Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

[La Verite]

Ultimately for me it's about the fun factor, and after playing about 6 CCM games, I'm having tons of fun. The game is just fun to play. I definitely agree with the learning curve though. I have struggled in my 6 games. I've lost 2 games already because I can't seem to get my offense going yet. I also seem to give up a lot of big plays on defense. Sure the game has it's "legacy" issues, but you can't deny the fact that it's at least fun to play.

So CCM has great replay value. Story lines keep up with each game or is it just generated repetitive feeds?

[Feldman011teen]

You praised the game more than I did for my review and you only gave an 8.5? What's up with that? Should be a 9.

[SteelerSpartan]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

Well I haven't disagreed more with a review from OS since Ian Cummings paraded around his 9 he got for Madden 11

No mention of

Offline Franchise Mode Features Lost
Unrealistic Player Movement
Broken/absence of Penalties/Challenges


Completely disagree about the improvement of the Ol/DL....its the same old thing....Watching Harrison and Woodley playing patty cake just hits me in the gut every time I try to play the game

Im still playing too much of the weird Madden Version of football...where people audible Qrts Packages around to stop the run

[jpdavis82]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

Come on man, don't even try to bring up that 3 year plan stuff again. That line has ran it's course. Just either bring it or don't EA. Don't even mention 3 year plans anymore EA, just show us you got what it takes every year.

You gotta start somewhere man I don't care who comes in or where they come from, even if the guys from 2k or The Show came in, it would take a while to fix EVERYTHING. Madden 13 brought it on a foundational level. Now we have to see if 14 & 15 take it to the next level(fix player movement, o/d line interactions, improve presentation with true halftime and weekly wrapup show in CCM, improve crowd and sideline models, improve commentary to make it more player specific during play by play and color commentary. Or will they go back to the trends of EA's past? I'm betting on the former and not the latter, I'm VERY confident that this is only the beginning.

[CRMosier_LM]

Agreed... Good review. I'm about the same score wise and that will change as we get further from launch (down or up)

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk 2

[Feldman011teen]

http://www.examiner.com/review/madden-13-review?cid=db_articles check this one out

[inkcil]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

I like the game. I'm not trying to bash it. It isn't junk. IMO a 7.5 is a good thing for Madden. It is the best madden this generation. Since when is 7.5 bad? Many 7.5 games have been some of my favorites. A 8.5 is insane if you look at this game for what it is and isn't, and not on how much you enjoy it. Forza 4, NBA 2k, MLB the show, and other legendary games like that are lucky to get better then that score on OS

I know what you mean, but I'm not sure any of those scores are posted in the context of the score of any other game, even previous Maddens:

It appears as though each game is scored on a scale of 10 based on the reviewer's discernment of how close that game came to perfection within the context of itself, thus the recently proclaimed battle cry of "You can't judge a game based on what's not there, but was IS there." (Haven't we heard that alot lately?)

If am correct in my analysis, it is then possible for Madden to score higher than either MLB The Show or NBA 2k, which would not be AT ALL to say that the reviewer believes Madden is better than either of those games, but that, within a different dimension or paradigm of computer gaming, AI logic, fun factor and sporting rules (among other intangibles), Madden 13 is within itself inherently frozen in time (by time) short of perfection at an 8.5, never to be moved higher or lower by the failures or successes of any of its predecessors or successors, much less by another game by another publisher in another sport in another point in time. And time is critical in how we perceive technological advancements, failures or innovations...whether it be concerning hardware or software.

[adfletch71]

The challenge and replay system in Madden is still bad, the OL/DL is ok and still have that past Madden feel at times. Penalties are still missing from Madden that are in the NFL and Pass interference for offense and defense are almost non-exist again. What are u basing Madden football off of, simulation football or Madden football? It's not simulation for sure, and it lacks alot of what other football titles gave us. Yes it's better, but really, a 8.5???

[blklightning]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

Best Madden ever made?

While I can't disagree or agree at the moment, that is a big statement.

Eh, not really. All the current gen Maddens have been sub par at best. And the PS2 versions and earlier are simply outclassed by the tech of today's, albeit aging, consoles. So all they really had to do to make the best Madden ever was to make a game that looks good, plays well most of the time, and is fun overall. And from what I've seen and played, they've done just that.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

I essentially just posted this in the RateSports review thread but it applies here too.

I think this was a very well done review however, I disagree with your score. I don't understand a 8.5 out of 10 overall rating unless "10" is meant to be the best Madden to date, opposed to the best NFL football video game to date.

On my 10 point scale, the latter would be the pinnacle and Madden 13 doesn't seem that close. Considering how games like The Show and NBA2k are using real time presentation, that alone makes the presentation in M13, seem archaic and drives the overall down.

If I had to give an overall score using my 1-10 scale, at this point I would say M13 is a 7 at best due to graphics driving up the average. I don't see how it could get a rating much higher considering the issues with player movement, blocking representation including OL/DL, unpolished network broadcast presentation which is not being synced well as a compliment to commentary, AI( which I think includes penalites and challenge logic), player ratings and a lack of User customization options.

Nailed it.

How this game received a 8.5 when so many of the fundamentals are off is beyond comprehension. I guess when you say its the best Madden this gen you tend to think it deserves a 8.5, but you can't look at it that way. You have to look at it as a product of the NFL, and how well does EA translate the authenticity of the sport, along with presentation, and features.

The game is not authentic where it matters most. Line interaction. Madden fails big time in this area. Its not authentic with how LB's attack the run. It is not authentic where you RB runs into his offensive lineman and collapses like he has been shot, and the list goes on and on.

The presentation is still way below standards. The computer A.I calls a horrible game in the closing minutes.

CCM which is a nice addition , but major features were sacrificed for it, so it is still greatly incomplete. They even admitted its the beginning of something special, and things had to be removed for it, which again means it is incomplete.

Listen I'm not bashing the game. I will buy it , but I'm just stating that there are way too many important elements of the game that are not done correctly in madden.

Can Madden be fun, yes it can, but this game is not a 8.5 by any stertch. It is a 7 at best.

A 7 mean its a good game. 8.5 means it's a excellent game, and Madden 13 is not a excellent game.

For Madden to be a excellent game. It has to have a realistic pocket. Realistic line interaction. Realistic WR and Db interaction. A Realistic QB passing game. I just named a few of the elements of the game, and madden is not realistic in any of these areas, so how can it be a 8.5 when a few of the very important aspects of the sport are not translated accurately in the game?

Didn't MLB the show receive a 8.5, and that game is as close as it gets to be a perfect duplication of the sport. MLB The Show gets a 8.5 then Madden in no way gets a 8.5

[wheelman990]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

You gotta start somewhere man I don't care who comes in or where they come from, even if the guys from 2k or The Show came in, it would take a while to fix EVERYTHING. Madden 13 brought it on a foundational level. Now we have to see if 14 & 15 take it to the next level(fix player movement, o/d line interactions, improve presentation with true halftime and weekly wrapup show in CCM, improve crowd and sideline models, improve commentary to make it more player specific during play by play and color commentary. Or will they go back to the trends of EA's past? I'm betting on the former and not the latter, I'm VERY confident that this is only the beginning.

I don't disagree, I think other then bugs and stuff madden 13 was a nice release for them. If this game got most the bugs out, and hadn't removed so many features, I probably even say a 8.5 isn't far out of line(prob give it a 8 myself). The reviewer ignored any flaw that's been posted on OS. I'm talking legit ones, not just the picky uniform error stuff.

Regarding the 3 year comment, they just used that to much. Even NBA Live used that one and we saw what happened there to. It almost turns my stomach at this point. They don't need to say that, just show us.

Madden just has to keep bringing it. They can't come in next year with another half attempt. They have been on top before(Madden 01 ps2 was a milestone for football games IMO) and they got to work hard to do it again.

I also can respect your love for this game. Who knows in a few years maybe I can be right there with you. It is moving in the right direction I believe. Next year needs to be a even bigger jump then this year.

[bigsmallwood]

Wow. This is a nice review, but not nearly as thorough as it should be. And I cannot say that I agree with the 8.5 score. Like one reader said, if it's out of 10 as far as the best Madden then sure...but as a sports title on its own merit...absolutely not. There are too many things missing, and plenty of hiccups that keep Madden 13 from being an elite sports title.

And I agree with Wheelman990...no more talk of 3 year plans or dev cycles....#JustBringit

I truly believe that Madden 13 is worthy of a 7 or 7.5 out of 10. Nothing more. We are 8 years in...the game should be more complete at this point. We keep scoring Madden like this because there is no alternative to keep it honest.

[Jwest85]

So let me ask this question. If editing players , fantasy drafts, and some AI fixes were brought back, what score would you guys say then? 9.0? Those all sound like fairly easy fixes.

[ImaGamer_OS]

Great review, well written and objective.

This wets the appetite until the game drops on Thursday here in Australia.

[Jwest85]

Re: Madden NFL 13 Review (PS3/360)

http://www.examiner.com/review/madden-13-review?cid=db_articles check this one out

That review sounds nothing like the demo I played.