User Rating: 9.1 | NCAA Football 2004 PS2
It is really hard for me to get a sports game due to the fact that a new one will be out the next year. I also kept in mind that every year EA makes the new game even better than the previous year. That is the reason why I didn’t get EA Sports NCAA Football 2002 or 2003 editions. When NCAA Football 2004 was released close to the beginning of the college football season, I decided that I had held out long enough and went out and bought it. I’m glad I waited. This year’s edition of the collegiate gridiron contests is absolutely outstanding. The graphics are outstanding and I’m very impressed with the accuracy of each school’s stadium and player models. The animations are very good too with the minor nitpick that they tend to repeat a little more often. What makes this year’s version standout from previous years are the new features. The College Classics mode is very cool and very challenging. I doubt I’ll ever recreate “The Play”. Create-a-School and Create-a-Player are great allowing for a good amount of details. The NCAA 101 mode, which is a tutorial for the controls is a good addition, but would have been better if it was interactive. The EAsy play settings are good for beginners or those who are terrible at finding the open man on pass plays, like me for instance. All the things that make college football great, as EA likes to say, “is in the game”. The crowd chants are a nice touch, but could be better still. The fight songs sound spectacular and add even more the pageantry to the game. The commentary is also very well done like in the previous years, despite the fact I can’t really stand Lee Corso. Good thing Brad Nessler and Kirk Herbstreet are along for the game again. Finally, it wouldn’t be college football without the rivalries and this game keeps track of the trophies that are won from just about every imaginable rivalry game in the country. If you haven’t purchased a previous year version of NCAA Football, then this is the year to do so. It is hard to imagine EA topping themselves in 2005, but I more than likely just put my foot in my own mouth. PS2 owners get the ability to play online which is a definite plus and adds even more longevity to the game for those who have the benefit of a reliable connection to the internet. (Actually my problem isn’t a good connection speed, but rather my router messed up somehow. Oh well. At least that gives me time to work my Razorbacks to a national title in Dynasty mode. Go Hogs!)
