I think here may be a good way to choose which game you want

[nkhera1]

I think ESPN is more of a everything has to do with football itself if you get what i mean. Like how you schedule practices, interviews, highlights, draft stuff. Whereas madden is more like being an owner so you have to be in charge of the fincancial aspect, but its probably not as deep in just the coaching aspect. Like you can't schedule practices, and probably not as good football presentation. Because the way i see it, both games will have great gameplay and graphics (one game will have a slight edge, but i don't think it will be a huge edge). So i hoped that help some of you out, in choosing.

[jordan0386]

so your saying

ESPN--coachin...on field preparation
MADDEN--business model...off field front office preparation

in conjunction with their franchise modes of course...thats a good analogy


but the main gripe here...who will have better gameplay

[Brandwin]

Or...


If your hurting on money and cant purchase both, when in doubt RENT them!

[studman]

i see it like this:

^^^ESPN^^^

-presentation
-lighting
-easier to pick up for the casual gamer
-lots of "eye-candy"
-not as deep into player development and the X's and O's of the game
-better off-field sound (announcing, berman, etc..)

^^^Madden^^^

-for the serious gamer
-much more involved in the gameplay (hot-routes, square up, audibles,etc..)
-running an actual team, not just playing
-more strategy (UFA,Franchise tags, RFA)
-better gameplay (in my opinion)
-better on-field sound (hits, football sense)


that's how i feel.
if your more into just sitting down and playing, i think ESPN is the way to go. if you're more into everything that is involved in football without as many bells & whistles then Madden is the way to go.

it's substance over style for me.

[taylor34]

Quote:

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studman said:
-much more involved in the gameplay (hot-routes, square up,

---

ESPN has all of this already, plus you can audible on the fly and assign specific db's to wr's. I don't see how this is a madden advantage. It's pretty much equal.

Taylor34

[studman]

when did ESPN add a square-up button, that's vital for my defense.

and madden has had the hot-routes first, and personally i think they're done better and easier. and they've added the DB-WR match-up. plus the ability to audible from zone-man-blitz for every player on defense individually. this should be extremely interesting.


i think this is better in Madden than in ESPN to me.

[8bit]

i have always gotten a "i cant wait whats gonna happen" feel from espn since there are so many different animations and it feels like in any play, i could be amazed at what i see next. Where as with madden, i can predict exaclty what tackle animation will occur and how many yards my carrier will gain/lose. Its weird after playing madden for a while then going to espn, i am convinced espn is the better game and am happy. Then when i get used to espn's gameplay i go back to madden and though it doesnt wow me like espn, i remember why i like madden again when my qb gets into a rhythm of hitting recievers and moving the chains, only to go 3 and out the next series. I really like the momentum of madden. I love both games and cannot choose.

[taylor34]

Quote:

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studman said:
when did ESPN add a square-up button, that's vital for my defense.

---

Black button strafes. I assume that's what you mean by 'squaring up'.

Hold Right Trigger + A, X, or Y assigns audibles from the play calling menu. So it's a piece of cake to assign up to 3 audibles from the same formation every time. Same on defense. You can audible from man to zone to blitz's on the fly.

And I'm referring to this year's games (2004). Maybe Madden will be more advanced than ESPN this next year, but I fail to see the advantage this year. As far as hot routes, I'm not sure of the madden controls but ESPN is just pick a direction, press the button of the receiver. Not sure how you get any easier than that.

Taylor34