With the dispute this year in college football over who should be #1 maybe you want to take your own team and show them how it’s done. EA Sports’ new NCAA College Football 2004 brings the game to life and does a wonderful job from the play call books to the look and “feel” of players on the field.
EA takes what was one of the best football games of last year in NCAA Football 2003 and made it even better. Adding better graphics, even more features, teams, mascots and stadiums. By the time you place your team at the top you won’t even care who won the real college football season; you’ll getting your team ready for the next and protect your title.
Features
EA continues the tradition of adding new teams with each new release of NCAA college football. This year, they’ve added 165 new teams, including 36 new teams from Division 1-AA and over 100 new classic teams you can relive the past with. EA continues the tradition of being able to create your own school and select a conference your school will participate in. Once you’ve created your vision of what a football school should be you can then select your team and enter Dynasty mode, where you take the reins as coach as well as quarterback on the field. As you win games your team will move up in the AP and coach’s poll as well as climbing the ranks for the top bowl games. At the end of the season players graduate and/or leaving early for the NFL; leaving you to hit the recruiting trail for fresh talent. Depending on your aggressiveness and your school’s prestige and coaching style, you can go after the top recruits hoping to beat out the other schools or target players interested in your school but maybe not as talented as the select few 5 star players.
Gameplay / Fun
EA did a good job offering playbooks for almost every school, allowing you to play the same plays and play style of each college. EA has done a great job with the AI in the game. The wide receivers run their routes, blockers pick up blitzes and linemen will help against passes and not just stand there defending the run. You have complete control over calling audibles, hot routes or reversing the play call at the line of scrimmage.
This game isn’t just for the single player in Dynasty mode. Have three of your buddies over and start a game of 2’s with the multiplayer option. There’s nothing like kicking that 50 yeard field goal as time expires against your friend and his favorite team for bragging rights. If you’re more of a team player let your buddies join you in your dynasty games and take on the computer together.
EA Sports has done an excellent job with NCAA Football 2004 and if you’re a die hard College Football fan your not going to find a better football game on the market then this one.
