EA’s new game is taking the world by storm. With the pre-release beginning earlier this week, people are starting to experience a game unlike anything they have ever seen. Perhaps the drought of the game’s production created a build-up to it unlike any other, manufacturing the vast hype. I had the experience of playing the game for the first time and here are my thoughts.
- The Game is Good – Really Good
The graphics, attention to detail, and gameplay are all very well-combed over. For EA to take the time to personalize each college’s traditions from music to hand signals is a mesmerizing task. Yet, they did it and did it well. The fact they also did it for over one hundred Division One schools is what makes the game more impressive than their other football magnum opus; Madden. The attention to detail sends the game into a spiral of conversations discussing how each game will make the other one better.
2. There is Still Room For Improvement
Like with any game, there are quite a few glitches that need to be addressed with dozens of streamers posting issues they experienced. I guess that after a few weeks, the first couple of updates will minimize those glitches and make the game more seamless. Avid Madden users will likely find some changes frustrating between the games. The gameplay is very similar, but on-screen in-bumps and game-playing might throw the common user off. This shows a clear effort from EA to distinguish the two games from each other and make it clear they are not the same. There is discussion around the different game modes and how each mode can be improved, but again, it is a brand-new game.
3. Kicking is Hard
The most challenging and the main distinguishing factor behind the new game and Madden is the kicking element. While it might not take much time to master the kicking gameplay, I was taken aback by the difference in the punting, kickoff, and field goal game compared to Madden. The challenge almost makes the game even more realistic, showing that you are not working with the same talent you have in the NFL. These are college kickers who don’t have the same accuracy as NFL kickers. It’s a small thing, but it also shows again the internationally that went into this spectacular game.
