Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

[Steve_OS]

Though some who watched the first gameplay videos of Madden 18 may have been quick to dismiss...

Written By: Kevin Scott

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[Kanobi]

Visually, Madden 18 is very impressive. It's once everything starts moving that is the problem. At this point, on current gen hardware, there shouldn't be remants of player movement and interaction from previous gen versions of Madden, yet that remains the case.

I applaud the positive tone of the author. Madden 18 is improved over '17. No argument there. But the game...the series as a whole just isn't where it should be at this point in terms of the on-field product.

What good are the visual enhancements when the game still fails to form a realistic pocket around the QB or come remotely close to duplicating the war in the trenches. And tackling? Where is the sense of momentum, explosion and high impact?

Where's the reward for controlling Kam Chancellor only to deliver powder puff, wrap-up tackles instead of *bone- rattling, tone-setting hits?

The fact that there exist console football games that are now +10 years and one to two console generations old that DO/DID deliver these vital and requisite aspects of football should have Madden gamers *unified in demanding MUCH more from EA....and not accepting anything *less.

[Toupal]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

The only thing I care about improving right now is Franchise.

Franchise for Madden 17 was alright.

I expected more from Madden 18, and got nothing.

If they keep on taking these baby steps, we might get the madden we want by about Madden 2050.

[seasprite]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Thank you for that constructive post. [emoji21]

Sent from my SM-N920R7 using Tapatalk

Tried to report it, but something isn't working with the report function. No place for filth like that here.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

What good are the visual enhancements when the game still fails to form a realistic pocket around the QB or come remotely close to duplicating the war in the trenches. And tackling? Where is the sense of momentum, explosion and high impact?

Where's the reward for controlling Kam Chancellor only to deliver powder puff, wrap-up tackles instead of *bone- rattling, tone-setting hits?

The fact that there exist console football games that are now +10 years and one to two console generations old that DO/DID deliver these vital and requisite aspects of football should have Madden gamers *unified in demanding MUCH more from EA....and not accepting anything *less.

Are you actually playing the game? Because these two complaints don't seem valid to me at all. Pockets are not a problem. And they brought back a nice BOOM on big hits this year. It's different than before, but there is a deep bass thump when deliver one. I think that is the trade-off with the NFL. They don't want the bone crushing sound because of the CTE issue. But the new sound works just fine, providing that thumping feeling when you lay a good hit.

[cheddabob7502]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Are you actually playing the game? Because these two complaints don't seem valid to me at all. Pockets are not a problem. And they brought back a nice BOOM on big hits this year. It's different than before, but there is a deep bass thump when deliver one. I think that is the trade-off with the NFL. They don't want the bone crushing sound because of the CTE issue. But the new sound works just fine, providing that thumping feeling when you lay a good hit.

I concur with your statement. Hit stick depends on positioning this year. Hell i caught a pass with Carlos Hyde in the flats and (LOW AND BEHOLD) Kam chancellor knocked me off my feet and caused a fumble. Then a later on in the fourth he had an angle on my wr (goodwin) and i out ran him and no suction tackle like i was expecting.

So far 18 is an upgrade and quite fun to play so far. On sim anyway. Haven't tried H2H or arcade yet (waiting for release). I can actually tell the difference running with different skill positions than last year.

[NFLBULLY84]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Are you actually playing the game? Because these two complaints don't seem valid to me at all. Pockets are not a problem. And they brought back a nice BOOM on big hits this year. It's different than before, but there is a deep bass thump when deliver one. I think that is the trade-off with the NFL. They don't want the bone crushing sound because of the CTE issue. But the new sound works just fine, providing that thumping feeling when you lay a good hit.

I agree on sim I got a pretty solid pocket formed quite a few times and it surprised me. That said, he is still correct. Madden is an eyesore in motion, way to many hery janky jerky animations, I could post gifs for days. I really feel like a new locomotion system is in dire need.

I like Madden 18 over-all though. I feel the franchise needs to do A TON more to its Franchise mode though as that is all I play.

[Boling4Humor]

Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

I plan on doing a suggestion by Millennium, I'm just going to wait for a used copy on eBay so I'm not giving EA any of my money because I personally don't feel they deserved it this year.

Do I have to wait a little longer to get it? Yes, but that's just the way it is and I can live with that.

EDIT: it wasn't millennium it was Aholbert. My bad. [emoji51]

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[Rocky]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

I feel the same way about this Madden that I do many other Madden's save maybe M25 and M16 with one caveat.

If you really love Madden and you're a competitive/MUT player, you're going to love Madden 18. The gameplay was really cleaned up and there is still a pretty nice, balanced rating system at play even on Competitive.

If you really love Madden and you're a franchise or offline player, you're still going to love Madden but not as much as you want to. I'm already tired of the presentation besides the commentary and the intros. The base presentation package has been unchanged since Madden 15. The anger at CFM has kinda took the heat away from presentation going relatively untouched for years (not even getting to the fact that the NFL is the number 1 TV show on 5 networks, why would they ever not stick to a true TV broadcast style? Blows my mind.)
We all know about CFM. So essentially you're love for the game and what is has added has to be outweighed by what is now boring and stale to some of us.

If you think Madden is a fine, serviceable NFL game but no something that blows your socks off (which is where zI kinda fall), then it's still a fine, serviceable game. Again, the improvements are great but the lack of CFM may be unforgivable since the gameplay doesn't exactly hold your interests

If you hate Madden, the you have tons of ammo to unload on the game.

[soonermagic88]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Madden 18... Same pig, new frostbite makeup.

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[JKSportsGamer1984]

"there are still issues that persist with collision detection at times, as it’s not uncommon to see players’ limbs going through bodies. "
This is my biggest issue with the gameplay.  The game just looks unpolished at times which really hurts immersion.  I really wish EA would focus on cleaning up player physics & eliminating all the excessive player clipping.  It really holds the game back in my opinion.

[Americas Team]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Finally a fair unbias impression.

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[OhMrHanky]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

Finally a fair unbias impression.

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Operation Sports mobile app

Lol. Yeah, it's so tough to be unbiased with madden for me, anyways, after years and years of waiting for a game worth playing. [emoji6]

But, I will say, for sure, graphics are #1 of any madden. I mentioned in another thread they look clean, crisp, and FOCUSED. It's like getting a new pair of glasses when u didn't know u needed them. lol. This game is absolutely in focus and crisp, sharp, clean.

The jukes! The jukes finally work correctly!!!! Holy [emoji90]. I'll never say anything is perfect, but I gotta admit these jukes are responsive and effective. The first kickoff return I had in M18, I performed a spin move around the first defender, normal juked right and shrugged off the next defender (totally realistic, btw, not cheap, very realistic, especially for a kick returner), ran another 20 yards as I was looking at 2 defenders coming from the left, I gave em a precision juke that was GORGEOUS. And, again, it was totally realistic based on the spacing. And I used to hate the whole 'precision' juking concept, but now that it works correctly, I love it, and I simply love all the jukes working appropriately.

The gameplay is def at an all time high. But, I'm jaded after years of substandard gameplay with this series. Lol. And, the whole longshot/NBA live/marketing/etc, this year, ea has just finally killed my spirit. The lack of CFM improvements. I really don't think they should've wasted any time on Longshot. It's completely unneeded when u don't even have a fully functional CFM. And, I know Rex has mentioned some Longshot stuff could be added to CFM, I would've appreciated that more if they simply did that instead. And, I'm not necessarily saying to just have put Longshot in CFM. I'm saying they should've put the resources and/or something similar to Longshot, maybe into CFM as a story becoming a draft pick or whatever. And, put those CGI resources into making a top flight weekly wrap up show or something instead of making the movie, u know?

So, for me, it's a complicated set of items. And, it's really disappointing, actually, that 18's gameplay is the best madden I've seen to date. Lol. But, their marketing/Longshot/etc, I finally just can't take ea seriously anymore. They get $30 out of me every year with ea access. And, that has worked out. I just got Titan fall 2 and battlefield 1 in the vault. So, that is actually worth it. I just wish I didn't want to play the new football game during the season, or I'd wait till it's in the vault, too. But, I'll buy it used in a few weeks, I think.

So, I'm trying to be unbiased about it. This prob will be the greatest madden, ever, and some of the gameplay improvements normally would warrant a day one purchase for me. But, it's the brand I kind of despise at this point. Lol.


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[Big FN Deal]

Re: Madden NFL 18: Initially It Seems A Step (But Not a Leap) Forward

I feel the same way about this Madden that I do many other Madden's save maybe M25 and M16 with one caveat.

If you really love Madden and you're a competitive/MUT player, you're going to love Madden 18. The gameplay was really cleaned up and there is still a pretty nice, balanced rating system at play even on Competitive.

If you really love Madden and you're a franchise or offline player, you're still going to love Madden but not as much as you want to. I'm already tired of the presentation besides the commentary and the intros. The base presentation package has been unchanged since Madden 15. The anger at CFM has kinda took the heat away from presentation going relatively untouched for years (not even getting to the fact that the NFL is the number 1 TV show on 5 networks, why would they ever not stick to a true TV broadcast style? Blows my mind.)
We all know about CFM. So essentially you're love for the game and what is has added has to be outweighed by what is now boring and stale to some of us.

If you think Madden is a fine, serviceable NFL game but no something that blows your socks off (which is where zI kinda fall), then it's still a fine, serviceable game. Again, the improvements are great but the lack of CFM may be unforgivable since the gameplay doesn't exactly hold your interests

If you hate Madden, the you have tons of ammo to unload on the game.

Imo, you left out the segment I fall in which is disappointed in Madden due to all the seeming untapped NFL potential. There are elements outside of the actual game of Madden that I despise but when it comes to the game itself, I'm disappointed at what I see as multiple years of squandered opportunities, to create something epic in gaming. Even for those that have a far more favorable or less critical POV about Madden than I do, I think there should be reasonable agreement after 13 years, two console generations and countless tech advancements, Madden as a whole, could be so much football better than it is now. Pointing to almost anything about football replication done better or done period one to two past console generations ago, should be absurd but that's not the case.

Taking the premise of the review and flipping it, I see Madden 18 being considered Madden 17.5 or any previous Madden .5 as a disappointment. I'm would love to see a Madden, say Madden 19 for example, that it could be argued that it seems like Madden 22 because it has made that big of a leap from the general pace of the past 13 editions. To anyone that would try to propose that's an unreasonable expectation for any reason other than EA Tib chooses to not provide that, I point out that nothing it would theoretically take to make Madden 19 seem like Madden 22 to me, hasn't already been done before. It just all hasn't been put into one NFL package and I wish EA Tib would take advantage of that.

Madden 18 has some stunning visuals and like various editions before it, some solid elements scattered throughout, all of which make the numerous consistent issues more frustrating. I would like to play a Madden with stunning visuals, numerous consistent solid NFL elements and understandably scattered issues throughout.

[Hjkflannel]

It sounds rash but for me it begins and ends with AI, with how well 17 felt in many key areas it felt like AI was the thing to push it into elite territory (in my opinion and for the offline gamer). When you feel the computer and especially the cpu quarterback is playing in such an undynamic way, not reacting to what you are doing and simply following a flawed script, it takes away immersion on a level that any number of fancy presentation elements or animations can't hide. It's a shame to hear it's an area that hasn't seen much improvement.