NCAA Football 11: Review - Gameplay

Player animations and control also get a huge boost. They run fluidly, and not in a choppy, computerized manner as in years past. This adds a lot of realism to the game and allows you to get more involved in the gameplay. EA added what they call a locomotion system to the game, which gives you more control over player movements and momentum. You now have the ability to have a player stop on a dime and shift direction. Locomotion really comes in handy when controlling a running back with the ball, or if you are playing defensive back and want to intercept a pass. 

Another welcome feature is that you can use the analog stick to shift your momentum while carrying the ball to bowl over defenders or move piles. Interesting animations include gang tackling on defense and players that will tiptoe on the sidelines to make a tough catch.


The game's AI is solid, although you will probably find yourself wanting to play on more difficult levels to get a real challenge. The most impressive of the AI's characteristics comes into play with blocking. Players actually perform their blocks when you have the ball. On running plays, you can anticipate your blocks, and the locomotion feature lets you cut properly to gain yards and burst through holes. Of course, players will sometimes inexplicably miss blocks, but that is to be expected. 

The aforementioned improvements in the running game seem like the best tweaks performed by EA when producing NCAA Football 11, although others may enjoy the inclusion of a streamlined hurry-up offense even more. Passing the football seems quite natural as well, and though the offense is definitely fun to control, defense is just as solid, too.

Besides the normal Exhibition mode, you get other ways to pass the time with NCAA 11. You get Dynasty modes to tinker with online and offline, where you can control a school for up to 60 years via recruiting and more. Online dynasty allows you to do the same, but against up to 12 players total. Teambuilder lets you create a team from scratch and guide them to victory. Road to Glory is for those who want to develop one player from high school all the way through college for a more personal journey. Finally, there's online multiplayer matches, where you can test your skills against others.



It's really hard to find any aspect of this year's NCAA Football to complain about. The game's presentation and look is visually entrancing. One can have fun simply observing the game without even taking into account the improved gameplay features. Player control is excellent, and the new animations and locomotion system really bring the game to another level. Add to this the different game modes, and you have yourself a college football lover's dream.