NCAA 2004 = Better than Madden!
Pros:
Challenge your program as much or as little as you want!
Cons:
Too bad I have a full time job, or I'd be playing this all day
The Bottom Line:
If you A)like football, B)like college football, and C)like a challenge, this game is definitely for you. I'd rate this 1000 stars if Epinions had a rating for it.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
EA Sports rules the gaming world with their Madden, NCAA, NBA, NHL, etc... titles that provide as close to realistic gameplay as possible with countless hours of enjoyment and replay value. I have been an avid Madden fan since way back in the day with the advent of "John Madden Football" for the computer, also owning several copies of the Maddens through the 90s, and most recently owning Madden 2002 and playing seasons with friends with 2003.
Last year my friend introduced me to NCAA 2003, and I was very impressed. Being a Madden enthusiast, I found the game easy to pick up in terms of gameplay, style, etc... But what impressed me more about NCAA was the college style and especially offseason strategies, including recruitment and scheduling.
My flirtation with 2003 made me covet 2004 even more, so when I received it for Christmas this year, I couldn't contain my excitement! Mostly the same gameplay as 2003, but the player animations seem more realistic/smarter, as in laws of physics applying more in 2004, and CBs acting smarter.
But for my money, NCAA 2004 blows Madden out of the water. I think the challenge of NCAA makes the replay value greater than that of Madden. For starters, creating a "cupcake" team, your small community college alma mater for example, and scratching through your first seasons barely making a winning record is much more enjoyable to me than starting off with a powerhouse and dominating the country from day 1. However, if that floats your boat, that option is more than accessible. Recruiting beats Madden's Free Agency like a rented mule, making it much more challenging to entice top-notch talent with such factors as style of play, location, playing time, and prestige. In Madden, no matter what your situation, if you have the bucks, you can sign anybody. While being a powerhouse in NCAA gives you advantages, it never guarantees you all the top talent in the nation, which definitely diversifies the league.
Bottom line: if you enjoy a challenge, NCAA can be much more challenging than any edition of Madden. But, for those who like an easier time, and/or the College Classics, old school stuff, those features are there as well. As for me, the challenge of starting a program from scratch and bringing them up to national recognition is a ton of fun.
