Moostache Reviews Madden NFL 2008 (from MaddenWars) - LOOOOONG!

[NEWYORICAN]

Quote: Originally Posted by QB16

Not a bad review. My only criticism would be that you fell victim to something that many do; making the faux pas of mixing the meanings of presentation and atmosphere together. Although they do harmonize, individually they are two different animals. Presentation is... overlays, commentary, sideline reporting etc. (things that make up a broadcast presentation). Atmosphere is... cheerleaders and sideline activity, crowd activity etc. (things that make up the in-stadium/on-field experience). Personally, I think a person who expects the total package for spending $60 (and they should expect that unless they're crazy) makes good sense for expecting presentation to be better. There is really no excuse for it not to be. It just comes down to whether EA wants to make it a priority or not. Having said that, if they are at least doing SOMETHING with it this year as the reviews indicate, it says to me that they too have seen it as a deficiency and they're working to improve it.

Well said!..I agree

peace
Ernesto

[NEWYORICAN]

Quote: Originally Posted by Moostache

I certainly understand your point about these things being important, and I tried to touch on that just a bit in the review by stating that Madden is more than a single game, it is a multitude of different players and styles and inevitably someone always feels slighted each year....but it has been this way for years; and quite frankly, Madden continues to break sales records year after year and it is a very tough sell to make someone earning record profits and doing record sells to say "You know what, our game is really unacceptably deficient in this area."

It is because they are the only (NFL) game in town!!...especially with the exclusive rights!!. Would have love to see what would have been if not for NFL rights takeover!..so sad!


Peace
Enesto

[Rules]

Flat out that was easily the best review I have read on a sports game! Great job and thanks for posting and writing that up.

[nxt]

Quote: Originally Posted by Leahmic223

Good review... But I don't get why you kinda downplay presentation and the extras that keep people coming back. I think presentation plays a major role in games. It makes games feel more realistic and makes them seem more important. I hear that the Superbowl is just another game from the impressions thread. You see it shouldn't feel like that. It should have a neutral crowd, big intro, and a big exit. Feel like you've accomplished something big instead of winning another game. I guess presentation means nothing to the online gamers since it is just skipped through. But a lot of people that buy their games are the guys that would rather just play franchise and not touch online. When EA finally does implement full fledged presentation...since they are just waiting to base a whole version for it then you will notice how much of a difference it is. I mean every board I go to people complain about the PA announcer...people do care about presentation. I guess they are adding little things here and there (top 5 plays and Faulk) but it just seems to me they don't really care too much about it.

Agreed.

[BSB215]

Great review and I for one totally understand your take on the whole presentation thing. It's like getting your car a new paint job and adding rims while the transmission is broke. Gameplay first and second for me then take care of the "fluff". The gameplay was not acceptable last year and I want that fixed first as a hardcore football fan. I hope they dont go too crazy worrying about the sidelines and crowds and things of that nature without first adjusting gameplay issues and things like old and stale playbooks and super human kickers. Fix on the field first then show me a Super Bowl celebration and all that stuff. My opinion.

[spike118]

Quote: Originally Posted by CptObvious

Thanks for the quick, and lengthy, review Moostache...good read This tired argument is getting VERY old, and has been addressed by many an OS-vet as a legitimate issue. The INT issues are not entirely caused by people "not knowing how to play QB". CPU INT's for one are ridiculously high, and CPU AI on the DB side if FAR too reactive to passes they should not even realise have been thrown yet. When I have a slot receiver running a corner and a wideout running a fly route, the DB covering the wideout should NOT be able to break on the ball (his back is turned to the LOS) thrown to my slot receiver (who incidentally has 2 steps on the LB covering him) quick enough to recover 8-10 yards and make the INT. Blaming it entirely on not knowing the basics of the game is quite an oversimplification. Moostache, you mentioned the animation in 2k that had the RB place his hand on a linemans back was not in Madden....I recall seeing a video of it, possibly on an IGN vid, so I think that is actually in there, you just might not have seen it triggered yet

^^^
The RB does do this in Madden as well as NCAA.

[jwheels9876]

Quote: Originally Posted by BSB215

Great review and I for one totally understand your take on the whole presentation thing. It's like getting your car a new paint job and adding rims while the transmission is broke. Gameplay first and second for me then take care of the "fluff". The gameplay was not acceptable last year and I want that fixed first as a hardcore football fan. I hope they dont go too crazy worrying about the sidelines and crowds and things of that nature without first adjusting gameplay issues and things like old and stale playbooks and super human kickers. Fix on the field first then show me a Super Bowl celebration and all that stuff. My opinion.

I agree with the gameplay first response. But... This is the 3rd version on next gen and they still havn't ironed out the little gameplay glitches that were around in madden 06. By the time they try to implement any kind of presentation aspects it will be 2012.

The NFL liscence needs to be wide open to promote competition. EA Madden would be so much more if not for the exclusive rights they have. I just wish gamers would show the frustration by not buying the product, but it is hard, I admit, to not have that NFL fix during late august and into the season.

[ODogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by BSB215

Great review and I for one totally understand your take on the whole presentation thing. It's like getting your car a new paint job and adding rims while the transmission is broke. Gameplay first and second for me then take care of the "fluff". The gameplay was not acceptable last year and I want that fixed first as a hardcore football fan. I hope they dont go too crazy worrying about the sidelines and crowds and things of that nature without first adjusting gameplay issues and things like old and stale playbooks and super human kickers. Fix on the field first then show me a Super Bowl celebration and all that stuff. My opinion.

I agree, gameplay > presentation. Great job EA on the gameplay, hopefully presentation is perked up next year.