"NCAA Football 06 with a short yardage passing game..."

NCAA Football 07 is the latest edition of the Madden 2001 engine, offering a huge improvement over the dismal NCAA Football 2005 and 2006 passing/receiving game, but leaving the series' biggest problem as flawed as ever... the sorely outdated graphical presentation...

Gameplay (8 out of 10)

Great gameplay and "feel good" physics have always been the bread and butter of EA American Football games, and NCAA 07 is no exception.

The passing/receiving game is the most notable improvement from last year's version, offering a more realistic drop rate in the short game, and a working "precision pass" feature that lets you throw the ball to a specific spot on the target (e.g., inside, outside, low, high, etc.). In 2005 and 2006, the only reliable passing plays tended to be long Hail Mary's to speedy receivers, because for some reason, these were the occasions when the AI-controlled receiver decided to catch the ball with regularity. Now, long yardage plays are more difficult to pull off (unless your team has full momentum, which we will discuss later), and short passes to open receivers are relatively automatic catches. Notre Dame fans rejoice.

In my experience thus far, running the ball in NCAA Football 07 produces more realistic results than in previous versions. My yardage per carry average is still a yard or two higher than most backs in real life, but it's much improved over the 10+ average yards per carry in last year's game. Other reviews advertise more realistic blocking AI for carries and runs after a reception, but this really is not noticeable... Runners still get caught like fish in nets when moving through the line.

Defensively, the gameplay has changed little in the past year. Simple defensive audibles were added, a "jump the count" button, some minor tweaks to the tackling physics, and that is about it. Last year's lame duck cornerbacks are still functionally useless, and the computer AI will fully exploit this weakness with 300+ yards through the air per game. To be a defensive master in NCAA Football 07, you must learn to base yourself at the cornerback position, because this is where you can truly make a difference as a human controlled player against a computer opponent.

One complaint about the defensive AI, which has remained unchanged from previous years, is that computer-controlled opponents usually call bizarre defensive packages and plays that do not fit the situation on the field. For example, it is not unusual for the defense to come out in a 4-3 when it's 3rd and long and you bring four wide receivers on the field (and visa-versa with bringing out a dime package to face your running packages).

Special teams play is altered somewhat, but most of the change seems to be aesthetic related rather than actual gameplay. When receiving a punt or kickoff, the camera changes into a forced perspective behind the player, which makes you feel like you're in the action, but unfortunately limits your vision to what is in front of you (for better or worse). The kicking game is more forgiving thanks to a Tiger Woods-like analog swing stick, rather than a purely time-based button sequence. Additionally, kicks can be blocked now thanks to the "jump the count" feature on defensive line.

There is a new momentum feature that offers serious stat padding for the team that makes the big plays first. A team with full momentum can become virtually unstoppable. Crowd noise and player seniority/comfort level plays less of a factor this year, and instead, making plays with your impact players is key to controlling the statistical "power-ups" during a game. I find that gaining momentum is much easier at the beginning of a game than getting it back from your opponent.

For an overall gameplay rating, I am giving NCAA Football 07 an 8 out of 10. The defensive AI needs some serious improvement before this score can go up, but everyone should thank the proverbial videogame gods for the much-needed improvements to the short yardage passing game. West coast offensive strategies are now useful.

Presentation (5 out of 10)

The graphics of NCAA Football 07 are essentially the same engine as Madden 2001. EA needs to seriously reconsider what they do to improve the overall experience of their sports series from season to season. I think it's sad that the "next gen" versions of EA's Madden and NCAA series are comparable to what the NFL 2k+ series accomplished with player and stadium graphics four years ago on current consoles.

In the current consoles' version of NCAA 07, the graphics have not noticeably changed... Where is the stitching on the fabric of the uniforms (NFL 2k5 had them four years ago)? Where are the shiny white facemasks teams like Boise, Clemson, Miami, Tennessee, Texas, and Illinois (and many others) should have instead of the gray-looking masks of old? Where are the different, team-specific, multi-colored fonts on nameplates (again, NFL 2k5 had this)?

...These are the graphical details EA needs to employ in order to produce a satisfyingly immersive experience. We want to see Splinter Cell on a football field. Is this too much to ask for the full-game price of $50?

The sound is the same as previous NCAAs.

For an overall presentation rating, I give NCAA Football 07 a 5 out of 10, because it still looks like Madden 2001.

Game Modes / Value (9 out of 10)

Dynasty Mode has not functionally changed since last year, which is probably a good thing. Recruiting both in-season and in the off-season is essentially the same. I would like to see a more realistic scouting and recruiting system in the future, but the end result of your off-season recruitment efforts is usually a good mix of the players you need and the players you want.

EA has slightly spruced up the "Race for the Heisman" feature from last year with a newly named "Campus Legend" mode. If "RFTH" mode did not catch your fancy last year, chances are you won't be playing "RFTH Part II" this year.

I will not rate the online mode for the purposes of this review, but please note that if stranger-on-stranger action is your thing, full online play and stat tracking is available, same as last year.

The create-a-player and create-a-team features have remained unchanged for the past three years. Although it is still infinitely superior to Madden's create-a-team option, I would like to see the flexibility of the Winning Eleven 9 (Konami soccer game) jersey creation system be incorporated into the next version of NCAA Football. For those of you who don't know, WE9's create-a-team system offers thousands of jersey pattern, logo, and coloration options. This could be very cool if translated to the college gridiron.

Overall (7 out of 10)

The graphics have been showing their age for many years now, and 2007 is no exception. It amazes me that professional videogame reviewers do not call EA out on this problem. If EA Sports put as much effort into graphical presentation as they do gameplay, the world would be a much happier place.

I will not be so bold as to say whether or not you should buy this year's game. Just remember... it's NCAA Football 06 with a passing game. Can you accept this for your $50?

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/25/06