NCAA Football 2003

"A vast improvement over previous release"

Graphics: 7/10
Above Average graphics for a sports sim which as a genre doesn't really require immense graphical quality for its overall effect, so as an overall game 7/10 for graphics, 9/10 as a sports game

In-Game Gameplay: 9/10
While there are often things that are not doable in this game, it seems to impose a human limitation in that sense. 999 people out of a thousand wouldn't be able to slide eight yards laterally to avoid two tacklers... neither should a video game character. The realism is intense, no more easily racking up 500 yards passing a game.

Features: 6/10
The ''Create a conference/school'' option is nice, but limited in the fact that the game places a cap on the number of D-I teams. For ultimate realism, you should have the option to have more than the allotted teams playing one another in D-I. Kirk and Corso get annoying after a while as well.

Intangibles: 9/10
The Recruiting Index steps forward light years from the last game, yet leaves something to be desired. Emphasis on one player costing you more points in recruiting is one thing, not having a way to regulate those points spent is another.

The opposing band and mascots are another nice touch, as is the coaching report card, which takes some big steps this game as well, as are crowd unique chants. My only gripe is that there should be a few more of those college style chants; it might give the game an ''M'' rating for language, but hey, this IS a college atmosphere we're talking about. Maybe build in a language filter for the next game, like turning the blood on or off in certain other games.

Overall: 8/10

Like I said, it is a good game, and light-years ahead of where the last one was, but it leaves some ends unpolished for what seems like the 50th time. It could have spent some more time in QC, but overall an alright product.

BTW, my rating scale goes as so:
10/10 - An absolute must buy, even if you're not a fan of the Genre, or even if you own the system. The revolutionary type game such as FFVII when it first came out

9/10 - An ''A'' game, a quality buy for almost everybody

8/10 - A ''B'' game, buy it only if you're really going to be into it

7/10 - Marginal buy at best, only if you're a big fan of the producer or the series

6-5/10 - Probably a renter without much replay value

4-3/10 - Borrow it from the sap down the street who wasted his money, or it goes on sale at the Dollar Store

2-0/10 - Frisbee, anyone?

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/29/02, Updated 08/29/02