NCAA 12 vs 13 vs 14

[Guru03]

I am torn between playing and doing a dynasty with NCAA 12, 13, or 14 for the PS3. So i want to conduct a poll. Is 12, 13, or 14 the best out of the 3 and why?

What I like and dislike for each edition.*

NCAA 12 :

Likes:*
-Defensive Gameplay
-Presentation / Unique stadium feel
-College football landscape at the time (mainly Clemson's landscape)
-Phone call system
-Graphics
-Gameplay feels balanced; as in Offense or Defense is not always favored over the other
- Dynamic crowd
Dislikes:
- Superhuman LB's
- Psychic DB's
- Athletes not being good
- You can't pick your topic in recruiting phone calls
- Sameness of generated recruit player ratings
- Lack of dynamic conference prestige ratings
- Passing game is too difficult
- Lack of scouting
- Bad conference prestige for independents (except ND)
- Lack of infinity engine
- Lack of special recruits
- Lack of coaching skill trees

NCAA 13

Likes:
- Generated recruits
- Scouting
- Phone call system
- You can pick phone call topic
- No superhuman or psychic Defensive players or Defenses
- Dynamic conference prestige

Dislikes
- College football landscape at the time
- DB Glitch
- Lack of infinity engine
- Lack of coaching skill trees
- Presentation is horrible
- Nothing special about graphics
- Gameplay can feel unrealistic at times
- Gameplay is unbalanced to a degree
- Slow menus

NCAA 14

Likes:*
- Infinity engine
- College football landscape
- Coaching skill trees
- Scouting
- Generated recruits are unique and not stale
- Quickness of points system
- Graphics
- Offenses can finally play to their style(s)
- NCAA 14 is the current edition and will be for a long time
- Separate offense and defense difficulty levels

Dislikes
- Lack of Defense/Defense is hard
- Recruiting not in depth due to points system
- Mandatory coaching contracts
- CPU hates blowouts/shutouts
- Slow menus
- CPU can decide game outcome at times

[tril]

didnt play 13.

between 12 and 14. Id choose 14.

defense isnt hard or non existent in 14. its just that you have to make those extra adjustments on defense. you have to figure out how your opponent is beating you and adjust your game plan to that. I believe thats the L1 button when choosing plays. you are basically changing your focus.

the downside of 14 is the slow load times and the lack of fumbles. other than that its the more complete product.
the AI running the option is also a huge plus in 14. I continuously get burned, its very deceptive and well executed. EA did a good job on this.

[jbrew2411]

For me NCAA 12 was average. I enjoyed the new additions to the dynasty mode but the over game experience was just average.


After I heard the developers say that NCAA 13 was just NCAA 12 with a few new additions I decided to skip it. I'm happy I did because the 2 weeks I borrowed my brother-in-laws copy I was ready to give it back.


NCAA 14 was finally heading in the right direction. The dynasty mode allows you to dive deeper then before. I like the new additions like "skill tree" and revamped recruiting. The best part for me is athletes that are finally athletes unlike in years past. Overall the game is a much better game then NCAA 12 or 13.

[jello1717]

I just voted for '14 and see that the results are 28 votes for '14 (97%) 0 for '13 and 1 for '12 (3%).

Sooooooo

uhhhhhhh,

yeah.

[Cardot]

I miss the entrances of '12 as well as faster pace of gameplay ('13 and '14 force you to watch post play replays & animations for a few seconds). I also miss custom stadium sounds that actually work.

But in '14 I do like the vibrant colors, no Jump the Snap, CPU option teams aren't inept as they were in '12 and the ability to cancel out of play action. I also like the passing and DB play much better. in '12, passing felt very random.....I could make a horrible pass that the CPU would let me catch for a big completion, and two plays later I could make a good pass only to see a super human/psychic defender make a pic. In '14, my picks feel more deserved, and good plays earned.

[SpartyParty11]

NCAA 14 I believe is much better. Though there are many glitches, most of the games had at least one huge glitch. The defense is a bit tougher but that's actually starting to happen in real life. Teams are now averaging close to 40 points a game, especially in the Pac-12 and Big 12.

Really the only thing missing from NCAA 14 are fumbles, some penalties and presentation. Although the halftime show is a nice touch once in a while

[Peacefrog]

'12 was the best to user-play on defense. Your DB's competed for the ball, and your D-linemen were able to shed blocks (though not on every play). Playing against defenses, however...let's just say I've nearly smashed my controller several times after a LB's or DE's 40-foot vertical leap to intercept a hail mary at the peak of its height (only mildly exaggerated).

'13 had the best recruiting system in Dynasty ('12 being a close second). The phone calls, while admittedly tedious at times, really let you get immersed in your recruits, knowing what they want, and making promises you'd need to fulfill the following year. The only thing that kills it is the painfully slow menu speeds. If '12 or '13 had '14's smooth menus, I'd never play another college game.

In '14, the coaching skill trees are fun at first. But playing as a new coach against a Bill Snyder or Les Miles almost feels like the other team has a 12th and 13th man on the field. It can give a huge advantage. Also, because of this, new coaches have a hard time keeping their jobs in regards to AI (Bill O'Brien gets fired by year 2 in every dynasty I've been in). Games that are simulated give a huge advantage to teams that run an option playbook; of Army, Navy, GT, Air Force, two or three of these schools are powerhouses by year 4 of all my dynasties. Recruiting is more streamlined, but I've yet to have a season where I'm able to give out all 25 of my scholarships, even as a coach with max level. The CPU goes all-in on ten players and ignores the rest. If all ten of those enter "recruiting battles" they'll only get around 5 players for the season. This kills the realism. Infinity engine is strong, but it seems like it's underutilized. The biggest thing that '14 got right to me is that running the option is a ton of fun.

My vote, therefore, goes to the next college game that gets released by a company not called EA. Though that won't be for years, so I'll say '13 for the recruiting.

[BL8001]

If you play vs the cpu/single player there is no contest. 14 hands down is the winner.

The 3 EA games I am playing now are FIFA, Madden and NCAA, all 14 versions and all single player.

Madden is so hard to defend the cpu attack. The user D plays way to loose particularly in the middle of the field. The CPU exploits this and it feels cheap because of it.

FIFA is boring because the CPU will not attack at all no matter what slider settings or difficulty you choose. Often the stat line will be 15 user shots to 1 CPU shot. And odds are the CPU scores on their one shot because the CPU doesn't have the balanced programming to shoot more often and miss like reality.

NCAA just nails the balance. I feel like I am in control of my defense enough but the CPU mixes up running and passing and attacking all areas of the field. And on offense toss plays and sweeps finally work. Play Action works, just about everything feels better tuned.

But yes as listed above, where are the fumbles?

And as always, in all EA games...penalties? Why can't they happen?