Sports

Game Description: John Madden is back and, again, he's brought the entire NFL with him into your PlayStation with Madden NFL 2001. The game includes the updated rosters you'd expect, but new this season is the addition of coaches on the sidelines to give you specialized advice. They also often "encourage" the players and shout "helpful advice" out to the referees. Finer details for this version include wristbands, visors, facemasks, and turf tape—specific to what each player favors in the real NFL. Collisions now factor the weight and height of players, making for more realistic hits. EA has even gone to the trouble of replicating some of the touchdown celebration dances and taunts of real players.

Still, even though their numbers have diminished compared to years past, there are some gamers who actually want the realistic ballplaying experience. It's this audience that 989 Sports is clearly catering to with MLB 2001, but in its effort to provide a sim-like playing experience, it left little in the way of actual enjoyable gameplay.

This could have been a solid baseball game in terms of graphics, control and gameplay, but in the end, the game simply lacks polish. On the paper, I'm sure the developers felt the many features included in this year's entry would make it a serious contender, but the final results are so poorly executed that it has the same empty feel of walking a runner home to end the game.

As I haven't played NFL GameDay 2000 or any prior version of GameDay, I cannot honestly compare it to previous efforts. What I can do is agree with everything else Ben has to say about the game, but I'll try to be brief to avoid parroting his every word. The two major points of the game that I have the most problems with are the graphics and gameplay.

Game Description: MLB 2001 is here and you've never seen anything like it. Dozens of new camera angles zoom-ins and cut aways along with Vin Scully and Dave Campbell in the booth you'll be treated to the most authentic TV style present ation ever seen. New stadium graphics include all of the latest stadiums like S afeco Field in Seattle PacBell Park in San Francisco and Comerica Park in Detroit. New player models are scaled to their actual height weight and body styles as well as featuring the actual player faces right down to their facial hair. An all new franchise mode gives you the chance to build your team into a powerhouse. All this and more than 250 personalized batting stances and pitching motions work together to make MLB 2001 the PlayStation baseball video game for the next millennium.

It's very difficult to think of NFL GameDay 2001 as a new release, because it's just a rehash of last year's NFL GameDay 2000. Actually, it's not even a rehash, because "rehash" implies "revision."

Game Description: What better way to pass the time than with the national pastime? Thanks to World Series Baseball 2K1, you can bring home the whole year's worth of Major League Baseball—from the earliest spring exhibition game to the last dramatic out of the fall classic. The game features everything it should: updated 2000 MLB rosters and stats for all National League and American League teams; all the parks, including San Francisco's new Pacific Bell Park and Seattle's Safeco Field; and all the management functionality needed to replace a tired pitcher or send in a left-handed pinch hitter.

Game Description: Live out your football fantasies with NFL 2K1. Play as any NFL team as well as several all-star teams as you hit the gridiron. Start a franchise and build a dynasty or go online and show the world your skills. Download updated rosters from the Internet for the most up-to-date game you've ever played as you punt, pass, and kick your way to the Super Bowl. Realistic physics, great graphics, and authentic sound make NFL 2K1 the ultimate football simulation. Live out your football fantasies with NFL 2K1. Play as any NFL team as well as several all-star teams as you hit the gridiron. Start a franchise and build a dynasty or go online and show the world your skills. Download updated rosters from the Internet for the most up-to-date game you’ve ever played as you punt, pass, and kick your way to the Super Bowl. Realistic physics, great graphics, and authentic sound make NFL 2K1 the ultimate football simulation.