Madden NFL 09 Review

[godsproperty]

very nice review

[Ankido]

Yea your right, patches suck. I'd rather get the game on time with no bugs. Of course no game is perfect so that means if there is a major bug or glitch, better luck next year ya?

Sorry friend, patches are the future for console games. Learn to live with it and accept it.

[rockbottom3]

I would rather they could patch the game than not at all. Think about 2k5 if it could of had patches.

[BernieWilliams]

I wasn't expecting much from the Online Leagues anyway, but it should still be a good online experience.

[Tobi]

That was a long read but I appreciate it.

[Brophog]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

Terrible point of view, IMO. Because companies now have the ability to patch, they are more apt to release games with clear flaws in them because they would rather meet a deadline than release a quality game. I like they ability to patch, but it's become clear that developers rely on them rather than use them as a last resort. Madden is the perfect example of this..a patch was being planned as soon as the game went gold.

Your assumption is off. You're making the assumption that if not for the ability to patch, then the release would be pushed back. That's incorrect. The reason the game comes out the way it does is in part with how EA structures itself, who gets priority, marketing, development time, league restrictions, etcetera. The only difference between the ability to patch the game and not is the fact a patchable product can get things fixed. There will always be bugs that get through, features not implemented, things people want changed.

That doesn't mean I don't understand where you're coming from, nor does it mean I agree with how EA and similiar companies decide to market and product their wares, it just means you're basing your assumption on very little besides motive, seemingly unaware of how the business is ran.

[Smokez4DAyz]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bahnzo

Terrible point of view, IMO. Because companies now have the ability to patch, they are more apt to release games with clear flaws in them because they would rather meet a deadline than release a quality game. I like they ability to patch, but it's become clear that developers rely on them rather than use them as a last resort. Madden is the perfect example of this..a patch was being planned as soon as the game went gold.

can we please stop killing patches, I grew up on atari 2600 and up, we had no patches to bad games with bad glitches, please stop looking to down the ability to have your games tuned thruout the year. Please, stop LOOKING for negativity.

Anyways. Great write up. The runnning in this game is tuned so realistically, you applaud a 20 yd run. After about 4 games, your IQ test adjusts from the test you took, to more how you actually play. I started out a 562, now after 3 games I'm 690 and even when you quit a game it totals your IQ and it will change. A couple of silly glitches like the football getting 'kicked' after a play, or the passes that hit the lineman. But they have an impending patch that have adderessed those issues. The play calling is fast, he's right about offensive line play, if you have a doo doo line, you're not gonna have time, or you need to keep backs or TEs in the block. Everything is LIVE after the catch or first contact, you can spin out of tackles, stiff arm defenders to catch your balance, two tacklers break outs, Qb's that take hits but don't fall. In the hood if something is nice, we call it CRACK, well MADDEN 09 is whuts cracking homies, go get yours . A 5 out of...5

[Bahnzo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brophog

it just means you're basing your assumption on very little besides motive, seemingly unaware of how the business is ran.

No I understand there are deadlines and such, especially for sports games. But unless we the consumer let it be known that releasing a game that knowingly needs to be patched to function correctly, then this practice will not only continue but branch out to other things.

Note that I'm not talking about small bugs, gameplay tweaks and such, but large things that are certainly caught during Q&A, but allowed to pass anyways because they know they can just patch it later. It's easy to forget that not everyone has their console connected, so then what happens to those people? Saying that you think patches are a good thing is a double edged sword. It has it's place, but when developers are allowed to use it as a crutch then it's hurting the game more than it helps.