Jayson Young: I'm amazed by how much better the retail version is compared to the demo. The gameplay in the demo felt so stale and boring that I stopped playing it after a few days, but the final build has me hooked to the point where I am staying up late just to play the darn thing.

There are still issues, such as the interactions between the offensive and defensive lines, the skating player movement and being unable to hit a ball-carrier while he's in the middle of an animation (not to mention this delicious bug), but unlike previous versions of NCAA, the game's shortcomings haven't killed the fun factor for me.

It's not going to reach the elite level of sports franchises until the commentary gets updated and the player movement, physics and animations become more lifelike, but it's still the first NCAA game this generation where the fun factor manages to overcome the game's flaws.


Bob Kollars: When the demo dropped, I could see so many minor improvements, and I knew these improvements would only be felt on a much greater level when the retail version found its way into my 360 tray. In my opinion, this is the best overall package EA has ever put out for a football game. A combination of slick graphics, stadium sounds, improved gameplay and a revamped Road To Glory mode have made this offering a much more in-depth experience. Gone are the days of suction blocking and tackling, and the new improvements to zone defense (while not perfect) are a huge step in the right direction. The one thing that I would love to have is a Spectator mode; I would love to have the ability to scout my next human opponent in an online dynasty in advance, and this mode would fill those needs. How cool would it be to watch the championship game live for your online dynasty -- that's a rhetorical question as we all know it would be mind-blowingly cool!

I am not claiming that NCAA 12 is a perfect game, just that it's the best offering to date in the form of college football. The CPU plays a smarter game on the field, and at times it even feels like you are actually playing another human opponent. If folks cannot find improvement and some enjoyment in this year's title, then the series is probably dead to them -- and said people should stop buying the product in the future. After devoting over a week's time, and well over 40 games, I'm more than content with my purchase.


Caley Roark: I'm not the biggest college football fan, but I had seen enough press and information to preorder NCAA 12 pretty early. Then I played the demo. Largely, I wasn't impressed by it; it seemed to be just another EA football game, a formula that's becoming increasingly stale. Yes, it had better lighting and some ESPN overlays, but it still felt rather dull. I nearly cancelled my preorder.

But after a week and change, I am happy I didn't. The game plays much better than the demo, especially with the variety of new tackling animations. I love when a ball carrier is nearly knocked down, stumbles, then keeps going. It's refreshing to not know all of the tackling animations by heart, as has been the case with recent Madden titles.

I'm also interested in the coaching aspect of the Dynasty mode, and being a coordinator makes games a little quicker to squeeze in here and there. I suppose at some point I'll jump to a head coaching spot, but for now I'm happy controlling the offense. I've dabbled with Road to Glory, which is much improved from past versions I've played. I look forward to spending more time there. Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised. I wish the commentary and presentation elements were better (it's criminal that there isn't some kind of halftime recap), but I'm having a good time so far.


Dustin Toms: I'm not one who gets obsessed with My Player modes, but Road to Glory has made NCAA 12 one of the best purchases I have ever made for my gaming collection.

RtG has always been the best of the My Player modes in these football titles, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it was anything super special. But with this year's improvements and position battles, I have fallen in love with my University of Washington QB (I chose a mid-level school for realistic purposes). Plus the fact that you can re-create your entire senior high school season is bringing back memories I thought I had forgotten.

But outside of RtG, NCAA 12 has impressed. With many led to believe that there was no way it could make a big enough jump from NCAA 11, the surprise of opening up a much better game is well deserved for us "unfortunate" gamers. The graphics are greatly improved and Dynasty mode has been touched up.

Like others have said, this game comes with its problems. The zone coverage is still a bit iffy, and there seems to be a strange freeze bug tied to customizing your own experience, but the game is not to the point where a patch or two can't tweak everything to where it needs to be.