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It has been a mere two days since College Football fans got their first taste of the annual sports title. However, it took a meager two minutes with the NCAA Football 14 demo for them to realize that it was an infinitely better game than its predecessors. The long-standing EA Sports franchise has certainly seen its ups and downs over the past eight years, trust me I've been there, but they may have finally gotten it right. NCAA Football 14 will be the best college football game ever made, and here are 10 reason's why you should buy it.
1. Infinity Engine 2.0: It is tough to innovate when there is such a short window of development time. To the untrained eye, the past three NCAA titles could be considered nearly identical. Not 14. The new physics engine changes everything and is visible each and every play. Madden 13 was treated with the "prototype" Infinity Engine and although it changed the way we played, the eyesores and glitches were too evident to overlook. NCAA Football 14 gets the refined 2.0 engine and it looks amazing. More importantly however, it plays amazing. Each tackle is unique and natural to the situation while players stumble and maneuver around blockers seamlessly. Although it is not perfect, I consider this the greatest and most significant addition to any NCAA Football game this generation.
2. Foot Plant Running: Cutting and juking have been obsolete in past NCAA games. Animations take over and you never truly feel in control of their movements. 14 introduces new Foot Plant Running and it is a massive upgrade. The user can cut back to find holes or preform satisfying juke-spin combos to make the defense pay in the open field. It looks smooth and more importantly works hand in hand with the Infinity Engine.
3. Option Game: Read options have taken over College Football. NCAA Football 14 makes it fun. Reading keys can be challenging but very rewarding. Oregon's offense feel's unstoppable at times, similar to their real life counterparts. The triple option looks like a blast and the shovel pitches add a new wrinkle to the playbook. Pitches and spacing have been improved while the computer makes you pay for mistakes.
4. Heisman is Tough: The computer does not mess around in the demo. I lost three games in a row to Alabama and couldn't be happier. I didn't feel cheated, I felt outplayed by the AI. The computer runs the option beautifully and plays fierce defense. Although there are still some bugs with play calling, I have to bring my best to win games at the highest difficulty. I have routinely dominated Heisman level opponents in previous NCAA titles, so I welcome the challenge in NCAA Football 14.
5. Graphics: By now we have all heard it. Colors pop in this years game. Some say that it is too much, but I respectfully disagree. Uniforms aren't washed out anymore, the field looks more natural and everything is just easier on the eyes. Past NCAA games haven't changed much in this regard and it is painful when you can't see a difference. The graphics combined with the Infinity Engine makes 14 feel and look like a whole new experience.
6. Coach Skills: This adds a whole new dimension to Dynasty. We can finally improve our coach based on past endeavors. Love it or hate it, the "skills tree" adds an extra element that is much needed in what has become a stale Dynasty process. Using on and off the field performances makes sense and the option to use upgrades on recruiting only enhances this feature. I believe that adding the RPG element can only help me feel as if my coaching style and strategy is unique. Also, adding coordinator skills just brings more to the table. Although we haven't had a hands on with Coach Skills, I am confident that they will have a huge impact on how we play Dynasty.
7. Custimizable: Funny how much changes when one simply adjusts the camera angle. Different vantage points have been missing from the NCAA Football series for too long and they finally return in 14. The Coordinator Cam is awesome and makes passing ever more fun. Zoom is another angle that I enjoyed when playing defense. Regardless of your preference, NCAA 14 finally allows you to customize the experience. The addition of Offensive and Defensive difficulties only add to the immersion.
8. Recruiting: Recruiting is another addition that we haven't had hands on time with but the improvements are promising. After a visit with the West Virginia staff, developers decided to spice up how we recruit in dynasty. Instead of hours, each week is based on a points system and recruits have more power in the process. The addition of deal breakers makes it all more realistic and position performances during visits improves your chance of landing that blue-chip prospect. Using Coach Skills to get a leg up on the competition will be a satisfying way to battle it out in Online Dynasties.
9. Ultimate Team: This could be viewed as the gimmicky feature of NCAA 14. Ultimate Team has had major success with other EA Sports titles and makes its first appearance in this years game. Collecting the cards of past collegiate stars to form a powerhouse sounds like a lot of fun, but the execution will determine if people keep playing. Pre-order and demo bonuses are really pushing this new game mode and I will definitely be spending time with it. Plus, who doesn't want to have Cam Newton hand the ball off to Barry Sanders?? People need to give Ultimate Team a chance, it will be worth it.
10. The Little Things: Last but certainly not least, NCAA Football 14 does a lot of little things right. Pre game and half time presentation look like an ESPN broadcast, stat overlays are smooth and natural while post play cutscenes and chatter capture the greatness of College Football. New Crowd chants are a nice touch and the new drills help players learn the nuances of the controls. The dynamic stamina bar and pre-snap player comparison are even more examples of what NCAA Football 14 brings to the table. The develop team stressed small details and it shows when playing the demo.
It is a shame that the NCAA Football franchise will now shift its focus to the next generation consoles, as they will once again end on a very high note. We can only hope that this foundation will result in a smooth transition to the new platforms. For now, do yourself a favor and buy this years game. For the first time, I am confident that it will be worth it.
# 2
UMhester04 @ Jun 21
Nice writeup bro I agree with all of it. Literally the only thing I can complain about is the slant routes are money when you are on offense, but I guess I can just make some house rules (even though I really don't want to).
# 3
DirtyJerz32 @ Jun 21
Playing the cpu on Heisman is crazy. With the exceptions of the questionable play calling, it almost feels like a user is controlling them.
# 4
aldon_47 @ Jun 21
Agree with pretty much everything here, although I would add one more thing: atmosphere. I know its not perfect and more can always be added but I absolutely love hearing the crowd and music after big plays, plus the music before opening kickoff (dont know what song that is but seems like every SEC team and many others have it). I know its early and only a demo but I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on this game. Ski U Mah!
# 5
volwalker @ Jun 21
Since I am an offline dynasty guy, I will not be buying this game unless the CPU defense makes adjustments during the game. PLaying the demo on Heisman difficulty I can run read option every play and the CPU makes no effort whatsoever to stop it. At least send an extra guy in box or something. And don't get me started on the lack of adjustments while you no-huddle.
I agreed with all of the points he mentioned but the game is unplayable for me if the CPU defense doesn't make adjustments. Has anybody else witnessed this?
I agreed with all of the points he mentioned but the game is unplayable for me if the CPU defense doesn't make adjustments. Has anybody else witnessed this?
# 6
scottyo60 @ Jun 21
I gotta say, I've had some pretty weird tackles going on. Like they will just fall over, fall flat on the back when barely hit and sometimes when assisted tackles should take over too it just doesn't happen. Still love the effort though.
# 8
inkcil @ Jun 21
With the blog referencing halftime shows...is this blog based on time with the demo or with the full release? There are no halftime shows in the demo.
# 9
sparkdawg777 @ Jun 22
I tried out the coordinator cam and I really don't see what the fuss is about. Everyone begs for realism and this is the most unrealistic camera out there. But hey, to each his own.
# 10
GRONK IS AMAZIN @ Jun 22
I don't think I'm good at NCAA and I went 1 and 1 against the computer on heisman and the loss was a last second loss..............
# 11
GRONK IS AMAZIN @ Jun 22
And the one complaint about coordinator cam is that you can't see the energy thingy
# 12
johnmorrow @ Jun 22
Ive been playing NCAA since Joey Harrington was on the cover. Back then fell in love but always hated recruiting system. Just from what we have seen on videos it looks 1000x better. I can wait to play all 60 years. Probably going to have to a few different things i do this year, since transferring draft classes is back. This should, lets all hope, to turn out to be one of the best football games ever.
# 13
johnnyg83 @ Jun 22
demo hooked me ... I was a firm "no." Played it twice and still wasn't budging ... third time, it all clicked. Pre-ordered ...
# 14
cusefan74 @ Jun 22
One thing wrong with that is after a while you can tell if it's a first down or not from the animations. For me I like not having them, although if they are there and I can skip through them I don't mind.
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# 15
N.C.State @ Jun 23
I was pretty sure I wasn't going to buy it. I did notice that the game play seemed much better on the demo and reconsidered. I'm definitely waiting a week or two to see if all the major bugs and freezing issues are sorted out though.
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I agree. NCAA 14 has the fun factor back. I lost twice but never got that frustrated feeling as if things weren't in my control. I like the old entrances better because those are a part of the pageantry of college football.
Overall, loving the demo.
By the way, huge Seahawks fan. Great logo.