The excitment is back! *Madden '10* - N51_rob's Blog

N51_rob's Blog

The excitment is back! *Madden '10*

Posted on August 11, 2009 at 08:19 PM.

(6)

I'm lucky enough to live in Maryland and be close to three stores that are willing to break street dates. As such I've been lucky enough to get my grubby little hands on Madden NFL 10. Thus far, this is a game that has me floored. I didn't buy last years madden, gave up of 08 rather quickly. As it stands the last madden that I really enjoyed was probably 05. Well as the title states the excitement is back! At least for this gamer. Playing a game of Madden to me feels like what I see on TV most weekends in the fall.

Where do I start. The ratings. When Donny More decided to stretch the rating out, there was some back lash, people saw their favorite players or their teams best players ratings fall. I watched with intensity as DeAngelo Hall's for example hit rock bottom before Donny corrected it. I think that this may have saved the Madden franchise. You now can see the difference in players. It has made strategy matter to the sim gamer. Do I put my SS in coverage leaving Randy Moss 1-on-1 in order to blitz Tom Brady, or do I keep him back and to help Carlos Rodgers? That was an issue that I haven't had in madden and it is a welcome change. (For the record I blitzed and got luck as Moss slipped coming out of his break) It also makes your playmakers matter. I use the skins a lot so bear with me with all these skins examples. Running up the middle against the skins will be tough this year. "Fat" Albert Haynesworth in video game form is worth every cent Dan Snyder spent on him. He is a 99 and a force in the middle of my line. I literally am surprised when someone goes for more than 3 yards running dives and iso's in this game against the skins. He throws blockers and destroys FB, and RB.

Personally though there is a downside. Jason Campbell. He is my favorite redskin and I believe in him. His Madden incarnation may be accurate to a fault. Numerous times online I've had Santana Moss in single coverage get behind the CB without safety help. I chuck it up only to see my boy JC overthrow Moss time and time again. This doesn't frustrate me anymore than it does when I see it happen on Sundays. To follow that point up, the skins online is just as bad as it was last year towards the end. Again, playing the game, the line does get beat, not only in pass blocking but in run blocking. My biggest runs have come from Clinton Portis making people miss or getting a great block from a receiver.

I also love the fun factor that has returned to this game in general. It is fun to play Madden again, Things don't feel scripted, I honestly get the feeling that any play is close to going the distance or getting blown up. It's a welcome feeling. The slowing down of the game is also a nice touch. I know that the NFL game is fast, but slowing things down have given the game a pace and feel that I think does more to replicate the game more than anything else. I've watched MJD (thanks Dirtyjerz) get the corner on my defense and be gone. He is fast and I felt his speed while feeling the inability of my team catch him.

I give credit to the EA staff because IMO some presentation is better than no presentation. This year there is some presentation and it makes a world of difference compared to past games. It is by no means as good as it could be, but I'm willing to give Ian and his team some time to get that fixed, especially since the busted their asses between the lines. The half-time highlight are nice. But they need commentary. I honestly feel that this is where that other game back in 2005 had it right. Hire actors, (or even the FOX or CBS D+ commentary team) lock them in a studio and don't let them out for 10 months. I play on a PS3 and I feel that there should be ludicrous amounts of commentary. But It is nice that they show videos at the half and end of the game, rome wasn't built in a day and this is a welcome addition. Where the presentation takes off though is the "little things" (http://www.operationsports.com/forum...gs-thread.html). The refs and their interactions on the field is nice. It makes you feel like this is a game you see on TV. Kudos. I will say this some of the cut-scenes get repetitive. The spinning back bump, the piggy back ride after an int. It's a nuisance but nothing that I feel the need to get upset about.

I'm really impressed with this game thus far. I wish there was a salary cap system in online franchise mode, if feel a bit cheated, but I use that word loosely. It's obvious to me that the Madden teams had was forced given the overall reception of Online Dynasty. It seems like they just ran out of time.

Overall I really, really like Madden '10 and to me this is like the "transition year" we transition from what Madden was, to what it could be. Ian, Donny and those guys have really done a number on the game this year, and I hope that after a well deserved vacation they can blow Madden '10 out of the water with Madden '11.

Oh and I would be remiss if I didn't mention colored cleats!

Double oh, can we please get the video quality for uploads to EAsportworld fixed?

Here is what it's suppose to look like when I have Santana open. You may be able to see that the spiral isn't perfect.

EA Sports: Madden NFL 10 Video Highlight

Here is Laron Landry getting me the LT fumble trophy!

EA Sports: Madden NFL 10 Video Highlight

Comments

# 1 marcoyk @ Aug 11

Eww how could you make the Chargers wear those?! Haha but thanks for posting those, the game looks great. Can't wait.

# 2 N51_rob @ Aug 11

haha. Beleive me that wasn't me. That was an online game. My first. I won that game 6-3 in Double OT!

# 3 marcoyk @ Aug 11

haha ok. and that's unheard of for Maddens of the past

# 4 Hawaii_Stars @ Aug 12

Prepared to be surprised as I will bust you up the middle for more than 3 yards. LOL. Just kidding Rob. When I get the game, we will battle!!!

# 5 N51_rob @ Nov 27

Wow, I remeber when I wrote this and how I felt about Madden 10. It's funny to think that I didn't even purchase Madden 11 and thus far am on the fence about Madden 12. What a difference a year makes.