Emotion

[PGaither84]

Madden needs emotion. It has facial expressions and celebrations, but I just don't feel the emotion of the game. Looking back, that is what made the sideline cut scenes in 2k5 so nice. Not just that they were in the game and done well, but they showed the emotion on the field. Being a Patriots and Tom Brady fan, it's hard to beat the feeling of playing against and intercepting Peyton Manning in 2k5 and watch him walk back to the bench and throw his helmet.

I haven't been playing Madden this month at all. Not because I am bored with it, but because other games have my attention [Fallout, Black Ops, etc.] So don't get me wrong, but after watching some NFL clips on YouTube and what not, I get the urge to want to play Madden... and then I remember how stale the game play gets. That boring feeling of controling robots/AI bots out there instead of athletes that are playing a game that means something to them.

To be honest, over the last few years it has been a cycle for me. I can't wait to get Madden, play football, watch football, etc. Then, some new game or games come out that are really well made and Madden just looks like that "blah" game on my shelf.

Maybe I am looking at things with rose colored glasses, but I played 2k for two years, and even when I took time off to play Knights of the Old republic, or Grand Theft Auto games, I could still pop in 2k and feel like I was missing something. I felt like that with Madden 07 for my original Xbox because the Franchise mode was so good. I want to feel like that with a football game again.

I am sorry for the rant, but I doubt I am the only one who feels this way.

******

What I want to see is more emotion, more depth, presentation that doesn't feel half finished. RPGs "suck me in" and 2k5 did as well for the same reason, immersion. I am glad they are working on the mechanic of the game, but Madden still feels robotic, scripted, what ever you want to say. It doesn't feel organic. There really isn't any passion. t least the Superbowl feels better than it ever has before, it just still feels weak.

[Segagendude]

Agreed. Or how bout the few times you score a TD, and your teammates walk away from you as you celebrate!

Or in M10, the coach congratulates the kicker for making an extra point.....

It's like they tried to emulate some of what 2k5 did, but it fell flat.

It gets to the point for me, I'm trying like heck to stay awake and finish the game, whereas in 2k, (And NCAA as well), I'm on the edge of my seat the duration of the game....

[SeventhWard]

I wholeheartedly agree, PGaither. I go through the same cycle - Madden comes out and I play it to death and then it eventually grows stale. Like you, I feel Madden is the "blah" game in my collection and the lack of emotion is definitely a cause.

Sorry to sound like a broken record but I'm going to reference NBA 2K11 here. I do so because it's the first time a sports game has ever broken that barrier of becoming "something cool to play" on the technology side for me. The combination of a GREAT commentary system that sounds realistic AND the individual player-focused presentation makes the game more exciting and entertaining. Playing the mode NBA Today, with its commentary cleverly scripted to seem aware of current real-life events, makes popping in the disc like participating in something larger, something real, something persistent, ongoing and tangible. (Ever wonder why Call of Duty multiplayer is so engaging?)

I wish Madden covered the game of football with more gusto. Use all the tools in the shed to make every game an incredible struggle for dominance witnessed by tens of thousands. The use of camera angles, cutscenes and audio can go a long way to making a game seem alive and exciting.

Physics based tackles isn't the magic bullet. Presentation is. All the tools are there for Tiburon to make Madden a great video game again. It's just up to them to do it.


-SeventhWard

[RGiles36]

I agree on the emotion side of things, but I've given up on Madden's presentation. The dev team watches NFL games. They don't need us to tell them what's missing presentation wise. Yet still, they miss the mark. The message communicated to me is that they don't want TV presentation in Madden; they want Madden presentation in Madden.

[Armor and Sword]

That is what the game needs to really bring it all together and make Madden a must own title again. I still enjoy playing Madden as I have said many times. (2011 is a good game). But the immersion and presentation is really lacking and keeping this title from being a real go to game. I too sometimes struggle to play games.....because I can't wait to pop in 2K11 again or NCAA 2011. I hope the Dev's really put their best foot forward on the franchise mode and immersion/presentation for 2012.

I really do.

[jorge380]

I agree,even if they kept the same engine and would add better presentation this game would be a keeper.

[ZoneKIller]

I agree,I want to feel the emotions like I do when the cowboys lose