This video game review looks at NCAA Football 12 for the PS3. Is it worth the price, or are you better off tossing the old pig skin around in the great outdoors? Only one way to find out!

Summer is slowly coming to a close, and that means that the college football season is almost upon us.  As is the norm every year around this time, EA Sports has released its newest edition of its famed college football franchise in the form of NCAA Football 12.  Of course, many often complain that there are not enough changes to the franchise to warrant a new purchase every year.  That argument never seems to stop the true fans from forking over their hard earned money to play the roles of their favorite college teams’ heroes, but it does make more casual fans think twice.  If you are part of the latter group and remain skeptical about this year’s edition of NCAA Football, don’t be, as it’s full of improved graphics, gameplay, and features that make it a must-have for your collection. 

Perhaps the biggest improvement in this year’s edition of NCAA Football is the new momentum-based collision and tackling system.  The tackles are much more realistic and really take into account angles, speed, size, etc.  The days of choppy, robotic hits are gone.  Now players hit just as they do in real life.  On the flip side, you can also use momentum to your advantage on offense.  There are plenty of opportunities to break tackles and gain extra yardage.  This makes running the football on offense much more immersive than in past editions.  Now more than ever you can take a handoff, read blocks, and pick your way through traffic with the hopes of hitting paydirt.  It’s also worth mentioning that players, both offensive and defensive, move with great fluidity.

Besides the improved collisions and tackling, gameplay is much improved as a whole.  Defensive AI is smarter, and zone defense has been tightened up. Passing is harder due to the zone defense, and sometimes defenders will swat everything in sight, so you’ll have to be patient.  Even if you have the talent advantage, your opponents will still sneak some big plays on you if you don’t call the correct defense or take bad angles in pursuit. 

EA Sports has always done a good job of capturing the excitement of college football, but NCAA Football 12 seems to take things to another level.  All of the pageantry you see on Saturdays in the fall is on display here.  There are a ton of specialized entrances and mascots that are realistic enough to give you goose bumps.  Mascots such as UGA the bulldog, Mike the Tiger from LSU, Ralphie the Buffalo, and many more are brought to life, and the traditional entrances from schools like Oklahoma, Colorado, and others help build anticipation before each kickoff. 

Graphics are stronger than ever in NCAA Football 12.  You can actually see blades of grass this year, and players will kick up pieces of the turf when making tackles or taking off for a long run.  Player models are superb.  Linebackers have the appropriate bulk you would expect, linemen are on the heavy side, and receivers and backs are slim and built for speed.  Dreadlocks have been added to reflect the fad that seems to be spreading across football, and you can even see them flail around as players move.  If looking good is of high importance to you, you’ll love the huge variety of uniform options in the game.  Most teams have a multitude of uniforms to choose from that have been worn in the past, so you can look fresh each game.  Modern Nike Pro Combat uniforms are included as well.  Even the coaches have been upgraded to look like the real thing, and you can change their attire from a suit to casual to fit your style.  Players can also be customized in terms of equipment from head to toe.

Stadiums look authentic, and the crowds have been improved greatly in terms of their appearance.  You can actually decipher separate fans, rather than huge globs of pixels like last year.  One area that seems to be lacking a bit is crowd noise, especially in large stadiums that are normally chaotic in real life.  It’s almost as if the crowds seem too quiet and lack the intimidating home field advantage that college football is known for.

ESPN’s influence is strong in NCAA Football 12, and it really adds to the game’s overall presentation.  If you’ve enjoyed watching college football on ESPN in the past, you will recognize the networks’ style when playing.  The scoreboard, instant replays, and cut scenes are authentic enough to trick you into thinking you are watching an actual game.  You also get to listen to commentary from Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler, and Erin Andrews.  The commentary appears to have been upgraded, as Herbstreit will add comments that are particularly lengthy and in-depth from time to time.

Of course, the game isn’t perfect, and you will notice some flaws here and there.  Some replays that are show from the corners of stadiums will be blocked off by the stadiums themselves.  The game also seems to hiccup and pause momentarily after some plays.

Playing NCAA Football 12 online is fun, and is probably the mode of choice for many users.  You can play standard one-on-one games, or participate in an online dynasty for a more in-depth experience with friends if you have a lot of time on your hands.  The improved defensive AI does help to stop some of the online cheesing of users who like to run the same plays over and over, which is a definite plus.

Speaking of dynasties, the developers added more realism to recruiting, statistics, and player progression to help keep things realistic.  In the 2011 edition, there would be several undefeated teams at the end of each season, which hardly happens in real life.  The same teams were also recruiting juggernauts, which led to unrealistic dominance.  You still have your powerhouses, but other teams have a shot at making it to the top as well. 

Some new additions add to NCAA Football 12’s appeal even more.  Coaching Carousel allows you to enter a dynasty and control a head coach or coordinator.  You’ll have to perform to keep your job, and you’ll also have the option to move onto greener pastures if you become a hot commodity.  Custom conferences is another new feature that’s fun to tinker with.  You can swap teams to make your own conferences and even change bowl tie-ins to break tradition.

Road to Glory mode is not new to the franchise, but it has been revamped this year.  You can take the reigns as a high school prospect and progress all the way through college.  Road to Glory is quite immersive in its setup.  As time passes, you will either gain or lose experience points.  This helps to unlock various options throughout your career.  If you are looking for a more personal, first-person touch, Road to Glory is the way to go.

Is NCAA Football 12 the perfect game?  Of course not, but it is as good as it gets in terms of college football.  The addition of the new tackling engine, improved graphics, better AI, and Coaching Carousel shows that the game’s developers really did their best to offer a superb all-around experience.  If you’re a college football fan, purchasing NCAA Football 12 is a no-brainer.  Even if you don’t follow college football closely, this is one sports game that has a ton to offer.

 

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