Last year NCAA Football made some great strides forward, and this year the game enters into a whole new level. Earlier this week we had a chance to spend some time with NCAA Football 11 and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at the great changes made over last years game. A few weeks back we showed off a few screenshots showcasing the games new lighting engine. And for many years we always see these great looking screenshots of games but the actual game doesn’t come close to them. I’m happy to report that the screenshots here and the one’s we’ve already shown you are an exact representation of NCAA Football 11.
This year’s game has many changes both under the hood and on the surface. Firstly a new lighting engine has been deployed and that is what leads to the amazing life like graphics the game produces. But the lighting isn’t the only thing that makes the game look great. NCAA Football 11 also has a revamped broadcast graphics set all matched to their real world ESPN counterparts. This years game has full ESPN integration from the score bar on the bottom of the screen to the transition wipes between replays. The broadcast presentation was designed to mirror what we will see during television broadcasts this coming season. This is by far the best looking Football game I’ve ever had the chance to play.
The next change is the new “Locomotion” engine. Locomotion controls the movements of the players on screen. Players no longer move like robots, you can no longer switch direction on a dime. Players will need to actually slow down and plant their feet before being able to shift directions. Again leading to an amazing life-like experience. Also in the movement category of additions, is the new two thumbstick control scheme. The left stick controls movement, while the right stick controls jukes and spins. Gamers will now have more control over their players then ever before. The gameplay speed has also been tweaked. Last year the game was very quick, this year the speed has been slowed a bit to again give a more realistic experience.
This year the development team has also implemented what they call “120 ways to win”. What this catchy slogan really means is they studied each team in the game and created specialized profiles of the teams. For instance if a team is known to use a hurry up offense with X minutes left in a game, they will. Games will now unfold in a less repetitive way, and each teams real-life personality will show on the field.
While our demo was strictly showing gameplay and the new on field additions, you will be happy to know that all the modes from last year have been kept and many of them are receiving changes due to the community’s feedback. While details of Road to Glory, Dynasty, and the online modes aren’t being shared yet, we will have more information about them in the coming months.
Last year I was blown away by the game and I was very happy to see that the team has been able to top all the good NCAA Football action they brought us last year. We will post an interview with one of the game’s designers later today. Keep your eyes out here at VGrevolution for more details on NCAA Football 11 and look for the game at your local stores this July.
**UPDATE** During our time with the game we had a chance talk with one of the designers about the improvements and changes NCAA fans cna expect in this seasons game. Check out the video here.
