NFL Fever 2003

GameZone

A terrific game. It does have a few flinches along the line of scrimmage, but once the ball is snapped, this game executes extremely well.

Team Xbox

"NFL 2K2" will be online for players to go at it via broadband connections, but NFL Fever 2003 is going to be my choice this year because of both the online support and the energy level combined with realism.

Official Xbox Magazine

It feels just like last year's version with online play added. [Oct 2002, p.100]

Gaming Age

While it's clear that Microsoft Game Studios isn't quite ready to overtake EA or Sega on the gridiron, there's no denying that they've made it a three-man race.

G4 TV

It's a living, breathing example of the Xbox's graphical prowess and a lesson in accessibility for novice gameplayers as well as the more experienced.

GamePro

This game dances down the sideline between football sim and football arcade game, and it scores.

Xbox Nation Magazine

Astoundingly close to toppling EA's mighty "Madden" and Sega's "NFL 2K" franchises... It offers near flawless online play. [Fall 2002, p.110]

TotalGames.net

Whether each play is successful or not is therefore something for which one rarely feels wholly responsible, although the overall sheen ensures that your suspension of disbelief can easily compensate.

Game Over Online

NFL Fever 2003 continues to look good, sound great, and play fast, resulting in a solid yet slighly unrealistic arcade football experience.

Armchair Empire

Microsoft needs to balance out its AI challenge level, correct some gameplay issues and boost its features in NFL Fever 2004 if it ever wants any chance of beating out the Madden and NFL 2K series.

IGN

EA's and Sega Sports' 2003 football offerings are both making bigger leaps over their 2002 counterparts and both deliver a more complete NFL experience than Microsoft's in-house developed football game.

GamerWeb Xbox

A rehashed version of last year's game is about all you'll find in this latest installment of a still-promising game.

Gamer's Pulse

Solid graphics and lovely character animations.

GameSpot

Fans of last year's game won't find much more than a roster update and a few minor gameplay tweaks in NFL Fever 2003, while new players will find in it a fairly entertaining, though unrealistic, game of football.

GameSpy

It’s more lethargic; full of AI cheating, slowed down gameplay and ultimately causing frustration.

Yahoo! Games

If realism is really your gig, Fever is not the best choice, with Sega's "NFL 2K3" having more balanced gameplay.

Cincinnati Enquirer

It's a fun, impressive football game but doesn't compare to the likes of "Madden" or "NFL 2K3."

Adrenaline Vault

There's still no excuse for an unbalanced throwing game and slightly twitchy AI routines that should have been cleared up in the intervening year.

Gamestyle

But the Defence phases and the length of a match (count a good 40 minutes with all the tactics selection screens) prove to be a bit tedious and repetitive and will demand perseverance from the player.

Game Informer

NFL Fever has more or less stayed the same, which means that it has actually lost ground. [Sept 2002, p.88]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

I had hoped for a lot more, but it seems like the push to get it online was all Fever's developers focused on. [Oct 2002, p.204]

Maxim Online

Now we don’t mean to be football snobs here, but there’s just something wrong when a downfield bomb takes longer to drop than the Goodyear blimp. Just ask the unconscious wide receiver that got clocked by a safety waiting for it to come down.

All Game Guide

An all-around disappointment for anyone expecting substantial improvements to the core engine.

Sports Gaming Network

For a first year title, the learning curve is somewhat excusable, however, you have to draw the line at repeating those same mistakes the second time around.

GameNow

Just doesn't make the cut. [Oct 2002, p.51]