Gridiron Masters '98

As of first early release there is not enough here to justify buying it (5/8/26). The game is basically a menu at this moment with very little to do outside of click through simulating games. Lots of weird roster things, can't set depth charts as of yet, the "AD" blocks you from recruiting people but doesnt say why, cant control anything related to the operation of your team strategy, etc. This needs to be popped back in the oven for another year or so before I revisit.

Great production quality already, a few bugs and just QOL fixes that will be fixed over the dev cycle, But the game overall is fun and addicting. The SportsCenter style recaps are incredible. Still very raw and early but I love the direction. If you like sim games and football you will love this. Highly recommend for what it can become.

Such a great base for the game to be built on top of but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting more from this release even if it is early access. The amount of things talked about for this game on the dev's Youtube and showcased on the channel as well has made this version seem quite underwhelming. There is no depth chart yet, no position battles, bare bones recruitment, no team or stadium creator or 3d match engine like a football manager, and while the CSPN show is extremely cool I'd like it a lot more if the showhost actually said the words instead of mumbling like the sims or minion's or something this game can be great and I bought it too invest in it to hopefully see it thrive but this version of the game is quite dissapointing even for $10 USD THINGS TO ADD OR CONSIDER: 1. 3D match engine to watch your players play with weather included (showcased on devs youtube, ex: football manager) and live play selection or at the bare minimum text based or 2d game watch instead of not seeing any of the game playout and have it just auto-sim to end like it is now 2. Playbook selections from types of offenses to formation specific ones etc. as well as a custom playbook creator and maybe even tutorials explaining the playbooks of Football. 3. Way more in depth recruiting ex: trials, training camp, NFL combine, player visits, more RPG coach and player talk-to elements, more information on draft boards etc. 4. Some form of currency to upgrade facilities and see said upgrades later on while watching your players play in the previously mentioned 3d match engine as well as for coach contracts and player contracts. 5. Better customization ex: team creator and stadium creator or lots and lots of pre-made ones to pick from 6. The CSPN show could use some updates like perhaps auto-playing after every week and for those who want to skip it can with a single button press instead of having to go back to the main menu and click on it every week as well as the show hosts actually saying the words would make a world of difference. 7. Presentation updates through the era's ex: CSPN hosts clothes, new scorebugs, new draft and recruitment board looks as I feel this game is very 90's looking it might throw you off once your playing in 2015 and everything still looks like its in the 90's 8. More settings whether that be gameplay related like difficulty, option to start as high school coach and work your way up through the football levels (which I think was also showcased on the dev's Youtube channel at some point), player database settings or visual settings as I can not even put the game at my monitors resolution because the game cant go higher than 1080p and there are no other graphical settings or text customization settings. 9. Sponsors in relation to the previously mentioned currency idea as well as other things like ticket pricing and concession pricing control or even things like hosting fan days. 10. Coach and Player stats so if my coach isn’t good at scouting show me that and I can do something to improve that stat over time as for a player example if he’s weak show me that and let me make him hit the weight room to improve his strength stat The games base is great but there is so much more to be done that I just cant recommend it right now even for $10 USD I hope I can come back soon and be able to make this review a lot more positive Overall 3.75/10

So far I'm really enjoying this game. The CSPN broadcasts that you can run at the end of each week is awesome and just proof that EA could do something similar. recruiting and transfer portal is pretty bare bones and very simple but that isn't necessary a bad thing. I do wish there was a league history page that showed you who won the national championships and conference titles every year and the game is missing individual awards. If this game would put in an award ceremony video that would be awesome. This is a great start and can't wait to see how it evolves.

Game crushed my expectations for early release. For anyone who has also followed along the journey and knows what this game is actually SUPPOSED to be like you will love it. The aesthetic is perfectly captured for it's time period and the soundtrack is absolutely perfect. The CSPN shows exceeded my expectations especially with the individual team mini segments. You can hear the TTS broadcasters by checking it in setting as well as adjusting how many "main" games you want covered as well as mini coverage of other games between those games (processing may depend on your CPU strength). I think some people still misunderstand what this game is and do not understand the idea. Before you point to x or y in ideas on the game or mention development videos LISTEN to those videos. He explains exactly what is happening and what can or cannot be done at the moment. The future is bright and I know am thankful to play most likely one of my favorite games of all time going forward. Thanks for all the hard work getting this out here to this stage and creating a new world for us for immersion in CFB during the golden age of its coverage.

I'm not sure what the idea for this game really is. There is no strategy starting out. Just clicking simulate and watching your team win or lose. You dont set depth charts, call plays, or recruit during the season. Its really just a season simulator so you can watch the scores. Not worth $10.

Great Game Some Bugs But They Will Be Fixed This Game Will Be Better Over Time The Updates Coming Will Put This Game On Par With Football Manager If Not Make It Better Then FM Love The Week To Week Recap If You Like FM You Will Be Sucked In To This Game Can't Wait For The 3D Gameplay To Come The User Coach retires at age 70 and they start at age 35 I Wish It Was Longer But 35 Is ok Its Only The 1st Week of This Game And Its Better Then Some Game That Have Been At The Same Stage Look out Madden This Game Will Be Talked Ab a Lot

while this game is far from finished (it just released in early access 2 days ago as of writing this), the foundation it's laying for the future is INCREDIBLE. if you're at all interested in this game from the trailer and store page, i'd recommend buying it while it's $10 because i would be shocked if a game with this level of presentation and (hopefully) depth stayed $10 forever. as of right now, the gameplay is pretty bare bones. however, i expect the game to be WAY more fleshed out in the near future as there are a lot of menus & mechanics shown in the game that we just don't have access to yet due to it being VERY early access. the future is very bright!

Gridiron Masters '98 - Early Access Review - 7/10 Recommended tldr: Approach this game as a coach prestige sim rather than a team dynasty and you'll have a great time. Fight that instinct and you'll frustrate yourself. PROS Aesthetic- The late 90s visuals are genuinely well executed. The menu presentation and CSPN broadcast segments create a mood that's hard to find in this genre. It doesn't feel like nostalgia for its own sake, there are deliberate decisions being made that feel intentional. Team Pool Size- The roster of the teams is kept smaller than you might expect, but it works in the game's favor. Conference rivals feel meaningful, each program has an identity, and the college football landscape feels relatable rather than anonymous. Recruiting- Player names feel distinct rather than procedurally generic. Small detail, but it goes a long way toward making the game come alive. CONS Coaching Carousel- Coordinator and player turnover at season's end can hit harder than expected. Build your roster and staff with the assumption that you'll lose someone important, because eventually you will. Loyalty to a program can quietly work against you over time. Path to Winning- Success can feel like random variance rather than the logical payoff of good preparation. The scouting system deals in opinions rather than grades, which is thematically interesting but can make roster building feel opaque. I found myself scrambling some seasons to have enough replacements for seniors graduating or transfers moving on. Native Imagery- Worth knowing before you buy. Adding Native American players in the game would go a long way towards offsetting the discomfort here. Overall A charming coaching sim that captures something college sports games haven't in a long time. It needs more time in the oven, but the foundation is genuinely worth supporting. 7/10.

I'm neutral on this one. The idea is there. It's got a lot of potential. The style and focus are tight. That said, there's not much in the way of a full featured game yet. Player movement isn't very well implemented, even on the team roster. There's very little in the way of coaching and training. Team customization is good, but that's not really a core game. This is a single dev game, so I won't refund it. However, I also won't be playing it much until it gets more fleshed out. The bones are good, though.