There is an established belief that initial attempts are usually better than second attempts. There are a dozen causes for what is known as the sophomore slump. Bands have less time to develop, practice, and record a second album than the “breakout” success they worked on for years before anyone knew who they were; athletes who have great rookie years return to the mean; sophomore students don’t care as much as freshmen; and so on.
The impact of a brand-new car’s scent cannot be denied. I think that the fact that it had been almost ten years since NCAA 14 and that people were desperate for a new game focused on college football was a contributing factor in why College Football 25 took off as quickly as it did—trust me, if you’re not convinced. The fact that it was also a fine game didn’t hurt, but the sports genre hadn’t yet experienced its annual “it’s the same game as last year” malaise. Thus, the true test will be College Football 26.
Since I’ve been busy finishing up my review of Mecha Break, which I thought was quite great, I haven’t had a lot of time to read its sequel, so my impressions will be fairly mild. As I play more, I’m curious to see how this automobile reacts after we’ve driven it a certain number of miles and whether it experiences the same downturn that so many bands, games, and students have experienced in the past. I’m enjoying myself so far; however, that is still up in the air.
College Football 26 is based on a very solid basis, which is part of it. The game College Football 25 was enjoyable and maintained the traditionalism and contagious energy that made it a welcome diversion from the more formal Madden. I think College Football 26 positively improves on that. Regardless of the game you’re in, the Trophy Room tracks the real-world trophies you’ll accrue throughout your career, which is one of the features I like the most.
Seeing and learning about awards like the Heisman Trophy, the Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the Orange Bowl Trophy gathered in one location is amazing. I like that EA has made an effort to convey the rich history of college football.
I haven’t delved into College Football’s main modes yet because I’ve been spending most of my time sneaking Quick Play games in where I can. This weekend, I intend to change that, but I have seen some on-field content that pleases me.
