Around the time basketball and hockey finish up and baseball hits the middle of it?s season, the anticipation for the start of the football season reaches its apex. Between the start of the draft for the NFL, to the start of people hyping the next top high school prospect, to even watching the Arena League just to get your fix, American can?t seem to get enough of the season. And even in gaming, the NCAA Football franchise gives people the chills and is the best start to the EA Sports new year cycle.
NCAA Football 14 is the newest iteration of the NCAA Football franchise, and it?s a welcome addition to the family. Since the franchise reached the PS3 and 360 consoles, NCAA Football seemed like it was just missing something. While the series seemed to fix and expand on the different modes of the games (i.e. Dynasty and Road to Glory modes), it just seemed like the gameplay need a fixed. NCAA Football 14 fixes a lot of issues, and is easily one of the best in the series, if not the best.
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One of the biggest fixes that NCAA Football 14 addresses is the option part of the game. While other games in the series allowed you to do the option, NCAA Football 14 takes great strains to make it easier, and also teach players how to run it better. If you are running a traditional option, which is when the quarterback and the running back both run side-by-side, the game shows you the defensive end or the linebacker that you want to watch, to see if you will pitch the ball or not. If you are deciding to do a choice option, it will show which defensive end you want to look at to see if you want to give the ball to the running back or have the quarterback keep it himself.
Rushing the ball in the game is also fixed, making it easier to have a more balanced game. Rushing feels like you have more control, due to the fact that you are able to sprint again, a feature that has been missing from the series for a couple of games. Also, you have more control of your character, being able to try to stand upright if you player stumbles. However, this does lead to the player that you are controlling on offense to sometimes fall on his own, which can be frustrating, because as soon as an offensive player in NCAA Football 14 falls down with the ball, the play is dead. That could lead to a complete end of a drive, and could end up making you lose points, if not the game on a mistake.
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Also, even though the blocking while rushing has been updated in NCAA Football 14 to make it easier for players to move through the holes in the offensive line, it seems like that o-line has still forgotten to block for the quarterback while you go back to pass. What makes this frustrating is that there are just sometimes where it makes it difficult to get a real rhythm passing, because it seems like you will have to make a throw as soon as possible. That usually makes it easier to get interceptions.
The defense is also boosted, making tackling feel more accurate. The hit stick has now been improved, which now will allow players to do a huge hit that may end up making you miss the tackle, or a smaller hit but a more guaranteed tackle for the player. Also, NCAA Football 14 makes it easier to get interceptions by allowing for players playing as defensive backs to ball hawk without making a huge risk of giving up a big play.
Dynasty mode is back in NCAA Football 14, and this time the changes make it the easily the best version of the Dynasty mode, period. As with the last couple of additions, you are able to start off as an offensive coordinator, a defensive coordinator, or a head coach. This year, there are actually ways that you can become a better coach via the implemented RPG-esque skill tree. You can gain experience by doing well in games, and you will be able to add different skills that could make your life easier while playing or recruiting.
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Speaking of recruiting, the system is completely overhauled to make it feel like it?s a real recruiting race. Instead of calling recruits, this year you just have to put a certain amount of points, and hope that you can land the recruit with that. While it is a little confusing at first, once you get around to learning the system, it because very fun and very engaging.
The presentation of each game in NCAA Football 14 makes it feel more and more like watching a broadcast on Saturday. With the addition of David Pollack and Reese Davis doing a halftime show, NCAA Football 14 tries very hard to make you lose yourself in the immersion of the stadium, down to individual chants that are special to each school.
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NCAA Football 14 is easily the best version of the series that we have seen in a long time. With fixes in the gameplay, including the vast improvement on the option part of the game, the game is not only easy to get into, but really fun to play. While there are still issues with some of the gameplay and repetitive announcing, the additions to the Dynasty mode and other additions to the presentations will make this a must-own game for fans of the series. Also, if you wanted to ever give the series a shot, this is hands down the version you will want to play.
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