MY game of the year

[MizzouRah]

Drumroll.......................

NCAA 06 for the ps2.

MVP is VERY close as is Space Rangers 2 and TPB 2005, but nothing is as complete and fun to me as NCAA 06 football.

I finally have a heisman canidate, my RB Marcus Woods. It's neat seeing him on the SI cover. Each game is unlike any previous game played. I've had blowouts, been blownout, close games, high scoring games, low scoring games, fantastic finishes, horrible losses, and the list goes on.

This game is quickly becoming my FPS Football '97, my Tecmo Super Bowl. I've seen so many cool big plays, just like college is IRL. Next year my RB will be back for his final year, along with most of my team from this year... which is great news as I think we'll have a change at the Big 12 title.

Recruiting is fun, controlling one player on defense all year and seeing him lead the team in tackles is satisfying. I'm lucky as AA defaults play very well for my skill level.

Bottom line - it recreates a college atmostphere like no other version has, and although some stats are quirky, the game is pure bliss.

[kingnebwsu]

It's too early for me to name my game of the year, as most of the games come out in Q4. But I think it will definitely be Halo 2 this year. It's going to end up as the "most-played game ever" by me, which says a lot. It nearly perfected the console FPS, and has a wonderfully setup online matchmaking system. If you're not averse to console FPS games, then it IS a reason to get an Xbox, especially when the price drops in a few months.

Tecmo Super Bowl and Goldeneye step aside, Halo 2 has defeated both of you as my most-played game ever :)

[VPI97]

NCAA 06Gameplay killed it for me. Too many AI busters in the playbook to be considered an above average game. All they need to do is a) decrease the effectiveness of the 50 yard lob, b) remove HB Direct from all playbooks and c) set a maximum speed for QB's at 80 or so and it would be a great game. As it is, online play is useless.

[HomerJSimpson]

NHL EHM 2005. Hands down.

[thesloppy]

Pardon my french, but coincidentally enough I just finished a game of NCAA 2006 in order to confirm my feelings: I FUCKING HATE THAT GAME.

Maybe the xbox version is radically different than the PS2, or maybe I just have issues. In all my years of dorkdom I have never, ever reached the level of frustration that NCAA 2006 brings me to in just about every game. I think I hate it becaue I KNOW there IS a great game in there somewhere, but I can't get it to materialize for me for more than a half before it reverts back to utter, frustrating crap, which just makes me hate it all the more. The long passing game is absurd, the short passing game is relatively impossible, trying to run inside or pass to the sidelines requires two completely different camera configs, speed is still the only stat that matters when/if you're done with the 'slider dance', the kicking game fluctuates between ridiculously easy and maddeningly difficult, 'playcalling' is merely an extended exercise in trial and error to figure out the 5 plays that always work, the 10 plays that sometimes work and the 20 plays that never work, and those goddamned sliders are nothing more than a placebo to make you think you've somehow fixed the game's glitches rahter than just obscured them under others.

Sorry to walk into your thread and crap the proverbial bed MizzouRah....I just happened to read this thread at the very wrong time, after just firing up NCAA for the first time in weeks to see if I could finally get past my issues. Apparently, I can not. Like I said, I can see there probably IS a good game in there and YE GODZ am I jealous of those of you who have apparently found it, I'm just not willing to torture myself any longer in the quest. As it stands, I might rank NCAA 2006 as my least liked game ever, simply because I've played games that are much worse by every standard, but none of them ever made me as angry as this game somehow consistently does.

[ThunderingHERD]

NCAA 06 kind of frustrates the hell out of me too. Short passing does suck. Running inside with a power runner though is actually pretty effective with the new, um... whatever they call it. The thing where you tap the button alot and you can break the tackle. I always found the kicking game incredibly easy, unless you try to play on heisman, in which case it's total BS because they change the timing. (actually, that's an observation from last years game). dunno why they don't just make the margin of error smaller (like in the MVP baseball). There are some plays that are much more effective than others... but that's true of just about any game. Is it just me or does a HB toss get cought it the backfield like 90% of the time?

Anyway, I rented it for 5 days about 8 days ago and haven't taken it back yet. Mostly because my Xbox disc tray didn't want to open 2 days ago (WTF?) when I was gonna take it back. It got much less frustrating to me after like day 3.

[Neon_Chaos]

I'm playing a dynasty, and am loving it. :)

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Gotta agree NCAA is what NCAA 2005 should have been. A return to glory for the franchise.

[ThunderingHERD]

I've only been playing race for the heisman... but here is my big compaint from that: Why the fuck can't we sim to the end of the game??? I really hate it when I get up by like 60 points and have to play out the damn game anyway. Also, in the race for heisman mode, it would be excellent if you could just sim through defensive or offensive possessions.

[Icy]

Too bad is not for PC, and not for sale in Spain anyway. I refuse by now to buy a console just for this game, but i must admit i have been tempted.

[Bee]

Well, I asked my wife which game has pissed her off the most this year and so far it's Space Rangers 2.

[TroyF]

I think Madden is superior to NCAA.

My game of the year:

PC:

Half Life 2

XBox:

Madden

PS2:

God of War

Overall:

Madden. I've put in more time with this game than any other. I reserved the XBOX 360 with Madden and Quake yesterday. I'll be playing Madden well into the new year. First time that's happened since Madden '93 for me.

[Raiders Army]

I agree that Madden is superior to NCAA. The vision cone (which I originally thought was stupid) is great. In NCAA, I like the way the players' ratings change during the game depending on how they do. But for gameplay Madden edges out NCAA.

[MizzouRah]

Speaking of God of War, I'm going to rent that game.. can't believe I missed that one.

[Bee]

Speaking of God of War, I'm going to rent that game.. can't believe I missed that one.

Great rental. It is very short, but very fun.

[sterlingice]

Agreed- God of War just brings me back to old hack and slash games of old.

SI

[Subby]

The Party Poker game (pc) has a kickass multiplayer mode and I have actually made some money off of it when challenging players from all over the world. Franchise mode is kind of sucky, but there is some nice 3rd party stuff out there.

[Honolulu_Blue]

NHL EHM 2005. Hands down.
I would have to agree with this. No game gripped me like EHM 2005 did. I couldn't stop playing it for a good 5 months or so. It was ridiculous. I imagine I will fire it back up later this month when the NA patch is released.

[TroyF]

Agreed- God of War just brings me back to old hack and slash games of old.

SI


Exactly. It's just a fun game. The controls are smooth and responsive, the graphics are beautiful and if you have any interest in Greek mythology (I'm a big fan), you'll love the game.

I still pull it out on occasion, despite beating the game within the first 5 days I had it. (I suck, I know some people beat it quicker) :)

[sabotai]

NCAA 06 didn't do it for me this year. Better than last year's, but not better than 2004. Madden, however, was a large step forward. Whatever the reason, I played this year's Madden more then the previous 2 versons combined.

Holding off on any "GOY" statements because a few games are coming out (or are out and I have not gotten yet) that I've been waiting to get (Dungeon Siege II, Burnout: Revenge, Civ IV and The Movies).

[Toddzilla]

Next year my RB will be back for his final year, along with most of my team from this year... which is great news as I think we'll have a change at the Big 12 title.

You HOPE your RB will be back. If he's a Heisman candidate, it's likely he'll leave for the NFL next year. Of course, you've got the option of trying to talk him into staying, but that will totally wreck your off-season recruiting if you try too hard. Good luck with that..... :)

[MizzouRah]

You HOPE your RB will be back. If he's a Heisman candidate, it's likely he'll leave for the NFL next year. Of course, you've got the option of trying to talk him into staying, but that will totally wreck your off-season recruiting if you try too hard. Good luck with that..... :)
Shoot, forgot about that. :)

I do have a good backup waiting in the wings though.

[illinifan999]

This game ranks up next to the CM/FM in terms of getting my money's worth out of it. I've already lasted longer in the dynasty than I have in every other previous version combined. Now with my fourth different team, and loving implementing a different offense at each school.

[MacroGuru]

I love this for my Xbox....I have configured the sliders to what I need them to do...I haven't experienced the issues some of the Xbox guys are saying on here.

I am playing a defensive race for the heisman, it's in the Dynasty forum, but I have experienced all the ups and downs that Mizzourah is stating here. Its my game of the year...I do not know about Madden, I rented the game to play it, and never did. I will be purchasing it, because I want to take my RTH player to the NFL.

[jbmagic]

i really enjoying MVP 2005 on the pc.

great updated rosters and mods for it.

[MizzouRah]

i really enjoying MVP 2005 on the pc.

great updated rosters and mods for it.
Baseball is so... yesterday's news. :)

[jbmagic]

Baseball is so... yesterday's news. :)


what!!! the most exciting time is now.

playoff races are going on and then the playoffs and world series. :)

[riz]

I would have to agree with this. No game gripped me like EHM 2005 did. I couldn't stop playing it for a good 5 months or so. It was ridiculous. I imagine I will fire it back up later this month when the NA patch is released.

How did I miss these comments ? Thanks guys, much appreciated :D

[HomerJSimpson]

How did I miss these comments ? Thanks guys, much appreciated :D


You tha man, rizzie.