Madden is the most pointless review of the year. Regardless of what the media says, Madden is going to sell a zillion copies anyway, so it’s all pretty much a moot point. Still, since we get paid for this stuff it’s only appropriate that we all review it…again. Madden is very much like a typical EA Sports game: some great, some not so great, and some downright weird and is a much better experience when you can play with a buddy and not deal with the AI. Yep—it’s another year, another Madden.
Much like NCAA 08, the amount of enjoyment you get out of Madden is going to greatly depend on your expectations from a ‘next-gen’ football game and in how you wish to play it. If you’re looking to play online in a non-league format over Xbox Live then it’s easily worth the time and money. (Granted, why EA Sports refuses to create an online league system is anyone’s guess.) Along these same lines, playing the game on the same console against a friend is a lot of fun.
The problem, as it usually is, rests when you want to play against the CPU AI. It’s another case of taking a huge step forward and then retreating by adding new problems. This year’s problem is turnovers. Fumbles and interceptions plague the game and it takes a massive amount of in-game settings tweaks to get the game to play even moderately realistic. If realism is at all important, this is going to be a big annoyance. The problem is not so much turnovers that you create but rather ones made by the CPU. Again, much like NCAA ’08, the CPU throws far too many interceptions – on default All-Pro level settings you can usually bank on at least three picks per game from the AI and it doesn’t matter if it’s Peyton Manning or Rex Grossman. Many of these picks are easily returned for touchdowns—and it absolutely wrecks the game. Fumbles are also way too common; you can lessen this by using he ‘cover up’ button but it won’t stop the AI from fumbling all over the place.
If not for this problem, Madden ’08 would be easy to recommend for non-franchise players. Gameplay strides have been made in the area of blocking AI and pass defense AI – both of which are long overdue but make the game play much better. It’s no longer easy to drop back and throw a 50 yard bomb to a wide out, knowing the cornerback has no chance at stopping it. Defensive backs may even be too good as they break on the ball the nanosecond it’s released. Still, it’s better than them playing dead and racking up 600 yards passing per game. Wide outs now block downfield, which is another huge plus. Players no longer give up on a run after you get past the line of scrimmage and it makes running in the open field possible.
This is what is so aggravating. EA Sports fixes the defensive back AI problems and fixes part of the blocking AI and then breaks the CPU passing model. How is that possible? It’s even made more frustrating when you see frilly features like the new “Ring Builder” implemented when the gameplay still has its share of leaks and breakdowns. Ask yourself: would you rather have the ability to make your own championship ring…or have Tom Brady play more like Tom Brady rather than Greg Brady?
The graphics are sharp, for the most part. The big plus for the 360 version is the speed – it runs at 60 frames per second which means the old slow-motion gameplay is gone (unless you play the PS3 version). There are the usual new animations, this time including the occasional two-man gang tackle, although don’t be fooled – this is in no way a dynamic tackling system. It’s a canned animation. Granted, the new hit stick, which allows high or low tackles, is a great addition – and it also makes it hard for corners to flatten strong running backs. If you bring Gary Baxter up to tackle Larry Johnson…don’t hit him high. That’s not gonna work.
Ghosting is a big problem, though. A defender may literally phase through a blocker as if he were an apparition. When looking at a replay you see this on dozens of plays throughout the game and when a running back teleports through your nose tackle and picks up that crucial first down, it’s enough to make you want to snap the disc in half.
