Casual Gamer - Next Gen

[apollon42]

I think the majority of Madden fans are casual gamers. I am a sim Madden player and I notice all of the flaws with the game and all of the details they leave out. However, when it comes to NBA basketball I'm a casual gamer. I personally think NBA 2K is amazing looking. However, when I go to the forums hardcore NBA fans pick that game apart too. So maybe Madden really isn't that bad, just us hardcore gamers notice all of the little imperfections. I showed the Madden trailer to my brother, who's not a hardcore football gamer and he thought it looked awesome. When I read the 2k forums, I just want to be like "you guys are nitpicking soooo much." But then I realize, I do the same thing with Madden.

[SageInfinite]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

This is partly true I believe. The difference is NBA 2k has been the most realistic NBA game produced. There still to this day have been football games that can be considered more realistic. I believe alot of NBA2k fans are simply spoiled by the level NBA 2k has gone to. It's held to a different standard. If all they had to play was NBA Live, alot of the complainers would be singing a different tune.

Also alot of the NBA 2k complaints are things people want corrected within the game to advance the gameplay. Some things have not been done in NBA2k or in an NBA game period. Madden alot of the complaints are things that have already been done. Alot of us just want the game to catch up to games we've played in the past.


Being a casual or a hardcore NBA fan, you can't deny that the game looks authentic in motion. Madden doesn't even look the part. Everything just looks underwhelming. The devs are even admitting that now.

Madden can be a fun game if you just let everything go and play. Even then though it's hard for me personally because the game is not pretty in motion, and the presentation isn't very immersive. So much just takes me out of the experience. If you aren't looking for much Madden can be a fun good game though.

[icicle22]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I too am a more "casual" NBA player and a die-hard sim style Madden guy. Still, I can get some enjoyment from Madden.

But regarding the realism of the motion of the athletes in the game and the presentation: I have never had a family member who is not a gamer visit and mistake Madden for a real broadcast. NBA 2k....yes.

[billsmafia13]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I can enjoy madden as a casual gamer as well, but I find too many basic components of the game to be flawed.

Ex. I can't stand the throwing animations in madden. The sig styles rarely work, in stead you have the qb raising his back leg like Nolan Ryan throwing off a mound.

The same goes for the running animations. I mean that's so basic but it looks awful.

I notice lots of flaws in 2k, the game pisses me off many times. But there are still lots of moments where I replay a jumpshot or layup or pick n roll that looked sweet. And it's enough to keep me engaged.

I can't remember the last time I replayed a run on madden and felt wowed by how real it felt and looked. Or even splitting a pass between the safety on cover two without throwing a laser beam.

[royounggoku]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

While this is true, there's a big difference between Madden "nitpicking" and 2k "nitpicking". In 2k's case there are guys that have a problem with online play as people just chuck threes and play cheesy. But mostly the nitpicking that goes on over there is relatively minute things such as lack of camera men or how the jerseys fit the players or even where the letters are placed on the jerseys. Things like these are chief concerns over there. Now relatively speaking these are pretty small in comparison to the game breaking issues that Madden face.

The "nitpicking" issues that Madden faces are things detriment to it playing like a truly sim game. Things basic to the game of football aren't realistically represented in Madden which you could see in the many videos that have been put up comparing it to "he whose name shall not be spoken". The reason these issues are really even seen as nitpicking is because people have grown complacent to the style of play that Madden represents as well as the fact that the ratio between criticism and praise of this game is so uneven on these forums. This can be seen based on the fact that there's a need for a whole thread dedicated to acknowledging the positives of Madden.

Now this is not to say that there aren't critiques of Madden that can be seen as inconsequential but the balance between small issues and big ones is in my eyes far more one sided in Madden's case.

[SageInfinite]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

While this is true, there's a big difference between Madden "nitpicking" and 2k "nitpicking". In 2k's case there are guys that have a problem with online play as people just chuck threes and play cheesy. But mostly the nitpicking that goes on over there is relatively minute things such as lack of camera men or how the jerseys fit the players or even where the letters are placed on the jerseys. Things like these are chief concerns over there. Now relatively speaking these are pretty small in comparison to the game breaking issues that Madden face.

The "nitpicking" issues that Madden faces are things detriment to it playing like a truly sim game. Things basic to the game of football aren't realistically represented in Madden which you could see in the many videos that have been put up comparing it to "he whose name shall not be spoken". The reason these issues are really even seen as nitpicking is because people have grown complacent to the style of play that Madden represents as well as the fact that the ratio between criticism and praise of this game is so uneven on these forums. This can be seen based on the fact that there's a need for a whole thread dedicated to acknowledging the positives of Madden.

Now this is not to say that there aren't critiques of Madden that can be seen as inconsequential but the balance between small issues and big ones is in my eyes far more one sided in Madden's case.

Good post man.

[usaaaaaa]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

This is partly true I believe. The difference is NBA 2k has been the most realistic NBA game produced. There still to this day have been football games that can be considered more realistic. I believe alot of NBA2k fans are simply spoiled by the level NBA 2k has gone to. It's held to a different standard. If all they had to play was NBA Live, alot of the complainers would be singing a different tune.

Also alot of the NBA 2k complaints are things people want corrected within the game to advance the gameplay. Some things have not been done in NBA2k or in an NBA game period. Madden alot of the complaints are things that have already been done. Alot of us just want the game to catch up to games we've played in the past.


Being a casual or a hardcore NBA fan, you can't deny that the game looks authentic in motion. Madden doesn't even look the part. Everything just looks underwhelming. The devs are even admitting that now.

Madden can be a fun game if you just let everything go and play. Even then though it's hard for me personally because the game is not pretty in motion, and the presentation isn't very immersive. So much just takes me out of the experience. If you aren't looking for much Madden can be a fun good game though.

wow. this is why madden isn't improving, because of this thinking.

it's not that 2k fans are "spoiled". it's that they're used to a quality game. madden is not a quality game.

[Dolphins88]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

For a game that is supposed to replicate the game be immersive madden fails in both.. I could live with flawed jersey names or not enough referees on field but when basic gameplay and animations are not realistic it's bad.. Madden should be where the show and 2k nba are and it's not close... I think madden has had this exclusivity too long and hope nfl sees it they are ruining cyber nfl

[Soprano00]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I think the majority of Madden fans are casual gamers. I am a sim Madden player and I notice all of the flaws with the game and all of the details they leave out. However, when it comes to NBA basketball I'm a casual gamer. I personally think NBA 2K is amazing looking. However, when I go to the forums hardcore NBA fans pick that game apart too. So maybe Madden really isn't that bad, just us hardcore gamers notice all of the little imperfections. I showed the Madden trailer to my brother, who's not a hardcore football gamer and he thought it looked awesome. When I read the 2k forums, I just want to be like "you guys are nitpicking soooo much." But then I realize, I do the same thing with Madden.

I can confirm the same regarding Fifa. I'm always surprised how Fifa is usually well received here on OS, but for me, as an Italian living and breathing "soccer" for a life long and knowning all the little details and strategies of the sport, Fifa lacks a lot of deepness, it's an extremely frustrating game. On the other side, I'm having fun with Madden.

As somebody else said, these EA games have the very hard requirement to satisfy both casuals and hardcore, and that's what makes this games falling apart when you try to go deep.

[dghustla]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I think the majority of Madden fans are casual gamers. I am a sim Madden player and I notice all of the flaws with the game and all of the details they leave out. However, when it comes to NBA basketball I'm a casual gamer. I personally think NBA 2K is amazing looking. However, when I go to the forums hardcore NBA fans pick that game apart too. So maybe Madden really isn't that bad, just us hardcore gamers notice all of the little imperfections. I showed the Madden trailer to my brother, who's not a hardcore football gamer and he thought it looked awesome. When I read the 2k forums, I just want to be like "you guys are nitpicking soooo much." But then I realize, I do the same thing with Madden.

I been saying this!! If you don't follow this game year round and don't hang on every developer video and marketing speak. You are not jaded by the product. Madden is a solid game. Have they made improvements yes. Are they of the ground breaking, game changing variety not until the last 2 iterations. And the success of those changes is debatable. Everyone has their own opinion but to think there are no redeeming qualities in the series is a bit of a stretch.

[raiders81tim]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I been saying this!! If you don't follow this game year round and don't hang on every developer video and marketing speak. You are not jaded by the product. Madden is a solid game. Have they made improvements yes. Are they of the ground breaking, game changing variety not until the last 2 iterations. And the success of those changes is debatable. Everyone has their own opinion but to think there are no redeeming qualities in the series is a bit of a stretch.

But there are none. Not when everything they are marketing for a game released in 2013 for the ps4 was in a game released in 2004 on the ps2.

Seriously I can't name another game being released for next gen marketing features a decade old.

[hockeyyt988]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

Great post!

I'm a hardcore NHL gamer and I notice I do this with NHL. As some other posters stated, I stopped commenting when I realized that I find all the imperfections with NHL. When I come to the Madden or NBA forum, I'm like "guys it's just a game" but you're right on, we do this with games we are die hard about.

Maybe this is the reason Madden seems to get the most "negative" post? There are simply more hardcore fans of Madden (and the NFL) than any other sport here in the U.S.

[rootofalleli]

Re: Casual Gamer - Next Gen

I been saying this!! If you don't follow this game year round and don't hang on every developer video and marketing speak. You are not jaded by the product. Madden is a solid game. Have they made improvements yes. Are they of the ground breaking, game changing variety not until the last 2 iterations. And the success of those changes is debatable. Everyone has their own opinion but to think there are no redeeming qualities in the series is a bit of a stretch.

Years ago in college my entire Madden experience (on the N64) was head to head games against my buddies and occasional CPU games. Back then I didn't care about franchise mode, I wouldn't have known if my home team's socks were a bit off, and we were too busy trash talking and joking to pay attention to commentary or presentation. I was a casual gamer who enjoyed the game a lot.

The problem is that Madden got me excited about football. I started watching more games, playing in fantasy leagues, and learning about both football and Madden. I quickly discovered franchise mode and had a great time building my team into an unstoppable juggernaut.

Maybe that doesn't sound like a problem, but it is when I look back over the 15 or so years since I started playing. Now the game offers those same head to head matches with better graphics, higher quality audio, online play, and some other bells and whistles. Franchise mode is largely the same - some things have been shuffled around, but it's still the same experience of turning any roster into a bunch of Hall of Fame players. These changes come from better technology, not from better ideas about football gaming.

Madden fails when it succeeds. The better it is at getting you excited about the real NFL, the more it lets you down. Getting excited about the real drama of the NFL - free agency, the draft, coaches in the hot seat, players fighting to make the roster, QB controversies - makes Madden less fun. Heck, simple realizing that Blaine Gabbert can't complete 80% of his passes and Darren Sproles can't bowl people over makes Madden less fun. Learning about football makes Madden less fun. That's not cool!