Players Like...

❤ Gameplay Mechanics

Players praise the tight, responsive controls that facilitate fluid offensive and defensive play. The game blends basketball-style player movement and passing with hockey's stick skills, shooting, and physicality. Reviewers highlight various mechanics, including devastating body checks, intricate stick check combinations to pry the ball loose, evasive dodging maneuvers, lightning-quick precision passing, and realistic face-off controls. Transitioning between offense and defense proves crucial, as players must discern when to push the tempo versus slowing the game and executing structured plays.

❤ Difficulty and AI

Reviewers consistently remark on the game's challenging AI, which remains formidable even on the lower difficulty settings. The opposition responds intelligently to players' actions, leading to tightly-contested matches that are not merely high-scoring affairs. However, some note occasional goalie behaviors that appear unrealistic or inconsistent. Overall, the AI provides a robust strategic challenge that reflects the depth of lacrosse as a sport.

❤ Player and Team Customization

A standout feature for many is the deep suite of customization options in the "Lacrosse Academy" mode. Players can meticulously craft their own teams, athletes, coaches, and even referees, tweaking details like height, weight, physique, facial features, equipment, and team branding. Reviewers highlight how this allows them to truly personalize their lacrosse experience, whether building a career player or an entire dream franchise. The ability to download community-created content is also praised as an excellent way to access realistic NCAA and professional rosters.