When Microsoft released NFL Fever 2000 on the PC in 1999, it gave Madden a serious run for its money. It's been a few years, but Fever and Madden are once again going head-to-head on the Xbox, and once again Fever proves itself a serious threat to EA's perennial football powerhouse. That's not to say that NFL Fever 2002 is a perfect game, because it isn't, but it does offer great graphics, decent AI, and plenty of bone-crunching gameplay. NFL Fever 2002 features several gameplay modes, including practice, single game, and season, which itself contains a couple of different options, including dynasty and fantasy challenge. Fever 2002 has a full NFL license and includes all 31 current NFL teams--and 15 fantasy teams--along with all the current stadiums. Dynasty mode is where most players will find themselves, as this mode lets you manage all aspects of your team, including signing and cutting players, negotiating trades, and making sure that your team comes in under the salary cap. A great feature in dynasty mode is Dynamic Player Performance, which adjusts players' ratings (which determine how well they play) based on past game performances. So if you have a second-string running back who rattles off three or four great games in a row, his rating will increase, which should keep him performing at that high level. On the flip side, if a player has several poor games, his rating will decrease. Because it was designed specifically for the Xbox (unlike Madden NFL 2002, which was ported to the Xbox from the PlayStation2 version), NFL Fever 2002 looks awesome. Player animations are highly detailed, the stadiums look fantastic, and the weather effects are topnotch. Beyond the obvious features, though, there are many subtle details that really add to the experience: the field will get torn up in wet weather, player uniforms will get stained with dirt, and the crowd will begin to thin out if the game is a blowout. In terms of gameplay, Fever 2002 delivers a solid experience. The AI is pretty solid, especially on the defensive side, and if you call a perfect game it's possible to get a shutout against the computer, even on the higher difficulty settings. On the downside, the computer rarely runs the ball, even when it has a high-powered running back like Corey Dillon, and AI play calling is rather suspect at times. Those complaints aside, Fever 2002 is a lot of fun. It offers great graphics, multiplayer is a blast, and the dynasty mode features a good deal of depth. If you only want one football game, NFL Fever 2002 deserves your consideration.--William Harms Pros: Dynamic Player Performance Great graphics Solid defensive AI Cons: Computer rarely runs the ball Gameplay a little arcadelike at times
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