Amazing..a 4 yr old, $5 game is better then Madden 08

[Holic]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jigsaw

At this point Holic, the graphics could be just a tad bit better and I wouldn't care. I haven't touched Madden in such a long time that I can't wait to pick this up within the next day at Gamestop.

Good luck with that, I've searched everywhere in Athens with no luck today. I sold Madden about a week ago. Got tired of waiting on a patch to "fix" the game. I'm still somewhat enjoying NCAA.

I just bought the game for $2 on eBay, with $3 shipping. $5 gets me the game, and I don't waste any gas to get it. Looking forward to playing it all over again when it gets here.

[Spectre]

Quote: Originally Posted by sportyguyfl31

just fired up a fantasy draft franchise..man this is fun..

That is probably what I'm going to do because I lack an Xport. I think I'll enjoy it.

This will certainly hold me over until that forsaken contract (hopefully) runs out

[dan77733]

I just want to chime in about why Madden 2008 received higher than waranted ratings.

Go back to when 2K5 was released and Madden 2005 a few weeks afterwards. Notice how all the reviews and ratings favor Madden but then, over the last two years with 2006 and 2007, the reviews and ratings were still good but were lower than it was beforehand. Now, look at the reviews and ratings for Madden 2008 and they amazingly someway somehow increased over 2006 and 2007 despite the game still being the same piece of crap that it was the previous two years. There's an easy reason for this - APF 2K8. Granted, 2K8 has a fictional league and players but it's still competition from 2K sports and VC and much like 2K5 did makes EA crap their pants in fear because they know that VC blows away Tirubon in nearly every aspect. If APF 2K9 gets released next summer, you'll see higher reviews and ratings for Madden where as if there's no 2K9, Madden will receive lower ratings and just average reviews like it did with 2006 and 2007 because there's no competition. Sure, some may say that EA wants high ratings every year but without any competition, there's no reason for them to push websites and magazines because they know that the majority will just buy their crappy game anyway.

Bottom line is this - Madden scores lower ratings when there's no other football game available but scores higher ratings when they have competition.

P.S. - 2K5 > Madden next gen, easily.

[slickdtc]

Even though I'm not on the next generation systems, I caught the NFL 2k5 bug a few days ago. I still have my Washington Redskins franchise save and I jumped right into it and had an amazing game.

I've said it since I saw the NFL license thing, I will keep this game until the license runs out and probably after. This game was a landmark game not only in the world of sports video games, but in the world of video games in general. It was something else.

[spankdatazz22]

Quote: Originally Posted by dan77733

Sure, some may say that EA wants high ratings every year but without any competition, there's no reason for them to push websites and magazines because they know that the majority will just buy their crappy game anyway.

I agree w/the general tone of your post, but I do think ratings are important to EA - and any publisher for that matter. Imo there should be far more alarms going off given what's happened with Gamespot this past week because regardless of what some want to say, ratings influence purchasing decisions. Particularly those that are on the fence. If you go back to the week before Madden released, I saw many posts where people were qualifying their decision to buy based on the early 9+'s the game was receiving, as well as the "Madden's back" statements being thrown around by people that had the game early. No one questioned the timing of those ratings being released, or the consistent overall tone of many of those reviews.

While Madden has scored lower than it used to in the PS2-era, the question is whether those high review scores were deserved anyway. 2K5 is the same game that released in July 04. It's the same game that was rated a tenth or two of a point above below Madden 05 by various gaming sites. So, was Madden overrated during those years? I don't see people running out to buy Madden 05/04/03. But if the ratings are to be believed, there really isn't that much difference between the titles - or Madden was rated slightly better during those years.

The ratings issue is grating to me because we've been complaining about it for years. And unfortunately there's likely nothing that can be done. And games like Super Mario Galaxy or Mass Effect which seem to legitimately earn their high ratings are then called to question because of the shadiness of some companies and some of the websites reviewing their products. Or maybe everyone does it. Either way, the system in place right now can't be trusted. But I'm sure when IGN gives Madden '09 a 9.1, people will point to that as enough reason to buy the game once again, despite what this year's game was. If EA's lack of proclaiming another record year is any indication though, maybe one ray of light in this whole mess is that so-called casual gamers realize they're being fed garbage and are slowly deciding not to make Madden and automatic purchase every year. And maybe, just maybe, there's slight hope that the NFL will opt for competition versus exclusivity. But given the NFL's greed, I doubt it.

[HealyMonster]

I am seriously hoping that with all the TV drama regarding the NFL network/sunday ticket as well as the MLB debacle that happened last summer will start to deter the pro leagues from getting into exclusive contracts. It doesnt seem as though they are popular with the fans and seems to be causeing them stupid drama. It may have no impact, but it seems as though any time the NFL or MLB talks exclusive this or that it comes with alot of negative press.lately.

On a side note, i know EA throws alot of money at the NFL for the license but wouldnt the NFL make more mony off the product if there were 2 of them? i mean imagine if the NFL signed a deal with nike to have an "exclusive" hat. then next season there was only 1 NFL hat that came out. even though Nike paid the NFL for the rights i would have to think the NFL would lose money in the long run due to the fact that they got most of their profit from that 1 product and then thats it whereas if there are 15 hats year after year there will be more income from all the products.

if NFL put a price on the license meaning if they charged EA and 2K and anyone else that wanted an NFL game a certain price and let them both make NFL games. alot of people would buy both games. regardless, there is alot more "product" on the street and in the longrun will make nmore money than what EA threw at them. I also think the "negative" press will go away quite a bi as if madden sucks or nfl 2kx sucks there is another product so the consumer is like madden sucks go 2k or 2k sucks go madden. as opposed to ea and the nfl suck for being greedy. in the long run we pay these people all of their money, i cant see the NFL re uping with EA. I think there may be some type of "special treatnment" to EA in a few years but i dont see madden being the only NFL game in a few years simply because its upsetting alot of ppl, alot of fans, and i dont think it has worked out the way the NFL and EA had planned for it to work out. Of course I could be having visionsof Grandier but I think that madden 06,07,and 08 has sucked bad enough for the NFL to end this issue when its time to re up.

PS how many people would be playing madden 05 if there were no NFL games period after that year? how many are playing nfl 2k5 with 6 versions of madden(next gen/old gen) available. its madden 08 next gen vs NFL 2K5 old gen and that is absolutly ridiculous

[sportyguyfl31]

Quote: Originally Posted by Spectre

That is probably what I'm going to do because I lack an Xport. I think I'll enjoy it. This will certainly hold me over until that forsaken contract (hopefully) runs out

only bug with the fantasy draft though is that youll occasionally see teams having odd players returning punts..like their qb lol

[DaImmaculateONe]

Quote: Originally Posted by dan77733

I just want to chime in about why Madden 2008 received higher than waranted ratings. Go back to when 2K5 was released and Madden 2005 a few weeks afterwards. Notice how all the reviews and ratings favor Madden but then, over the last two years with 2006 and 2007, the reviews and ratings were still good but were lower than it was beforehand. Now, look at the reviews and ratings for Madden 2008 and they amazingly someway somehow increased over 2006 and 2007 despite the game still being the same piece of crap that it was the previous two years. There's an easy reason for this - APF 2K8. Granted, 2K8 has a fictional league and players but it's still competition from 2K sports and VC and much like 2K5 did makes EA crap their pants in fear because they know that VC blows away Tirubon in nearly every aspect. If APF 2K9 gets released next summer, you'll see higher reviews and ratings for Madden where as if there's no 2K9, Madden will receive lower ratings and just average reviews like it did with 2006 and 2007 because there's no competition. Sure, some may say that EA wants high ratings every year but without any competition, there's no reason for them to push websites and magazines because they know that the majority will just buy their crappy game anyway. Bottom line is this - Madden scores lower ratings when there's no other football game available but scores higher ratings when they have competition. P.S. - 2K5 > Madden next gen, easily.

Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong,
Madden 05 was released first before Nfl 2k5. That why had they had to drop there price from 49.99 to 39.99 right after Nfl 2k5 came out cause they couldnt compete.