Madden NFL 17 Review (Xbox One)

[MrBill]

The comment about not much attention being paid to CFM this cycle is completely off base. There weren't a lot of visual changes to it but there was a ton of resources dedicated to CFM in Orlando.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrBill

The comment about not much attention being paid to CFM this cycle is completely off base. There weren't a lot of visual changes to it but there was a ton of resources dedicated to CFM in Orlando.

A Mr. Bill sighting, good to see you Mr. Bill.

[MrPinkBlackrose]

Question:

I haven't purchased Madden since Madden 15 but decided to try out the EA Access trial this year. It seems to me that the "Legends" are now not a selectable option in Offline Franchise and are only available in MUT. Is that correct?? Thanks in advance

[bucky60]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrBill

The comment about not much attention being paid to CFM this cycle is completely off base. There weren't a lot of visual changes to it but there was a ton of resources dedicated to CFM in Orlando.

Hey Mr. Bill. How you been?

Start a M17 CFM thread on that other site and I'll tell you just what I think about the changes.

I watched the Favre HOF induction. Darn cool. Feel bad for the field paint guy.

[BSemps90]

Would love to know if you can change teams in franchise mode and play one side of the ball for both teams like in the Maddens before this generation of consoles. Has anyone heard ?

[cmehustle]

Quote: Originally Posted by BezO

Poor, binary player interaction. You mentioned the pocket, but left out the lacking dynamics. It's still basically win or lose. I'm not seeing pockets collapse, for example. And DEs still get up field way too slow. Despite gap assignments, contain is almost non-existant. One of the hardest things to do in the NFL is to take the corner. I'm seeing this happen regularly in vids I'm watching. Stretches & tosses still look like the go to run play. And QBs still escape the pocket too easily. When there is contain, it's only because the d-linemen or OLB disengaged. They can't maintain outside leverage while engaged. Very binary. Despite the emphasis on special teams, still no gunner interaction. In the NFL, those guys try to engage the gunner asap and keep him from getting up field. In Madden, blocker(s) turn, run and set up blocks near the returner. More special teams, the o-line on field goals are still pass blocking instead of the bend don't break style used in the NFL. I'm sure there's some things I won't notice in a vid, but the only special teams improvements I see are a new kick meter and designated punt/FG blockers. Footwork is still poor. Still no tiered defensive play calling. A lot of stiff animations that standout against the newer ones. Defensive matchups? No huddle / hurry offense differentiation, and players still get to the LOS too fast. No short yardage blocking animations. No special teams depth chart? No SOLB/WOLB or SS/FS alignment. I'm going to stop before I turn this into my wishlist.

Yes, this. The short yardage run game alone is and always has been horrible. They just block like a regular play. If you watch short yardage or goal line runs in the NFL everyone goes low, trying to out 'low' each other simply because low man wins. In pass blocking, DE's or OLB rushing on the outside almost always end up farther back then the QB, probably because humans run faster running forwards then they do back pedaling. Except in Madden. Lineman for some reason cannot pass block and move backwards at the same time. So it forms a wall. Still. In 2016. Im so over the wall. Madden badly needs to work on O line and D line interactions. And I swear if I see a LB jump and intercept a pass intended for a reciever ten yards behind him this season, Im going to just play my 2K.

[cmehustle]

Man, Im a guy that wants the most realistic representation of football possible. 2K has come close in basketball, and I respect the fact that different teams play differently, and the ratings actually matter. Its defintely far from arcadey. Madden on the other hand has seemed to go the other way. The whole Oline Dline thing just doesnt work for me. WR CB interaction has gotten a lot better. Still though, no true pocket where a QB has to step up, All runs are to the outside. Exactly the opposite of actual football. EA needs to simply work on this aspect alone for the next game.

[Izzy Snow]

This is the best review I've read online so far. Well done! I agree with everything you said based on the 5 hours I've put into the game so far.