
System: Xbox 360, PS3 | ![]() |
Dev: EA Tiburon/EA Canada | |
Pub: EA Sports | |
Release: July 12, 2011 | |
Players: 1-4 | |
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p |
Then there's the Road to Glory mode, which my favorite mode in the game because it centers on a character and a narrative. In Road to Glory, you are basically re-living the life of a football player from his humble beginnings in high school to becoming a college ball star. First, you get to re-create your entire senior year of high school, right down to what teams you play and the uniforms they wear. You will play both offense and defense, and when you finally graduate, you'll have a number of schools to choose from, each with different offers depending on how you did in your high school season.
Once you get to college, it's all about earning the coach's trust. If you screw up a lot, don't think you'll see field time very often. However, if you do great in both your games and in practice sessions, your coach will trust you more. Not only will you be able to show your stuff on the field, you'll eventually be able to call your own plays as well. You'll also earn XP, which you will spend on boosts to your attributes, making you a better player overall.
Still, despite the narrative and strategy in Road to Glory, I found it hard to care about NCAA Football 12. Since the core gameplay is the same game we have seen for years in the past, the routine gets boring, and since all the improvements in the game basically force you to play the game longer, boredom sets in very quickly. Sure, it's the summer and our release calendar is pretty dry, but I can think of better things to do than play the same football game over and over and over again while I watch my player's or coach's stats go up.
But, honestly, if you are a football fan, the simulation experience is second to none. Not only is NCAA Football 12 way better than its predecessor, it has more options than any college football game that came before it. In the end, if you are looking to re-live the college glory days, then this is the game for you. There are tons of great ideas here, they just need to be better implemented. So, in a way, you can say that it can only get better from here.
By
Angelo M. D'Argenio
CCC Contributing Writer
Game Features: