User Rating: 9.8 | NCAA Football 2004 PS2
College football season is coming, and fast. Preseason training has now been on course for at least a month, and the hype is most definitely in the air. At this point, your anticipation for the commencement of the football season has boiled over the top, and, if pushed the wrong way….lets not go there. So, as if it’s a gift from God himself, NCAA Football 2004 drops from the sky into our homes to pacify our boyish cravings, but is it truly a big enough step up from its predecessor to get consecutive games? I’d say so. The same debate plagued our minds last year, when the 2003 version was released: “Is it that much better than last year’s?” While that question lingered, you still went out to buy it, why? Because you knew it would be worth it in the end. Unless you had an insanely long dynasty going, you bought the new installment. While some aspects of the game had very little improvement implications, others made a dynamic breakthrough, and those are what entice you to purchase it. This year’s installment brings about new settings and modes of gameplay, along with additions to the little extras that make the game that much more enjoyable. The more notable additions to the game includes Dynasty features such as the very well done Sports Illustrated Covers and articles, along with new recruiting options to further persuade graduating seniors in high school to join your arsenal. The next addition takes place in the game modes category, being able to relive the best of college football in the College Classics mode. There you’ll be able to take over a team in one of its biggest moments or comebacks in school history. You are given the same attributes as was in the real game: the players, the clock, the number of time outs, and so on; and it’s up to you to either change history, or relive it. Don’t be discouraged by the first classic game on the list though, for it is considered the most difficult of the 20. Also, now there is an EA sports bio, that keeps records of your activity on NCAA 2004, and any other 2004 EA products. Your major and recent accomplishments are displayed when you enter it, giving you that very much earned feeling of, well, accomplishment. Now for the extras. The game sequences at the start of the games are different than last year’s, but, again, there are no alternate intros. So seeing the same tunnel whether that team even has a tunnel or not, gets a bit humdrum. And the pre-game animations have not changed a bit, making one to believe that laziness was the deciding factor. The commentary is much more excitable this time around, especially during the course of trick plays that have finally found their place in the playbooks. The teams are more specific in the sense of chants in the crowd, fight songs, and alma maters. You are also graced with cannons and flags when a score is made, even though most teams don’t have cannons…or flags, but hey, it’s the effort that counts, right? As for my ratings on NCAA 2004, I give it a solid 9.8 and for much reason. The gameplay factor, whether many improvements were made or not, will not change for me. It’s a perfect 10. EA does an excellent job with the control scheme and feel of the game; a little something 989 should look in to. So year after year, I am able to save $5 by not renting the game before I buy it for I know the game will be enjoyable despite other factors. The graphics, again, are astounding for a college football game, but witnessing body parts going through other objects, like say…other people, just doesn’t cut it for a 10. But taking into account that the NCAA games have so much more to deal with than the Madden games, I still give it a 9. Now, the sound in the game is almost flawless. With the emotionally charged crowd and the gridiron calamities, you get a good sense of actually attending the game. The only set back though, is that the commentary is hardly heard during the intro when the crowd is cheering or cursing, and also at the end, when they give their analysis of the game. While one could turn the crowd noise level down a bit at the end of the game in order to hear the announcers, that’s too much trouble to have to go through, not to mention that nobody is going to remember to do it. A solid 9 for sound. The value and tilt of the game are both 10. EA does an excellent job maintaining these, as they should, for they contribute to the overall college football experience; also something 989 should look in to. So, if you’re still one of those reluctant souls, that will play on your friend’s game until the price drops, perhaps you should rethink your actions. Not only will you not be able to play this magnificent game as often, but your friend is bound to get irate. If money is the issue, get a bank loan, a.k.a. your parents. If you’re a newbie to the college football experience in games, but love real college football, this game is definitely for you. And if you have every single football game in creation, still, this game is for you. By all means, go out and purchase this game. Sabastian
