It's a good addiction.

Author's Rating:

Pros: graphics, Dynasty Mode, detail, it's fun

Cons: too much Corso

The Bottom Line: 
This is one of the best football games around. It is a great alternative to Madden.

Author's Review
Coming home from college, I have played this game for an ungodly amount of time. In fact, I really should get out more. Over the Thanksgiving break, I played the game way too much. And to the start of this winter break, well…let’s just say I need to stop. So I’ve quit cold-turkey for a little while I hang out with old friends and spend time with my family. I hope this puts my love of this game into perspective.

Graphics And Details
My NCAA2003 is for the PS2 gaming system. Others may vary. But for PS2, I must say that the graphics are unreal. It’s the detail to the players that really makes the game a stand out to me. The individual player has everything from their helmet to their kneepads correctly modeled by the game’s programmers. When my 52 year old father says, “Wow, this is like the real thing!” even I had to agree with him. Besides the players, the stadiums are becoming more detailed and have finally gotten away from the ugly video game stadiums of the late 90’s. Overall I give the graphics an A. There really isn’t much to complain about. The crowd will always look fake, but everything else, that is integral, is awesome in terms of graphics.

Sound and Commentary
Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, and Brad Nessler return to comment on this years game. Nessler is the play-by-play man while Herbstreit and Corso are the color guys. Like most sports games, the phrases get old pretty fast. Did I say fast? I meant wicked fast. Or even…well whatever words I use, I am just trying to say that the commentary gets stale. But it is to be expected like most sports games. So while it remained new, the commentary is good. Herbstreit and Corso are established ESPN commentators, and Nessler has a stellar play-by-play voice.

The sound effects are crisp. They are nothing special, but the noises of the hits and the sounds of the football hitting a receiver in the chest are spot on. Also, the fight songs and cheers are on the money. Each school’s cheers and fight song are in the game. The University of Florida’s are accurate and make me, a UF student, marvel at the detail in sound to the game.

Occasionally, the crowd noise will turn into one noise that sounds awful. It’s a minor flaw. Overall the sounds and commentary deserve a B+.

Game Play
How the game plays is the most important aspect of the game. If it is not fun to play, why have it? But this game is fun, and can be challenging. Each D-1A school (117 schools plus some D-1AA ones) is given their own playbook and can choose from another ten or so playbooks. In each book there are running, passing, special teams, and trick plays. But you should have already known that if you’re going to buy this game for yourself.

Anyway, the controls are simple and the game is not hard to learn on the easiest level (there are 3 levels of difficulty-junior varsity, varsity, Heisman, All-American). And even for the more experienced gamer, the game can still be fun even if you can master the hardest All-American level. This year’s game has the most comprehensive trick plays yet, so it can satisfy veteran’s thirst for challenges. The routes run by receivers are smooth, quarterback’s motions are flawless, and the tackling looks good. The game is very realistic again, but scoring seems to be easier on this version than last years, as well as Madden 2004. I’m not sure why, but NCAA seems more spread open. That said, playing defense also seems harder on NCAA. So I guess it cancels each other out.

But overall, the game is easy to play. No crazy button combinations are needed, and no outside knowledge is really needed (Well maybe. But you can learn.). If I had to grade the game play factor, I would give it an A. There’s nothing to complain about.

Dynasty Mode
Face it; the coolest part of NCAA is Dynasty Mode. Sure, playing against good friends creates some awesome matches. But creating your alma mater into a national powerhouse is kind of fun too.

This year Dynasty Mode contains many of past year’s elements plus some new ones. Old ones include, coach’s contracts, recruiting, schedule setting, redshirting, and winning the Heisman. This year’s version has all that and more. First, the game got a sponsorship with Sports Illustrated (SI), and they use the SI magazine inside of Dynasty Mode. The Bowl Championship Rankings, Awards Finalists, and polls are displayed through fictional SI covers. Also, the game features two new features in recruiting. You can now retain players who opt for the NFL if they still have college eligibility. At the end of the season, when players opt for early entry into the NFL Draft, you are allowed to use some of you recruiting points to sway your player to stay another year. And you are also allowed to now use a different tactic in recruiting players. For example, you can try and sell your recruit on your school’s location, prestige level, or try and woo him by offering early playing time. This is a new and interesting feature.

Overall: A. This is the best Dynasty Mode yet.

Odds and Ends
This year, you can add new features to your players equipment-helmet, elbows

More D-1AA teams have been added.

All of the bowls are updated.

This game is online capable.

The amount of alternate jerseys that are in the game is incredible.

The game is really one of the better sports games that I have played. The player detail is just mind-boggling. It is really hard to express my passion for this game because it is just so good.