Four games in, and some more notes:
1. Even my 13-year-old asked what is wrong with the cheerleaders. EA obviously spent very little time comparatively on facial appearances outside the players. If you can't make something look good, don't show it. The band would be an example. Didn't EA fix bands in like...2008?
2. The cutscenes of your coaching character are also stupid and half-finished, and the facial options were obviously made by someone under 30.
3. Speaking of half-finished, I guess no one realized your players might end up amongst the cameramen.
4. I'm on varsity at the moment. Returns are probably too easy. Field goals are waaaay too hard. My completion percentage was under 50% against UF, so I'm going to stick here for a bit until I get my sea legs again.
5. Ten years later, and the instant "make a play on the ball" by defenders is still goofy-looking, and annoying. A trailing defender on the outside hip of a crossing route shouldn't be able to magically cut across the face of your receiver if you put the ball out in front of them.
6. So far I've only hit on deep balls on the outside when the defense is in press coverage. I have a lot more success in the middle.
7. I can't tell if it's supposed to be some sort of game impact where they forget what they're doing, but backs who should be running routes choosing to stay in to block of their own accord is annoying.
8. The magical instant wrap up when the AI blitzes sometimes is also still around. Nothing like "1 Mississippi" and you're suddenly in someone's grasp despite starting in the gun.
9. I like the feel of the running game. I do think players wear down too quickly, though.
10. Still trying to figure out the transfer portal stuff. I'm feeding Traore regularly, and subbing him out when he's at risk, but his % of transfer risk due to Playing Style keeps going up.
11. You get a wave of coaching credits in the first game or two on Dynasty to spend on improving yourself. Spend wisely, as that wave quickly becomes a trickle.
12. There's some non-intuitive stuff about recruiting. You can be in a player's top 3 or 5, and they're scheduling visits, but it's locked for you. I also had one where when I went to schedule his visit, I couldn't choose some of the options where I had real strengths....they weren't grayed out, but the selection wouldn't take.
13. I got my hopes up thinking we'd get a 4th quarter song. So far, nothing. Fans randomly holding lit cell phones for a cutscene showed up at a couple of stadiums, but there was no tie to the noise.
All in all, probably a very weak B for a grade so far. Very clearly not a finished product.
