[KittenMittons]

My impressions based on what I think a football game should feel like.

Pros:
Running game feels fast and fluid.
Run blocking at the line and down field feels intelligent and effective.
Pass blocking gives the APPEARANCE of being right.
Passing is a good as ever.
The infinity engine improvement makes open field tackling feel right and look great.
The outside pass rush finally seems to exist.
The double team system works great.


Cons:
Defenders do not "swarm" to the ball carriers. This gives the impression of overpowered blocking, but I think blockers are doing exactly what they should. The problem is that defenders still don't get to the ball carrier as fast as they should and when they do they do not disrupt the path of blockers.

The pass protection only LOOKS right. With the OT vs DE matchups, what SHOULD often happen is immediate engagement by the players. Then the tackle will try to direct the rusher to the outside and wide if he has a speed advantage, or they will meet up and slug it out if it is a power rusher. Something that often happens is a great passrusher will penetrate the pocket with the blocker engaged, which forced the QB to step to dodge them, which provides an opportunity for another rusher to "mop-up" and finish the sack. What happens in madden 25 is this:
-OT steps backwards immediately
-DE runs at him
-They engage several yards back to give the impression of a pocket
-Either the defender breaks free, in which case a sack is almost guaranteed, or the blocker holds the defender in place indefinitely.
The pocket is still not a product of real feeling interactions. Thus, the fun plays that happen with a pass rush do not occur
The trench battle still lacks the variety and ferocity it needs.


While the double team works great, it does not seem to effectively free space for linebackers like it is supposed to.


Pass defending controls feels clunky and unresponsive. And Computer-controlled pass defenders are easily the worst thing about the demo. In 4 games (one with each team) I observed a CPU pass defender making anything resembling a correct decision only twice. Both of those good plays came after maxing out the Player Skill and CPU Skill settings for Reaction Time and Pass Coverage. They are in the wrong place at the wrong time on virtually every play and this made completion% for both myself and the CPU opponent simply absurd. The Pass Coverage is bad enough to potentially be a deal-breaker for me.

Otherwise I was impressed and excited by the running game and physics engine and look forward to Linemen play getting more attention in the future to really get it to where it should be.