feels as fluid and tight as it always has, right down to the execution of some excellent running plays, defensive stops, sack opportunities and the ability to switch players on the fly with ease.
Read Full Review
89
GameZone
It's a game that's so feature-rich, so extremely customizable, and so realistic that I'd recommend this one even if you're not a football buff.
Read Full Review
88
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
The USA's going ape over this latest version, but over here in Britain few of us really care for this most American of sports, and although the latest Madden's the most accomplished yet, it lacks the emotional appeal of something like "Pro Evolution Soccer."
83
Gaming Age
It's Madden's inherently deep replay value that makes the game a real value for the dollar. Couple that with excellent pass execution, solid football strategies and integration with rosters from the graduates of NCAA 2002 and you have very deep, solid, although somewhat aged game of professional football.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 34 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Wes B. gave it a 10:
Dude, this game kills. Maybe best game I ever played.

Gabriel J. gave it a 10:
Best game ever.

T. W. gave it a 10:
I was a loyal Gameday holdout until I tried this. I can't stand Madden and Summeral, but this game is so close to controlling live action, it's amazing. I'd love to see them add a "design your own plays" feature, and beef up the closing speed for ceratin defensers... otherwise, it's as good as it gets!

Mikey gave it a 10:
Every year Madden gets better and better. The game play is excellent, and the Franchise Mode, with the Texans is just awesome. Culpepper to Moss can't be stopped.

Brian C. gave it a 10:
I've never played a FB game that is better than "Tecmo Bowl" for the old skool og Nintendo, until now.

Michael C. gave it a 10:
After playing every football game since "1st & 10" in the early 80's, Madden 2002 for PS2 is by far the best football game ever. A must-have.

Lorenzo T. gave it a 10:
EA, you did it again.

Read more user comments...

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