Introduction

Just as Nick Saban settles into a new job, EA Sports has settled into a new console. NCAA Football 2007 lacked many features that it had on the older gaming console, but this year they finally settled into the new consoles of Xbox 360 and PS3 by adding features that were new and exciting. Improved intelligence, revamped dynasty mode, and highlight features make this game one of the best, if not the best football games out on the market today.

Gameplay

The biggest change from 2007 to the 2008 version of NCAA Football would be the gameplay, specifically the intelligence of the players. This year one is not able to just throw the ball down the field for it to be caught every time by their wide receiver “jetpacking”. This year one has read the defense and truly make the best decision in the passing game.

Another part of gameplay that has been improved is the offensive line. When running the ball the offensive linemen don’t just block the man in front of them, but they also get to the second level of the defense to block safeties or linebackers. This is great for players who used to playing the old “3 yards and a cloud of dust” type of game, as I love to do with Chris Wells.

Chris Wells plows over the LSU defense.

There have been flaws in the gameplay this year though. It seemed that almost everytime you ran with the ball you fumbled it, along with superhuman defenders able to make spectacular interceptions. Many complaints came in, and EA Sports made a patch that was released in December to fix this problem.

Single Player

There has been countless number of gamers that have begged, since the start of superstar mode (last year), to be able to play in High School and actually be recruited (well sort of). EA Sports has again answered the cry with users able to create a player that plays through their state’s High School playoffs. Sadly there are too many high schools across America to get the details of every single school, so it is very broad.

Depending how you do in the playoffs will determine your rating in the game, along with where you get a scholarship from. Scouts from different schools come to your games during the playoffs, but there is no actual recruiting to show you what school wants you the most. On the other hand, to choose to play running back for USC, for example, does not mean you are the automatic starter. In NCAA Football 2008 one must work through the ranks to become the starter at their position (unless you go to a school where your rating is good enough for you to start). This is another prayer answered by EA Sports.

Are you the next Reggie Bush?

Finally we come to the mode that defines college football. Dynasty! This year NCAA has revamped their dynasty mode with a whole new recruiting system, since that is the bases of good football programs. An all new system in which you call players and try to sway their opinions on how important an aspect of a college to fit your school is revolutionary. This year they add the idea of being able to recruit 35 players, but only give scholarships to 25, so you can keep a back-up plan in case you miss that important recruit. The best part of this new feature is the promise section of it. You can make promises to the recruits, and whether you keep them or not will help or hurt your integrity. The high one’s integrity the more a recruit likes the promise pitched at them, and vice versa. Sadly this recruiting system also takes a lot of time, but I can still waste a full day playing in the dynasty mode.

As always, a 12 game schedule with all the bowl games is included along with going into the dynasty multiple years. One can still be hired or fired based on how their team does. Sadly though the create-a-team feature has not been in this game, which was one of my favorite. Will your team be the next USC or the next Notre Dame?

Xbox Live

Multiplayer and online runs as smooth as it has in the past. Having ESPN Radio Updates throughout the game is always enjoyable to listen to. The best part about this game though has to be the highlights, which can be taken in any game played (Single Player or Multiplayer). That play that was just unbelievable? Yeah, you can watch that play over and over again by saving it onto your hard drive. With those video or pictures that you saved onto your hard drive, you can upload them onto EASportsWorld.com to send the link to your friend for a good time rubbing in the sweet interception that you returned to the house. This is the best feature of NCAA Football 2008 this year.

Juice Williams show something other than his legs

Overall

The whole game is the best EA Sports has ever put out, hands down. Graphically this game lives up to the Xbox 360 standard (and I even think it looks better than Madden). Sadly, the presentation is lacking still.  The new features have been a major improvement and this game seems to have left a great base to improve on throughout the years.