Category Archives: Reviews

NFL 2K2 is Fun, Yet Lackluster

Sega Sports NFL 2K2 on the Xbox looks great, far better than when the series was on the Dreamcast. Unfortunately, the game can’t quite live up to the depth of play we have come to expect from their main competitor, Electronic Art’s Madden 2002. Before any new Sega fanboys cry out foul about me giving this game an average review, let it be known that I am writing this as an unbiased reviewer. I do admit that while I owned a Dreamcast, I was one of the biggest Sega fanboys on the planet, and like many of them, was heartbroken … Continue reading NFL 2K2 is Fun, Yet Lackluster

NHL 2002 Gets its AI Back

This review comes on the night after the first Washington Capitals game which I attended. Granted this stupid town is obsessed with Michael Jordan and basketball at the moment. Hey idiots, bear in mind that one player will not help the stinking Wizards. Can you say Deion Sanders? There is no denying that Jagrmania is rich at the MCI Center, as his addition to an already strong defense and killer goaltender might be DC’s underrated saving grace. And if tonight’s 6-1 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champ New Jersey Devils is an indication, I suggest everyone quit looking at … Continue reading NHL 2002 Gets its AI Back

EA Footbal 2001 Report Card

This joint review is being written on the night following the first week of the NFL season: a week that has provided plenty of surprises (Minnesota losing to a Chris Weinke-led Carolina Panthers), and the obvious (the Redskins getting their Butt kicked by the Chargers of all teams!) There were also personal highlights, such as my Jags winning and Urben’s Jets losing big, and lowlights as Fox Sports centering their Ravens game solely on Rayenthal "I got away with aiding a murderer" Lewis. These surprises also seem to carry to the PS2 gridiron as well. Last year, when Madden 2001 … Continue reading EA Footbal 2001 Report Card

World Series 2K2 Cracks a Homer

Finally! Sega Sports has come back to World Series Baseball. And this year’s game is running the bases in a whole new way. Visual Concepts knows they dropped the ball with World Series 2K1 and so this time round they’ve gone with a completely new gameplay engine that has a bit of a learning curve, but with a little practice is sure to gratify most loyal fans of the WSB series. It just further goes to show that when gamers talk…Sega listens. It’s no secret that last year’s version of the game had many "issues" ranging from poor control or … Continue reading World Series 2K2 Cracks a Homer

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater gets air

Let me make one thing perfectly clear on this review. Since my days in high school, and up to this day, I have never liked skaterats (my name for skateboarders.) To me, being a skaterat is the lowest form of life, maybe even lower than a convicted multiple murderer. Not only that, but I have rarely touched a skaterat video game in my life (with the exception of Skate or Die for the Commodore 64). However, when I was at E3 last month, I obtained a copy of Sega’s latest Web Browser, which to my surprise, included several demos. One … Continue reading Tony Hawk's Pro Skater gets air

High Heat 2002 is Real Baseball Fun

What was I thinking last year? Why did I almost give up my copy of High Heat Baseball 2001 in exchange for that travesty called World Series 2K1? Fortunately when I saw WS in action, I immediately changed my mind, and stuck with perhaps the most in-depth baseball sim I ever played. However, there are still idiots out there who will pass on a masterpiece like this solely because the graphics aren’t all that great. Unfortunately the same thing can be said about this season, with High Heat 2002. I’ve called various software stores in the area, and they told … Continue reading High Heat 2002 is Real Baseball Fun

Mike Tyson KOs Boxing Simulators

Do you want to be just like Mike Tyson? asks the marketing release that came with Mike Tyson Boxing, "Or how about kick his ass?" "Or bite the ears off of opponents, just like Mike?" Ok, I made that last one up. Even though I like this game, I can’t help throwing in some Tyson jokes. Nonetheless, yes, I want to be like Mike, and yes, I want to kick his ass. Mike Tyson Boxing for the PlayStation is the game in which you can do both. Mike Tyson Boxing is a realistic boxing sim for 1 to 8 players. … Continue reading Mike Tyson KOs Boxing Simulators

Does EA Sports Care About AI Anymore?

Ever since EA Sports, as well as Electronic Arts, turned their back on Sega and dedicated all their services to the PlayStation2, it occurred to me that they were only concerned about a game’s visual presentation, no matter how poor the actual gameplay turns out to be. I found this out when I tried to play NHL 2000 last year, and was infuriated with the game’s poor goaltender AI and unrealistic collision physics. As a result, I ended up playing Sega Sports’ NHL 2K, a game which I really enjoyed because it had some of the best goaltender AI I’ve … Continue reading Does EA Sports Care About AI Anymore?

Madden Crushed by NFL 2K1

As one of the Dreamcast’s launch titles, NFL 2K came away as the runaway hit of the system. It was so good in fact that GiN gave it the title of Best Sports Game of 2000, being the only other game (besides the godlike High Heat Baseball series) to beat out EA Sports for this title. There were some small problems that prevented it from being the be-all, end-all of football games. The running game was pretty weak (usually getting gains of only 3 yards, 10 yards if you’re lucky), and aside from the season and fantasy modes, there was … Continue reading Madden Crushed by NFL 2K1

WWF Royal Rumble is WCW Clone

As I write this review, I am in the middle of watching the World Wrestling Federation’s Summerslam pay-per-view. In typical WWF fashion, the production is top-notch, with nary a hitch. Their rival, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) has taken a major fall from grace, and their last pay-per-view, New Blood Rising, is a perfect example. WWF and WCW video games seem to follow the same story. While I was impressed with both WWF Wrestlemania 2000 on the N64 and Smackdown! on the PlayStation, I did not like WCW Mayhem for either N64 or PlayStation. When I heard that THQ (who made … Continue reading WWF Royal Rumble is WCW Clone