Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

[Rudolph999]

It's 2012 they should now have a franchise mode with media and technology coming out of everywhere, radio stations, internet, blackberry, iphone, cbs, espn, fox sports, local tv station , local newspaper and national newspaper. Come on the league is media driven. Image the NFL without media exposure. How do we find out what's happening in the league with a poor interface. It's like making your favorite sandwich and never eating it. It's incomplete.

[TheTodd84]

Pretty much the same story we've been reading every year... It always seems like the game, is SO CLOSE, yet SO FAR away from being whats expected...

All the EA people try to do every year is polish a turd. The current game engine was a dud from the beginning and they have to try and make the best of it. But when does the point come when, year after year, after trying to cut corner after corner to make the game realistic, and it STILL is not realistic, do you just scrap the engine and start new, or purchase a physics-engine that is already in place, like the unreal engine or euphoria?

It would seem like now is the time. It's almost like EA is stubborn with their system and don't want to take credit for the idea that they developed a flawed engine that is stale and is on its last legs. That's at least what it seems like. I don't want to say they don't care, but with a big corporation, that can of worms is always on the time.

I think now would be the time to just say, "the hell with it" and get a real-time physics in here. I don't understand why breaching that subject to EA is like talking about an inoperable tumor, or bringing up abortion.

A lot of good business people say this all the time, "sometimes you just have to realize a poor investment, and cut your losses." EA has been losing money on Madden and NCAA for years now. The engine was poor investment and it's time to move on, to real-time physics... and probably without tiburon, which I, as well as many others on here, would be fine with. EA has the man-power and talent to develop solid games, look at the bad company series. The issue is that these current crop are hindered by an engine that is awful, and they have nothing else to work with. Give Ben Haumiller a real-time physics engine, and see how he does. If the game still stinks then, it's on him. But seeing as how NCAA made such a marked improvement in just a year with a horrific engine, the sky would be the limit w/ real-time physics.

Make the change, EA, it's been due time.

[TheTodd84]

is always on the table*

Dunno what i was thinking when i typed that sentence, lol. But either way. The biggest issues is that this generation of madden is BEHIND its time... it STILL doesn't have gameplay, or features that like that "other football game" had back in 2004. That's why it is time for a change.

[noonan2112]

Very, very skeptical.

For the last 3 years I've read Pre-pre release impressions and they've "All" included statements "It's not a bad game" and/or "it's an improvement from last year" while noting the same negatives that are year-in, year-out.

It just seems that as usual, everything sounds good on paper (sort of to speak) but the reality is that very little change will be seen.

For some reason, with these two football releases, the whole football gaming atmosphere feels "Blah" compared to years ago.
I just have this "don't expect too much" attitude with EA's football games nowdays.

I know some will argue it's still too early, but to read that some of the same issues still exist that the gaming communities have beaten them over-the-head to correct and issues advertised with pride as being gone still there, I just throw my hands up.

Man, all this time and not "ONE" impression through the years that says "WOW! What a game. This is football at it's best".

It's always "it's an improvement".

I remember the days of Super Techmo Bowl in college where hundreds of students would skip classes just to play some football.

It was Heated and Hardcore with a football game that doesn't boast half the capabilities of the current football releases, yet it was exciting and you couln't wait to play.

Guys lost girlfriends over spending too much time playing this dumb football game "everyday".

With all the super-duper gaming systems and T'v's, you would think we would have our minds blown away, but that "something" for 2012 football just doesn't seem to be there as in the days of old.

Wow, you completely summed it up!

It looks like I will save my $60 yet again this season. Why in the world can't EA catch up to our current technology and improve the game. It is as if the next-gen consoles, HD, and insane graphics engines have made the Madden franchise wet its pants. Give us a good game like the old days!!!

P.S. I was always the Bills in Techmo Bowl Gotta love that offense with Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andrew Reed.

[noonan2112]

^That was supposed to be Andre Reed

[bucfan47]

This to me is a very realistic review. I've played about 20 games thus far. I've played with multiple teams, using different QB's from the greats to the goods to the bads and really think what's said here is very accurate.

The game is fun, probably more-so than any other Madden title I've played in years. There are some killer things to like, but most of us just hold Madden to another level. The biggest negative to me isn't mentioned here, and that's the lack of adding any depth online. No additions were made to Online Franchise, and that's very disappointing to me. No slider adjustments online, and I've logged five games online by starting a franchise by myself to gauge the difficulty, and I must say it's just as easy as last year, which is such a disappointment given Madden 11 online last year vs. the cpu was just unplayable it was so easy.

That alone forces me to lower my rating on the game substantially, but all-in-all it's still a good game. I don't think the writer intentionally points out the negatives to beat down the game, as the game is quite good. It's just the expectation level. EA has long put their effort into the Fifa series, as that's the bigger money generator, but Madden needs the attention. It needs to go to the next level. It's about a decade behind the technology. There are so many little things that if improved would make the game superb.

[TheTodd84]

This to me is a very realistic review. I've played about 20 games thus far. I've played with multiple teams, using different QB's from the greats to the goods to the bads and really think what's said here is very accurate.

The game is fun, probably more-so than any other Madden title I've played in years. There are some killer things to like, but most of us just hold Madden to another level. The biggest negative to me isn't mentioned here, and that's the lack of adding any depth online. No additions were made to Online Franchise, and that's very disappointing to me. No slider adjustments online, and I've logged five games online by starting a franchise by myself to gauge the difficulty, and I must say it's just as easy as last year, which is such a disappointment given Madden 11 online last year vs. the cpu was just unplayable it was so easy.

That alone forces me to lower my rating on the game substantially, but all-in-all it's still a good game. I don't think the writer intentionally points out the negatives to beat down the game, as the game is quite good. It's just the expectation level. EA has long put their effort into the Fifa series, as that's the bigger money generator, but Madden needs the attention. It needs to go to the next level. It's about a decade behind the technology. There are so many little things that if improved would make the game superb.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Especially the part about the game being "about a decade behind the technology." Some of the flaws being pointed out in this series are seriously flaws that I haven't heard since the ps2 days of gaming. It's inexcusable to not have ANY sort of physics to keep linebackers from having 45'' verticals to bat passes down that in real life would be 6 points.

[TheTodd84]

I'm so glad this game got a 7.5. It's about time people stop sucking off the teat of EA. It probably won't do much to change these games for the better... but it's a nice change and totally deserved.

[darknmild]

At the end of the day Madden is a video game, not a recreation of actually playing the game. If you want the experiences the writer has nitpicked about, the only way you will ever get it is by actually playing the game of football, not a video counterpart.

Perhaps because I grew up playing video games when Atari football with its 3 men on the field all moving together was the only video game choice, I am more tolerant of games being just a game? At any rate I find this type of article counter productive. THe writer may think he pointed out an equal number of positive and negative issues but the article read to me like one big gripe fest.

I will be buying Madden and I will understand and look past the unrealistic events that will occur at times, after all I'm playing a video game.....

I agree and perfect zero I don't think he was referring to back yard football

[TheTodd84]

I agree and perfect zero I don't think he was referring to back yard football

He was probably referring to real football. The flaw with his argument is that 99.5% of us in this country will never be able to put on an NFL uniform, or even play College Football. For most of us, the farthest we get is high school ball. So, for most of us, this is the closest we can ever come to suiting up on sundays. That is why we request the game to be so realistic. We don't get the nuances of football playing in the backyard. And most of us cannot play in the NFL, and this is our chance to feel what its like to be peyton manning reading defenses and making solid calls. And there is a strong satisfaction with that notion.

So while is it "just a game," that argument is tired and old. The ultimate fact is that there is ZERO REASON why this game, with all the modern technology, cannot play more realistically than it does.

Please, come up with a better argument than that. I know you can. For most of us, this is our NFL, so d@mmit, it better be just like it.

[peigone]

Best Madden review I ever read. And for those saying the review is too tough, Chris did say it's far from a bad game, and that it "seems to be asking me to suspend my own disbelief to find enjoyment in the face of some lacking realism." Seems pretty dang tame and plain honest to me.

[Jukeman]

"The game is fun" translate to me as "it's a good head to head game"

I'm a single player/and CPU vs CPU guy...

I guess cutting corners while getting "sim" results is their way of balancing the game...

I'll rent the game eventually so I can judge for myself but I wish there were an alternative that suits my interest (made by any company)

Football is my favorite sport and I haven't owned a football game for more than a year since 2007...



Sent from my HumancentiPad using Tapatalk

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Madden NFL 12 Reviewer Impressions: Gameplay

"The game is fun" translate to me as "it's a good head to head game"

I'm a single player/and CPU vs CPU guy...

I guess cutting corners while getting "sim" results is their way of balancing the game...

I'll rent the game eventually so I can judge for myself but I wish there were an alternative that suits my interest (made by any company)

Football is my favorite sport and I haven't owned a football game for more than a year since 2007...



Sent from my HumancentiPad using Tapatalk

As much as I enjoyed Madden 10 (until the cheap exploits became too much as well as the rawness of the new approach) and I did enjoy Madden 11 (believe it or not) I have not kept a Madden game more than one cycle since Madden 2007. I played that game till Madden 10 came out (my first PS3 next gen version). I plan on making Madden 12 my last Madden purchase till Madden 14 at a minimum. I have personalyl been very impressed with the demo and really feel the franchise mode will have more than enough depth for me to stay busy with it for a couple of years easy. And the same holds exactly true of NCAA 12. NCAA 11 was my first college football purchase since NCAA 07 for PS2.

I hear ya. But I think EA has really focused on this years football output. Yes the NCAA 12 bugs are well documented and are being patched. But I think EA really made a concerted effort to polish the games up and really make both of them a very strong video game representation of the game of football that is both deep in modes and replayability but also keeping the fun factor intact.

I have always loved the balance EA has been able to provide in that regard. It's not perfect but the games are a lot of fun to play.

[CzingerX]

Still dissapointed with the tackling system. NCAA was really good this this tackiling wise. Thought it would carry over to Maden too. Guess not.