One of the most common complaints regarding any of Electronic Arts’ sports franchises is that the games are the same year after year. Does NCAA Football 14, from here just called NCAA 14, fall into this pattern or is this the definitive NCAA game? Ultimately, the answer will depend on the player and what you are looking for in a new iteration of the classic franchise.
NCAA 14‘s greatest improvement is in the new physics engine, which was originally seen in the previous year’s Madden game. Dubbed the Infinity Engine, this engine brings realistic, location-based physics to each bone-crushing impact and makes the game feel alive like never before. The new importance on weight will truly change how you play the game, especially on offense. Unfortunately, the graphics engine has not received the same love and attention; compared to other games on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, NCAA 14 looks a bit rough around the edges. To go with the graphical mediocrity is a number of glitches, bugs and random frame rate drops. Most fans will be able to overlook these issues but its unfortunate they even appear, as you would think EA would be capable of completing an NCAA game without them after years of working with these systems.
Many of the additional modes, such as Dynasty Mode, don’t receive a lot of changes and the majority of changes they do receive, such as recruiting players for your franchise, have made the game too simple. While some players may like the fact these modes are easier to navigate by virtue of their new simplicity, some players may dislike the fact that the game feels more shallow thanks to the streamlining. The role-playing game aspects of the game have been expanded upon, so where EA has simplified one aspect of the game it has added to another. For example, coaching now rewards you with experience points that you can use on a coaching skill tree, giving your team additional bonuses when it’s game time. This marriage between RPG and sports game is one of the most interesting and innovative parts of NCAA 14 and it’s something that we will hopefully see more of in the future.
New to NCAA 14 is Ultimate Team, which is for all intents and purposes the same as it is in EA’s other franchise such as Madden. Players can earn card packs that give them the right to use famous alumni, such as Bo Jackson, to create the ultimate NCAA team, hence the name. For hardcore NCAA fans, this mode is a must-play.
As mentioned earlier, the choice over whether NCAA 14 is worth a purchase is ultimately up to the player. If you’re a fan of college football, chances are you’ve already made up your decision to purchase this game. If you haven’t bought an NCAA game in awhile, you can’t go wrong with this version even with its flaws. However, if you’re not a fan of the franchise, this game won’t change your mind. At the end of the day, however, NCAA 14 is the only NCAA game in town and luckily it’s decent enough to hold over fans until next year’s game on a next generation system.
NCAA 14 is available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and was released on July 9th, 2013.