There are two ways of looking at Madden NFL 2002. Optimists might see a game that is significantly better than its predecessor, one with helmets that reflect stadium lights and a respectable running game. On the other hand, pessimists might note that last year's version is hardly a worthy benchmark; that this new installment has significant gameplay balance issues that render each of the difficulty settings dissatisfying; and that it's really nothing more than a port of last year's PlayStation 2 edition of Madden NFL 2001, warts and all.

Rivals meet in the Miami mud.

The truth falls somewhere between these two extremes, though an extended period of time spent with Madden 2002 will likely prove unfulfilling to all but the most forgiving arcade sports gamers. There are just too many hurdles to overcome. Although the customizable artificial intelligence sliders and appreciable range of difficulty settings can make a huge difference in regard to realism, you're always compensating for one problem or another. Finding an acceptable re-creation of the NFL gridiron remains frustratingly elusive. No matter how much you tweak, the basic game engine contains cracks in its foundation that can't be readily repaired.

Such flaws show up as soon as you get beyond your first few games and grow comfortable with both the gameplay and the interface. Offensive play rapidly devolves to nothing but long-range passing. Although the short game is properly realized, complete with agile cornerbacks and linebackers who are quick to bat down a pass anywhere near them, patterns that go longer than around 15 yards send the defenders into a vapor lock. At those distances and beyond, corners fixate on the receivers they're covering and completely forget about the ball. They never glance back and seem blissfully unaware of what's going on around them until the pigskin has been caught and they're required to make a tackle. Virtually every quarterback in the game can rack up a minimum of 350 yards in the air, every game. And that shouldn't be the case in a league featuring weak sisters like Tony Banks and Charlie Batch, and hapless clubs like the Cleveland Browns.

Player models are authentic...right down to rolls of fat.

You can address this problem somewhat by boosting the difficulty setting and adjusting the AI slider bars to enhance computer defensive awareness and pass knockdowns, and reduce your own catching ability. But the issue never really goes away, and the adjustments cause their own problems. Bump the general difficulty up to all-pro or all-Madden, and you'll lose most of your ability to move the ball on the ground. Running to the outside becomes virtually impossible, and going straight up the gut is never worthwhile. Of course, this can be tweaked by adjusting the running ability and run-blocking AI sliders--though as in the case of the passing game, you can't fully compensate for the problem. The all-Madden mode adds even more obstacles by apparently maxing out player abilities. Defenders have both preternatural awareness of what you're about to attempt and godlike skill to stop you from doing it. Be prepared to watch the likes of Warren Sapp running down cheetahs like Randy Moss.

All of this adds up to create a game that's one-dimensional and rather boring, despite the aerial displays that take place every time your players step onto the field. These issues waste the outstanding depth of the game design and features, as only diehards of the Madden series will stay interested long enough to enjoy the presence of all 31 NFL teams, plus the expansion Houston Texans and the NFL Europe clubs, the new create-a-team option that lets you design a custom team logo and uniforms, and the involving franchise mode (complete with the salary cap and coaching changes). Speedier Internet play will likely be embraced, as other human players can compensate for the weaknesses outlined above, although that certainly can't make too much of a difference in regard to correcting the serious run-and-pass imbalance.