.:[]:.Madden NFL 12 Demo (My impressions).:[]:.

I see alot of people loving the demo and I don't know how to post the problems that I have found without being labeld a h8ter. I would love for some of the issues that I have found to be incidental but to me (a madden gamer since 95) they are more profound than the casual player and I would even go so far as to call them "legacy issues". I know this isn't the final build and people will scream nit picker but when you see these things every release it's hard to forget them or even let them slide. That being said here it is

Pros:
-The opening introduction is fine
-the players and stadium look fine
-the grass, transitional lighting and dirty uniforms are also fine.

Those are the only positives I can really give the demo having played it all day (all pro). Even though my account was permenantly banned from EA, I was still intrigued enough to still buy the game 8/30/11 but after playing the demo, I have decided that I can go another year without having an NFL game (didn't buy 11 but played it for a month).

I couldn't rate DPP because I didn't see any indication that a player was getting better or worse in any of the games I played. Is 5 minute quarters really long enough to see the effects of DPP? I have no idea. Rogers took off a lot but wasn't really gashing me. While playing the Packers, even though Cutler took a beating, he didn't hurry any throws or even run. Like many have stated I saw the QB strafes too fast in the pocket, the all too familiar leaping linebacker intercept passes that clearly should have been out of reach, the psychic ai, and even the DB's running the receivers routes and making perfect cuts before the receivers but that has come to be accepted in Madden.

Cons:

-Too many repetitive animations. It gets old quick. I mean how many times can you watch your DTs get flung to the ground with the same animations before you begin to not even give a spit anymore?

-Replays are still too short. Replays should start before the snap of the ball and finish after whatever celebration animation is playing out...why is this so hard to fix? Maybe it's not a big issue but it's one I see mentioned on the forums a lot.

The selection of replays is also still poor. Why were the 2 replays that were shown at the end of the game 2 kneel downs?
*the play selection box also still pops up preventing you from even seeing the replay at times so why bother even showing the replay?*

Shouldn't every touchdown be a replay? I think so, why is it that I'm down against the Pack 17-0 at the start of the third, Rogers throws a pick, I hit Olson on a streak for a TD, he's rocked but manages to hold on... neither play is replayed.

-Unrealistic injuries: I have seen some WTF moments but this one takes the cake. While playing as the Bears I select a pass play and throw to WR Bennette in the slot who has to jump to make the catch, he is immediately contacted (all hits seem to be knock out blows). He lands on his butt and is injured, they cart him off so I assume he's not coming back. A few moments later the injury is announced as a dislocated ankle...

-I saw an invisible batted ball... that's right something hit the ball that wasn't a player, wasn't on screen and made the ball go straight up in the air. The pass was intended for Olson over the middle Matthews was at the line coming through uncontested, he jumped to swat the ball, but the ball was already 2-3 yards past his hand. The ball hit some type of barrier or something and went straight up... so much for ball physics.

-Players on the sidelines are still manequins and faceless automatons. At least in APF2K8 you could actually hit the players on the sidelines.

-On one passing play only my center decided to block anyone on a 4 man rush. Both my LT,LG,RG,RT decided that they just simply didn't need to block on that play. Had I not also hot routed my RB to block Cutler would surely have been going to the hospital on that play because of the DE that the right side let come completely free. ( 4 man rush no blitz )

-On another passing play I noticed the OLB was lined up wide of my tight end who was to run a slant to the sideline. After my LT had already displayed his incompetence I called a hot route block for the TE. Considering that the OLB was the Tackles responsibility on the play originally you would think that if the TE gets beat that the LT would help...at least that's what I thought. The LT showed a new level of uselessness as he simply moved to the side to let the OLB cream the QB. Some will say well that's gonna happen sometimes, and that could be acceptable had I not also slid my protection to that side. (4 man rush no stunts)


I'm a franchise only player and the additions to franchise mode don't entice me anymore after playing the demo. The gameplay isn't improved enough for me to feel that they make a difference. I like the tackling but haven't seen more than 2 players make contact on a ball carrier even though other players were around at the time of caontact (yeah they still hop around or fall to the ground). There are times where my defense (whether I was the Packers or the Bears) simply don't even attempt to tackle and run right past the ball carrier.

This being the demo, I know there are things that I have been longing for since NFL 2K5 and APF 2K8, that simply won't be in the final version and fans who love this demo will simply blow it off, but I wish there were a real halftime, post game, weekly wrap up show. I simply don't care what is going on around the league in Madden because I have to read it or find out for myself. My franchise team usually goes undefeated to the Super Bowl in Madden so as long as that happens why should I care who is having a Hall of Fame year especially since I can't see any tape on the competition.

I know I'm in the minority, and one thing I've learned from my time surfing these and the EA forums is that either you like the game or you don't and if you don't your not important and your opinion doesn't matter.

I hope I haven't offended anyone with my post and to those who loved the demo... enjoy.