12:40 PM, July 20, 2011 ι By ANTHONY SULLA-HEFFINGER
Lockout? What Lockout?
Despite the fact that the NFL has been in a prolonged labor stoppage, the team at EA Sports has been hard at work putting together Madden NFL ’12.
I had a chance to play Madden ’12 at EA’s Hot for the Holidays event, and it certainly looks as if this year’s installment of the best-selling football simulation franchise is leaps and bounds better than it’s predecessor.
First off, the biggest gripe that most people have with Madden is that they claim it is a “$60 roster update.” Let me state for the record that Madden ’12 is definitely not just a roster update. The changes in the game are immediately visible and refreshing.
From the second the game starts, players will notice that the camera treats every situation differently. As your team heads out of the tunnel, there will be unique animations and camera angles as opposed to last year’s generic Drew Brees-type pregame huddle. In addition to the team-specific entrances, there will also be stadium-specific shots, more broadcast-style angles during the game and in cut-aways, and there will be television-inspired presentation (i.e. player pictures and players to watch for).
Those are just the camera and presentation related visual changes to the game. Apart from that, there will be an all-new player degradation system. Gone are the days where your players’ jerseys and helmets will look immaculate after a knock-down, drag-out battle on the gridiron. Uniforms and helmets will get scuffed up and dirty based on the weather and field conditions. Graphically, the game looks much better than any other in the series.
Another aspect of Madden ’12 that is almost immediately noticeable is the new animations. I’ve already spoken about the team entrances and new animations away from the field, but on the field is where gamers will really notice a difference.
From the opening kickoff, I noticed that the game’s speed has been amped up just a bit and there are new tackle animations that add a refreshing feel to the game. Playing as the Giants against the Cowboys, it was incredible to take control of Justin Tuck and wreak havoc on Tony Romo and Felix Jones. On one particular play, I controlled Tuck, blew past the offensive line and smashed into Jones, immediately standing him up and sending him to the ground. The whole play occurred fluidly and there was no feeling of the magnetized tackles that had been commonplace in prior installments.
In contrast, the game’s defensive AI has been improved immensely. With all-new animations and AI enhancements, the defense is a lot tougher this year. Defensive players will adjust to gameplans and specific plays on the fly and will even break assignment when necessary. The first experiences I had with this was when the Cowboys’ gunners stuck to their lanes and laid out Darius Reynaud as I attempted to return a punt. On the ensuing offensive drive I had two passes batted down (one on a dump to Ahmad Bradshaw) that would have been completed easily in last year’s title.
As far as gameplay goes, if you’ve played a Madden game before, you should be able to just pick Madden ’12 up and go. The control scheme is unchanged.
What has been changed is the in-game dynamics. This year’s version introduces Dynamic Player Performance. The DPP will create a new feel for the game and players will have their own unique mentality. For example, if you are playing as the Jets and Mark Sanchez throws two interceptions in the first quarter, his confidence will be effected and his attributes will take a hit and vice versa.
While I did not have a chance to play Franchise Mode, I was informed that there have been a ton of new additions to what many consider to be the meat & potatoes of the Madden franchise. Some of these additions are deeper rosters and cut days during the preseason, free-agent bidding, an all-new rookie scouting system, team hot & cold streaks, player roles and even the ability to create your own personal playbook.
All in all, from what I saw and played, Madden ’12 looks to be the ultimate football experience. Every single improvement and addition made to this year’s title serves a purpose and should enhance the Madden brand immensely. Madden ’12 will undeniably serve up the deepest, most enriching football experience to date, rendering the updated rosters an added bonus.
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07-20-2011, 04:04 PM
