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NCAA Football 2004



PlayStation 2 Game of the Month
Developer: EA Sports
Publisher: EA Sports
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Review Excerpt

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See screenshots of NCAA Football 2004 (PS2)
"NCAA Football 2004 marks the return of EA Sports' widely praised college football franchise, and while a number of new features have been added to this year's game, these differences--with the exception of the ability to play against others online--probably aren't drastic or substantial enough to make the casual football fan rush out and buy it. That being said, any hard-core fan of college football will undoubtedly eat up these new features, such as the new Sports Illustrated feature that gives a weekly look at key teams and players as well as events that happen over the course of a season. The college classics mode gives you an opportunity to relive college football's best moments, including the 1982 Cal and Stanford matchup that was decided by what came to be known as "The Play." In addition, the new gameplay enhancements--which include better play action, new tackling animations, and more-realistic zone defense--give the game a much more strategic college football feel.

"As with most sports games, the decision to buy NCAA Football 2004 comes down to whether or not you think some of the new features and upgrades are worth paying full price for. If you're a casual college football fan and you already own last year's game, then there really isn't a huge reason for you to buy the Xbox or GameCube versions of the game, especially since neither features online play. The PS2 version, on the other hand, is very enticing. If you're a hard-core fan, then you will certainly enjoy all of the new features--whether they're huge or small--that EA Sports has added to make an enjoyable game even better."


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When you're into competitive games, be they sports games, shooters, or anything else, there's nothing quite like real, honest human competition. That's what makes NCAA Football 2004 such a winner on the PlayStation 2--for the first time in the series, you can play it online against other armchair quarterbacks. This significant addition alone would have been enough to propel the game to greatness, but EA Sports also refined and improved just about every other aspect of the previous game for the 2004 edition, making it a must-have for video football fans.


Check out our other PlayStation 2 reviews in July

Ape Escape 2 (8.4)
"The game's relative ease is offset by the sheer number of weird unlockable items, and the end result is a platform game that is, above all, great fun."

Colin McRae Rally 3 (8.3)
"Colin McRae Rally 3 isn't necessarily a game that should replace World Rally Championship in your collection, but it's definitely one to play if you're a fan of the sport."

F1 Career Challenge (7.6)
"F1 Career Challenge is a modest upgrade over F1 2002, the main difference being that you now guide your own driver through four full seasons on the F1A circuit."

Downhill Domination (7.5)
"What really makes Downhill Domination stand out from other extreme sports games is its impressive sense of speed."

Summer Heat Beach Volleyball (7.2)
"Despite some rough edges, Summer Heat Beach Volleyball gets enough of the fundamentals right to keep things fun."

Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color (7.1)
"Those intrigued by the game's unique concept or style should at least give Magic Pengel a try."

Naval Ops: Warship Gunner (6.8)
"A little effort is required on your part, but if you play the game on its own terms, there's a good chance you'll enjoy it."

K-1 World Grand Prix (6.6)
"K-1 World Grand Prix has all the basics down, but ultimately the game falls just a little bit short."

The Great Escape (6.1)
"The Great Escape may be fun for die-hard fans of the film, but if you're just looking for a good stealth or action game, you could do better."


 

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