Madden NFL 18 Retail Impressions

[TeamHawkins]

Another year, another week or two of Madden, then I'm done. Last year, by the time I got done with the MUT solo challenges, I had enough. This year I won't be completing them all, because I've already had enough. I don't care how many engines they claim they're using. The one thing that remains consistent, is the same wonky animations, and the same excessive cheating CPU A.I.

Considering MUT is where EA spends most it's time each year lately, they should have this down by now. Arcade, Sim, it doesn't matter. No computer team or player, plays to it's rating. All of them have 99 Awareness, 99 speed, 99 tackle etc, that's hidden behind the visual rating. Depending on which drill you need to complete. The computer becomes obsessed with cheating you. It's not fun, and it's not realistic football. It's a cheese fest. Madden has taught kids for years how to cheese, and not learn the game. I actually completed all the drills last year, all be it very frustrated, and now this year, having completed about 50+ solo challenges.. cheesing my way through them I see nothing has changed. Because my 85 receivers can't catch passes all of a sudden when I need 150 yards passing to complete the drill. Or they can't beat man coverage against a CPU defender with a 70 rating and poor Man Cov rating. Or they drop a pass after finally beating the guy, only to have him speed cheat and swat the ball out of their hands everytime. My WRs are constantly diving to the ground after catches simply so I can't run after a deep pass when I finally do catch one. This no matter what button I press. It's almost like it's predetermined again.

I don't care what the sliders do. Sliders are for Franchise. I don't even bother with it anymore if the core game is this bad to begin with, because that forces you to one game mode so sliders work in your favor. I don't like EA forcing me into Arcade style play in drills either, when I chose Sim at the start of the game. Then Sim doesn't play like Sim anyway. It's just a mess. It's my stubborn attitude to beat the cheating computer that got me through so many drills. But why make one drill Arcade, and the next Drill Sim? Even though they play identical, what was the point of this in development?

I've seen so many mirror animations, I find it hard to accept that this is a new engine. It's not possible. You can't have a new engine, but the same Madden animations from 6 years ago. User running is atrocious. You can't get anything done. Every RB I've used feels like they're running in quicksand. All of them! From Crowell, to Tomlinson, to Shane Vareen, to Bo Jackson. They all run horrible. The only running attack that's potent is the QB. I hate this kind of gameplay cheese. I've always been a guy whether online, or in Franchise, to average 150+ on the ground with my RB. Period.

In the trenches is still just as bad as years past. Linemen letting guys blow right through. Computer defenders all knowing exactly when and where you're going to hit a button to make a move. My spin animations going in the wrong direction, or being stopped mid spin, and warped into a tackle animation in favor of the computer. Computer RB's all run like the wind. All juke like Eric Metcalf or Devin Hester, no matter their size. It's just fake.

I completed the Longshot mode, and then did a lot of the Journey. I ended up stopping as it was boring and a waste of time. I unlocked Wade and Cruise at 83 ovr.

Outcomes of tackles are still predetermined. Outcomes of games are predetermined. One team will play far above the other team at kickoff. You can feel the difference. Your controller vibrating. Players running extremely slow. Nothing works in your favor no matter how good you are. Warped tackling is still incredibly bad. But how? New engine? Same warping tackles? SMH What are they doing in Orlando every year?

I upgrade many positions to 80+ rated guys, thinking my team will play better, or players will play better. No. The computer, no matter how much better your team is, or your players have a mismatch advantage, still wins, just to cheat you out of completing a drill. This is not fun. It's ridiculous and annoying. I want to enjoy the game, not get frustrated because I know I'm going to be cheated everytime I pick a Game Mode, or kick the ball off. So now I have to figure out ways to cheese, just to compete. This is not football. It's not sim.

People are already selling 58 rated players for 200,000 coins in the Auction, meaning they bought coins from 3rd party sites. So while I'm frustrating myself playing the cheesy drills for weeks.... Little Johnny spends $20 and builds his team to 80+ ovr instantly. So I can't compete in the other modes unless I pay, or I'll be weeks behind. This is supposed to be fun?

I've seen a multitude of my players standing around. This should not even exist as an animation, let alone be seen to begin with. I've also seen the DB's not reacting to the ball at all. The WR's have done so in certain moments as well. Just no reaction like they aren't part of the play. I've seen D-linemen stutter at the point of attack, when they clearly have the step on the O-lineman. So yes, this is still in the game. There won't be any Myles Garrett first step sacks because the game forces him into a stutter. I've seen D-linemen get to the QB, and do a ring-a-round the rosie animation JUST so you won't sack the CPU QB.

CPU QB snap the ball, how are WR's INSTANTLY open down field? 3 yards, 5 yards, even 20 yards they are almost instantly open like warping to the spot, and my DB's are always a step or two behind. Overall this just looks bad. The gameplay in general just looks really bad to me.

My rating for this is C+

[callmetaternuts]

Deuce, I don't have Madden (yet). What are Prescott's traits and what are his ratings that would matter. Also, what sliders and such are you using?

Edit: This is in reply to your post with the two gifs on Das scrambling.

[mtmetcalfe]

Here are my initial thoughts so far.

Cons
-Animation overrides ratings. I.e. Defender will be trucked then recover and make tackle
-Still not the difference in players I'm wanting to see. I feel like a can throw any player into any system regardless of who it is.
-The difference is QBs is still horrible. Most important position in sports needs much attention to it.
-This kind of plays to the comments on the quarterback position but they really need to add back in dynamic player performance and some kind of confidence rating that really sets the good players apart from the bad one despite physical talent.
-Tackle battle tutorial non functional. Continuous loop of no tackle battle initiating.
-Stuttering and slow down in the gameplay every few plays.
-Injury notification isn't displayed on screen when injuries happen.
-Gameplan was something I was really excited for in '17 but it is largely useless and unchanged for '18
-CPU AI is the biggest legacy issue of all. I can run drags and slants all day and each AI opponent feels like the last.



Pros
-Feels like player rating do stand out on the offensive line.
-Off the ball injuries/tuning has added an important depth to the game. I feel the need to not over use my players because I'm afraid of losing them to an injury. Still rather simple system but still appreciating this feature.
-Feels like a much tighter version of '17.
-Noticed improved lighting and graphics immediately.
-Nice improvement on how much field you can cover with one player. I've been caught a few times not covering my assignment and there's really no recovering when that happens.

Don't play mut so can't comment on that.
Probably won't try Longshot. It isn't a reason I play video game football so can't comment on that either.

If you're a franchise guy I honestly can't say it's worth upgrading over '17. If Best Buy wasn't running that sweet deal where you end up paying $25 for Madden I would probably be disappointed with my purchase.

If I were to score this game I would put in the 6.5~7 range.

[TexasFan2005]

One minor gripe, but on PS4 PRO, there is typically at least one hiccup during replays and it's more noticeable during a long pass or run. It's more a case of warping than it is choppiness (again, on the PRO),where the ball/player will skip ahead. For whatever reason, this is never noticeable during actual gameplay, which makes me wonder if it's the replay system that doesn't register the action well. Really hope they can take a look at this and create a patch for it, because a lot of the replays look awesome thanks to the graphics.

[bad_philanthropy]

I would really like pass rush moves to be moved back to the right stick. It doesn't feel very organic using a button plus LS. With RS you could have basic moves and then more complex ones that you execute with gestures on the stick like skill moves in FIFA and only certain players could execute the more devastating moves.

[Armor and Sword]

CPU RB’s are really good this year with jukes and spins...really good.

I love user jukes and spins. I feel in total control again and they are highly responsive. I am pulling off some ankle breaking spins and jukes and the running game is the best it has ever been in the series.


I am now 2 weeks into my Dolphins CFM.

Week one was a slugfest vs the Bucs. A huge defensive battle for 3 quarters. It was 3-3 at halftime!!!!

We ended up pulling it out 20-15.

Week two we went to L.A. to face The Bolts. Rivers engineered a game winning TD drive with 2 minutes left to beat us 32-25. Melvin Gordon was fantastic as well as Keenen Allen, Gates and Tyrell Williams. Rivers was brilliant. And stepping up in the pocket out of trouble. We only managed 1 sack.

Tweaked some penalty sliders and fatigue.......and edited Rivers QB type from pocket to balanced. All pocket QB’s will not be edited to balanced. It did wonders.

Feeling my wheelhouse with Madden 18.

Hopefully they patch the stuttering on replays on the next update......I have to “X” through them because it is awful.

[fballturkey]

I don't understand how clock management is still so bad for the AI. I just had a game ruined/cheapened by it.

I'll start with end of the first half. This didn't "ruin" anything but just happens way too often. They got the ball with about 30 seconds on their own 20. First play is a pass attempt that goes incomplete. Fine. Second play they run the ball. Also fine, no problem with the AI deciding to go to the locker room. They pick up about 5, so now they're at their own 25. Then they hurry up to the line and run a deep pass play just before the clock expires. Make up your mind! It went incomplete.

I had a good back and forth game going with the Rams, lots of defense which I haven't seen much of since starting my CFM. They got the ball with two minutes left, down three, and went on a good drive. They got the ball to my 10 with two time outs and 20 seconds. Alright, time to keep them out of the endzone and make it to OT. They run the ball up the middle. Ok, setting up the FG, whatever, that's fine. The offense comes back out as the clock ticks down. I'm screaming at my TV even though I'm 'benefiting.' They snap the ball with three seconds left and it's another run and by the time he's tackled it's game over.

Absolutely infuriating an honestly things like this can kill CFMs. This one since it was regular season doesn't bother me as much but if this sort of thing pushed me into a Superbowl I would probably just quit because I'd never feel right about it.

[JKSportsGamer1984]

Quote: Originally Posted by TexasFan2005

One minor gripe, but on PS4 PRO, there is typically at least one hiccup during replays and it's more noticeable during a long pass or run. It's more a case of warping than it is choppiness (again, on the PRO),where the ball/player will skip ahead. For whatever reason, this is never noticeable during actual gameplay, which makes me wonder if it's the replay system that doesn't register the action well. Really hope they can take a look at this and create a patch for it, because a lot of the replays look awesome thanks to the graphics.

Yeah I'm definitely noticing the stuttering during replays on the PS4 PRO. This needs to be patched asap along with numerous other bugs (see Bugs/Glitches thread).