By far, the greatest improvement over the years of the
Final Four series is its gameplay. Everything about
FF2002 is very smooth, from simply controlling your player's movement, to sticking the 'D' to your opponent. Considering that the game includes many new moves (like post moves and hook shots), controlling your player effectively is essential.
NCAA Final Four 2002 has 5 real modes of play. Of course there is the good old Exhibition (with Quick Start for random teams), Tournament, and Season modes. But also vying for the championship are the Dynasty and Career Modes. In Dynasty, you get to play through multiple seasons in a quest to build your franchise into a powerhouse. After each season, you will also be able to search around for new recruits that will help you gain your glory. Career Mode offers another twist on the Dynasty Mode. Instead of sticking with one team, you are the coach, and must decide which team you want to coach. You will be given offers, and it's your decision to stick with your school or move on to bigger and better opportunities.
NCAA Final Four 2002 also features a Create-A-Player, but not right from the title screen. Instead, you must be playing a Season. This is a disappointment, but not as much as not having real player names. This is no fault of 989 Sports, but I hope that game companies pursue the NCAA and fight for player names. Until then, at least you have the cheerleaders to look at. Yep. That's right. During timeouts, you can sneak a peak while they perform. But my favorite feature is that if you're the away team shooting free throws, you get the added distraction of foam wieners going back and forth in the crowd. I LOVE IT!
