NCAA Football 11 is a great game of pigskin that hardcore college football fans are really going to enjoy. The core gameplay has been taken to the next level with some cool animation varieties as well as sweeping changes like the elimination of turbo and adding dual analog control. On the field all of these nuances come together with the new look to make a cool, original-feeling game. However, if you don't take advantage of the connectivity offered by Online Dynasty, then the list of modes is going to feel outright dated. If you do take advantage of the new features in Online Dynasty, you're in for a lot of fun with only a few frustrations.

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I read different reviews about games like this one every year and I'm amused at the little nit picking things some write criticizing this game and others like Madden. Im not sure what some would call the perfect game other than as long as they have the option to play superman football with any team do what they want to in any phase of the game to them this is just another bad game everything is broken as they say. I think this is a big improvement of this game comapred to the last 2 or 3 years. Graphics better,commentary better,gameplay smoother,more realistic looking. I enjoy playing this game period. Ive seen how some play these kinda games especially football and played against some of these people. First of all the criticism they give and the nit picking comes from they really dont know how to play football anyway. If you play realitically like i do i guess u dont see these weird things like some seem to find in every game. This is a much inproved game overall.

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I'm not a hardcore football fan but I buy the games once in a while. Well, I switched over from madden to this and I am never going back, it's much faster and flows much more smoother. Basically this game is amazing

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i would have gave this a five star because i love how the crowd is in the game and its a football game so but two things i dont like about it one theres a glitch on the game maybe its just mine but i doubt it where when you go to hand the ball off to the RB the QB freezes and runs sometimes 30 yards back down the field which could easily p*** someone off and two it seems hard to get the hard hits on here i havent played a ncaa football game in years but i figured i buy this one its an ok game and i still think madden will have done a better job with their new one but also i love the road to glory on here it is better then last years madden superstar game mode

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It seems most games release before the bug are worked. For example, more than once have I had to kickoff after the opposing team scores! Really? Come on, EA, get with the program. I have yet to play/explore all the features. I will update soon.....

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Improvements:

The locomotion system does make running a little more fluid, though I think its hype has been a little overstated. More importantly, the realism of things like pass completion % and kick coverage has been improved, without having to do drastic manipulation to the sliders. Also, the inside running game for you and the computer creates more space and allows for more 6-7 yard rushes, so you aren't limited to running outside to get good gains.

One nice addition is a slider which lets you set the disparity in speed between the fastest and slowest players, so you won't have to cuss over Defensive Tackles chasing down your QB from behind anymore.

The AI does a nicer job in pass coverage, and the logic of its offensive playcalling is much improved. Having your opponent's offense retain the personality of its real-life team, and not just its formations, (ex. Georgia Tech option) was long-overdue.

The graphics are slightly refined, but nothing dramatic. Dynasty has not been altered much, but Recruiting has been tweaked. Now, the phone calls to recruits bring up topics randomly, and you have to determine how you want to handle it (ex. make a strong pitch, change the topic, etc). Not sure yet how I feel about it, but first time through it feels less laborious and predictable, so I think it will be better.

Overall, it is clear EA focused more on the gameplay and less on the peripheral features, which is good. I do not play Online, but the Online Dynasty enhancements seem significant. As someone who has been playing NCAA since the old Bill Walsh College Football days on Super Nintendo, I would say this is the best of the new generation, without too many significant flaws or gaps. Even if you have NCAA 10, it's worth the purchase, because it is a much more refined and realistic game.

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Let's get down to brass tacks. We all know that the NCAA franchise is often considered the retarded little brother of Madden. Ever since Larry Fitzgerald graced he cover in 2005, NCAA has been plagued with poor presentation, horrible frame rate , and rediculous physics sensitivity ie: receivers losing their minds on the sidelines and tacklers just bouncing off ball carriers with no animation to justify it. This year those issues have been addressed. EA brought in ESPN College Gameday for added ambiance with team specific pregame rituals to provide a more exciting atmosphere. Receivers are now aware of their proximity to the sidelines and finally act accordingly. Deeper playbooks and a variety of offensive styles add a whole new dimension to cross conference matchups and users actually feel like they are at the helm of their favorite teams as opposed to just a bunch of random guys wearing the uniforms. The fact that the ball actually spirals this year is great but why the hell didn't it last year, begs the question, why couldn't EA have corrected the aforementioned issues years ago. The glaring issue still remains why can't EA use real physics for tackles instead of animations, every year thousands of users pray that they will introduce it and every year they are disappointed. EA has revitalized the NCAA brand this year but it is still more arcade than simulation.

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let me say first off that i appreciate the ea college team designers, you can tell their heart is into this game. the graphics are spot on and they capture the pagentry of college football very well. the recruiting changes are welcome and they have a platform to expand on it. that being said, this game is flawed. first, the game freezes badly for about a second every third of fourth play which is a first for this franchise. instead of advertising "locomotion," they should advertise instead "locofreeze--we give you a short pause during gameplay to scan the field!" i wonder if the game is going to freeze period. Second, they desperately need to do away with the aggressive, conservative play calling on offense/defense, because it destroys the sliders and gameplay. for example, i can go an entire game without a holding call on both sides, but when i adjust it just one click up to 55, i get holding on EVERY punt by the receiving team. so i have my choice, no returns or no holding during the entire game? this is not sim. another example is if you are not conservative on your running, you will fumble approx. 14 times a game. a third example is that wide open wide receivers thrown perfect passes will drop it, so you have to make sure it is on conservatve as well.

given all these bugs and problems, it is ironic that LAST year's version is to be preferred. you heard it here first. i will be trading for MADDEN.

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Like many of you diehard football fans out there, each year I become really hyped up about the latest installment of EA's NCAA football title. And each year, I would try to stay optimistic that EA would make all the changes necessary to deliver a true sim college football game. Yet each year when I popped my game disc into my Xbox 360, I would walk away disappointed. This year is no different.

No, please don't get me wrong, I'm no EA hater. In fact, I've been a fan of the company for almost a decade. But I'm really beginning to wonder why the firm almost takes 2 steps backward after taking a small baby step forward. True, the new locomotion engine makes the running game fun to play, but now the passing game is broken. For example, as the IGN editor puts it, the Corners, SS, FS, and "LBs now have stone-cold hands to knock down balls." If you put the game on All-American difficulty, not only are you challenged with defensive ball knock-downs, you will constantly be challenged by the defensive rushes. Well you might ask "Isn't locomotion supposed to fix blocking issues?" The answer is no. The A.I. will just simply overpower the O-line and you'll have about 2 seconds MAX on average after each snap to get rid of the ball. It just doesn't matter if you get a good pre-snap read because 1) you have no time to throw, and 2) just as locomotion makes your receivers run faster, it also makes the DBs run faster too, so your WRs are just as covered as the previous years' versions of the game. So in many games, you won't be surprised to see your pass completion rate below 50%. If you browse the EA forum for NCAA football, you'll also find many other fans who unfortunately are experiencing the same problem.

For me, I'm the always the pass-first kind of NCAA Football Player. Therefore the broken passing game is what kills the game. Nonetheless, if you are the type of player who likes to pound the ball or run the option attack, you'll find this game to be enjoyable.

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Well, NCAA Football was the reason I bought an XBOX 360 in the first place. I have played every incarnation of college football since Bill Walsh for the Super Nintendo. I've played through a whole season already, and here are my random thoughts.

CONS:

1. The game stutters. By that, i mean, that about every third game or so, right in the middle of the play, it will freeze, except for the sounds, and then start up again, and then freeze again. Really annoying, but it only does it for one or two plays, every third or fourth game.

2. I miss Lee Corso. He might be dumb (not as bad as Dick Vitale) but the commentary is severely lacking w/o him. For some of the commentary, my brain will finish his part, "but he just didn't catch it."

3. I wish there was a way you could control the frequency of the replays. A two yard gain does not warrant an automatic replay.

4. while the espn integration is nice, it gets old after a while, since it is pretty much the same thing, over and over.

5. Poor quality assurance. While explaining the type of offense in the loading screen, it states, "...total and control of team." Also, in the credits, it thanks Frenso State, instead of Fresno State. Adds to the rushed feel of the game.

6. The opponents (CPU) QB will sometime go to hand off the ball to the RB, but not give the ball to him, and the QB will keep running backwards for about 20 more yards.

20 July 2010

A couple of things I forgot to mention. There are also times my defensive coverage is holding up, the qb runs out of the pocket, my end comes up, goes to the line of scrimmage, and just stops. By the time i get control of him, the qb (computer) has already either passed it, or started running. annoying. another pain is the when you are on defense and you change the coverage audible (Y and then left) to blitz. EVERY DARN TIME I DO THIS, Brad Nessler has to pipe up with, "it looks like the defense is bring the blitz." once or twice is realistic, but when I'm playing someone, it's really really irritating as it is giving part of my defense away.

On a positive note, the receiver animation of him toeing the sideline to bring his feet inbounds has been changed for the better. It has better recognition of actually how close the dude is to the sideline, so if he is right on the sideline, he'll drag his foot, and then fall over, but, if he still close, but not that close, he'll drag his foot, and then stumble, but catch his balance. This is especially helpful if no one is around him and then he can take off again for a few more yards.

7. While some of the crowd shots are nice, it seems that some of the developers' girlfriends were used to model as there is a brunette with glasses and a blonde in every shot of the crowd. She will wear your school colors, but, be rooting for the home team when you are away.

PROS:

1. Graphics are awesome. From the stadium turf up to the players' uniforms. The helmets are especially realistic. It does not have the cartoony look of last year's version.

2. I like the no huddle option. Now, when you hold Y down, you actually get the whole play book instead of just running the same play again.

3. they put all the refs back on the field. Granted, you can run thru them, but it's still a nice touch.

4 The Alamo Bowl is finally placed in the Alamodome. The past few years, it was OUTSIDE.

5. a lot of the animations have been improved. Especially, the QB throwing motion.

6. First ncaa football game in a long time that is quite enjoyable to play.

Random thoughts: Right now, School Showdown is offline, and it's not worth it yet to play an online dynasty until EA fixes the servers. EA is aware of the problem. It's fun to also have specific sounds play at kickoffs, turnovers, 3rd and 4th downs. I do miss the ability to create your own fan sign which was in 2003 or 2004. I'm not big into recruiting, nor the road to glory, but I enjoy playing none the less.

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