The Best “Back To School” Since Rodney Dangerfield

HIGH That moment when your old dorm is accurately represented in a videogame.

LOW Mode selection is a little lackluster.

WTF Academic performance tracking is my weekly nightmare come to life.

I don’t remember exactly where I was the last time I played a new college football game but I’m sure the scene involved me, my couch, and a noticeable cushion dent from hours of endless play. It’s not a pretty picture, but it is an accurate one. Now, after nearly 11 years away from digital collegiate gridiron, I was skeptical that EA Sports would be able to recapture that “just one more game” feeling.

Oh, EA Sports proved me wrong in so many wonderful ways.

College Football 25 (No “NCAA” this time around) is an outstanding, immersive, nostalgic title that quickly carves out its own identity against the inevitable Madden comparisons. Yes, those familiar with EA’s pro title will easily adapt to College Football 25’s controls and gameplay, but those — ahem — schooled in collegiate strategy and atmosphere will find themselves with a notable advantage.

The unparalleled college vibe is one of the biggest surprises after more than a decade away. The old NCAA series always did a solid job of emulating stadiums and crowd noise, but modern technology has allowed them to recreate the unique environments that each home school provides.

Fans of major programs like Clemson and Alabama will lose themselves in how seamlessly the designers implemented mascots, in-game chants, student traditions, and more. There’s even a noise meter that shakes the screen and affects playcalling, giving home teams a distinct advantage in competitive situations. Small, moderately successful schools might trigger the needle a little, but big schools with bigger money programs will regularly reap the rewards of the home field.

It even showed for my alma mater, the University of Maryland, which may not be a top-tier football school among its peers in the Big Ten Conference, but we did have an original set of chants and music to accompany our team. Sure enough, when in a crucial in-game situation, the students reacted accordingly, elevating the atmosphere tenfold. All of it was flawlessly represented alongside the nuances that made our school stand apart. And no, this level of detail isn’t exclusive to bigger schools — even the smaller programs receive the same level of detail and unique presentation.

Of course, none of this matters if the on-field visuals are lackluster. Thankfully, EA Sports made the most of its 11-year respite — every player on the field demonstrates a unique look and feel. Linemen seem a little jumpier than their professional counterparts. Defensive secondaries find themselves scrambling a little more before the snap. Quarterbacks don’t appear quite as composed. In other words, they seem like young adults tasked with handling some immense, big-game pressure. Plus, the player models are (generally) a little smaller and less monstrous than professional players. These details are subtle but add so much in helping College Football 25 stand apart from its more established big brother.

Another exciting aspect of the college game is that not every player is awesome. Deep pass plays are riskier, and big running gains are more likely against suspect defenses. Where Madden has its handful of top-rated receivers who seem to have glue on their gloves, the college level reflects teams of players who are still learning as they go, and that means nothing is “automatic.” When big plays happen, they just seem to mean more to the player.

That said, CF25 acknowledges those who take time to learn. (This is a college game, after all.) While smaller programs might not see initial success against juggernauts and experience some initial frustration, growth is earned and learning how to maximize each player’s skill set is a rewarding experience from season to season.

My only complaint about College Football 25‘s gameplay is the same I’ve made for most football titles — there continue to be plays and moves that are simply too easy to spam. (Just check YouTube for some of the spin move “highlights.”) Good players will always find a way to adjust, but newcomers online might find themselves stopped before they even get started. I was fortunate to not see many people abusing these quirks, but over time, I anticipate steeper beginner learning curves.

Since launch, I’ve seen a lot of online chatter about College Football 25’s “thin” and “disappointing” selection of modes and features, but I see this as a positive because I think it was vital for the developers to focus more on developing unique, rewarding on-field gameplay, and it seems they agreed. Of course, it doesn’t exactly lack variety with a solid selection of the modes we’ve come to expect from EA Sports titles.

For those looking to spend significant time in the trenches, Dynasty mode is far more rewarding than its professional counterpart, mostly because the focus is on winning, player development, and team success, rather than keeping high-profile players satisfied season over season. Here, users can help a struggling program methodically improve and find intermittent successes along the way. Maybe it’s getting close to being ranked among the top 25. Maybe it’s knocking off a top-ranked opponent. Maybe it’s being considered for a coveted bowl game. Minor, moral victories seem to matter more at the collegiate level since there’s just so much more to aim for than one solitary trophy.

Unfortunately, the touted Road to Glory mode, while more streamlined than Dynasty, doesn’t give users enough to do over its shorter career span. At first, this exercise of allocating experience points to improve on-field performance seems enjoyable. But tasks like improving academics and resting injuries quickly become a week-to-week slog, more busywork than play. Likewise, the limited Road to the CFP mode will appeal to those who want bragging rights, but there’s little to do beyond seeing a name on leaderboards. With more attention, this could become a legitimate mode for those seeking to achieve online immortality, but there’s still room to expand it into something deeper than just a ranking.

As expected, College Football 25 features its own Ultimate Team mode, which is identical to the countless revisions we’ve seen in Madden over the years. For users into card collecting, trading, and yes, spending to build an unbeatable squad there are no surprises to be had, other than some moderate challenges to break up the grind. While I probably need to get with the times and accept these modes as part of gaming reality, here it seems redundant, rather than necessary.

Online, the game performed flawlessly during my testing, with no lag or latency. Lobbies were easy to navigate, and games started quickly. It allowed me to recreate my favorite college matchups, playing with my favorite college roommate. Only now, 1,300 miles separated us, even though the conversations and laughs remained the same.

And that perfectly illustrates the bigger point. To fans like me, College Football 25 is about as pure a gaming experience as there is. It wasn’t an online leaderboard or card-collecting mode that made fans beg EA Sports to bring back college football. It was the memories of trash talking on the couch, and recreating a rivalry. It was figuring out those spam plays and finally shutting them down. It was a throwback to gaming’s roots when higher scores were all people needed to enjoy themselves.

I could belabor this review with more examples, but in the end, there’s only one key takeaway — College Football 25 delivers on the memories I just listed, alongside countless others. And I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here.

Score: 9 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by EA Sports and developed by EA Orlando. It is available on XBX/S and PS5. This game copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the XBX. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 5 hours of play were devoted to online multiplayer.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. This is a realistic representation of full-contact college football, and some tackling animations and injuries may concern some parents.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are available in the Game Settings menu.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: College Football 25 features subtitles, speech-to-text, and numerous tactile feedback features in all modes. The game is easily playable without sound and is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: No, the game’s controls are not remappable.

A Solid RETURN To Form

HIGH That ‘aha!’ moment when the complex controls suddenly make sense.

LOW The crowds are so reminiscent of Xbox 360 graphics, I expected a red ring of death.

WTF John McEnroe sounds like he recorded after visiting a dispensary.

Despite some questionable market presence, there’s been no shortage of tennis titles for modern
consoles. That said, for die-hard enthusiasts of the sport, only one tennis series matters — Top Spin. Now, after a 13-year absence, the series has returned in the form of Top Spin 2K25.

Considering how long the series has been dormant, there was understandable enthusiasm for this
revival, but considerable pressure on 2K Sports to deliver on the hype and produce a truly “next-generation” tennis experience. For the most part, 2K25 is a welcome addition to any fan’s library
coming up just short of being essential.

Unlike most sports titles which want to overwhelm users with a litany of new modes, features, enhancements and eye candy, Top Spin 2K25 wants gamers to get right on the court. Within seconds of hitting the “A” button, I found myself in a fairly intense training regimen of baseline rallies, mid-court volleys, and some precision serving mechanics.

Despite voicework from a sleepwalking John McEnroe, the TopSpin Academy is a strong introduction to Top Spin’s refined control scheme and is essential for fans and newcomers alike since the series has always boasted unique mechanics that require some patience to learn and master.

At first, the controls seem overly complicated when compared to other titles. But when that “a-ha” moment clicks, there is a sense of fluidity and ease that transcends face buttons and analog sticks. At that point, the timing-based shots are powerful, intuitive, and more rewarding than the norm. Winners feel weighty and impactful, especially at the end of a long, well-played point.

One thing I’ve always admired about the Top Spin series is how it added depth and strategy, elevating tennis titles above “Prettier Pong.” Here, it adapts to a user’s strategy, letting them choose their preferred style. There is so much variety in gameplay, whether gamers choose to launch aggressive baseline shots, inject some serve-and-volley into the mix, or stay aggressive at the net through precision lobs, no match feels redundant. The physics of how different court surfaces affect shots only enhances the realism.

As mentioned above, the gameplay is largely excellent, if not perfect. Unfortunately, the AI is a bit suspect, varying from wonderful court knowledge to ridiculous shot selection in a matter of strokes. Likewise, as players work through the career mode, the AI jumps from fair to unbeatable in no time at all, leading to unwanted frustration.

Visually, Top Spin 2K25 is good from afar, meaning the stock (television-style) camera angle. However,close-up replays show some janky animations, poor facial renders, and some Xbox 360-quality crowds and NPCs. Maybe tennis doesn’t need to be the most visually arresting game in the library, but considering how long fans have waited, the graphics will need a lot of work if there’s a 2K26.

The audio is also a mixed bag. While on-court sounds, player grunts and the overall tennis atmosphere are true to life, the commentary would put golf announcers to sleep. The enthusiasm doesn’t rise during long rallies, nor do the repetitive phrases always match what happens on the court.As mentioned, tennis doesn’t lend itself to a slew of modes and features but Career Mode is a simple, no-frills addition that keeps gamers focused on earning upgrades and scoring upset victories in a wide range of tournaments. It might not be dynamic, or story-driven, but there is reward to be had from steady progress up the rankings.

A lot of Top Spin’s success is going to hinge on how fans like the multiplayer modes. The 2K Tour mode lets users challenge others using existing tennis stars, while the World Tour mode lets users take their created avatars and pit them against the world in a variety of weekly tournaments and challenges.Both modes are smooth and competitive, if not a little daunting for newcomers.

I found basic online multiplayer to be the biggest surprise, with a large, active community of tennis enthusiasts offering competitive play without pretense. I had no problem finding a quick exhibition match against friendly fans, with no lag, latency, or lobby concerns. This is a major win, and possibly my new preferred way to enjoy digital tennis.

Regardless of the drawbacks, fans should welcome Top Spin back into their lives thanks to the largely enjoyable 2K25. With some visual and audio enhancement, and maybe a slightly more accessible learning curve, this series could find a new generation of fans. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 13 years to do it.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is developed and published by 2K Sports. It is currently available on PC,PS4/5 and XBO/X/S. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on Xbox Series X. Approximately 10 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. Approximately 14 hours were devoted to multiplayer modes.

Parents: Top Spin 2K25 is rated E. This is a sports simulation game in which players compete in tennis matches. Players can engage in a variety of game modes (e.g., Career, Exhibition) to improve their skills and abilities. There is no questionable content.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game is fully accessible. There are adjustable settings for subtitles, and the game offers controller vibration during ball strikes. No audio cues are needed for successful play. The game is fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls are not remappable.