Madden 2001 for the PC comes at the gamer like a freight train... it can't be stopped because, simply, there's nothing that can stop it. Sadly, for PC gamers, there's no competition this year. Madden 2001 is the best PC football game by default, simply because it's the only football game available. I'm not saying it's not an excellent game. It's just that there's not much of a point to this review. If you like football and have a powerful PC, then Madden 2001 is the only game to buy. If you have a Dreamcast, though, you'd be better off getting NFL 2k1.
The graphics are outstanding. They are, for the most part, some of the most impressive graphics ever seen for a PC sports game. Fog fills a stadium, shadows look incredible, jerseys wear down as the game wears on, and the weather effects are the best ever seen in any football game. The animations are fantastic, with players jumping up to make awesome catches, turning back to the field, and running down the field with uncanny realism. Unfortunately, though, the graphics come at a large cost. The game, even on fairly powerful computers, doesn't run at the best speed. It's very customizable, so getting a decent framerate is easily done, but the graphics will suffer. If you have an awesome computer and video card, though, Madden 2001 will blow you away.
The game's sounds are fantastic. The music is excellent, with some great rap songs that will get you into the game. The sounds are also nice, with great tackling sounds, grunts, and player noises to keep the game authentic. The best part, though, is the excellent crowd noise. The crowd tracks the game very accurately, with cheers and boos done in an accurate manner.
The game itself is a mixed bag. The passing game is still much preferred to the running game, with long-bombs to the open receiver still to easy to perform. The running game, while improved, simply isn't nearly on par with the excellent running game of NFL 2k1 for the Sega Dreamcast.
The computer, though, puts up a decent fight. The AI is often aggressive, and will go for the throat when you make a bad call. The problem, though, is the computer's inability to stop a few defensive formations. I won't say them here, but when you call them, the computer is easily beaten on even the hardest game difficulty setting.
The multiplayer aspect is very suspect. I have had too many problems trying to complete a satisfactory multiplayer game. Even with my cable modem against others who said they also had good connections, the game was too laggy to be enjoyable.
Madden 2001 for the PC is the best for the system, but I'd still prefer the game on the Playstation. While the game runs wonderfully for those with very high-end systems, most of us don't have that luxury. Madden 2001 is a fine game of football; it just finds itself on a platform without competition, and without alternatives. If you only have a PC, then it's going to be fine for you. If you want the best football game available, then pick up a console.
-Jerred
Create an Account
Member Login
