Intro
There is one word that sums up the Electronic Arts football series: franchise. I still have fond memories of the original Madden series back on the Sega Genesis. EA really does one thing usually flawless, and that is producing some high-quality sports titles. I mean every year they pump out a new Madden or NCAA title, and yet somehow they actually manage to get better...
I will admit that I'm more of an NFL fan rather than a college ball watcher. Since I'm in the Maryland region, my interest has sparked the last few years more than in the past (yeah Terps!). Those who are gamers and college fans, be prepared to experience one of the best football titles ever to grace a console.
Netjak University
The most exciting feature about NCAA 2003 has to be the plethora of new features. For the most part the foundation of the game has changed little, and the basic gameplay is still the same as it was five years ago. What really impressed me were the "god-mode" actions. It seems as though a standard feature for sports games now, is the "create-a-player" option. That option is still here, but EA went a step further and gives you an option to create your own school. At first the concept seems to be just filler, but soon I grew to love the feature and the option truly makes the game unique and satisfying. You can change not only the name of the school, but also the colors, players, team fight song and even the "pride stickers" for your helmets...
Aside from all of the bells and whistles, the heart of the game has changed little over last year's installment. The game physics are tight and the GameCube's controller fits the schematics perfectly. The responsiveness is quite good, aside from slight slowdowns when the action intensifies. If you have played an EA football game, the control set is a welcomed return and feels like cool sheets on a warm night.
Play calling is what really makes-or-breaks a football game (aside from physics), and again, little has changed. But, what should really impress fans (for this is a game for the fans) is the actual "feel" that each team gives. Days of carbon-copied play sets and playbooks are a thing of the past. Each team has their own play style that counters their real life style. NCAA 2003 is without a doubt a very personable game. The experience is a close one that delivers a football experience tied in with personal interaction. If you are familiar with a certain team; the flavor remains and you actually feel part of the team as you play throughout a season. Adding even another layer of depth of realism is the rivalries that exist within the game. What would a college football game be without rival school hatred? Well, the same feeling permeates digitally and just oozes adrenaline. A game just feels different if you are playing a Navy vs. Army game rather than a Navy vs. Cornell game. Not only is the tempo increased, but also you are playing for different inter-school trophies. In fact there are 23 different trophies to be won via rival school competition; not to mention the bowl games...
Again, the game is just extremely personable which is why this game will be so successful as football hits in the fall. In your "trophy room" there are countless stats at your fingertips, and depending on the game mode you choose (season play I hope) you will also get results of future awards such as the Heisman and coach of the year. There are even weekly plaques and awards you can receive if you earn them; which can really start to build up as the season unfolds.
The icing on the cake has to be the intriguing off-season activity. I never realized that not playing could be so enjoyable. You have to play the role of a scout and dip into the high school and college pool of players and recruit talent to your team. Stemming off of the college experience, different schools will attract different types of players. The recruitment process is the final layer of perfection that makes your team truly your team and allows you to customize it the way you want. The satisfaction of completing a season, regardless of your record, really becomes rewarding after you see the work that went into the compilation of your team.
The multiplayer is fairly standard fare here, yet should still give countless hours of late night party fun. I still found the game to be much more enjoyable on a single player season mode.
You would never know this was a port
Visually this has to be the most impressive football game to date. While the initial graphics may not "wow" you, the attention to detail is sure to win you over. The animations are fluid and realistic, and every tiny detail is included even outside of the action. Things like weather and field conditions are dynamically changing, and "pride stickers" increase as they become distributed. The stadiums are true-to-form as well as the facial expressions that easily match the detail in games like Ghost Recon. Helmets fly, bones crunch and the lighting effects are brilliant.
The only real negative when discussing the graphics has to be the somewhat questionable framerate. For the most part the game chugs along with no problems, but at times it chokes a bit and the framerate slips to what seems like single digits. This only happens when the action is tense and most of the players are on the screen at the same time ( i.e. goal line stance). It's not unplayable, but this is the only sign of the port from the PS2 version to the GameCube. Still, the differences between the versions are like night and day; with the GameCube version head and shoulders above the square giant.
The audio was a mixed bag. The first half of my first season was nothing but brilliance but midway through I felt the commentary to become a bit repetitive. I do realize you can only cram so much commentary into one game, so I never felt robbed or cheated because of the repetition. Aside from the commentary (which initially is awesome), the sound effects are superb. You'll feel every bone jarring hit and every screaming fan. The crowd really plays a huge part within the game, and really adds to the realism to the game being played. The same goes for the unique fight songs for each team, the band and the cheerleaders. Most impressive indeed. Not only are the fight songs here, the chants are also included (team chants and generic chants). This probably impressed me the most in regards to the audio. Overall, the audio/video experience was memorable and fit the tight gameplay beautifully.
66 Says:
I know I sound like a broken record, but the game just has so much gravitase and personality that it's hard not to like it. For those who really like to experience a game rather than just play it, this is the best football game to date that does it. While the exhibition games are fairly bland, the season mode as well as the create-a-team mode just jaks this game into stardom.
Highly impressed with the newest football game of the upcoming season, should satisfy football fans to the hilt. I recommend this for a full-fledged purchase and encourage you to enjoy the game to the fullest and take your time. It's a wonderful experience that truly has limitless replay.
