NCAA Football 13 Demo Is Out, Post Your Impressions Here

[22cowboys22]

If this is any indication to what madden this year will be like then im excited because i enjoyed playing every minute of this demo.it's about time EA got this ship headed in the right direction hopefully madden presentation is very robust and cuts to the studio during gameplay to give score updates just like ncaa does if so then i can forgive no real halftime show.

[IUxHOOSIERS]

Sorry for posting this again, but my ESPN bottom-line hasn't been showing up. I have been playing the dynasty games. Anyone know what's going on?

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

It plays nice. The catching looks greatly improved. Here is to hoping that the experience does not become greatly decreased on higher difficulties as is the norm for EA Football games.

[bartolet7]

Cripes, another year of playing with a pumpkin-sized football. How hard can it be to make the thing proportionally correct?

I like the addition of dynasty studio updates but what doesn't make sense to me is that if EA is trying to replicate a true TV broadcast presentation (ESPN wipes/splashes, studio updates, sideline reports, etc.), then why do we still have those horrid replay camera angles? I've never seen a replay IRL that spins 360's around the ball carrier as he's running down the field. I just don't get why we can't have real broadcast-type camera angles for replays. Or the ability to customize them.

[Catamount53]

Quick Observations

• Lighting in the LSU-Bama Game is awful
• Game is much more fluid
• You can actually run players over now
• Blocking needs to get better (Too much stalemating)
• Commentary is basically the same
• Intro is still pretty awkward
• I'm Tired of the ultra zoomed in replays
• They need to get rid of that awful defense chant/crowd needs to be louder on defense
• New passing trajectories are nice
• Game plays a little faster
• Motion Blur is overdone on cutscenes and replays
• Too many interceptions. as in QB's throwing to well covered recievers.
• New catch animations are great.

One other thing, when the CPU receiver is running a drag route and I am rushing the passer with the DL. When I try to switch players, sometimes I am switched to the CB in man coverage of course taking him out of the play and leaving the WR uncovered. Pretty annoying.

Also, curl route on 3rd down is money. Sometimes a little too easy. DB's should be protecting the first down line in that situation.

Obviously I have my complaints, but the game is definitely better than '12.

[afbrother]

Year in and Year out, same impressions (best ever, worst ever, right direction, wrong direction). Could it be because (wait for it), we are getting the SAME game every year?

http://www.operationsports.com/featu...o-impressions/
http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/06/29...mo-impressions
http://www.operationsports.com/MMChr...1-demo-review/
http://www.operationsports.com/rudyj...o-impressions/

[Mizzoutiger]

How is the CPU option? To me this was the biggest disappointment last year--- I realize it may be hard to judge based on fact it is varsity level w/o sliders--But... anyone see any sign of hope from the demo thus far?

thanks !!

[BenGerman]

After about ten games, I feel pretty confident in releasing some thoughts, so here it goes...

Pros:

• The Studio Updates. Were they a little overwhelming in the demo? Yes. But even in this hypothetical dynasty matchup, I couldn't help but become immersed in the results of my oppents and rivals. Reece Davis sounds like each individual word was cut and pasted into weird sentences, but more on that later.
• The ESPN Bottom Line. For the very same reasons as the Studio Update, I can just see myself getting totally lost in the scores around college football. I could see so many scenarios where this will be a huge addition.
• The passing game. Incredible. I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said, but in my 10 games thus far, I've seen some really great things. Sideline passes, passes between the LB's and Safeties, jump balls, pretty much everything. Also, the new dropbacks looked cool, as well as the QB Evade which provided some very exciting plays.
• The juke move looks great. I'm glad this seems fixed.
• As everyone has already said, the crowd sounds great. The swells are just about perfect, and I loved hearing Ah's when I'd pick one off, or a roar when the opposing team would take it in for a TD. Theres one more thing that I'll talk about later on as well.
• Screen passes seem to work. About time!
• One thing I loved seeing was when I was being blitzed, and I'd try to fire the ball off early, it would almost always land with a thud over the WR's head. Either because it was a bad throw under pressure, or the WR/CB just wasn't looking. I did have one play (I couldn't get my phone out fast enough to record it) where Alabama got instant pressure on my QB, so I lobbed it to a TE crossing over the middle. It went right over his head as he ran he route, and went right into the safety's hands for a INT.
• A couple times (and by a couple, I mean 4 or 5) the CPU would get pressure on a punt of a FG. It looked as if they could have blocked it if they were just there a split second earlier. Anyway EA can tune this a little bit? Even just a blocked kick once every 5-6 games would be beautiful.
• CPU Playcalling. Wow! What an improvement. In my last game against Bama, they pounded the ball up the middle over and over again with success. When they threw it, it was typically PA or a quick slants play. Nothing too risky. Also worthy of note, I only recognized five total 4 Vertical calls by the CPU.
• Some of the catch animations were amazing, particularly in the endzone or on the sideline.

Cons:

• Entrances still stale. I played the LSU-Bama matchup 4 times, and each time the entrance was exactly the same. No different camera angles or anything.
• Speaking of which, the pre-game/post-game is pretty terrible. When the game is over, I should hear some kind of analysis and see some kind of reaction other than the generic jumping up and down of the winning team. Pre-game is a little better, but why not try and add more than just the one little clip?
• Reece Davis sounds horrendous. For now, I'll just hope it was an early build or something.
• The CPU QB still doesn't react like they should. When they are being blitzed, they just stand there and take the sack. Rarely do you see any kind of horizontal movement.
• The Gameplay is just stale. With NCAA this year, they fixed just about all of the major grievances I had with this game. But it still feels the same, and even looks the same for the most part. At least we know this is the last year of this kind of gameplay, for better or worse, I'm glad this is the last year the game will play like this.

All in all, I'm leaning towards re-pre-ordering this. For once, it feels enough like college football that I just may be able to enjoy a dynasty.