Polygon: Sports Game of the Year 2017 - Madden 18

[JayhawkerStL]

Owen Good and Samit Sarkar have gone with Madden 18 as Polygon's 2017's Sports Game of the Year.

Quote:

Owen: Here is where I think sports games in 2017 have to be judged by what lingered in your mind the longest, whether it was for fun or for the memories. The big standard-bearers of the genre largely resembled what had come in the previous year. But man, did Madden NFL 18’s Longshot stay with me. It has its share of sports-movie hokum, but I’m still struck by the gumption in its approach. This is a story mode for the NFL’s video game, and it involves no NFL team, not one play in the league. It takes balls to pitch that, to write it, greenlight it and get it all approved by the league. So many times, sports video games celebrate a result: a championship, an individual award, a career filled with greatness or a singularly thrilling moment. Longshot, more than any other sports video game I’ve played, earnestly and honestly celebrated process — and left the player valuing what they had learned about themselves. American football is a deeply troubled institution, but if the sport has any cultural virtue left, it is that journey of self-discovery for those who play it. For that reason, Madden NFL 18 is my sports video game of the year. Samit: I can’t argue with that — Longshot was the biggest risk EA has taken in years with Madden, and it worked. Madden NFL 18 takes the crown as Polygon’s sports video game of the year for 2017!

As much as I have enjoyed Madden this year, I have hard time believing NBA 2K18 or MLB The Show 17 were not strong entires. And really, NBA Live 18 is getting most of my sports gaming time. I also think that NHL 18's Threes was a bigger risk, and paid off a lot better than Longshot.

But man, combine that with The Sixth Access also choosing Madden 18 as it's Sports Game of the Year, also in large part due to the "success" of Longshot, and the strong sales of the game so far, sim gamers are going to have a hard time convincing the the powers that be that Madden 18 is an abomination that needs to be completely reworked.

[gr18]

So they're all saying that Longshot is enough to make it sports game of the year.Pretty sad imo that they use such simple standards in evaluating but whatever.

[Darth Aegis]

So basically they got it because of Longshot? Give me a break, The Show & NBA2k blow this game away by a mile in ever aspect. These two must be very casual arcade players and throw the game in once a month. No wonder why Madden is in the state its in. Polygon lost my respect thats for sure. Politics have to be involved in this one....

[RogueHominid]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaReal Milticket

So basically they got it because of Longshot? Give me a break, The Show & NBA2k blow this game away by a mile in ever aspect. These two must be very casual arcade players and throw the game in once a month. No wonder why Madden is in the state its in. Polygon lost my respect thats for sure. Politics have to be involved in this one....

Is there any chance these reviews are “bought” or otherwise influenced?

I can understand that many folks might find Long Shot interesting, but it’s hard for me to imagine that the feature is so good that it single handedly beats out games that are much more robust and realistic.

[JoshC1977]

If someone wanted to argue M18 GOTY...ok, fine. But to argue it's because of Longshot...a 3-4 hour mode with bad gameplay mechanics, mediocre story, bad writing, cliched/shallow characters, etc...that's laughable IMO. And I'm someone that enjoys watching semi-hokey sports movies....

[Corstaad]

Reads like its click bait. Post something absurd to get people talking.

[Darth Aegis]

Quote: Originally Posted by JoshC1977

If someone wanted to argue M18 GOTY...ok, fine. But to argue it's because of Longshot...a 3-4 hour mode with bad gameplay mechanics, mediocre story, bad writing, cliched/shallow characters, etc...that's laughable IMO. And I'm someone that enjoys watching semi-hokey sports movies....

Problem is Longshot isnt going away anytime soon and if thats all they need to do is a story mode and they win sports game of year, boy us Sim gamers are in trouble with this franchise.

[Armor and Sword]

LMFAO.......LMFAO......really?