College Bowl Review (Teddy Terrier)
College Bowl is a wonderful indie college football game that has captured my attention. It was released a month or so before CFB 25, which comes out in July 2024. However, College Bowl might be the football game I continue to play even after EA's behemoth hits the market.
I will outline my reasons for loving this game below. I also want to mention that King Javo, the developer of College Bowl, has already proven his talent and passion for football video games with his pro game, Legend Bowl. This builds upon and adds to that game.
Here are some things I love about College Bowl:
• Attention to Detail: It's obvious that this game was made with a lot of love and care. From the fun commentary pop-ups during games to Dynasty news coverage and sideline animations, every aspect shows a clear attention to detail.
• Unpredictable Gameplay: The gameplay is refreshingly unpredictable, unlike what I've often seen from EA's football offerings. For instance, I don't remember the last time I saw a runner cut back through the middle to the other side of the field on a long, breakaway run, except in College Bowl. Additionally, seeing runners realistically break away from a pile is not something I remember seeing often in Madden or older NCAA's.
• Fatigue Mechanics: Another unique feature is how fatigue truly affects the players during games. Runners become "gassed" and are more easily tracked down from behind on big runs, which adds a realistic touch.
• Dynamic Plays: I witnessed one of the most beautiful plays I’ve ever seen in a football video game while watching a CPU vs. CPU game in Dynasty mode. The QB scrambled out of the pocket to the right side and completed a beautiful pass to the other side of the field to a WR streaking down the sideline. It was something straight off a top 10 highlight reel.
The biggest reason I might still be playing College Bowl after CFB 25 releases is the freedom it gives me to play exactly how I want in my offline Dynasty. I can watch or play any game, change sides during the middle of games to control both offenses, or switch to CPU vs. CPU during defensive possessions. This flexibility allows me to emulate/role-play just how I want. For example, changing to CPU and letting the "defensive coordinator" make the play calls for that side of the ball during defensive possessions allows almost a role-play of a coaching career as an offensive coordinator.
Overall, this is a great game that will only get better, as the community is extremely active and King Javo is very receptive to feedback. I strongly recommend purchasing College Bowl.