Game Review: NCAA Football 09 (Xbox 360)

The NCAA Football franchise never sells the way Madden does, but it’s still a huge series.  I have always been partial to the little brother of Madden considering my love for college football.  We expected big things with the 2009 installment, but it seems there’s really not a lot to write home about.  Online Dynasty mode was surely welcomed and the ability to share custom roster files was a nice bonus.  Other than that, the game really doesn’t offer many improvements over NCAA 08. There are a few minor changes to the game that I’ll try to break down below.

Gameplay

Gameplay hasn’t changed a lot, but the offensive game is definitely more wide-open than ever.  This is great if you love offense and a step backward if you are a defensively minded player.  An unfortunate addition to the game is the ability of the home team to “ice” kickers.  This ability works entirely too well and really dilutes the realism of the game.  I suggest turning this option off in any game you play.  Another problem I noticed with the game is the fact that the AI simply does not work well at all, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.  AI controlled players will run the wrong direction and frequently miss easy tackles.  While the game certainly is slightly better than 08 in most areas, I expected more.  If you currently have NCAA 08, you may want to simply wait until NCAA 10 hits shelves to upgrade.

Graphics

The graphics are a little cleaner than previous editions of the title.  The change in quality is barely noticeable, yet it’s still there.  If you game on a non-HD television, you probably will not notice the changes. 

Audio

I didn’t notice a big change in audio, so I’d have to say it’s about the same this year.  The ability to import songs from your music collection to be used in-game is really a bonus.

Replay Value

Like most sports titles, the replay value depends on the individual.  For me, 09 does have more replay value due to the addition of Online Dynasty.  The game may actually be a little too easy on the offensive side of things for my tastes, and that could be the one factor that hurts replay value.  I have always loved the “big play” factor of the NCAA Football series, but they may have taken that too far this time.

Uniqueness

The game really isn’t unique other than the minor additions I mentioned above.  I have always been a fan of EA sports titles, but it seems they didn’t put as much work into this game as I would have liked to see. 

How It Matches Up

The difference between NCAA Football 09 and NCAA Football 08 for the Xbox 360 is so minimal, that I would suggest waiting another year to upgrade.  The only possible reason I can see for purchasing this game if you do happen to own 08 is if you really have your heart set on playing Online Dynasty or you are an achievement whore.

Closing Comments

• Online Dynasty mode is great!
• Custom shared rosters makes the game feel more real.
• Defensive AI simply sucks.
• There’s really no reason to purchase this game if you own 08.
• It’s actually a good game, but it gets a low score due to the lack of additions.