4th Annual NCAA Game Review

[rwevans1001]

I have now played enough of the game (including the new named rosters) to provide my 4th annual NCAA review. My perspective is a 49 yr. old, more "sim" than "arcade" style player, who has enjoyed this product and most of the EA Sports games since they have all been originally developed.

My review is of the PS3 version, with patch #1, and with the newly released named rosters, game play at the AA level, modified OperationSports found and tweaked sliders. I have played many games, pre- and post-patch.

My findings are as follows:

1) Introduction - Smart and colorful, the game's opening scenes do get you into the "basic life" of college football. EA Sports continues to enhance its start-up. However, there is no pre-game show or other introductory "show". I believe doing this - or providing the option to have a bit of a pre-game show if you want it - would enhance the hoopla surrounding college football.
Score NCAA 10: 6.5/10

2) Realistic Football Gameplay "Out of the Box" / Sliders - It always surprises me that EA Sports can not seemingly get the game to play well out of the box with sliders all set at "50". Within 2-7 days of the game being released the gameplayers community seemingly can get the sliders all set to where it plays a proper game of football. Why is this? Who tests the game (NHL 10 QA) and for how long? Get your real gamer community to pre-test and set it up. As a senior gamer - this is annoying and shows a lack of listening/care to the customer, not once, but year after year. NCAA 10 disappoints again with slider adjustments required. Overall, your slider system is very hard to understand and it is always doubtful whether it fully works. This needs to be re-done and made to produce confidence to users that it really works.
Score NCAA 10: 4/10;
Score Gamers Adjustments: 9/10. Use these resources EA Sports and you will integrate these young players to help you - probably for free.

3) Kick-off - EA Sports has improved the variety of kick-off possibilities, but NCAA 10 clearly allows too many kick-off returns for touchdowns with very poor kick-off coverage. I understand the need to do so to add excitment to this aspect of the game that traditionally has not been very good, however, the clock has swung too far over. A patch or adjustments are needed to get it to work properly. Don't make us adjust "run" and "tackle" sliders (that affect other parts of the game), just fix this part.
Score NCAA 10: 6/10

4) Running - EA Sports has clearly fixed much of the "skating" runners and has brought some balance to the running game. Runners, appear to me, to perform much better and more realistic in what they can and can't do. Integral to this has been an improved fumble implementation - where at least some fumbles do occur now. The ability of runners to break blocks and run over people, though excessive at times, does mean defenders have to really tackle and gang tackle when possible. This also means that guessing "run" (versus just always sitting in pass coverage) is now important and does add an element of more real coaching during the game.
Score NCAA 10: 8.5/10

5) Passing - I will definitely say that passing dynamics have been greatly improved over the last 3-4 years. QBs can no longer throw 50 yd bombs off their wrong foot, while falling backwards. Huge upgrade EA Sports! The fact that QBs can now lose the ball when being hit in NCAA 10 is great and is a true effort to capture the physics of this element of the game. While scrambling for yardage is a bit too easy, QBs now have to act more like real people and not robots, so creadit is really due here.
Score NCAA 10: 9/10

6) Receiving - Better, even with the overdone "drops" the last few years. Receivers do perform more realistically (though some jumps are way over done) and pass routes are improving, as is adjustments. The need to tone down "hot routes" still exists as some players make 4-5 adjustments pre-snap - which no pro-team, let alone college team can do. No doubt programming the logic for 4-5 receivers to go down field and all perform realistically is very tough, so efforts here to improve play are not easy, but evidence exists (in the current playing performance) this has happened.
Score NCAA 10: 7.5/10

7) Punts/Fieldgoals/Punt Returns - Better, at least returns happen; though again too many TDs in NCAA 10. Fix this. The FG game has improved, with less accuracy et al. However, the FG game still lacks the ability for the snapper to drop the ball (never seen it for 5-7 years), for FGs to realistically ever be blocked (though it happens 1-2 per season if one is playing 10-12 teams). You need to capture this part of the game. It is so key, and is still missing.
Score NCAA 10: 6.0/10

8) Overall Gameplay - Your game engine is sound and does provide the ability to have a fun generic game of college football - no matter who you are. You are clearly trying EA Sports to provide a balance between fund and realistic gameplay - no easy task. While certain game parts lack the depth and detail more "sim" players, like me, want; it is fair to say that when tweaked and set-up one can see the depth of development and logic you have put into the game itself. It does provide me a game that can be very enjoyable and gameplay that makes one more-and-more really try and be a better player/coach.
Score NCAA 10: 8/10

9) Presentation - Improvements are needed here. Your game - with all the mascots (I do like the TD celebrations with them) and cheerleaders - has seemingly loss a little of its magic. Perhaps I am spoiled and it just seems old - expecially the commentary. The right guys are there - just what they say (some of it seems 5 years old) and how they say it has become very old (like Madden himself). In my view, you need something to pump up the presentation (especially pre- and post-game) to capture the excitment of college football. Perhaps this is viewed as "not worth it" because people just jump/go over it, but something is needed to add some "juice" back to this part of the game. Its not terrible, just not the level I would expect from EA Sports.
Score NCAA 10: 6/10

10) Overall - Solid gameplay and fundamentals, with some time needed to upgrade certain elements and tweak others. I have bought the game every year since it has come out and find that you always add something that makes me think (how they do that). Appreciate all of EA Sports and the gaming communities' efforts. It has made my college football PS3 gaming experience much better!!!
Score NCAA 10: 7.5