NCAA Football 14: A Deep Dive into the Last of Its Kind

The allure of college football, with its unique traditions, passionate rivalries, and the ever-present excitement of the next generation of stars, is undeniable. For years, the NCAA Football franchise captured this essence, bringing the experience to consoles and PCs. NCAA Football 14 stands as the final installment in this beloved series, and it's a title that continues to be discussed and played by fans even today. This article delves into the various aspects of the game, exploring its gameplay, dynasty mode, ultimate team, and overall legacy.

Gameplay: A New Engine for a New Era

One of the most significant changes in NCAA Football 14 was the introduction of the Infinity Engine 2. Tiburon and EA Sports went all out this year to give the most detailed version to date. Built upon the foundation of its predecessor, this new engine aimed to address the shortcomings and enhance the realism of on-field action. The Infinity Engine 2 is built upon what was put in place last year and improved to get rid of all the little issues that players experienced.

Force Impact System

A key component of the Infinity Engine 2 was the Force Impact system. Dubbed the Force Impact system, all factors are taken into consideration on impacts between players, such as speed, momentum, size, etc. This system aimed to create more realistic collisions and prevent improbable scenarios, such as smaller players easily overpowering larger ones. In previous years, a created player could be 180 pounds and have high strength, giving him the ability to bowl over a 240 pound linebacker, which you might see once a year, but should not be a common occurrence. Contact with teammates now resulted in a loss of balance, making players with lower stats more prone to tripping and falling. Those days are now gone, as making contact with the players on the same team will result in, at minimum, a loss of balance. The players in the game that don't have the stats to keep on their feet will end up tripping and falling over, which is definitely more accurate than what we've seen in the past.

Spread Option Offense

Recognizing the evolving landscape of college football, NCAA Football 14 placed a strong emphasis on the Spread Option offense. Every year, the landscape of football seems to change. New offensive styles are introduced and, sometimes, brand new offenses emerge from an upstart coach. This year there weren't too many additions of brand new formations at all, but it seems that the focus for this year is building upon what is truly the rage in college football: the Spread Option. New plays, such as the Inverted Veer and Shovel Option, were introduced, utilizing various player positions to create a dynamic and versatile offensive attack. Introduced this year are the Inverted Veer and Shovel Option plays in various forms, using running backs, wide receivers, fullbacks, and even tight ends. The result of these additions give a player one of the best experiences under center that a college football fan has had at their disposal. The blocking is much smarter, the defenses play more difficult, and no longer are CPU teams pushovers, especially on evenly-matched teams.

Minor Issues

Despite the improvements, some minor glitches and animation issues persisted, particularly in crowded areas. There are some minor issues along the way, though, as I've found that some of the animations tend to glitch a bit in tightly packed places, especially when stuck in the trenches. I've also noticed that, while I love the fact that a player is now no longer down just because they are laying on top of a player, sometimes it goes to ridiculous lengths and that the CPU will just stand around when the player lays down, allowing him to get up and take off.

Read also: Remembering NCAA Football

Dynasty Mode: A Revamped Recruiting System

Dynasty mode, a staple of the NCAA Football franchise, received significant changes in NCAA Football 14. After a few years of the fans asking (see: begging, pleading, praying) for the slot machine system in recruiting to take a hike, those players finally got their wish last year, but there were still some tedious problems in the amount of time per phone call spent and the length of time that it took to do a full recruiting session. The tedious phone call system was replaced with a more streamlined points-based system, allowing coaches to allocate resources strategically and focus on key recruits. These modes are now ancient history. They have been replaced by a simple points system to speed things up. The factors of the school and coach are already put in place and it is up to the coach to perform in games to gain point bonuses to get an edge on other schools. It does make things a bit more realistic and, in the offseason, a player can decide to go all out on one high school player in the final push to get him to sign, or balance it out and try to get multiple signings.

Coaching Skill Trees

Another major addition to Dynasty mode was the introduction of coaching skill trees. The other major addition to Dynasty mode is the introduction of coaching skill trees. Much like skill trees in MMO-style games, these trees offer a boost in player skills or a boost in recruiting abilities, though coordinators will only get to build up their side of the ball and have zero effect on recruiting. This allowed for deeper customization and progression, as coaches could specialize in specific areas to enhance their team's performance. This makes recruiting a bit different in the early stages of a dynasty since the player will be relying on the head coach's current skill tree instead of their own. The growth of the coach can be set at five different levels, though I believe the "Slow" or "Normal" options are the best to go with.

Ultimate Team: Building a Dream Roster

NCAA Football 14 saw the introduction of Ultimate Team, a mode that had gained immense popularity in other EA Sports titles. Ultimate Team has made its way to the ranks of NCAA Football in the form of players from the past in varying levels, whether they be marginally good players or full-on Heisman Trophy winners. This mode allowed players to collect and customize their teams with players from the past and present, creating dream rosters and competing against others online. I've enjoyed my time in Ultimate Team as it gives a player what they want: The ability to earn and customize their full roster, quick games against opponents (time limit against other users is set to three minute quarters), and the trading aspect that Ultimate Team is known for.

Lack of Difficulty

While the mode was generally well-received, some felt that it lacked difficulty, with heavily stacked teams becoming commonplace within a short period. However, I feel that while it's fun, it is truly lacking difficulty in this title. I will always stand by my thoughts in that Ultimate Team is the best on FIFA, considering the vast amounts of players and how truly unique they are. The issue with doing it in college football is the same problems one runs into with Madden: In the end, there are too many players that are just too similar in statistics, and it's very easy to get a heavily stacked squad. After just a week of playing, I saw fully stacked teams with Heisman winners all over the offensive side, and defensive squads that were full of 90+ rated players. Ask any FIFA veteran how long it takes to build a squad that is just in the low to mid 80s, and those same players will scoff at what is in NCAA or Madden.

Road to Glory: A Familiar Experience

The popular Road to Glory mode, where players create and guide a player through their college career, remained largely unchanged in NCAA Football 14. A quick hit on the popular Road to Glory mode: Very little has changed.

Critical Reception

NCAA Football 14 received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the improved gameplay and Dynasty mode. When you compare NCAA Football 14 with last yearâs game there is no question the franchise has moved forward in the right direction. The enhanced running game, new physics driven animations, and the re-engineered spread and read option game make for an unparalleled NCAA football experience. Some reviewers noted that the game felt like a culmination of the series, while others pointed out that it lacked significant novelty compared to previous installments. NCAA Football 2014 feels like the culmination of a long-in-development college football gaming experience. Tiburon has gradually fixed sloppy mechanics that have long plagued the series and streamlined the behind-the-scenes modes. It's no surprise given recent uneven releases, but NCAA Football 14 is the best, most polished entry yet in the series. This year, NCAAâs lack of novelty is more evident. Yeah, it now has Infinity Engine physics â which Madden NFL got last year â and Ultimate Team â which FIFA has had for a while. It does play a better game of college football, however, and thatâs important. But ultimately, NCAA Football 14 is like your friend who showed up to the first class of the fall semester with the same haircut, shirt, and summer story to tell. Maybe he lost a few pounds, and youâre happy to see him, but he hasnât really changed.

User Reviews

User reviews were generally positive, with many praising the gameplay and Dynasty mode. The on-field gameplay and especially the running game is the best of any next-gen NCAA football game. The dynasty mode is as good as ever, especially the revamped recruiting. The presentation may not be as good without the intros, but let's be honest how many people actually sit through them after you've seen it a couple of times. Overall this is without a doubt the best NCAA Football game on the 360. Some users expressed disappointment that it was the last game in the series. It's upsetting that this was the last one that EA sports will ever make I would recommend this to a friend

A Lasting Legacy

NCAA Football 14 holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers, not only for its quality but also for its status as the final game in the series. The game is far more fluid this year than in any other year and the gameplay is still, I believe, better than in Madden. There are minor things that bug me including a clunky menu screen and the cut-aways for the updates on other games become very annoying. But overall, if this was the year that the game was going to end, they went out on a high note. This game will be a highly sought after game in about 2-3 years as it is the final college football game to be released. I know I'm keeping my copy and probably going to buy up some more in the future, if this goes the route that the final college basketball game did in 2010. The absence of a new NCAA Football title has created a void in the sports gaming landscape, and NCAA Football 14 remains a cherished and actively played game by fans who long for the return of college football to their consoles.

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