College football recently got a shot in the arm with the announcement of a long-overdue playoff system (coming in 2014). Does NCAA Football 13 offer fans the same kind of rush?
Thanks to strict student-athlete regulations, EA’s pigskin sim has always lacked real players beyond its flashy covers, but NCAA 13 makes some in-roads on that front with the new Heisman Challenge mode, which pulls several past trophy winners into the game. Quarterback Carson Palmer and hilariously overpowered running back Barry Sanders join a handful of other greats on the disc, while Tim Tebow and more are sold as DLC; you can put them on any team and play through the 2012 season in pursuit of the award. (As in the returning, single-athlete Road to Glory mode, Heisman Challenge focuses only on your plays.)
You can put Barry Sanders and other Heisman winners on any team you want.As nice as it is to command actual players for a change and see fresh interview clips, it’s a shame that you can’t control these legends during their actual seasons and/or memorable moments, though, à la NBA 2K11’s Jordan Challenge. That would’ve been a real treat for college-football enthusiasts, whereas what’s here feels like a half-measure.
Elsewhere, the enhancements are often minor, but meaningful. Both the Heisman Challenge and Road to Glory mode add a new slow-motion Reaction Time ability that makes them more arcadey but can give you an edge while making tough catches or evasion moves. Meanwhile, the passing game includes several new dropback moves and faster tosses, which longtime fans will appreciate, while A.I. defenders no longer have a supernatural ability to anticipate incoming passes without seeing them. Thank goodness for that.
The mascot showdowns are as ridiculously amusing as ever.As in past years, NCAA 13 boasts a very strong simulation core: it plays well from start to finish and remains accessible to newcomers, with plenty to see and do, including mascot match-ups and online matches and dynasties. Nevertheless, the whole affair feels a bit dry, without the celebrated enthusiasm of college athletics. It’s menu-heavy throughout, and the Dynasty mode does little to build excitement around the actual games. Repeated player animations and generic ESPN studio updates are disappointing, too.
Between the playoffs and the inevitable cribbing of Madden 13’s bigger features (like Connected Careers), next year's NCAA Football will surely implement some bold changes. But NCAA Football 13 feels more like another effective iteration than a genuinely new, thrilling experience.
PUBLISHER: EA Sports • DEVELOPER: EA Tiburon • ESRB: Everyone • MULTIPLAYER: 2 on Xbox Live, 4 on same screen • ACHIEVEMENTS: Diverse • COST: $60 • RELEASE DATE: July 10, 2012
+ Great core college-football simulation.
+ Plenty of distinct play modes included.
– Not all additions feel fully formed.
? Tebowing costs extra? Boo to that!
