Excitement’s mounting for the arrival of the latest edition of an old favorite, due to be released on 19 July. Besides anticipation about what the team at EA Sports have included in the game, the fact that this is the first new edition in eleven years makes it all the more special.
The reason for the delay has been a legal one, rather than technical, following arguments from college players that in previous games their images had been used without their permission.
Luckily, this has now been resolved and, for the relatively few players who still refuse to be shown in gameplay, EA Sports has come up with avatars to take their place.
So much for the politics and legal situation surrounding it, what do we know in advance about the game itself?
Prior to launch, selected reviewers have been invited to the Orlando HQ where the game has been developed for a special preview, and here’s what they’ve found.
Playing it by the playbook
Of the 134 college teams represented in the game, each has been programed with its own unique playbook. Early indications are that these replicate the real playing styles pretty accurately. But you’re not tied in to using these playing styles if you don’t want to be.
That’s because there’s the facility to over-ride them if you want to – something that could prove to be especially valuable when you’re playing in one of the features such as Dynasty where matching the playstyle with the talent will be key.
The All-22+ system
One of the main features of the college game is that there is a wide range of skills and abilities between players – far more so than in the professional game.
To reflect this and to ensure that players perform to an accurate skill level, the All-22+ system has been introduced. This means that some players will be exceptional while others will struggle to have any real influence on the game. So when you’re playing you’ll find that the teams that traditionally have been the strongest in college football lines will genuinely outperform lesser rivals.
And a great deal of this will be thanks to their opponents featuring the weaker links built into the game on an individual player level.
Realistic fitness and health ratings
Older versions of the game had a fatigue level built into them. So players with a lot of game time behind them would gradually become less effective.
This has been greatly enhanced and refined to create the Wear and Tear system. In this each individual player is divided into different body parts, each with a specific rating. For example, a great quarterback will have a high score for his right arm and shoulder.
But, as each body part takes on hits and injuries, its effectiveness will decrease. This adds an extra element to the gameplay and encourages you to protect particular players from potential injury – just like a real coach would if he wanted them to see out the whole season.
A word about passing
One of the trickier elements to get used to in the new version of the game will be passing.
Put simply, the longer a player holds on to the ball, the harder making the pass will be. To add another level of complexity, this is also affected by the skill level of a particular player. So, the better they are, the longer you have to make that passing decision.
It’s going to take time and practice to perfect your technique, but it’s going to make for a far more skilful game.
Homefield Advantage and Player Abilities
As in “real” football, the mental aspect of the game can be just as important as the physical. That’s why the game’s Homefield Advantage and Player Abilities add yet another dimension. Where teams have been proven in the real world to get a boost in front of their own fans visiting players can be cowed by the atmosphere when they’re out on the road playing in front of a strongly partisan crowd.
But by adjusting individuals’ mental player ability it will help them deal with the pressure and perform at an optimum level.
Three winning game modes
Last, but not least, there are three great game modes that players are going to enjoy:
Dynasty – your chance to create a team from its earliest beginnings to build a force to be reckoned with into the future.
Road to Glory – create your own student-player and guide them to ever-greater heights, managing every aspect of their development.
Ultimate Team – build the greatest team ever of college stars for solo challenges or head-to-head seasons.
So it all adds up to a video game to join the pantheon of EA Sports’ greats – and there are many, many college football fans just itching to take up the challenge.
