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NCAA Football 2006
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Graphics & Sound:
It's safe to say that NCAA 06 has just about reached the ceiling as far as looks go. Aside from a few minor tweaks to player models and the field (which now looks more like grass), the '06 version isn't that great a leap over the '05 one. There are, however a number of improvements to presentation that help to build on the college gameday experience. Until now, the pre-game show has just been Brad Nessler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso talking over shots of warm-ups. This year, an entire pre-game show has been worked out before games. I loved this addition, especially Corso's traditional donning of the mascot head of the team he picks to win, but there are wrinkles to be ironed out. The most notable are the models of the three commentators themselves, which look nothing like their real-life counterparts. This is either a result of poor modeling, or some legal issue, so its hard to really pass final judgement.
As for sound, I think I speak for a number of gamers when I say, "Enough with the EA Trax already!" Its a cool feature for most racing games, and even professional sports games, but there is really no place for it in a college game. It absolutely kills the game's atmosphere, especially since the tracks included really don't fit together and, truth be told, feel like a method of nabbing a quick buck rather than doing something that's good for the game. Thankfully, you can switch to the more traditional song list that plays fight songs rather than the Madden rejects featured in the EA Trax section. Still, even if you choose to play fight songs in the normal game, you're forced to listen to the EA Trax during drills and practices. Ugh...
Some college fans may be a little disappointed with NCAA 06 since some fight songs have been dropped due to upped licensing fees. Yes, it dampens some of the experience, but as long as the LSU fight song is included, I'm happy.
Commentary is commentary. It's not that much of an improvement over past years, but certainly doesn't make you want to turn it off. It's still not as good as the banter found in the 2K games, but it works well. I was actually rather impressed by how well the commentary flowed during games. There are still moments where you're left scratching your head and trying to figure out exactly what one of the commentators is talking about, but these are rare. |
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Gameplay:
This year's big mode addition is Race for the Heisman, and it is pretty obvious that EA wants you to participate in it since you are literally dropped into it as soon as your pop the game in for the first time. You begin by creating your digital persona within the game, selecting a name and position. You can choose from most of the "impact" positions on the field including quarterback, running back, wide receiver or a defensive back. From there you play what could be considered a football RPG where you complete drills in training camp. The better you do in drills, which are essentially a group of mini-games based around your position, the bigger (and better) the school you'll eventually end up at. If you don't like the school you're offered a scholarship to, you can also choose to walk-on to nearly any school in the nation and try to become a starter there.
After landing a spot at a school, you play through four seasons at your position and play through "normal" games of football. As with the training drills, your goal is to make yourself look as good as possible and put up Heisman-like numbers, eventually winning you a trip to New York and the Heisman Trophy. While playing through your four seasons, a Heisman Hype meter will indicate how big the buzz is around you. You can also check how you're doing based on the number of trophies and fan letters you receive between games. And, in a move that is sure to be the favorite of every women's libber, you can also mark your progress based on how cute your girlfriend is. You'll start with an unattractive girl and, if you do the right things on the field, end up with a super model.
As neat an idea as Race for the Heisman is, it's pretty clear that improvements need to be made. In other words, it's sort of like a "pushy" father coaching his kid's peewee team. You'll call your player's number every play in order to rack up stats and just make your player look good -- leading to lopsided game strategies and unrealistic numbers. Still, it's a fun mode that can only get better with refinement.
Other than Race for the Heisman, NCAA 06 doesn't stray too far away from past games. The biggest changes in Dynasty Mode, the game's core play mode, are in recruiting. As the season progresses, you can now go after high school recruits during the season instead of cramming it all in between seasons. You can even invite them to visit the locker room during big games in order to sway them to signing with your team. As you recruit players from a certain state, you'll also be able to set up a pipeline to the state, making it easier to nab the top recruits.
As always, the real fun with NCAA Football comes when playing over Xbox Live. There are few online gaming experiences that I've had more fun with than in NCAA Football. Going online with NCAA just has a nice, fun and relaxed gameday atmosphere (unless you get one of the hardcore assholes that play as if every game is a life-or-death situation). Online games run without a hint of lag and the Xbox communicator adds that bit of trash talking needed for every college gameday experience. Once you're logged into the lobby, you can also check out tournaments, news, ranking ladders and even scores. |
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Difficulty:
All sports games will always revolve around one thing, skill. Sure, anyone can drop right in and play through a game, but in order to be any good, you'll have to practice and learn. The inclusion of Spring Drills really helps to push even the more novice of players along and give them the skills needed to go far in the game. Spring Drills are really just a collection of mini-games designed to show the ins and outs of gameplay. Running drills will show you how to spin, juke and break through for more yardage while passing drills will teach you how to read defenses and work the pocket. As with past games, you can always let the computer do all the work, making you more of a coach than anything else, but if you want to hoist that National Championship Trophy over your head, it's a good idea to take control over things.
One aspect I am always quick to jump on with any EA football game, be it NCAA or Madden, is the "cheap" factor that usually finds it's way into games. This included plays always seeming to go the way of your opponent or cupcake teams being just a little too much of a challenge. On a positive note, NCAA 06 doesn't feel nearly as cheap as previous games, however I still ran into a few questionable areas, specifically receivers with low ratings managing to catch one-handed passes in triple coverage. These instances aren't nearly as numerous as in past games, but still happen. |
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Game Mechanics:
NCAA 06 features a number of changes to gameplay that address problems players had with last year's version. The passing game, which was nearly impossible sometimes, has been reworked and is a little more forgiving. Defensive backs aren't as quick to react to your passes (unless they're really good), and wide receivers aren't as apt to dropping passes. That's not to say that every pass will be caught or that the passing game is unstoppable. You still need skill and judgment, but it doesn’t feel as though the mechanics are working against you. Scrambling has also been reworked, making it easier to break out the pocket and run with the ball. One really cool addition is that you can now break out the pocket and still toss a quick flick pass to a receiver. The only play that gave me any real problems was running the option. However, this is more of a flaw with the Xbox controller rather than the game, due to the uncomfortable placement of the black and white buttons.
A few enhancements from Madden have also found their way to NCAA 06. The more notable addition is the hit stick, which lets you pull off tackles, spins and jukes by using the right analog stick. Another addition is the inclusion of Impact Players, which are designated by a white disc under their feet. These are the guys you can always count on in a tough situation. At the start of the season, certain players will already be designated Impact Players, but they won't always remain Impact Players throughout the entire season as other players will become "hot" and step up their game. At various points in the game, Impact Players can get "in-the-zone" and become supermen on the field, allowing them to pull off feats they normally wouldn’t be able to. When pulling off these moves, the camera will also break into weird camera tricks like slow downs and stops to really get the impact across. They don't happen often, and the effect feels kind of cheap at times, but it's still a little extra sting to brag about when playing with a friend.
The look may not have evolved much, but the numerous gameplay tweaks and mode additions really helps NCAA 06 feel like more than last year's game with roster changes. Gameplay tweaks are especially nice, and help the game feel more balanced and refined than past games -- which is what you want to see with sports games. NCAA 06 is a must-have for every college football fan and will certainly make the month or so before the season starts go that much quicker.
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-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker |
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