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NCAA Football 07
Score: 90%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: Tiburon
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1 - 8
Genre: Sports (Football)

Graphics & Sound:
First, let me say I have always been a HUGE football fan; from college to pros, I cannot wait till Fall rolls around for some pigskin action. EA Sports and Tiburon have once again brought us another classic addition in their college series with NCAA Football 07. On top of this excitement, my new roommate (who puts every single player into the game via the roster edit function) and I played our first co-op game the other day - a 50-42 triple OT loss! You know things have got to be good with that kind of start.

Graphically, I will admit I am more of a fan of the Sega Sports (formerly ESPN 2K’s) realistic approach, rather than the stouter, bobbled-headed Madden/NCAA style presented within. However, this year there seems to be much more pop and glitz laden surprises. The new helmet sheen and stadiums look amazing - even the turf looks very lifelike, and comes in many shades. Several new animations also occur, further immersing you into the game. The snazzy new dynamic camera system zooms in and out according to big play situations; a big touchdown grab, or a jaw-rattling goal line snuff, these events really quicken the pulse. Sadly, there is some pretty horrendous slow-down at times, prompting me to exclaim, “Is there a faster play option?” as my RB trundled up the middle, Matrix style.

A significant change is the inclusion of the ESPN brand to this year’s version, as massive EA gobbled up all rights to said product from its SEGA Sports rivals. From the visual look, to the authentic ESPN announcers (Kirk Herbstreet, Lee Corso, and Brad Nessler), as well as the sharp-looking ESPN The Magazine, that highlights the hot stories of the week, such as the top ranked team’s outcome and other big stories, you will never be without something eye-catching. Also worthy of note is the ESPN Instant Classic, which will record your best games, complete with the game-breaking players and their respective stats. Not surprising, the aforementioned triple OT heartbreaker was quickly notched up there. Did I fail to mention it was 28-7 at halftime?

Soundwise, the enormous assortment of school band fight songs is back again, drowning out every intro screen and stadium around. Along with the usual compliment of solid thuds, thwacks and groans on the field, you are blessed with top-notch broadcasters. Corso adds the comedic punch and does his best Madden impersonations when he rambles on about some zany maneuver or play. It seems like Brad and Kirk just try and keep the ‘ol coach in-line most of the time. Really though, just great overall quality once again from EA/Tiburon.


Gameplay:
The meat of the game is back again in NCAA Football 07, with a plethora of game modes. The all-important Dynasty is back with all of its recruiting glory, as you build your program into a contender, or just try and stay on top. You can even create a brand new school; name it whatever you like, with whatever style you want. I know personally I want to create a real smash mouth team that runs 90% option, and just pound it into opponents. However, you must always be aware of the limitations of your playbook and personnel. It is awesome if you can run it down their throats for 4 quarters, controlling the clock, momentum (more on this later…), but if you get behind, you are pretty much screwed. Remember, as a run-oriented team, you don’t recruit the Dan Marino’s of the world; you try and get a Michael Vick type, a blazer who can run all over the opposing team. Likewise, you don’t have sticky-handed receivers or running backs.

And speaking of bringing in new players, you have to constantly manage week-to-week visits by top prospects. Make sure to bring in the “Pipeline” recruits as well, usually regional talent from certain schools who can act as a feeder once you establish a rapport with said institution. In other words, the more kids you have coming from a certain area, the more likely others are to follow. To help evaluate your talent, the new Spring game allows for some dynamic views of your athletes as well as the ability to see who will red shirt for the coming season - not everyone can play after all. Adding to this are the cool little mini-games via the Spring Drills. This and more is all up to you, as you try and guide your program to greatness.

Another neat new feature is the “Campus Legend” mode, where you take your post-HS persona and enroll in a (hopefully) prestigious university, with dreams of winning championships, and a possible NFL future. After you get all the usual business out of the way (position, height/weight, major etc.), you move onto the skills department, as the real substance of this particular mode. Pay attention to your major though; the harder it is, the more your power ratings will go up, especially in the mind department obviously. Along the way, you can choose to party hard or become a library bookworm; either way, you can’t really screw your career up that much. As long as you put in a few nights a week cramming for midterms, and be sure to practice certain athletic skills, you should be a Hall-of-Famer in no time flat. So in the end, this mode is more gimmicky than anything, and I would really just stick with the main Dynasty mode for most of your jollies. You aren’t even locked into your respective persona on the field either - so what is the point really for role-playing value?

Now onto the stuff that really matters - the gridiron action! Several glorious additions are found right off the bat. First, the momentum meter (something borrowed from earlier college basketball games) makes its debut. Any big play, be it a huge tackle or great trick play, will boost the meter in - or against - your favor. As this builds, the respective team will get a bonus to attributes and seem to pull off more and more big plays. But a simple interception for a touchdown could shift the entire momentum back. This feature really adds more drama to the games, and helps to emulate the true psychological impact that athletes go through.

The right-analog stick also seems to get more attention, by allowing for some great flexibility in juke moves, as well as massive hits on D. If you want to really break someone’s ankles, you need to just lay into the stick left or right, pierroting around the defender. Or, if you want to ring someone’s bell, you better square your shoulders and pull hard on that stick to lay the hurt! You might even get lucky and pop the ball out of his unconscious hands. Also worthy of note is the easy transition by your QB to scrambling (simply hit the X button), instead of the cumbersome system of pulling down the icons and running for your life.

Also new to this year is the increased “tweakability” of your team, from calling a host of line shifts, blitz packages and stunts on D, to a series of hot routes and audibles on O. You can even see who is flustered or shaken, or even the big impact players are on either side, emblazoned with a glowing white circle beneath them. Needless to say, staring down the field at a pair of stud middle linebackers doesn’t help the morale of your tiny scat back. Even the special teams get more options, such as increased chances and measures for blocking kicks, as well as using dual analog sticks for kicking accuracy and power, not unlike the free-throw system in ESPN 2K6.

Up to 8 players can battle online as well, adding further to the mayhem. A matchmaking service allows for some quick and fun times. Luckily, if you don’t have access to online play (or even some buddies) you can be tested by the stout A.I.


Difficulty:
As I just stated, on the basic difficulty settings, the A.I. is rather crafty. By ratcheting it up to All-American or even the insane Heismen mode, you will start seeing more and more of the hurt. Take that 50-42 legendary game I keep bringing up - that was All-American, but with the momentum meter and some bonehead passes by yours truly (3 picks in the second half), Boise State managed to climb back into the game and eventually win.

Luckily, you can tweak many options such as attributes, tendencies and more of both your players and rules. Overall, most veteran gamers should fair quite well, especially if they have played any of the NCAA CF series before. Some of the newer folks may be a tad overwhelmed at the new complexities such as stunting and shifting, as well as the expanded and team-specific playbooks.


Game Mechanics:
NCAA Football 07 has some pretty solid controls and the adjustable camera never really comes into any problem areas. However, occasionally the dynamic big play camera system will annoy when it sucks you out of the surrounding action - especially if you are not used to such a feature.

Overall, this title is another best-seller in the long-standing series, and with added features such as improved graphics, momentum meter, endless “tweakability” and more, you really can’t go wrong here. It is the perfect companion for those hazy Autumn skies, and will astronomically increase your knowledge of both players and the game itself, for the upcoming college football season.


-Tybo, GameVortex Communications
AKA Tyler Whitney

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