Of all the more recent generations of the popular Madden football videogame, the 2010 version, which releases today, (Aug. 14) is easily the most hyped and most anticipated.
Game-maker EA Sports said it was listening to its many gaming critics and promised to make Madden play and look more realistic. For the most part, I think the game hit its marks.
I tried the Wii version and was a little underwhelmed. Madden seemed a little too slow on the Wii and making a motion akin to rolling a bowling ball didn’t exactly make me feel like I was kicking anything. The graphics weren’t very sharp and were very cartoonish-looking.
Even my 9-year-old put it down after only a few minutes. I did enjoy playing in the unlockable Super Bowl and Pro Bowl stadiums, though.
It was a different story on Xbox 360.
Madden has never looked better. A new online mode got my attention quickly. You pick one team in the league and play with up to 32 other users and compete head-to-head for 10 seasons.
I had a little trouble with slow upload times, but got the jist of it. Once you join a league, the game tracks everything that happens in your league down to trades, stats and injuries. You’ll find you want to know who’s hurt on Atlanta if you play the Falcons next.
You’ll also find you will want to horde your draft picks. This is a feature that will keep gamers going for months, and given that improvements to actual gameplay are getting incrementally slower each year, which you would expect after so many iterations, EA Sports could offer simple roster updates online every year and probably make a fortune for users who preferred to keep their old game. And Madden 10 is one I think you could stay with for a few years.
Other things I liked:
-- Slower, more realistic game play.
-- The game plays more like real football.
-- There’s a new Madden app for iPhone and iPod touch coming next week that will allow you to manage your team remotely.
-- Playing up to 30 seasons against the computer.
-- The Co-op mode where you and an online friend can control two players on the same team.
-- A new postgame show (very good) and halftime show (OK)
-- And I loved all the new graphics.
You can literally send the fans home with great play and watch them leave. You can gang-tackle players and announcers Cris Collinsworth and Tom Hammond are awful chatty -- and that’s a good thing.
Now if it sounds like I’m going to rate this well, you’re right. Madden gets 3.5 stars out of 4. But I asked a reader, a devoted football gamer, Keith Quick, for his opinions.
Keith is a loyal NFL 2K5 player, five years later, and makes it point every year to call and tell me why the new Madden still isn’t as good as “his old game.”
Keith actually gives Madden an 8 out of 10, but complains about the challenge play system. He wants to be able to challenge any play and he wants a route-based passing system. Then he saw some bugs, like a defensive back running the same route his receiver was running and animations where the coaches would get up in a star’s face and let him have it.
“That doesn’t happen in the NFL,” he said. “Maybe high school or college.”
Keith thinks EA Sports needs to rebuild the game engine from the ground up, like it did for the excellent FIFA soccer.
I think EA Sports has another hit on its hands with Madden 10, the best version of the game we’ve ever tried.
Langston Wertz Jr.: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com; twitter.com/langstonwertzjr; facebook.com/langstonwertzjr
19 comments:
Great review. I HATED the Wii, but I loved the PlayStation III version. How does it compare to the 360 one?
How much is this? I want 2 get it 4 my hubbie
I like this Keith. I own a PS3 and was given Madden 09 as a birthday gift but up until then I have been boycotting the Madden franchise because of what happened with 2K5. I was one of the ones that bought Madden 05 and then traded it in to buy 2K5. Instead of seeing it as an opportunity to make their game better, EA destroyed my faith in their ability to compete and provide gamers with a better experience. They sold out and bought the NFL contract and nothing has come close ever since. Imagine what this game would look like if they had chosen to embrace competition. I'm sure this game is good, but I for one won't touch the Madden franchise until 2013.
very true austin... i also was an 2k5 player who was crushed when ea bought those rights...it was such BS. I bought 09 madden, but i completely lost interest after 1 month. 2k5,however, was played for years!!(oh, and it was only 20 bucks at release)
Dang Langston, why did you have to hate the Wii version? I was gonna get that one. Guess I'll get the PS one now.
All the reviews i read are like this one. maybe easports finally got it right, five years later!
When will EA stop lieing to PC user and make a Madden for PC
I have been upset with the Madden franchise ever since I found out they were screwing the players of the past. I thought 2K5 was better in the running game, but not as good in the passing game. But then I guess Madden couldn't stand the competition. These days I prefer playing NCAA. There is more variety in the formations and play calling.
Langston the same problems I mentioned are now what players who have it are seeing.On operationsports.com folks are seeing the issues I spoke to you about.I think the best Madden to date was 05.When EA and 2k were pushing each other we had 2 great games.Look at what is going on with the basketball game.Live and 2k9 are raising the bar each year.I disagree with EA already starting on Madden 11.They simply need to release roster updates and work on the game engine.Look at Fifa 09 how it plays and any next- gen Madden.Its like night and day.
I am also puzzled by 2k Sports.They have said that their football is not dead but we have yet to hear anything from them.They have all these loyal fans like myself yet we cannot get any info from them. 2k5 folks you can get current rosters for 2k5 at http://www.nfl2k5rosters.com/index.html
Vick to the Eagles.Wow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfSGs9ITXSo&feature=channel_page
This guy really breaks the game down
If anyone out their has not purchased the game I would strongly now suggest you do not.My rating of a 8 Id like to change it to a 5.If you are looking for a game betterthan 09 , it is.However , the standard was Everything you see on Sunday.We had hope this year but Ian Cummings played us all.This comment pretty much explains how real sim players are feeling.
Congratulation Ian Cummings, you my friend are the worlds greatest magician. With your cunning ways you captivate a community only to disappear when your lies are exposed.
Its not just you though. You are the face of the "franchise" over there at EA, a group of ragamuffin developers who seemingly have taken creativity, innovation, and art out of game design. I am almost ashamed that I am in a creative profession.
Let me start off by saying that I 100% believe that Ian Cummings and his team truthfully believe that their exclusive deal motivates them and doesnt hinder their game design.
With that being said, I think its time you guys got a clue.
I nearly fell out of my chair when Ian twitters that one of the guys "spent their own time making the broadcast camera work". Wow, seriously? We are giving people public accommodations for doing make up work on their off time? Fact: The Madden development teams priorities are jacked.
You get no credit for being a madden developer. You get no credit for trying to release a good game, and lastly you dont get credit for back of the box features unless they work like they say they do.
This year we get to talk about :
1) Pro Tak(its new, so we are working out kinks)
2) Online Franchise (its new so we are working out kinks, and its a base to improve upon)
3)Broadcast presentation( Its improved but a base for the future to build on)
4-- do I need to go on, basically your selling point for this game, the above 3 "features" are either broke, implemented wrong, or incomplete.
Not to mention you managed to screw up Feild goals, online ranked games, and incomplete passes seemingly by not touching them somehow. wow.
But you were in the forums man, saying how great it was going to be. We listened to you with your cool hand towels and custom field artwork. whatever man. Do us all a favor and get off the forums. Let us go back to where there is no relationship. You can get what you need from the community without announcing Ian Cummings is here.
You know why 2k5 is better than your game dude? seriously? Cause that development team wanted it more. They wanted a peice of that *** man. They came to work and did what needed to be done, they lowered the price tag. They wanted to take out Madden and they did it. They didnt get credit for staying a little late after work to fix a camera view. These dudes lived together for 12 months, sleeping on beds made from nails with pictures of John Madden in their lockers
Now all we got is some cowardly looking individuals lacking confidence lying about all of these great features.
Do us a favor, next year, just fix all this broke stuff and dont add anything. Maybe for once we can enjoy the game rather than spend hours and weeks creating sliders and salary caps and somehow trying to play the game through all of this garbage.
I would offer you luck, but you dont need it, your Ian cummings! Go on hustler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt-jiTyirls&feature=player_embedded
Please bring back 2k football.
This video is perfect because we can feel the reality, as we were there playing the game, I like to play it with my friends and being competitive.m10m
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Great game! I bought it for PS2 and it's awesome 'cause I can play with my favorite teams.
This game rules but I played it on Wii and not so great. Keep it on 360!
so cool - thanks for sharing. I have been wondering about this topic, please share me more.
That was the best game!
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