• Posted May 1st, 2008 at 23:47 EDT by
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(continued from previous page) ...collapse. Fortunately it won't collapse all the time as the offensive line does a real nice job of picking up those extra attackers. Also, you’ll really recognize the running lanes opening up and the blocking up field doesn’t leave much to be desired either. Unlike previous versions of NCAA where the guy in front of you would walk around aimlessly, he’ll now push forward to engage the block creating nothing but daylight for that touchdown run to victory.

As long as I’m discussing AI, I’ll get into the defensive side of the ball where a lot of improvements were made. I understand that the defense has always seemed underpowered, but I got the feeling that this has changed for the better. The DB (defensive back) AI is drastically improved and though there are some questionable catches in double-coverage, the AI does a decent job altogether depending on their “play recognition ratings.” On top of the DB AI, I can say with confidence that the LB Spy AI has been improved exponentially. No longer will the LB commit to the run or the pass when spying the QB. He’ll strafe left and right until the QB makes his commitment and then the LB will attack. This means that you’ll rarely see the LB take one of those ugly angles that results in a huge run by the quarterback. This doesn’t mean that running QBs are now ineffective, far from it, but it does give you a solid option in containing that style of play.

Speaking of Quarterbacks, you’ll be glad to know that touch passes are now significantly improved as well. If you’re throwing on the run and you’re holding the analog to the left and want to hit a WR running to the right and you refuse to set your feet prior to the throw, you’ll throw the ball so far off target that you’ll only have yourself to blame if it’s picked off. Not only that, but the lob passes on the deep ball are now beautifully done and can result in a lot of air underneath the football. If you do happen to get intercepted though, you’ll be given the chance to redeem yourself via a new composure feature created this year. After throwing an INT, you’ll be given five photos to examine in order to guess what defense was called. If you guess correctly, your QB will gain composure and shake it off, however, if you guess incorrectly, he’ll lose composure and then you’re in for a world of hurt.

The new tackling animations showcase that pain in excruciating detail. It seemed like every game I played had around 5-10 new animations that I hadn’t previously seen. Some of them were absolutely jaw-dropping and left me watching replays over and over, so prepare for some exciting tackles. Along with the new tackling animations are the new celebration features. College football has never been so fun when it comes down to how you celebrate a touchdown. When you cross the goal line you’ll be given the option to run over to a mascot (your's or the other team's) to engage in an interactive celebration. From what I saw, there were several implemented into the game and each was as well done as the last. On top of mascot celebrations, you’ll also be given the opportunity to perform team celebrations (so long as you are home). An example of this is when you score as UCF, your player will flag the symbols U-C-F with his arms much like the song YMCA.

One of the more important features users wanted to know about was the Homefield Advantage and if it was ridiculously overpowered like in the past. The simple answer to that is no. Homefield Advantage seems to work perfectly in this year’s version and does not result in countless false starts or ridiculous momentum imbalances. It seems as though EA Sports has finally gotten this part of the game right and I didn’t see any reason or cause for concern in order to change it in any way.

As for Online Dynasties, you can play with up to 12 users and will be able to do everything you can do offline, but online instead. The dynasties will span over 60 possible seasons and you’ll have ... (continued on next page)