JohnDoe8865's Blog
The Madden NFL franchise faces many challenges in convincing former Madden-ites, console gamers, and long-time skeptics alike that the game will be a significant upgrade on next-gen platforms. The goodwill that Madden had created during the PS2/XBox era is gone for many after several years of what some fans call disappointing releases from EA Sports.
EA and Tiburon now find themselves in the unenviable spot of having to re-build the hardcore base after 8 years of failing to meet the high expectations of hardcore Madden fans. One of the results of this has been sales not being quite what they used to be on the last generation of consoles, and while gaming seems to have taken a dip overall the lack of 'must-play' quality has not helped Madden recover fully.
So what are the two areas Madden needs to concentrate on as we head into a new generation of consoles?
Authenticity
One of Madden NFL's biggest shortcomings in the current generation is a real lack of authenticity. Despite having the exclusive license to the NFL, NFL Films, and the NFLPA, EA Sports has not been able to capitalize and make a game that feels completely true to the sport. So many of the little things were missing for so long -- and some are still missing -- that Madden has lacked the immersion factor of other sports titles.
While NBA 2K and MLB: The Show get a lot of praise for their authentic approaches to their respective sports, the truth is they are the games by which all other sports games should be measured. Madden's lack of “feel” has been missing for a while, but it's been more noticeable on this generation of consoles.
It is possible better hardware and increased expectations have led to more gamers comparing the official NFL video game to the real thing. Whether that is the case or not, Madden hasn't felt “true to the game”. Player appearances are still disappointing by and large, as faces and such seem highly generic still.
While player authenticity is something that has been nailed by many other sports games this generation all the way down to AI tendencies, Madden seems as if it's been bare in that regards. Stadiums and fields don't feel like a huge “living” space. An NFL game is an amazing experience both on TV and in person. Madden NFL has failed to capture the sounds, the excitement, the dynamic crowd reaction, or the intensity present at at a professional sports event at this point in the product's life cycle.
These missing ingredients water down the impact of the gameplay and presentation by making the game feel sterile and generic at times. Madden NFL lacks personality. It lacks the feeling of being alive.
To capture our imaginations in the next generation, Madden needs to do all of that better.
Realism
Realism is a broad term that is used far too often among gamers looking for a more complete gameplay experience that they can't quite put their finger on. Realism, as I am writing about it here, includes things like weight detection, physics (which are now in the game), and a more true to life speed, acceleration, and cutting ability from runners. These things directly affect the way that Madden NFL feels on the field when you're controlling your digital athlete. If the feel of playing the game isn't right, then Madden NFL will never be taken as a serious football sim by hardcore NFL fans.
The early indications are positive that EA is doing just that this season, which is exciting given we are expecting a Madden NFL to debut on the new generation of consoles this year.
But for hardcore football fans and longtime Madden gamers and NFL 2K skeptics, Madden has a long road to travel before it's praised by all.
As we approach next-gen of consoles, Madden is at a crossroads among hardcore enthusiasts. We will see Madden arriving on even more powerful consoles, which means the excuses will be fewer and fewer on why the experience we crave isn't the one we are getting.
Let's all hope that Madden can re-capture the fire that it once had and deliver a great NFL football game on next-gen consoles.
Madden is our only hope after all.
# 2
sactown_13 @ Apr 23
gameplay gameplay gameplay. Fix the OL/DL interactions as well as WR/DB interactions. Make a corner with low awareness fudge the coverage occasionally. Have players like B. Pollard roaming the line of scrimmage while players like ed reed being a ball hawk. Make me scared to run at V. Wilfork. Make me think twice about running slow developing plays when facing D. Ware. Let there be a clear difference between R. Barber and D. Revis aside from their number.
# 4
jethrotull @ Apr 23
If you put a football game out with no licenses but with the ability to edit the uniforms, logos, stadiums, leagues and draft capabilities and players it would flourish. EA continues the way of limiting control and editable aspects that other games like MLB The Show open up to gamers. I believe that the games that allow complete customization will flourish while others that hide behind the "shield" or the "logo" will flounder.
# 6
balljonesjr @ Apr 24
This may be odd but am I the only person that is annoyed because in 2 football games in this day in age (madden13, ncaa 13) REFS DON'T THROW FLAGS!!! Penalties are called but they don't throw flags. Also refs should be part of the game like in FIFA. I shouldn't run through a ref and the ref stumbles and I don't.
# 8
MRJAM70 @ Apr 25
EA just stop giving us gimmicks and try to make the game as close to the real thing as possible. Every year we get a feature that is considered new but its nothing but features from previous madden games.
# 9
damedash @ Apr 27
No more exclusive licenses...this will allow us not to put all of our focus and attention on one football game. If I were EA I would love to get rid of that pressure.
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No exclusive licenses, no contracts with pro-athletes to market/use them, just the cost for the foundation of the game to be built.
If folks think EA won't follow the same pattern they did with this console, they're just fooling themselves.
It will enter just like M06 did, in that it was watered down on the premise that they were building on top of new consoles which allowed them to slowly (@ $60 by the way) re-introduce PS2/Xbox features as new for this console. Same pattern will be followed as the only football available on next consoles with the same lame excuses at probably a more expensive price.
The junp will not be no were near meeting the level the NBA 2k and The Show has set.
Administration will ride this train until something else or a Generic version comes along.