ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron - PC Review - Gamecenter

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ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron
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CNET Gamecenter Review
By Hugh Falk
(1/6/1998)

Game at a Glance
Recap: Leave it on the bench
Ups: Play designer; player editor
Downs: Limited teams; jerky control; random at times
Multiplayer: Fair
Single player: Poor
Demo: NA
Patch: NA
I am often asked how one becomes a computer game reviewer. Most reviewers attend special computer gaming colleges such as Duke University (named after its most famous alumnus, Duke Nukem) or Vanderbilt University (why else would they be called the Commodores?). While both of these colleges also feature football programs, ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron doesn't feature either university (to the dismay of game reviewers everywhere). Instead, some 32 other universities are represented. But the alumni of the included powerhouses might not be thrilled with their representation on this digital gridiron.
ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron (HOG for short) is the second NCAA football game with an action element to hit the PC this season. It is also the complete opposite of the first, EA's NCAA Football 98. In a prior review, I likened EA's game to a student/athlete allowed to play as a partial qualifier--its performance is better on the field than in the classroom. HOG is more like an Academic All-American--its head is stronger than its muscles. Neither game is ideal, and a combination of the two might create a more complete game.
From the Eye
What HOG does best is customization. Most impressively, it includes a play designer which can be run during a game to change plays on the fly, or it can be run as a standalone utility. Lots of classic college formations are available, ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron including the double-wing, the T-formation, and the wishbone. The editor is easy to use, and the only major feature it lacks is the ability to force players to wait, which would be handy for trick plays and delayed blitzes.
HOG approaches rosters differently than most college football games. The 32 teams represented don't feature accurate 1997 rosters; instead, they are comprised of all-time greats. So Jim Harbaugh takes snaps from former president Gerald Ford on the Michigan team. Most college games don't include player names because of NCAA restrictions. But ABC sidestepped the NCAA restrictions by licensing the names of former college greats (who eventually went pro) from Players Inc.
Because every great player is not coded into the game, the player customization tool is very handy. Players are easily customizable. Names, jersey numbers, and stats can be tailored at will. To use Florida State as an example: Fred Biletnikoff's likeness is named "Roster Receiver" (he played too long ago to be represented by Players Inc.); Charlie Ward is known as "Roster Quarterback" (he jumped to the NBA); and Warrick Dunn is completely absent (he's just a rookie). Biletnikoff and Ward's names can be edited and Dunn can be added from scratch. Adding players is also important because a team's size is dictated by its number of NFL recruits. So while Notre Dame has 100 players, Maryland only has 37.

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ABC Sports College Football: Heroes of the Gridiron

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