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NHL 2K2

5.7 based on 11 reviews Read critic reviews How did we calculate this? based on 4 votes Read user comments Rate this game

• Official Game Site

Improved player and team AI gives you control over whether to use your finesse skater to avoid the crushing checks of the defense or whether to bring in your own intimidating checking line to loosen up the opposition. Shadow the other team's best player with your defensive specialist and protect your star with your enforcer. Use Franchise Mode to take a struggling team to the Stanley Cup® finals by building up slowly through the draft or choose to win right away through crafty trades and free agent signings. [Sega]

PUBLISHER:	Sega
DEVELOPER:	Visual Concepts
GENRE(S):	Sports
PLAYERS:	4
ESRB RATING:	E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE:	February 11, 2002

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

92

Sports Gaming Network

If you can get past some of the sloppy control and strong defensive qualities of the game (including a too-effective poke check), you'll find a game completely opposite all other arcade based titles on the market.

92

IGN

The gameplay and features are the slickest out there, and in terms of simulating the experience of hockey, NHL 2K2 delivers the most authentic representation I've seen yet.

91

Gaming Age

A fast, fun, deep, and graphically impressive game and it’s been well worth the two year wait since Sega released the original.

90

Hot Games

The controls in NHL 2K2 get the nod for being the most intuitive in the genre.

82

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Its top game speed, Lightning (yes, that's what they call it), keeps the action firing at an intense clip without sacrificing skater physics. In other words, it's slippery fast, but not in a cheesy, pretend way. [May 2002, p.114]

81

GameSpot

A great game of hockey... It may not have all the features that we would have liked, but it's certainly a lot of fun to play.

80

Electric Playground

In the good, but not great category, NHL 2K2's artificial intelligence provides moments of excellence, tempered with moments of sheer stupidity.

80

Play Magazine

It's all here, with looks that kill and gameplay to support it. [April 2002, p.63]

70

Planet Dreamcast

While it has all the makings of a great game, its ho-hum presentation, standard graphics and gameplay, missing online play and overall lack of innovation make this a game to pass on if you can.

60

GamePro

The controls, while exhaustive in their scope, suffer from too much complexity, and skating and checking never quite feel right.

58

XenGamers

The sound of skates on ice is particularly grating here, sounding more like nails on a blackboard than thin knives of steel dragging across a slab of frozen water.

The average user rating for this game is 5.7 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Al M. gave it a 4:
Nhl 2k2 is easily one of the most underwhelming hockey games on the market. sega sports seems to have missed the boat about how to design a realistic hockey game. as far as the graphics go they are relatively clean and sharp. where sega loses marks is in its player models which all look like football players on skates. the arenas aren't bad, however aside from the logo at center ice the gamer won't be able to tell the difference between cities. gameplay is where nhl 2k2 really suffers. the computer ai is too cheap when it comes to offensive chances. collision between players often makes for very scrambly play and it seems like every human controlled character skates with his head down. in addition to the scrambly play the cpu erroneously faces off at center ice after EVERY penalty called. if you plan on passing the puck from your goalie to the defenseman, forget about it. it seems like the goallies can only stop the puck and not pass it with any authority. often you will find that if you do try to clear it with your goalie it will just weakly lay in the slot for an opponent to jump on. avoid this game, nhk 2k2 is garbage. for real hockey fans stick with nhl 2002 or 2003 by ea sports. the guys who really know hockey.

Brad B. gave it a 10:
Sweetest game of hockey ever! Good control, Good graphics, and decent sound round out 2k2...Can't wait till 2k3!

Lane B. gave it an 8:
The game's good but on any difficulty but easy the defenders stick check you to death and you can't get a shot off. I guess it's realistic but I'd like to be able to come out front of the net with the puck.

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