The initial gameplay of NCAA Football 12 is intact from last year’s version of the game. You still get great controls, led by EA Sports’ desire to push thumbsticks on the world (ala Madden and it’s a great way to go in my opinion), and you get what feels like ‘real’ football. Last year’s version set a new bar for what the developers could do with this franchise and this year seems sort of the ‘next’ step with it. So what in the world could have possibly changed from last year’s?
The first thing you’ll see when you go into Dynasty Mode is how integrated the coaching has become with this year’s edition. You’ve got an option called Coaching Carousel that allows you to create a coach and work him through the ranks of NCAA Football. You do everything a coach would do, such as signing a contract, getting contract extensions with success on the field, and firing if you don’t have success. It’s a neat little simulator that adds a new dimension to the game. Personally, the whole coaching thing in sports games has been a huge turn off for me, as it feels a bit too empty. For some reason this time around I actually enjoyed the challenge. It didn’t feel empty and it was better than watching dots on a screen during a game that I’m coaching (ala Sega’s football simulator in Europe — Lord, I’m not sure how/why that stuff is exciting). While the Coaching Carousel wasn’t an addition that made the entire game worth the purchase, it did add one more element that I like about the series.
Speaking of elements, one of the most vastly improved parts with NCAA Football 12 is the collision and tackling system. Again, taking a page from the Madden series (and pretty much everything EA Sports is doing this year — see FIFA 12 videos for details) the contact that players make in NCAA Football 12 is precise and impressive. For example, while I was playing Will Johnson in a game he threw a pass to his wide receiver and my safety popped him. Unlike the games in the past where it would sound like I hit his player, but it would seem really broken on the animated side of things (clipping graphics, stiff robot arms wrapping, etc.), NCAA Football 12 actually feels like my guy had popped his guy. You can see the actual wrapping of the arms, the driving of the shoulder and the offensive player reacting accordingly. What’s even more impressive about this is what result you get from such a vicious play, which was an incomplete pass (and an injury for his character).
What has also come from all this improved player collision is smooth player control. I think this was the first year where I could juke an NPC perfectly without the use of buttons. For example, I had thrown a ball to my wide receiver on one play and could see the opposing team’s safety closing in on him. With the right thumbstick I hit the brakes then juked right causing the NPC to not only bite on the play, as they went flying out of bounds, but also allowed me to break it up field for a TD. It was potentially the highlight of the game for me, and this type of movement also translated well to the running backs on the team. The improved animation and use of thumbsticks will allow you to cut and juke really accurately. Will can regretfully attest to my running back eating him alive at the end of the Florida State/Arkansas contest that we had going on. Not all is perfect on this end, though.
One of the things that the developers have been crowing about with the game is how intelligent the NPC has become. I have to say that it’s a 50/50, at best, success with this element of NCAA Football 12. Starting with defense, there were times where my linebackers were sitting back waiting for the ball to be snapped. When the opposing team ran the ball up the middle, my LBs didn’t immediately react to the play happening. When the RB reached the same horizontal plane as my LB then my LB reacted; by that time it was too late and the reaction was more for show than usefulness. I was frustrated by this lack of reaction, so I ran plays where I took over the LB spot to prevent the opposing RB from driving down field on me. You have to watch out for this, as it’s just not done well. Thankfully, my cornerbacks and safeties didn’t have this issue, but it was prominent near the line.
The other 50/50 issue was the diving catch that EA Sports promises in the game. Out of my entire dynasty season, I only got one diving catch from my receivers. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as making a pass to a receiver and the ball passing them by a foot or two and saying ‘God, I wish they would just dive for it’. Will, again, can attest to this frustration. The only exception to my complaint was a beautiful one-handed grab by a wide receiver as they were heading out of bounds; that was a thing of beauty. I regretfully saw no consistency on diving catches, though. I’m not sure what sets the diving catch off, but I can tell you that the players on my team had plenty of opportunities.
Let’s pull it back a bit and talk about some modes. Outside of the typical Dynasty gameplay you can go through a Road to Glory, which follows a senior from high school. It’s a neat element, one that isn’t done quite enough in sports games, but you can actually go through the recruiting process as you play your HS career out. For those who are interested in extending the life of NCAA Football 12 and for adding another deep element to the entire process, this mode was made for you. Personally, I think it’s pretty cool and provides yet another level of depth to the collegiate game. It’s like having a minor league mode in an MLB game; it simply just adds more atmosphere and desire to move forward. Honestly, anything that can make a sports game deeper these days is always something you should try out, even if it’s ridiculous; thankfully Road to Glory is not ridiculous. Knowing more than a few athletes at the University of Kentucky, this mode gives a look into what they had to go through to reach the college level. Again, it’s a very welcomed addition that does nothing except add another level of depth to the overall package.
Speaking of additions, let’s talk presentation. Following the same path as Madden, NCAA Football 12 improved on details that didn’t stand out last year. For example, the lighting and field detail has vastly improved. One of the things I noticed last year with Madden NFL 11 was how the sun positioning affected the shadows of the stadium and players, and also affected the gameplay. If the sun wasn’t in your eyes in the second quarter then it might be in your eyes at the start of the third, which is something real teams contend with in real games. Visually having a natural element play a role both visually and gameplay-wise is impressive, and not to mention realistic. What also improved outside of that is the player’s environments on the field.
I know that some reviewers have panned this, but seeing detailed grass, rain and snow on the field is impressive. Once you see this in action during replays you’ll be very ‘wowed’, unless you’re just being spiteful. The grass on the field is especially noticeable when you see a player cut back and forth; the grass reacts appropriately to what’s happening. Again, it seems small, but it’s the small improvements that make the experience better sometimes. Now, once the weather changes and things start looking stormy (ala rain or snow) the gradual breakdown of the field is a cool element. Much like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ field, which seems to break up when you sneeze on it, the gradual breakdown of the fields due to weather is visually cool and sometimes it affects the plays you want to run. Again, this is adding more realism to the experience.
Grass, weather and sun aside, the player models have been improved as well. You get more details in the helmets, small details in the uniforms and more importantly great details in the players’ faces. I always joke with the staff that when Madden NFL comes out the developers for NCAA Football just use the Madden engine from the previous year; there’s some truth to that joke I’m sure (though, I honestly don’t know), as this year’s NCAA Football looks quite similar to Madden NFL 11. You can see displeasure in players’ faces, happiness and even pain when something goes wrong. Again, visually it’s impressive.
What isn’t impressive is how the crowd looks. EA Sports should consider adding some fun crowd animation to the mix in next year’s installment. While I love the crowd noise and how it affects the plays, there is something odd about hearing a pumped up crowd and not seeing a pumped up crowd. You pretty much get repetitive animation with the crowd, which is uninspiring to see. If they would add more crowd movement, anything that looks like the crowd is alive (or disappointed — as Kentucky fans generally are) then it would just add so much to the overall atmosphere. I know what you’re thinking, “Really? You’re bitching about that?”, and it’s a valid question. Yes, I’m bitching about it because if you’ve done such great work creating the look and feel of the actual game then just do a little more with bringing the crowd into it. It’s the only element missing from the presentation, in my opinion.
Staying with presentation, this year’s version of the game allows you to customize conferences. Yes, you read that correctly, you can play God and realign and adjust conferences. You can change rules, rivalries, deal with BCS tie-ins and shape the NCAA Football landscape to your liking. This is definitely made for the hardcore NCAA Football fan out there, but even if you’re more of a casual gamer it’s a great option to explore. At the end of the day you could even send the NCAA your plan; maybe it could help them make the landscape of college football a little more even. Although, the SEC would still dominate the country, regardless of changes (you can’t change facts).
So, at the end of the day is NCAA Football 12 worth your time and hard earned money? This reviewer firmly believes it is. It’s not merely a tiny update to last year’s installment; it’s a solid release with new and interesting features. Now, I think that EA Sports will have to really try hard next year to make 13 considerably different than 12, but for now please know that you’re getting a great college football experience for the price you’re paying. It’s got improved visuals, better contact and fun modes/things to play and explore (Coaching Carousel, Road to Glory and Custom Conferences).