MADDEN 2000

We'll need to wait a while before the sequel to Metal Gear Solid appears on the PS2. However, knowing they've got a hot item on their hands, Konami is going to ensure that Metal Gear fans get their fill of MGS before that game comes out.

EA's primary competitor on the PlayStation is 989's NFL GameDay. It's been back and forth as to who was the winner over the past couple of years (Sony's big success came during the year in which polygonal graphics competed with Madden's sprite-based game). "Both EA and 989 do battle again this year, and it seems as though Madden NFL 2000 is again the winner."

Realism is becoming a key to the video game sports world, and EA is trying to make sure they can keep up. "The game sounds great and definitely brings the NFL experience home. Pat Summerall's play-by-play seems up to speed with current game actions and John Madden again supplies his trademark Maddenisms. The hits, grunts, crowd, and incidental sound effects are spot on... It's advised that if you have a Dolby Surround setup that you use it with high volume with this game. It's the closest to your local football stadium that you may get (sonically, anyway) without paying for tickets to get in."

Of course, the key to this game is gameplay. "Madden 2000 presents a level playing field for players of all skill levels, and the AI is totally adjustable. Madden 2000's gameplay is almost as simple to learn as Blitz 2000's, except this game is a lot deeper."

So, what's new? "Madden 2000 institutes a new feature called the Madden Challenge. By meeting over 100 different game objectives (such as rushing over over 100 yards or making 2 INTs in a game with the same player) and answering 200 different trivia questions, players accumulate points that, as they increase, unlock secret codes that unlock different stadiums, powerups, and teams... This feature, along with Madden 2000's situational simulator, adds tons of replay value for this title, to keep you playing all the way through the 1999 NFL campaign and beyond. The bottom line is that Madden NFL 2000 is the best football game available for the PlayStation console."

Source: Video Game Heaven.com Full Review: More Info + Screens