I got NCAA ‘09 last night. I played it once. NC State lost to East Carolina. I’m not proud, but thems are the fact. 42-35 because Daniel Evans, my red-shirt-graduate starting QB, threw for 300 yards and 22 picks. He has very little touch, once hitting an offensive lineman in the foot on a screen play. Also, do not attempt to float a ball over a linebacker with Mr. Evans. Again, the touch thing.
As for the game itself, however, I have to admit, it’s pretty damn sweet. Typically, I’m a Madden guy. I love college football, but I don’t care for the game. The issues previously, as far as I’m concerned, have always been that the gameplay was a little chunky (running was a bitch, imho) and that it was more defensively oriented.
They have taken care of that this year. I’m not sure what level me and the representative of the Bubble were playing on but I think that dude from VDU went something like 40/42, which is ridiculous.
In other words, the offense on this game — admittedly, though, on an easier level — is comical. Or perhaps the computer’s defense isn’t that good. Either way, Daniel Evans shouldn’t be dropping the numbers he did.
But I’m fine with that; I can learn defense and when the offense isn’t working on an EA football game, it disrupts the flow. And that’s the other thing — the flow and actual gameplay of this version was by far and away the most impressive of any of the NCAA’s I’ve personally played. It doesn’t feel like a Special Olympics 10 yard hurdle race when the quarterback drops back anymore, and running the ball is actually possible, if not a little too possible.
From what I understand, there are some bugs with this version too (I don’t really know what, that’s just the chatter I hear on the internet) and supposedly online stinks maybe? Who can even remember?
What I do remember is that you can download the full rosters — the single biggest thing that has always sucked about college games — on XBox Live, which f’ing rules. That’s right. No mailing off a memory card or trying to figure out how to plug a particular file format into your XBox. You just go to XBLive and find some guy and download his rosters.
And it’s legal — thanks for asking — because it’s not like EA is endorsing them or selling them. They have been entered by some guy at a computer and he’s letting you have them. Supposedly, he screwed up a little too, and Wyoming disappears whenever you plug them in. Whoops. I didn’t notice.
I did notice one other bug though. Everyone at East Carolina was wearing gold in the stands, there were only like 20 red shirts (visitors scattered throughout the stadium = cool feature) and that rundown concrete pancake of a shithole was full. Yeah, right. Like that’s ever happened.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Whoa there ferretpack fan, ECU (not VDU – check Radford’s below the belt stats) has established back-to-back, department-record season ticket sales figures in Skip Holtz’ second and third seasons guiding the Pirates’ program. Prior to its 22,000 sell-out number in 2007, ECU set a then-record of 16,318 a year earlier to top an existing mark of 16,173 set in 2000 which brings me to my next arguement, that “run down concrete pancake of a shithole’s” official capacity is 43,000, making it the 3rd largest in North Carolina. The record attendance for the stadium was on November 20, 1999 against North Carolina State University with 50,092 in attendance with State wiping off their chins and getting off their knees after a 23 – 6 loss. Put down the stuffed wolfpack doll and pay closer attention.
I really wish that I could say something but Justin has covered every point that an East Carolina fan needs to cover after a dry, substandard attempt of a review of a video game that turns into a. Did you write this as soon as you put down the sticks? Were you trying to vent some frustration after losing to the Pirates?
I actually bitchslapped the buttpirates in my first game and then took down Clemson. I have lost to my friend 2 times though..
oh yea, I haven’t thrown 1 pass with Evans yet…I have Mike Glennon going off on folks.