My yearly (franchise) question.

[Gagnon39]

It seems every July/August I start lurking around the Madden forums and watching some YouTube videos on the up-coming NFL game. Madden (and NCAA Football) used by be my favorite sports game and I used to play them religiously. Of course, this was before the day of Madden Ultimate team and developer focus on online modes. I, like many of us on this forum, love franchise mode. And while we may be the dinosaurs in sports games it doesn't change the fact that franchise mode is essentially all I'm really interested in. I'd say the last Madden game I really got into was Madden 2005. It's hard to believe that its been 15+ years now since I played the game much. I've bought a few versions of the game as the years have gone on, and from time to time I've gotten through maybe a season or two. But nothing's come close to the way I used to play it, where I'd go through multiple seasons, and play (and import my draft classes from NCAA) draft, players, develop, etc.

So, each year I find myself in the same place. Hoping, mostly with little optimism, that maybe this will be the year that Madden is worth it for franchise players. I know that there's supposedly a new focus on the mode this year, but from watching YouTubers like Angry Joe, they seem, let's just say, unimpressed.

So I rely mostly on this community for impressions. And I'm eager to know, do you all think Madden 22 will be worth it for offline franchise mode? Is the gameplay realistic? Can you get true, simulation football out of it? Are the improvements to franchise mode noteworthy or is it just fluff that EA's trying to make look good.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

It seems every July/August I start lurking around the Madden forums and watching some YouTube videos on the up-coming NFL game. Madden (and NCAA Football) used by be my favorite sports game and I used to play them religiously. Of course, this was before the day of Madden Ultimate team and developer focus on online modes. I, like many of us on this forum, love franchise mode. And while we may be the dinosaurs in sports games it doesn't change the fact that franchise mode is essentially all I'm really interested in. I'd say the last Madden game I really got into was Madden 2005. It's hard to believe that its been 15+ years now since I played the game much. I've bought a few versions of the game as the years have gone on, and from time to time I've gotten through maybe a season or two. But nothing's come close to the way I used to play it, where I'd go through multiple seasons, and play (and import my draft classes from NCAA) draft, players, develop, etc. So, each year I find myself in the same place. Hoping, mostly with little optimism, that maybe this will be the year that Madden is worth it for franchise players. I know that there's supposedly a new focus on the mode this year, but from watching YouTubers like Angry Joe, they seem, let's just say, unimpressed. So I rely mostly on this community for impressions. And I'm eager to know, do you all think Madden 22 will be worth it for offline franchise mode? Is the gameplay realistic? Can you get true, simulation football out of it? Are the improvements to franchise mode noteworthy or is it just fluff that EA's trying to make look good.

The improvements to Franchise mode — AFTER the scouting overhaul update — are WELL worth it.

The main reason is because they hired this guy:

https://forums.operationsports.com/f...e-rebuild.html


So yeah no, it’s not just fluff.

Your other questions are even more nebulous and thus hard to answer. Turn off the superhero abilities and tweak the sliders and you can get the closest to a football simulation that there has ever been.

[Gagnon39]

Quote: Originally Posted by ForUntoOblivionSoar∞

The improvements to Franchise mode — AFTER the scouting overhaul update — are WELL worth it. Your other questions are even more nebulous and thus hard to answer. Turn off the superhero abilities and tweak the sliders and you can get the closest to a football simulation that there has ever been.

I've been watching some videos, it definitely looks intriguing. So you feel that, with some sliders and adjustments, Madden plays a pretty good simulation game of football? When you say, "superhero," abilities, I assume you mean the (not sure what they're calling it now) abilities certain players have that gives them decided advantage in-game?

One thing I noticed that immediately jumped out at me on one of the videos was the momentum meter. I do not like that at all. Hopefully it can be turned off.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Let me just add that I’ve been temporarily banned several times over the years for bringing heated criticism to the game, so no, I’m not an EA bootlicker. It looks to be the best version they’ve ever done.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

I've been watching some videos, it definitely looks intriguing. So you feel that, with some sliders and adjustments, Madden plays a pretty good simulation game of football? When you say, "superhero," abilities, I assume you mean the (not sure what they're calling it now) abilities certain players have that gives them decided advantage in-game? One thing I noticed that immediately jumped out at me on one of the videos was the momentum meter. I do not like that at all. Hopefully it can be turned off.

I didn’t pay attention to the momentum meter in the beta, but as I said before, it actually felt authentic to me.


As for the rest, I hate the super hero abilities, so I always turn them off. I play no less than 12 min quarters, and will do 15 every now and then. I play with boosted pass rush, but this year the “Gameplan” feature allowed me to focus on defending the pass, which made my outside pass rush feel more realistic than I’ve seen in Madden.

I wasn’t intrigued by the coach tree thing. Not the way I would have done it.

The scouting update looks like the best addition to the game in a decade. But it’s not coming till September.

[Gagnon39]

Well, perhaps this MIGHT, just be the year... I will remain cautiously optimistic.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gagnon39

Well, perhaps this MIGHT, just be the year... I will remain cautiously optimistic.

Even if it isn’t, Franchise is definitely moving in the right DIRECTION. I’m personally waiting on more details on the scouting thing (and my new fav QB to be out in the game). But I am quite optimistic.

[Gagnon39]

Quote: Originally Posted by ForUntoOblivionSoar∞

Even if it isn’t, Franchise is definitely moving in the right DIRECTION. I’m personally waiting on more details on the scouting thing (and my new fav QB to be out in the game). But I am quite optimistic.

That would seem to be the case, this year. But who's to say that in future iterations they don't just go back to their old habits of neglecting franchise mode and focusing almost solely on Madden Ultimate Team? Have they said that this renewed focus on franchise will continue indefinitely in future versions?