Lazlo
Good people drink good beer. ~ HST
NCAA 2006 Reviewed!
Opening
One of the first additions you will notice when you start up NCAA 2006 is the use of NCAA video footage and EA Trax music. You will see video clips of Randy Moss at Marshall, Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State, Bo Jackson at Auburn, Archie Griffin at Ohio State, Peyton Manning at Tennessee, Charles Woodson at Michigan, Lawrence Taylor at North Carolina, and LaVar Arrington at Penn State to name a few. The videos are there to generate enthusiasm to play the game. The EA Trax music is similar to the MVP baseball series in style. A potpourri of upcoming bands as well as lesser known classics from the past. As an alternative, you have the option to listen to fight songs, but I highly recommend the EA Trax selections, which only play in the menus and not during the game.
Graphics
The graphics have finally received a much needed facelift. Stadiums are rendered in greater detail with more animated fans. The field textures are improved and the lighting and shading effects add to the overall aesthetic quality of the game. Even the distant buildings, trees, and camera crew on the field look far superior. Beyond the stadiums, the player models have improved with a differentiated look from the Madden series and new skin textures. The players no longer have alien eyes as the eye line is shaded darker. Great news for college football fans is that most of the stadium renovations and new uniforms made it into NCAA 2006. Enjoy Pittsburgh versus West Virginia with Pitt's new jerseys and WV's new stadium construction.
New Feature: Impact Players
Will the Impact Players feature play like NFL Street? Absolutely not. The Impact Players feature gives an Impact Player an edge when he's "In the Zone". That edge does not turn him into a superhuman being! A running back may be "In the Zone" but if you hit him in the backfield before he builds momentum he will drop like a stone. If a running back "In the Zone" gets outside and only has your corner to beat, watch out, because he is likely to either juke him or run him over. Being in the zone, enhances a running backs speed, acceleration, agility, and break tackle ability, so they are more likely to gain additional yards on any given carry then if they were not in the zone. The same goes for receivers and quarterbacks. Quarterbacks while "In the Zone" are not guaranteed a completion. The pass is more accurate, but you have to throw the ball to the open receiver. Receivers "In the Zone" are not guaranteed a catch either. A hard hit from a safety will still jar the ball loose. On defense, I only caused one fumble while in the zone after countless games, so defensive players do not possess NFL Street ability. The "In the Zone" feature is incorporated perfectly and adds to the overall quality of the experience. I want to note that the impact camera does not disrupt the continuity of the play. The impact camera can be turned off for those who find it too arcade-like.
New Feature: Branch Tackles
Users will notice the improved gameplay in 2006 and one of those improvements is in the phenomenal number of new break tackle and tackle animations. Each carry of the ball feels authentic as you are treated to a different animation each time. I have played NCAA 2006 non-stop for three days and still see new animations every time I play. Animations are so detailed that I even saw a strip the ball animation where a defender reached over the ball carriers shoulder and with two hands ripped the ball free, causing a fumble. The animation that exceeds all of the others is the branch tackle animation that incorporates button mashing. During the branch tackle animation, the ball carrier and defender are in a stalemate. The defender stands the ball carrier up while the ball carrier drives his legs. It becomes a lightening quick race to see who can tap the X button the fastest! The result will determine whether the ball carrier falls backward, forward, or on occasion breaks the tackle.
New Feature: Breakaway Speed
A feature that should receive high praise is the ability to break away from defenders and run the distance. Breakaway speed means that if your player has a higher speed rating, then he wont be ran down from behind. Instead, he will actually gain ground on the defender. This is excellent for breaking a 5 yard play into a 80 yard touchdown when your ball carrier is in the open field with a clear path to the endzone. I managed to return three kickoff returns and several punt returns for touchdowns thanks to breakaway speed. The energy and excitement of the speed of the game is unmatched by any previous version of the game. There is no experience equal to finding a seem in the defense and racing towards the endzone on a kickoff return. The speed of the game has been increased so that ball carriers are constantly faced with split second decisions that ultimately determine whether you will gain a couple of yards or score a touchdown.
New Feature: Realistic Ball Physics
The days of playing volleyball in an NCAA game are over. No more tip drills where five players touch the ball only to see it fall to the ground. Defensive linemen now bat the ball so that linebackers in the right position can make the pick and defensive backs are rewarded with an interception after one tip. New animations are even tied in with the improved ball physics as players reach out for a fumble and scoop it up or catch it on a one hop bounce.
New Feature: Flipping Players/Substitution Packages
I've mentioned before that NCAA 2006 incorporates Madden 2005's substitution packages which allows users to substitute running backs and quarterbacks on the fly and swap receivers, but the greatest aspect of this feature is how the CPU runs a strong side and weakside defense. The CPU will flip outside linebackers or defensive ends depending on field position and strength of the formation and if you have a tendency to run to a certain side, the CPU will adjust their defense accordingly. That CPU impact player that has been raising chaos on your offense will play on both sides of the field so you cannot always run away from him.
New Feature: Juking with the R3 Stick
Mastering the juke stick is one of the most important aspects of NCAA 2006. The right stick (R3) can be used to juke left, juke right, back juke, and truck over defenders. Knowing when to use each move is critical to your success. The CPU has also mastered the use of the right stick, so their running game is more challenging to stop this year. Each player has a different juking ability as some players can dance 2 yards in either direction while less agile players can only attempt a stutter step. Some of the more powerful ball carriers will find that the trucking feature works best for them as undersized cornerbacks will be trampled over. Some people may find the juke feature too arcade-like, but I love them!
New Feature: Hit Stick using the R3 Stick
Whether you want to break up pass plays, cause fumbles, or just lay a hit on the quarterback, the hit stick is in for NCAA 2006 and the hits are big! I've had fun replaying hits on receivers right as they attempt to catch the ball. Don't get too overzealous with the hit stick though or you will miss tackles trying to take your opponents head off.
New Feature: Control a DL using the R3 Stick
Finally, the game is enjoyable playing as a defensive tackle. With the R3 stick, defensive tackles can club, spin, or bull rush offensive linemen. After five attempts of using the R3 stick, I was able to spin off of the guard and into the hole the running back was attempting to dart through. "User Tackle" displayed on the screen and I was ecstatic. Now I can control a defensive linemen and actually have fun. I even had to fight through double teams as I was clubbing one lineman and being picked up by the center.
New Feature: Coverage Audibles
For those of you defensive coordinators out there, a new feature for NCAA 2006 is the defensive coverage audible. If you press the Triangle button on the ps2, you can change the play to a cover 1, 2, 3, 4, or cover 2 man. L1 is cover 1, L2 is cover 2, R1 is cover 3, R2 is cover 4, and the square button is cover 2 man. Using the coverage audible allows you to create new defensive plays not found in the playbook.
New Feature: Plenty to Celebrate About
Taunting is all apart of the game now and 15 yard penalties only occur on excessive celebrations depending on how badly you want to rub it in. Taunting is not just for touchdowns, but for any big play (a sack, interception, etc). There are three L2+Button sequences for mild celebrations from either your player, mascot/cheerleader, or fans and there are three R2+Button sequences for extreme celebrations from either your player, mascot/cheerleader, or fans. Each of these celebrations has a variety of sub-celebrations, so you can press R2+Square and see several different extreme player celebrations.
New Feature: Audible on the Fly
In the playcalling screen, you can set audibles on the fly so that you can continue to mix up your audibles as the game progresses. In the playcalling screen, press R1+Square to assign play 1 to audible Square, press R1+X to assign play 2 to audible X, and press R1+Circle to assign play 3 to audible Circle. Play 1 corresponds to any play down the left column, play 2 corresponds to any play down the middle column, and play 3 corresponds to and play down the right column. Your controller will rumble to acknowledge your selection. I love having goal line audibles when I am in a goal line situation and shotgun audibles when I am in a shotgun formation.
Gameplay Fixes
NCAA 2006 fixes many of the problems found in previous iterations of the game. Here are a list of just some of the improvements that we've noticed. First of all, superhuman defenders are now gone. Those players that could leap 10 feet in the air to swat the ball are no more. There are still the occasional play where you wonder whether or not the defender was truly capable of making a play, but at least the super jump is gone. I should mention that the quarterback now has the ability to complete passes over defenders heads who are five yards in front of the receiver, which really opens up the passing game in the middle of the field. The defenders ability to swat a pass down field has been toned down. Along the same lines the number of wide open drops have been greatly reduced. This was most frustrating in short passing situations. The CPU's AI is finally more human-like and less of a cheeser. The number of completed deep balls have been significantly reduced and the accuracy of the throws off of the back foot are now realistic. You're not going to want to call the same play over and over again and try and cheat the CPU, because the CPU finally plays a realistic game of football and earns every yard. Remember the CPU play where they would run a spread formation and then try a QB sneak with an average quarterback? Those days are over as well. Even the elusive quarterbacks no longer have the ability to scramble for 20 yards every play. The number of QB Spy plays on defense have significantly increased and they are fair for both sides of the ball. The running game has also been improved as linemen create larger holes and seal off lanes, while cornerbacks have slower reaction times so they don't react immediately to the run.
Final Notes
NCAA 2006 finally gets it right! The home field advantage and player composure features from 2005 have been toned down, the gameplay has been fixed, and there are enough new features to keep the game revolutionary. Even the subtle improvements add to the game. For example, the camera doesn't rotate after a turnover on downs, so everyone is left in suspense to see whether or not they picked up a first down and have to wait until the playcalling screen to find out. Also, there are numerous additions in commentary that include conversations about the impact players. Features as simple as including a visual reminder that not only reminds users which button to use to hurry up, spike the ball, or call a timeout, but reminds users when there is only two minutes left. Add the Spring Drills and Race for the Heisman mode and this game is a must buy!
My only gripe about the game is that running backs are not always aware of the sideline and appear to catch the ball out of bounds too often and the running back takes too long to turn around on screen passes. These are just minor complaints that didn't even detract from my experience. Even for non-college football fans, this is the year to buy an NCAA game. This game is perfect!
Final Verdict: 9.5/10! Simply put, go buy this game as soon as it becomes available!
©PSXsports.com
Opening
One of the first additions you will notice when you start up NCAA 2006 is the use of NCAA video footage and EA Trax music. You will see video clips of Randy Moss at Marshall, Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State, Bo Jackson at Auburn, Archie Griffin at Ohio State, Peyton Manning at Tennessee, Charles Woodson at Michigan, Lawrence Taylor at North Carolina, and LaVar Arrington at Penn State to name a few. The videos are there to generate enthusiasm to play the game. The EA Trax music is similar to the MVP baseball series in style. A potpourri of upcoming bands as well as lesser known classics from the past. As an alternative, you have the option to listen to fight songs, but I highly recommend the EA Trax selections, which only play in the menus and not during the game.
Graphics
The graphics have finally received a much needed facelift. Stadiums are rendered in greater detail with more animated fans. The field textures are improved and the lighting and shading effects add to the overall aesthetic quality of the game. Even the distant buildings, trees, and camera crew on the field look far superior. Beyond the stadiums, the player models have improved with a differentiated look from the Madden series and new skin textures. The players no longer have alien eyes as the eye line is shaded darker. Great news for college football fans is that most of the stadium renovations and new uniforms made it into NCAA 2006. Enjoy Pittsburgh versus West Virginia with Pitt's new jerseys and WV's new stadium construction.
New Feature: Impact Players
Will the Impact Players feature play like NFL Street? Absolutely not. The Impact Players feature gives an Impact Player an edge when he's "In the Zone". That edge does not turn him into a superhuman being! A running back may be "In the Zone" but if you hit him in the backfield before he builds momentum he will drop like a stone. If a running back "In the Zone" gets outside and only has your corner to beat, watch out, because he is likely to either juke him or run him over. Being in the zone, enhances a running backs speed, acceleration, agility, and break tackle ability, so they are more likely to gain additional yards on any given carry then if they were not in the zone. The same goes for receivers and quarterbacks. Quarterbacks while "In the Zone" are not guaranteed a completion. The pass is more accurate, but you have to throw the ball to the open receiver. Receivers "In the Zone" are not guaranteed a catch either. A hard hit from a safety will still jar the ball loose. On defense, I only caused one fumble while in the zone after countless games, so defensive players do not possess NFL Street ability. The "In the Zone" feature is incorporated perfectly and adds to the overall quality of the experience. I want to note that the impact camera does not disrupt the continuity of the play. The impact camera can be turned off for those who find it too arcade-like.
New Feature: Branch Tackles
Users will notice the improved gameplay in 2006 and one of those improvements is in the phenomenal number of new break tackle and tackle animations. Each carry of the ball feels authentic as you are treated to a different animation each time. I have played NCAA 2006 non-stop for three days and still see new animations every time I play. Animations are so detailed that I even saw a strip the ball animation where a defender reached over the ball carriers shoulder and with two hands ripped the ball free, causing a fumble. The animation that exceeds all of the others is the branch tackle animation that incorporates button mashing. During the branch tackle animation, the ball carrier and defender are in a stalemate. The defender stands the ball carrier up while the ball carrier drives his legs. It becomes a lightening quick race to see who can tap the X button the fastest! The result will determine whether the ball carrier falls backward, forward, or on occasion breaks the tackle.
New Feature: Breakaway Speed
A feature that should receive high praise is the ability to break away from defenders and run the distance. Breakaway speed means that if your player has a higher speed rating, then he wont be ran down from behind. Instead, he will actually gain ground on the defender. This is excellent for breaking a 5 yard play into a 80 yard touchdown when your ball carrier is in the open field with a clear path to the endzone. I managed to return three kickoff returns and several punt returns for touchdowns thanks to breakaway speed. The energy and excitement of the speed of the game is unmatched by any previous version of the game. There is no experience equal to finding a seem in the defense and racing towards the endzone on a kickoff return. The speed of the game has been increased so that ball carriers are constantly faced with split second decisions that ultimately determine whether you will gain a couple of yards or score a touchdown.
New Feature: Realistic Ball Physics
The days of playing volleyball in an NCAA game are over. No more tip drills where five players touch the ball only to see it fall to the ground. Defensive linemen now bat the ball so that linebackers in the right position can make the pick and defensive backs are rewarded with an interception after one tip. New animations are even tied in with the improved ball physics as players reach out for a fumble and scoop it up or catch it on a one hop bounce.
New Feature: Flipping Players/Substitution Packages
I've mentioned before that NCAA 2006 incorporates Madden 2005's substitution packages which allows users to substitute running backs and quarterbacks on the fly and swap receivers, but the greatest aspect of this feature is how the CPU runs a strong side and weakside defense. The CPU will flip outside linebackers or defensive ends depending on field position and strength of the formation and if you have a tendency to run to a certain side, the CPU will adjust their defense accordingly. That CPU impact player that has been raising chaos on your offense will play on both sides of the field so you cannot always run away from him.
New Feature: Juking with the R3 Stick
Mastering the juke stick is one of the most important aspects of NCAA 2006. The right stick (R3) can be used to juke left, juke right, back juke, and truck over defenders. Knowing when to use each move is critical to your success. The CPU has also mastered the use of the right stick, so their running game is more challenging to stop this year. Each player has a different juking ability as some players can dance 2 yards in either direction while less agile players can only attempt a stutter step. Some of the more powerful ball carriers will find that the trucking feature works best for them as undersized cornerbacks will be trampled over. Some people may find the juke feature too arcade-like, but I love them!
New Feature: Hit Stick using the R3 Stick
Whether you want to break up pass plays, cause fumbles, or just lay a hit on the quarterback, the hit stick is in for NCAA 2006 and the hits are big! I've had fun replaying hits on receivers right as they attempt to catch the ball. Don't get too overzealous with the hit stick though or you will miss tackles trying to take your opponents head off.
New Feature: Control a DL using the R3 Stick
Finally, the game is enjoyable playing as a defensive tackle. With the R3 stick, defensive tackles can club, spin, or bull rush offensive linemen. After five attempts of using the R3 stick, I was able to spin off of the guard and into the hole the running back was attempting to dart through. "User Tackle" displayed on the screen and I was ecstatic. Now I can control a defensive linemen and actually have fun. I even had to fight through double teams as I was clubbing one lineman and being picked up by the center.
New Feature: Coverage Audibles
For those of you defensive coordinators out there, a new feature for NCAA 2006 is the defensive coverage audible. If you press the Triangle button on the ps2, you can change the play to a cover 1, 2, 3, 4, or cover 2 man. L1 is cover 1, L2 is cover 2, R1 is cover 3, R2 is cover 4, and the square button is cover 2 man. Using the coverage audible allows you to create new defensive plays not found in the playbook.
New Feature: Plenty to Celebrate About
Taunting is all apart of the game now and 15 yard penalties only occur on excessive celebrations depending on how badly you want to rub it in. Taunting is not just for touchdowns, but for any big play (a sack, interception, etc). There are three L2+Button sequences for mild celebrations from either your player, mascot/cheerleader, or fans and there are three R2+Button sequences for extreme celebrations from either your player, mascot/cheerleader, or fans. Each of these celebrations has a variety of sub-celebrations, so you can press R2+Square and see several different extreme player celebrations.
New Feature: Audible on the Fly
In the playcalling screen, you can set audibles on the fly so that you can continue to mix up your audibles as the game progresses. In the playcalling screen, press R1+Square to assign play 1 to audible Square, press R1+X to assign play 2 to audible X, and press R1+Circle to assign play 3 to audible Circle. Play 1 corresponds to any play down the left column, play 2 corresponds to any play down the middle column, and play 3 corresponds to and play down the right column. Your controller will rumble to acknowledge your selection. I love having goal line audibles when I am in a goal line situation and shotgun audibles when I am in a shotgun formation.
Gameplay Fixes
NCAA 2006 fixes many of the problems found in previous iterations of the game. Here are a list of just some of the improvements that we've noticed. First of all, superhuman defenders are now gone. Those players that could leap 10 feet in the air to swat the ball are no more. There are still the occasional play where you wonder whether or not the defender was truly capable of making a play, but at least the super jump is gone. I should mention that the quarterback now has the ability to complete passes over defenders heads who are five yards in front of the receiver, which really opens up the passing game in the middle of the field. The defenders ability to swat a pass down field has been toned down. Along the same lines the number of wide open drops have been greatly reduced. This was most frustrating in short passing situations. The CPU's AI is finally more human-like and less of a cheeser. The number of completed deep balls have been significantly reduced and the accuracy of the throws off of the back foot are now realistic. You're not going to want to call the same play over and over again and try and cheat the CPU, because the CPU finally plays a realistic game of football and earns every yard. Remember the CPU play where they would run a spread formation and then try a QB sneak with an average quarterback? Those days are over as well. Even the elusive quarterbacks no longer have the ability to scramble for 20 yards every play. The number of QB Spy plays on defense have significantly increased and they are fair for both sides of the ball. The running game has also been improved as linemen create larger holes and seal off lanes, while cornerbacks have slower reaction times so they don't react immediately to the run.
Final Notes
NCAA 2006 finally gets it right! The home field advantage and player composure features from 2005 have been toned down, the gameplay has been fixed, and there are enough new features to keep the game revolutionary. Even the subtle improvements add to the game. For example, the camera doesn't rotate after a turnover on downs, so everyone is left in suspense to see whether or not they picked up a first down and have to wait until the playcalling screen to find out. Also, there are numerous additions in commentary that include conversations about the impact players. Features as simple as including a visual reminder that not only reminds users which button to use to hurry up, spike the ball, or call a timeout, but reminds users when there is only two minutes left. Add the Spring Drills and Race for the Heisman mode and this game is a must buy!
My only gripe about the game is that running backs are not always aware of the sideline and appear to catch the ball out of bounds too often and the running back takes too long to turn around on screen passes. These are just minor complaints that didn't even detract from my experience. Even for non-college football fans, this is the year to buy an NCAA game. This game is perfect!
Final Verdict: 9.5/10! Simply put, go buy this game as soon as it becomes available!
©PSXsports.com
