Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

[MaddenFranchise10]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

At the end of the day Madden is a video game, not a recreation of actually playing the game.

That's a terribly lame argument. Why then, can EA Sports produce a much more detailed and engrossing experience for their FIFA and NHL games? How has 2k made such an immersive and complete NBA experience? How come SEGA has been able to make a quality MLB game as well?

Why is it that while playing FIFA, NHL, NBA2k, or The Show, I feel immersed, as though I'm really there, on the field/rink/court. And with Madden, I feel as though I'm playing a mediocre video game? Is it because Madden is just a video game? Or is it because Madden is mediocre?

I agree DJ...it is good to see more balanced reviews now, than years past.

Agreed. It's interesting to see the trend in game reviews. In year's past it was as though reviewers copy-pasted their prior year's review, just as Madden would copy-past their prior year's game. The critics would echo the same old problems that have been inherent for years, while touting the new hyped-up features, and ultimately giving the game a "B+".

It seems that reviewers (even here at OS), have finally become more objective when critiquing Madden.

But it begs the question, why has it taken so long? Why did OS give past iterations of Madden exceptional scores? For example, Operation Sports gave Madden 10 a 9/10. Where was the objectivity then? Seriously, what's changed?

[youALREADYknow]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

This is the same review that could be written for every Madden in the past few years. It's also the same review that will continue to be written about every Madden for the next few years until EA/Tiburon have the testicular fortitude to actually commit to innovation and risk changing the current game engines.

Having said that, it's obvious that if they are going to continue down this road then there should be a lot more focus on the Franchise mode and realism outside of game play. I hope the focus on Franchise this year was the start of that trend.

[Saviour]

Excellent write up. Its always a plus to read an article when the writer concentrates on the football elements and how they are not represented well in the Madden series. The Madden series can always be fun but you have to ignore basic realistic details about football to enjoy it. If you are a die hard football fan who understands the physics of the game Madden will always leave you wanting more. If you can ignore the realism issues, you can have a great time with the game.

[TreyIM2]

I have been playing the full game for a couple of days, now, and I can agree with much of what is said about this game by the reviewer. I also found a quirk or so when playing in franchise - Offensive players automatically being put on D. I couldn't believe that Santonio Holmes was attempting to make a tackle on a 3rd and long play when I was playing my Jets against the Bengals. Crazy how he magically appeared. Smh.


At the same time, I am enjoying what's here and appreciate some of the improvements. I do hope see a more huge leap next year, overall. The game is stale, to be quite honest. I pick apart the D with my QBs on All Pro (I don't even bother with that cheating-behind All Madden non-sense) so I really don't see the improvement in the zone coverages. I just Tom Brady the situations. Lol. I KNOW how to pass and read coverages very well.
Anywayz, I'm about to spark up my Jets/Giants matchup in my franchise pre-season and hope that the results, which WILL be a win against the Giants, come to fruition for my Jets on Monday night.

[atomant94]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

I will just rent this game first.

Madden 12 is better than 11, but thats not sayin much

EA.... We should of got this game 3 yrs ago

[SteelerSpartan]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

Details and reasons why he felt the way he felt. THAT'S a review. We can love it or hate it but the only thing that can be argued are facts and everything else is debatable. He spoke in specifics and gave examples. When you bring evidence you shut up all the would be critics of the review and most importantly you are giving the readers something to look at and think about when they play the game and decide if they want to buy the game or not.

For the guys who say, its just a game, we should not expect x,y,z. That would be true if the things we ask for are not possible or have never been done before. However. A lot of what we want HAS been done already in older games. This is what makes the Madden situation so sad. I will be the first to say, overall Madden is not garbage. It can be a fun game to play. However in light of what has been and what is now and what is coming, Madden cannot be allowed to go the way its been going the last 6 years. Someone at Tiburon HAS to step up the games game play and "football" features on the field. It is dated and needs some serious work.

IMO it looks like they have the last 2 years been trying to skate by on improving the presentation hoping all eyes will be on that while doing little to address the legacy issues and current game play problems and lack of innovative features that matter while playing the game.

I have much the same outlook......On the one hand Im glad the old school novelty of Madden is back with 12 and that the devs seem to want to provide a deeper/more authentic game to the core football junkies

I can see the effort to appeal to that base this year....with things like the franchise editing/bidding/scouting/....Authentic Broadcast Cams...DPP..and their attempts at improving Consecutive Hit Tackling/Zone D

But I think what this review and many others like are saying is.....

"The Paper isn't Complete...you just have a good rough outline again"

before, you could say the game wasn't even writing on paper....it was just "A drawing in the sand"

Thats how I viewed the Last Gen football games....like it was a great Rough Outline but it lacked the horse power of good tech to flesh out the body....That was ok at the time, but its 2011 now, more and more people want the game to evolve past the legacy issues and Madden Sterotypes

People are tired of saying "Thats just Madden being Madden" so much

That means not shifting focus again into some new marketing slogan, but doubling down in the areas that were focused on this year
It means investing serious dollars into just about every facet of the gameplay again

And you know what Im talking about mostly, this Review hit the big Areas.....that means the Legacy Issues

*A much more realistic/expansive movement system complete with Tons of animation variety for different speeds/cuts...Transitional Animations
FTW!!!The Zig Zaggng Arcade stuff has to get cut down immensely

Thats the biggest one^^^The devs are going to have to give a little in Player Control to make that work.....Thats an area where they have to man up and say yeah....little Timmy might have a harder time grasping when to use certain stick movements, but Players are playing/approaching the situation with a realistic plan now.....because the freedom to move out of that bad situation through Our "GameDesign" has now been limited

And thats the point of it, people are starting to get tired of having to always gameplan around the Madden brand of football.......Madden Strategies and Real life Football strategies need to look much more closely alike then they are today moving forward

[roadman]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

Details and reasons why he felt the way he felt. THAT'S a review. We can love it or hate it but the only thing that can be argued are facts and everything else is debatable. He spoke in specifics and gave examples. When you bring evidence you shut up all the would be critics of the review and most importantly you are giving the readers something to look at and think about when they play the game and decide if they want to buy the game or not.

For the guys who say, its just a game, we should not expect x,y,z. That would be true if the things we ask for are not possible or have never been done before. However. A lot of what we want HAS been done already in older games. This is what makes the Madden situation so sad. I will be the first to say, overall Madden is not garbage. It can be a fun game to play. However in light of what has been and what is now and what is coming, Madden cannot be allowed to go the way its been going the last 6 years. Someone at Tiburon HAS to step up the games game play and "football" features on the field. It is dated and needs some serious work.

IMO it looks like they have the last 2 years been trying to skate by on improving the presentation hoping all eyes will be on that while doing little to address the legacy issues and current game play problems and lack of innovative features that matter while playing the game.

I somewhat agree with the last paragraph. I hated the years 08 09 and 11. 11 was the first year I didn't complete a season. I don't have the game, yet, but I will in 36 hrs.

Based on some of the trusted reviews I've been reading, looks like I'll be playing 12 much longer than 11. I didn't play the other game, so, I can only compare on either last Maddens or the other sports game I play. The only other one I play with any significance is nba 2k series and that series currently is notches above Madden.

However, if some of the reviews I trust and what I'm hearing from the new football leader are true, Madden seems to be righting the ship. They have doubled the game team employees. That can't hurt, it can only help. That new person is the person you are looking for to "step it up."

Even some of the reviewers that I trust, bottom line, I'm my own best reviewer and that is fact.

[Jukeman]

Good read, gives me some ideas to what to adjust in sliders once I get the game (whenever that would be)

[mdiggitydawg]

Thanks for the thoughts... my biggest fear is about the need of a patch and how long it will take. my NCAA has been on the shelf for 2 months now....why open the madden packaging if they too will take forever to fix some big issues.

For now, I'll sit on the sidelines like Cam Newton should and watch and wait.

[Kefka]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

For me it's pretty simple; the game is fun. On All Pro the game is challenging but not stupid hard. It's good football.

I've given up on asking for things that 2k used to give us, until 2k starts making football again. Hopefully the monopoly that EA has will end soon but until then.. enjoy a great football game for what it is.

[rudyjuly2]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

I was wondering the same. Is there any known patch that is due to hit this game on the 30th for launch for the retail disks?

Justin Dewiel tweeted that there would be a day one update as normal. I don't have any idea what will get updated though. I asked but got no answer.

(JDewiel tweeting at me @rudyjuly2 on August 25th "yea, there's a day one title update like normal")

[gdh5503]

Man this is the same game from last year. That is my problem with forking $60 bucks especially as a consumer. ESPN NFL 2k5 was ahead of its time and I am disappointed how Madden still has not shown up. The game is boring man. Who cares about pregame entrances? what about half time? What about real football presentation with ESPN, I still haven't seen it. I see the ESPN logo on the cover of the game but I don't see it in the game. Look at NFL 2k5... Bottom line is these developers need to put out product every two years and not charge gamer $60 bucks every year for the same game just minor adjustments that can be sent has patches throughout the year. ***USE YOUR VOICE GAMERS***

[gdh5503]

Man this is the same game from last year. That is my problem with forking $60 bucks especially as a consumer. ESPN NFL 2k5 was ahead of its time and I am disappointed how Madden still has not shown up. The game is boring man. Who cares about pregame entrances? what about half time? What about real football presentation with ESPN, I still haven't seen it. I see the ESPN logo on the cover of the game but I don't see it in the game. Look at NFL 2k5... These developers spend more money on Marketing and Advertising then they do actually developing the game. Bottom line is these developers need to put out product every two years and not charge the gamer $60 bucks every year for the same game just with minor adjustments. They can be essentially downloaded as patches throughout the year and the gamer not charged $60 dollars for the same game just with minor upgrades and Marketed as a "New" game. Not buying the same game I have twice!! ***USE YOUR VOICE GAMERS***

[gdh5503]

Man this is the same game from last year. That is my problem with forking $60 bucks especially as a consumer. ESPN NFL 2k5 was ahead of its time and I am disappointed how Madden still has not shown up. The game is boring man. Who cares about pregame entrances? what about half time? What about real football presentation with ESPN, I still haven't seen it. I see the ESPN logo on the cover of the game but I don't see it in the game. Look at NFL 2k5... These developers spend more money on Marketing and Advertising then they do actually developing the game. Bottom line is these developers need to put out product every two years and not charge the gamer $60 bucks every year for the same game just with minor adjustments. They can be essentially downloaded as patches throughout the year and the gamer not charged $60 dollars for the same game just with minor upgrades and Marketed as a "New" game. Not buying the same game I have twice!! ***USE YOUR VOICE GAMERS***

[adub88]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

Listening to the latest OS Podcast, I was awakened from my trance. I almost bought this lame reprentation of NFL football. The demo is fun, can't deny that, but after the honey moon phase is over, I could see the same old frustrations I've had with the game settling in, so bump that, I'm taking my pre-order money and putting it towards NBA 2K12.