NCAA FOOTBALL 2005

As I said in the title, this is not a review. I just want to save like-minded people some time, and summarize what makes 2005 different from the 2004 title. While this isn't platform specific, the biggest upgrade this year is for the Xbox, as EA and Microsoft have finally settled, and online play has finally arrived via XBLive. I'd like to not assign stars at all, but Amazon doesn't allow for pre-release non-reviews. So I'm assigning 5 stars based on NCAA 2004, and the promise of the following new features.

That aside (despite it being a huge issue), the following changes come directly from EA Sports announcements. What follows is verifiable on their website or with a few well-placed Google searches. I present it for convenience. These 'pre-release reviews' that always pop up for titles might as well serve a real purpose, besides of course the all-important "tHIs gAme iS dEFiNaTEly (sic) gOInG tO RAwK!!!" proclamations. But I digress, the summary follows, I intend to keep my personal commentary to an absolute minimum;

GENERAL GAMEPLAY IMPROVEMENTS:
- Big hits: The option to take a chance on really plastering another player. Increases the chance of a fumble or dropped pass, but also the chance of you whiffing on the tackle.
- Improved run blocking and new run animations: No more getting stuck against or behind your own linemen. Good offensive lines now open better holes and routes.
- Home Field Advantage: The bigger the stadium, the louder the crowd, the greater the impact. Pumping up the crowd carries more meaning and response. Visiting teams have to fight an uphill battle against the environment, based upon the strength of the home team's stadium and crowd.
- Interactive Timeouts: You're now given a choice on which group to coach, it can directly address ratings and composure levels depending on those of your team captains. You can now "ice the kicker" with timeouts, as composure is an issue for all players.
- Match-Up Stick: Player ratings (in game) can now change based upon the individual's ability to handle pressure. You can now check composure and mismatches pre-snap.
- Custom fans: Set up your own 'crazed' fans with a variety of options, accessories, appearances, etc. To add to the college gameday atmosphere, and...
- Custom celebrations: Choose to play a mascot, fan or player animation, decide between mild and extreme.
- More "user" stats: User pick tracking was well received, now more stats are tracked in this form in your record book.

DYNASTY MODE IMPROVEMENTS:
- Roster expansion to 70 (according to the producer, although 75 has been reported elsewhere). It's been down at 55 for years, which has been a source of frustration for those who enjoy dynasty mode.
- Top 25 Stadiums tracking: In dynasty mode, you can build home field advantage where there was little or none before, the top 25 places to play are tracked.
- Team Captains: As part of a deeply enhanced dynasty mode, you can now name captains.
- Program integrity: Dynasty depth - keep tabs on your players, you can now suffer academic issues and/or team rule violations. You choose how to discipline, and you can now actually lose scholarships, television exposure, and post-season play if you don't run a clean program. It also speaks to;
- Player transfers: You can now lose athletes to transfers if they're unhappy, and feel like they should be seeing the field more. You can also have players from other programs request a transfer in if you're not deep at their position.
- Recruiting pipelines: You can now build your presence outside of your immediate geographic region.
- Improved scouting: You can now unlock prospect attributes without offering a scholarship first.
- Better defined offensive/defensive coaching strategies: Speaks to play-calling, simulation and recruiting.
- Accurate conference schedule rotation.
- Athletes: You can now recruit a kid just for his athletic ability, and define or switch his position on the roster later. If you have a QB who would make a better FS or WR, you can switch him, and he will progress according to his new position, not the old.
- More/improved Sports Illustrated stories, magazine covers and insight throughout the season.
- More trophies. Added support for the Rimington and Doak Walker. 28 bowl trophies, 49 rivalry trophies.
- All-Conference teams. To supplement 1st and 2nd team All-American tracking.

ONLINE PLAY IMPROVEMENTS:
- Opponent scouting: They've added a new scouting report that allows you to check any player's (online) tendencies. You can look at their favorite playbook and formation, as well as look at how much they no-huddle, call hot routes, and audible. It's meant to try and cut down on the number of games wasted to opposition that cheats or otherwise plays in a manner you're not interested in.
- Quick tournaments: 4 or 8 player tournaments built right into the online system.
- Even team mode: An option that will allow an even playing field, regardless of the `real world' strengths and weaknesses of two programs/teams.
- Improved leaderboards.
- Minigames.

That's all I've come across so far, but it's a factual aggregation of information, all directly from the source. Either Electronic Arts, and/or Rod Moye the producer via an interview on EASports. None of this comes through third parties, or speculation. Given that, this looks to be one of the biggest leaps forward this franchise has enjoyed in some time. Particularly for Xbox fans as they finally get online play, but really for everyone. But enough, I now return you to your regularly scheduled, "tHiS gAMe iz dA bOMb!" 'reviews'.

That's what I thought at least, but this year NCAA Football has added a buttload of new features, so let's get down to business.

*Home Field Advantage - The louder the crowd the harder it is for the visiting team.
*Stadium Pulse - this is how you pump up your crowd, if you max out the pulse meter the visiting team will become rattled and confused.
*Composure Rating - The higher a player's composure rating the more pressure he can take. However, a low composure rating will decrease a player's overall rating when the crowd is really pumped.
*Top 25 thoughest places to play - The game will keep track of the 25 loudest stadiums. In order to get your team on the list you have to win your home games.
*Big Hits - By pressing the L2 button you can unload on an opposing player causing them to fumble or drop a pass. A big hit can also lower the opposing player's composure.
*Match-Up Stick - This will tell you how good a player is when you're out on the field, green meter=good, red meter=bad. It can also tell you a player's composure rating, full circle=high, empty circle=low.
*Interactive Timeout - If a player gets too rattled you can call a timeout and have your team captain calm them down.
*Choose Your Team Captain - But make sure he has a high composure rating.
*Custom Celebrations - You can choose from fan, mascot, or player celebrations, and you can also choose how extream the celebration is.
*Create-a-Fan - You choose what they wear and how they celebrate, it's like having another mascot.
*Program Integrity - Punish players if they have academic issues or violate team rules, if you don't your program will suffer.
*Transfers - If one of your players feel like they're not getting enough action they'll transfer to another school. Players from other schools may want to transfer to your team as well.
*Pipeline Recruiting - now you can set up your recruiting in a certain state or region, so you can have more than only local players.
*Unlockable Stats - Now you can look at a players stats before you offer them a scholarship. And you can choose what position you want your players to play based on their stats, and they'll improve according to that position.

Well, that about does it, I'm sure I didn't cover everything but I think I got most of it. PEACE!!!

Let me just say that I loved NCAA Football 2004. Absolutely loved it. I played season after season in Dynasty mode, and the idea of tracking all time stats was excellent. I actually bought Madden 2004 just so that I could see where my players were drafted and how they did once they reached the NFL.

That said, NCAA Football 2005 seems to have made an improvement in realism that I appreciate. Consider this - I played my Dynasty with my old home town team, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (OK, they got rid of the Rainbow thing, but so what). I got through something like 15 seasons in Dynasty mode, and had gotten to the point where I'd won 8 national championships in a row. Virtually all records belonged to Hawaii players and the Hawaii coach. While I did enjoy this, it did occur to me that it was highly unlikely.

I've had NCAA 2005 for a few weeks now, and I've just finished my second season with Hawaii. In my first season, I went 7-5, went to a lesser bowl game and lost. My team graduated most of its skill position players and in my second season, the offense can't move the ball and relies on the defense to get good field position. I finished the season 6-6 with no bowl invitation, although I did upset Wisconsin in an incredible game.

While this is occasionally frustrating, it presents a challenge that wasn't present in NCAA 2004. The pressure is much more legitimate. Sure, I could've adjusted the sliders, but I play on the Heisman setting, so what's the point? I know that if I don't get a good class next season, and win a few games, I'll most likely be fired. Again, this was never a threat in 2004.

So now I'm faced with some choices. Do I throw caution to the wind and spend all of my off season budget on recruiting instead of discipline? Who knows, but it's a predicament that's new to me in this series of games. I'm used to blue chippers lining up to attend Hawaii, of all places. Now, it really means something if I win a conference championship, and the national title looks like a pipe dream, as it probably should. Anyway, my point is that the new game is an improvement over a game I consider outstanding in its own right, mostly because its much, much harder to take a mid-level team and make it elite.

I'll let other reviewers cover the new features in detail, but I do enjoy most of them. Home field advantage is surprisingly good. Seeing which players are rattled adds a new dimension, especially when most of the rattled players are yours. It gives you a new reason to consider benching your QB, as his ratings can now vary from game to game. Having players get suspended is great, and creates a need for depth on your roster. The improvements to the off season are small, and those that enjoyed recruiting, etc. in 2004 will find it that much more enjoyable. Adding transfers to the mix was logical.

I've taken up enough time and space here. Go out, buy it, see for yourself. NCAA Football 2005: great game for those who enjoy a deep, detailed simulation with a bunch of football mixed in for kicks.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 101 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars