NCAA Football 12 Review for Xbox 360

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.

NCAA Football 12 Screenshot

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.

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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

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.8

Graphics
New lighting engine, new 3D grass, customizable high school jerseys, and more end zone dances. What more do you want?

3.5

Control
It's basically the same engine we played in NCAA Football 11.

3.6

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler, and Erin Andrews return, and they sound as great as they ever did.

3.9

Play Value
You may have to be a football fanatic to like this game, but if you are you will love it.

3.7

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

NCAA Football 12 takes the journey of the college athlete to the next level of depth and authenticity. Experience the pride and pageantry of Gameday Saturday like never before as you go from high school superstar to top college player to head coach in Road to Glory and Dynasty modes. With an enhanced in-game presentation, new traditions, and an all-new collision system, make an impact by leading your team to the National Championship with NCAA Football 12.

Authentic Gameday Traditions - Feel the true emotion of college football as your team runs onto the field with new pre-game traditions like the Sooner Schooner and Ramblin' Wreck, and celebrate big plays alongside school icons like Chief Osceola, Uga, and Tommy Trojan.

Enhanced Tackling Engine - Your college gameday experience rises to a whole new level with an all-new momentum-based collision and tackling system that allows you to control a player through the moment of impact.