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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
NHL 2K2
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 11 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 4 votes
Read user comments
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Game Info
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Visual Concepts
Genre(s): Sports
Players: 4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Release Date: February 11, 2002
Summary
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]
Also On The Web: Official Game Site
What The Critics Said
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...
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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >Hot Games
The controls in NHL 2K2 get the nod for being the most intuitive in the genre.
Read Full Review >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]
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.
Read Full Review >Electric Playground
In the good, but not great category, NHL 2K2's artificial intelligence provides moments of excellence, tempered with moments of sheer stupidity.
Read Full Review >Play Magazine
It's all here, with looks that kill and gameplay to support it. [April 2002, p.63]
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.
Read Full Review >GamePro
The controls, while exhaustive in their scope, suffer from too much complexity, and skating and checking never quite feel right.
Read Full Review >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.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
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.
