NCAA 08 vs Madden 08
06.07.07
by DaMadScientist, Executive Editor

Continued from page 1

DEFENSIVE HOTROUTE: QB CONTAIN
Defense against mobile QBs. This is much needed in NCAA, where there are hoards of mobile QBs. Without good QB contain, or defensive hotroutes, it was very easy to get to the outside in NCAA 07. I could see this being useful for the QB scramblers in the house, who like to get they QB Sprint on.

What happens is the Defensive End will rush wide a couple secons and then sit tight in the flats and wait. The word WAIT is key here. If the QB moves out of the pocket, the Defensive End then zeros in and blitzes the QB. Because it was so easy to cut the corner with your QB in NCAA 07, this is a most-welcomed feature.

DEFENSEIVE HOTROUTE: SMART ZONE
DBs adjust zone coverage based on the first down line. This is good ish.

QB AVOIDANCE STICK
Sidestep defenders and break sack attempts. The video I was a Current Gen video on GameTrailers.com. I just hope this doesn't get into NextGen. Here, with a flick of the stick, your QB can take a quick step in any direction. In one video, two defenders flipped over top of the QB as he got his dip on. I'm worried about this one.

WR DIRECT FEATURE
Direct a WR in a given direction during pass plays. This feature sounds like Madden Receiver Playmaker controls.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Affect motivation and get your player in the zone by unlocking the sphere of
influence motivation boost. I'm not a big fan of PowerBoosts of any kind. I liked it better back in the day, when a player's rating didn't fluctuate and momentum wasn't overdone.

But, I like this because you get rewarded for user control. Make some user catches, do some user shizzle, and boom, fire you team up. So, getting rewarded for user catches...I'm all for that.

CPU catching--So Easy a Caveman Can Do It.

I don't blame anybody this year, because the game was not designed for user control. At times, it appears, you were penalized for trying to take control.

I want to go back to the old school, when you press the Triangle, I want the player to put his hands up IMMEDIATELY...not 3 seconds after the ball already hit the ground. I want to make my DB jump in the air when I press jump. I do not want to HOLD or PRESS anything down and wait for an animation to start...I want it to start when I tell it to.

Well, sounds like the control is back in the 08...like a dream come true...we all are holding our fingers.

NEW REPLAY SYSTEM
Fantastic feature! I mean, incredible. Games 5-minutes or less will save each play, which can then be permanently saved to your hard drive, displayed in your Shrine (Trophy area). Add to that, you can encode these replays into standard video files, then post them joints to the Internet...and, unlike 2K Basketball, you don't have to be in the game to view the videos...anyone who can get in the Internet can view them. The only thing is, I haven't heard anywhere that this works with online games. I hope to have the answer to this before the week is out.

SUPERSIM MODE: LEGEND MODE
Quick Siming parts of a game. Get to the end of a game, blowing the other team out, simply sim to the end. I would think this one is a lock for Madden's Superstar mode...hopefully any game vs the computer as well.

OTHER FEATURES
Mid-air colisions
Dynamic Gang Tackling
High and low tacklers (on stick)

Should be in both, the sticks may be a little different, but being able to tackle high or low appear to be in both.

TRICK PLAYS
Wilcat Formation
RB lines up as QB.

I'm a little worried about this formation...hey, but it's in the game...lol. Hopefully, the QB Contain will counter this. One thing I like about what I have heard is that there is a counter for just about everyting.

Statue of Liberty
Hook and Ladder
Double-pass Plays (QB to WR, WR becomes QB)
Double Reverse Kickreturns

Yes, gotta love the trick plays, just hope they don't work too well.

These are some pretty HOT features. I really think EA is brining sexy back in the 08.

Which one of these features do you hope will showup in Madden 08? Visit our DaONE League Forums to discuss this article.


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