Official XBox/PS2 Impressions thread***

[rudyjuly2]

Quote: Originally Posted by baylrballa

there is an option to turn that off. haven't tried it so I don't know if it still automatically drops back or just does no computer assistance.

I WANT to have it on for accurate drops by the QB but I DON'T WANT the CPU to throw for me. I did have the option turned off because of that last year and its not a gamekiller or anything. But it would be a very nice option after you got used to it in the 2K games as well as Madden.

[rudyjuly2]

Quote: Originally Posted by baylrballa

basic impressions (PS2, all-american, default) deep ball much harder to throw well defended. don't commit to the run on a play action or it'll be a touchdown. short passing game much more reliable. LB's have still made some freakish interceptions on balls way over their head. kicking is still harder (can't kick it 99 power everytime) but I like it jumping the snap is kinda dumb in that it's not too hard and you plant the Olineman on his back over half the time. sweep plays much more effective. still haven't figured out the new onside kick. dynasty a little faster, still painfully slow. spin move is a little more realistic this year. the slow-mo during a big hit or big catch or INT is waaaay overused. corner routes haven't been the end-all people have been talking about. special team trick plays are fun.

Thanks for the impressions. Can you turn that slomo off and if not, how often does it happen?

[bfarris]

Hey Guys:
Just wanted to hop in and give my initial impressions of the XBox version. I got a copy yesterday and played last night. I tried out a few of the new features and played two games against Texas. Here are my initial thoughts:

Positives -
1. Love the new kicking system. If you pay attention, you will hit most kicks very well; however, if you lose focus you can definitely miss. I missed a couple of extra points but also hit some long field goals. The process is simple (just like swing on Tiger Woods) but errors occur. Much more realistic, in my opinion. Also, when you get the chance, try the "left trigger" kick abort. It will abort the kick and your punter/holder will try to fake it with a pass. It may be too easy to succeed on but is still a nice feature.

2. Long Passes still appear to be a little too easy. This is a tough one to guage without extensive play time. On default AA settings, I completed a few that I felt like I shouldn't have. However, it definitely isn't a gimme. There are overthrows and interceptions to be had. Also, the ball does appear to come in at a more realistic angle than last year. I didn't play long on Heisman but it seemed to be much harder to complete on this level.

3. Passes over the middle of the field are a little more realistic. They can be completed and there is a little bit of YAC. However, on Heisman the linebackers are WAY too effective. I have always had a complaint about the middle of the defense in this game where linebackers would break off of coverage and intercept passes over the middle intended for deeper receivers. While it isn't as much of an issue of AA, the super linebackers are there on Heisman.

4. I normally play from the "overhead" camera angle because I like to see the whole field. However, if you do so in this version you can't use the 3rd person cam on special teams and the matrix-like cam doesn't kick in on big hits and catches. As such, I dropped down to classic and really enjoyed the feel. The matrix-cam doesn't just pop up for impact players but also on big hits and catches by other players. It adds a bit of drama on that slant pass over the middle in the end zone when the camera zooms in for the hit and catch/drop.

5. I love how the AI stuck with the run. When I got ahead in the first game, the computer kept running the ball. This was on AA. On Heisman, the computer just ran it down my throat and I couldn't stop him. In fact, there were a few too few passes by the AI in the second game on AA. However, it was close (I won with 9 seconds left) so the strategy seemed to work.

6. Liked the new defensive plays and formations. There is a lot more variety to the defense this year. The defensive hot routes are a VERY welcome addition that add an element to the defense that wasn't there before. You can run a lot of combo zone blitzes using this feature.

7. I didn't see many dropped passes at all unless the player was hit while catching. This was realistic and well done.

8. WAY TOO MANY BIG HITS. I generally have a problem with all EA Football games because of the large number of big hits and this game seems to have even more than normal. The hit stick probably is the main reason for this. I've never seen Adrian Peterson get decleated while running through the line but it appears to happen about 5 times a game. Maybe sliders will help this but I doubt it.

9. The "running into the line and skating" problems remain. I'm sorry to say that. It just appears to be a feature of the engine. There were way too many times the backs ran into the line and got stuck against a lineman. Maybe sliders can help this as well but I doubt it.

10. Momentum plays a major role in the game and I love the way it is done this year. When you make first downs and big plays your momentum meter goes up. At its highest level your players receive a +5 attribute boost and the opponent gets the same when the momentum is on his side. You can see where the momentum is at through the entire game. While some might not feel it is realistic, I felt it added a "feel" to the status of the game. When the computer had the momentum I knew I needed to grind our a couple of first downs and take the pressure off. I knew not to go deep or try anything fancy because I would likely get intercepted or stopped. The momentum isn't so great that you can't turn it in your favor, but it definitely affects how you call your game. It also helps you understand when your players drop passes or miss blocks. It takes away the random frustration of previous games and gives you some context for the performance of your team.

11. There is a new "skeleton pass" practice mode that I really like. It's basically a 7 on 7 drill that allows you to run all of your pass plays and concentrate on routes and timing instead of worrying about the rush.

12. There is a new "scrimmage" mode that is great. It is basically practice but in context. You have all 4 downs and play both offense and defense.

OK. That's it for now. I will try to post more later but have to go to a meeting. Good hunting to everyone.

B

[whipsmart77]

Quote: Originally Posted by bfarris

Hey Guys: Just wanted to hop in and give my initial impressions of the XBox version. I got a copy yesterday and played last night. I tried out a few of the new features and played two games against Texas. Here are my initial thoughts: Positives - 1. Love the new kicking system. If you pay attention, you will hit most kicks very well; however, if you lose focus you can definitely miss. I missed a couple of extra points but also hit some long field goals. The process is simple (just like swing on Tiger Woods) but errors occur. Much more realistic, in my opinion. Also, when you get the chance, try the "left trigger" kick abort. It will abort the kick and your punter/holder will try to fake it with a pass. It may be too easy to succeed on but is still a nice feature. 2. Long Passes still appear to be a little too easy. This is a tough one to guage without extensive play time. On default AA settings, I completed a few that I felt like I shouldn't have. However, it definitely isn't a gimme. There are overthrows and interceptions to be had. Also, the ball does appear to come in at a more realistic angle than last year. I didn't play long on Heisman but it seemed to be much harder to complete on this level. 3. Passes over the middle of the field are a little more realistic. They can be completed and there is a little bit of YAC. However, on Heisman the linebackers are WAY too effective. I have always had a complaint about the middle of the defense in this game where linebackers would break off of coverage and intercept passes over the middle intended for deeper receivers. While it isn't as much of an issue of AA, the super linebackers are there on Heisman. 4. I normally play from the "overhead" camera angle because I like to see the whole field. However, if you do so in this version you can't use the 3rd person cam on special teams and the matrix-like cam doesn't kick in on big hits and catches. As such, I dropped down to classic and really enjoyed the feel. The matrix-cam doesn't just pop up for impact players but also on big hits and catches by other players. It adds a bit of drama on that slant pass over the middle in the end zone when the camera zooms in for the hit and catch/drop. 5. I love how the AI stuck with the run. When I got ahead in the first game, the computer kept running the ball. This was on AA. On Heisman, the computer just ran it down my throat and I couldn't stop him. In fact, there were a few too few passes by the AI in the second game on AA. However, it was close (I won with 9 seconds left) so the strategy seemed to work. 6. Liked the new defensive plays and formations. There is a lot more variety to the defense this year. The defensive hot routes are a VERY welcome addition that add an element to the defense that wasn't there before. You can run a lot of combo zone blitzes using this feature. 7. I didn't see many dropped passes at all unless the player was hit while catching. This was realistic and well done. 8. WAY TOO MANY BIG HITS. I generally have a problem with all EA Football games because of the large number of big hits and this game seems to have even more than normal. The hit stick probably is the main reason for this. I've never seen Adrian Peterson get decleated while running through the line but it appears to happen about 5 times a game. Maybe sliders will help this but I doubt it. 9. The "running into the line and skating" problems remain. I'm sorry to say that. It just appears to be a feature of the engine. There were way too many times the backs ran into the line and got stuck against a lineman. Maybe sliders can help this as well but I doubt it. 10. Momentum plays a major role in the game and I love the way it is done this year. When you make first downs and big plays your momentum meter goes up. At its highest level your players receive a +5 attribute boost and the opponent gets the same when the momentum is on his side. You can see where the momentum is at through the entire game. While some might not feel it is realistic, I felt it added a "feel" to the status of the game. When the computer had the momentum I knew I needed to grind our a couple of first downs and take the pressure off. I knew not to go deep or try anything fancy because I would likely get intercepted or stopped. The momentum isn't so great that you can't turn it in your favor, but it definitely affects how you call your game. It also helps you understand when your players drop passes or miss blocks. It takes away the random frustration of previous games and gives you some context for the performance of your team. 11. There is a new "skeleton pass" practice mode that I really like. It's basically a 7 on 7 drill that allows you to run all of your pass plays and concentrate on routes and timing instead of worrying about the rush. 12. There is a new "scrimmage" mode that is great. It is basically practice but in context. You have all 4 downs and play both offense and defense. OK. That's it for now. I will try to post more later but have to go to a meeting. Good hunting to everyone. B

Great impressions. I think the super LBs are toned down quite a bit actually, but Heisman does punish you for bad reads. You definitely can't throw over the middle every play. Try to wait for guys to clear a bit more, and def. use the high throw on Precision Passing.

Too many big hits - good call.

The scrimmage mode def is a great addition. Awesome for trying teams out.

[Deegeezy]

Is scrimmage mode and skeleton drills a part of dynasty as well? Can momentum be turned off?

[warnerwlf98]

How are the formation specific audibles? Do you use the right stick to call them?

[UGA-Showstoppah]

Quote: Originally Posted by baylrballa

yes, they can actually be used. i've had much more success with the flat routes overall, but never paid attention to the audible one. slide protection really helps on this.

Thanks, I appreciate the quick reply. One last thing, I'm a true WCO user without the use of the shotgun formation. In regards to the playbooks you've seen; is there more emphasise on the backs getting out into the patterns than previous versions? I am hoping the texas (circle) and shoot (flat) routes are implemented more in the 2 back pro-sets. Thanks again.

[lionsfan49]

is there multi-player co-op on the XBOX? I mean that feature was ALREADY IN THE GAME! Please dont tell me they removed something that was in a previous version on the same system...