<I>NCAA Football 2002</I> takes the same graphics, gameplay, and physics engines as <I>Madden 2002</I> and adds the unmistakable feel of college football. The game plays exactly like <i>Madden</i> with slight improvements to the already strong graphics. You can choose from 144 NCAA teams (117 Division 1-A and 27 Division 1-AA) and compete in one of the 26 postseason bowl games, complete with corporate sponsors (FedEx Orange Bowl). Stat junkies are sure to love this game; in addition to the usual performance stats, it keeps track of AP top 25, coach's top 25, BCS rankings, All-American awards, and more.<p>As mentioned earlier, the gameplay is identical to <i>Madden</i>'s. It has a high degree of realism that purists will enjoy, but fans of faster, arcade-style games might not care for. This is one of the few games that uses every button on the PlayStation2 controller--casual gamers might be intimidated by the complex controls. Also like <i>Madden</i>, there are a number of unstoppable plays that can nullify any defense. From a technical standpoint, this game doesn't offer enough improvements to warrant its purchase if you already own <i>Madden</i>. However, if you don't own <i>Madden</i> or love college football, this is the game to buy. <I>--Raymond M. Padilla</I> <p> <B>Pros:</B> <ul> <li>Sharp presentation <li>Extremely realistic gameplay <li>A deluge of statistics to track </ul> <B>Cons:</B> <ul> <li>Complex controls <li>A few cheap, unstoppable plays <li>Too slow for fans of arcade sports games </ul>
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