I love football. I'm not the biggest fan of EA Sports (the monopoly thing and all), but there's one thing that I'm not ashamed to say: this game is lacking. It takes a hit in both in the sound and the graphics department.

I'll focus on sound first. Yes, there is sound in this game. NCAA Football 2009 could be a lot worse without it, but at the same time, I get paid to dissect games. After dissecting this one, disappointment does not even begin to cover it. While there is some good fighting college songs, representing some of the top teams around the country, that is about it. Yes, every play is commented on, and after I explain it in the next paragraph, you will understand why NCAA Football 09 will not get a good score in the sound department.

Here's where the main problem lies: the commentary. For at least the last five years, EA has been using the same sound files in the respective sporting game. Yes, a tackle is a tackle, and I appreciate it when I'm told what I see on the screen, but with all do respect: PAY ATTENTION TO TE REST OF THE GAME!!! To give you an example: the running back for the CPU just broke a 55 yard run. The commentator says something around the lines: "this running back has been dancing around the defense all day." WRONG. Until that run, the opposition had something around negative twenty yards; and the game is late in the third quarter. Come on!!! This is not accurate commentary. This is just a random .wav file playing at a random time. After sooooo many years of EA running sporting games, you figure they'd get it right by now. I guess not. Yet, the game is filled with comments like this. Might as well play it on mute.

And then there is the graphics.

I used to think that the PSP was limited. Then MLB 08: The Show came out; a game that I also reviewed. I'm not the biggest fan of baseball, but that game managed to impress me. It had everything it needed going on.

So where does this leave NCAA Football 09? My guess would be in the gutter. Why? Well, I'll tell you. Eleven players on both side of the ball, so what does EA do? They make the game faster. I've played football games since Madden 92, and this game is messy; a cluster of people with no sense of their own.

And if running the ball is not an option, good luck with the passing game. The tracer effect placed on the ball is a most annoying feature. (tracerpic) Not only is the tracer effect big, bulky, and out of place, but it masks the true location of the ball. While on the passing game it is somewhat acceptable, on the defensive side of the field, it is a total nightmare; but this will be covered in the Gameplay and Controls section. And there, the stadiums... While the top schools are beautifully rendered, schools like SMU, are a total joke. For instance, when kicking an extra point or a field goal, it is hard to tell what you're looking at. It is hard to tell the difference between the stadium, fans, or both. (badstadium) Guess some schools paid more than others to EA for justice rights. Too bad the players don't see any royalties. On the bright side, the players are rendered beautifully (especially at close range). Instant replay is my favorite aspect of the game. But then again, there are different camera angles; you should be able to find something that you enjoy; as long as you only focus on the players.