RaychelSnr's Blog
Pros
Running Game - EA once again nailed the running game in Madden like they did with NCAA. The blocking is much improved and the action in the trenches is just so much better than it has been.
The Feel - Madden feels as if it's big time again, which is always a good thing. I can't put my finger on exactly why this is, but the game has a different feel this year which I think helps the overall quality.
Atmosphere - I think the addition of stadium sounds, the authentic music and crowd chants, they're all moving in the right direction. While indeed, it could be said there is room for improvement here, I could say the same thing about every sports game.
Passing is tighter - The route running is much better this year, the animations are solid. I'm a believer in the passing game this year, although like I said on the Radio Show last night -- I have a slight fear the quarterbacks and passing game might be too tight over time resulting in an overpowering offense.
Dual Stick Controls - Madden's control scheme has gone from an abomination of button mashing to something more like NHL, with dual analog controls. There's A LOT more that can be done with these (see: Backbreaker), but the new controls are a big step forward for the franchise.
Pro-tak/Locomotion - I can't separate the two because they make so much of a difference with the game. I think this might be the big reason for the different feel of the game. I might add I really want to get some dual hit tackles and whatnot back in the game, we need more of a free form animation system still -- but don't kid yourself, Pro-Tak is the best system for tackling outside of Backbreaker ever, in some ways it could be comparable.
Purgatory
Animations - There's stuff that can be liked and disliked here. The skating is definitely toned down but not quite out this year. But the new additions are substantial -- but oftentimes not quite implemented in the most effective way. My emotions are mixed here.
Commentary - Lock Gus Johnson and Chris Collingsworth in the booth next year for a week, have them deliver thousands upon thousands of lines. Kudos to EA for the choice, these guys are perfect for Madden. But the repetitive lines and out of place over the top excitement needs to be tweaked.
Cons
Play Action Passing - This is a patchable offense I think, but the Play-Action passes are just off this year. Definitely a downer.
Special Teams - I think EA misdefined what the word special in special teams mean. Any good football coach will tell you special teams are a huge part of the game, they determine 'little' things like field position and whatnot. This aspect of the game, while not completely broken, is very close to that.
Defense - Whereas NCAA's defensive game was quite solid, Madden's has a bunch of issues from defensive behavior, to secondary play, really just a bunch of little issues that add up substantially. Let's not forget that defense is still a bore to play.
Franchise Mode - Let's just put it this way, both Dynasty and Franchise are abominations, they are boring, stale, and they have few redeeming qualities to make you want to play them if you've ever experienced them in the past. This hurts the game's replayability...a lot.
Superstar Mode - If the competition in this arena weren't so weak, I'd say Superstar mode was one of the worst of it's kind. Instead, I'll simply say it's a bore to play, there's no realism involved, and I see no reason you'd even want to touch this mode if you've played it any of the last couple of years. Bore of the same. (not a typo)
The Verdict
How the success from NCAA to Madden got lost in translation I don't know. But we now know NCAA is the best playing football game ever with Madden trailing it in just about every category on the gameplay front, albeit slightly. Madden is still fun to play on the field, and if you don't own Madden NFL 10 and if you are an NFL fan, this is a no brainer of a purchase. Madden NFL 11 is the best Madden yet on next-gen consoles, which is how it should be. However, if you are a casual football fan then NCAA is the best option for you -- unless you hate the college game. Madden is solid, above average, and definitely not a bad game. It's just not great, and people expect nothing less.
Chris' Madden NFL 11 Score:
My ratings explained.
Chris is the Executive Editor of Operation Sports and maintains this blog on the site. He is also a native Oklahoman and avid storm chaser. You can follow him on Twitter @ChrisSnr.
# 31
bmj2k7 @ Aug 10
my ? is how is the music, bc the last couple years music has been mixed, some good songs and a lot of bad songs, so is the music better this year than in the past in your opinion, and i saw a review that there still is some framerate problems like in the demo, so how better is the framerate than the demo or is it about the same, since it was slow going in and out of menus.
# 32
Dog @ Aug 10
i like this review better than the other. best sports site on the internet has gotta really dive into the game and critique it. good stuff
# 34
boritter @ Aug 10
Good review; much better than the other OS "review" that was up earlier today.
But I strongly with Dynasty being an "abomination."
A review shouldn't sacrifice accuracy for shock value.
But I strongly with Dynasty being an "abomination."
A review shouldn't sacrifice accuracy for shock value.
# 35
DaReapa @ Aug 10
Good review. And I understand your enthusiasm for NCAA 11, but please speak for yourself when you say that "NCAA is the best playing football game ever". Don't get me wrong - NCAA 11 is a good game and I could agree that it may be the best NCAA Football game ever, and even that's subjective.
# 37
CreatineKasey @ Aug 10
@Chris- Good review. I like this format better. It's more informative and to the point, which caters to the hardcore gamer. We don't need the basics, we know exactly where the game is at up until release date.
# 38
TombSong @ Aug 10
Line blocking - Current crop of games.
Why ? What do the current EA games do that that AP2K8 does not ?
They both have double teams on runs, however AP2k8 has them also in the passing game. Madden has slide protection. 2K8 you could choose to have the center help double the left guard or the right guard.
Passing game - at best a push, but really thanks to additional animations/ratings this crop.
The WR's in 2k* run their routes better, look better running them. The QB's did not have to throw random bad passes to show their lack of skill. If a QB had a weak arm or accuracy problem he had it ALL the time so you had to call plays that had routes in it he could make good throws to.
Running game - This year's, not even close.
Again why ? What are you doing in Madden that you could not do in 2k5 or AP2k8 control wise ?
Defense - This year's games thanks to improved line play, although not very different.
What about the line play makes it better than AP2K8 ? Ill agree, the Dline play in Madden is much better but what makes it better then 2k8 ?
AI - Much better today than it used to be, it's more dynamic.
Explain this ? Whats more dynamic ? In 2k8 you could adjust the depth of your corners(5, 10, 15 yards off the ball in increments) and shade them inside or out.
Special teams - Hit or miss, new kicking system still better than old ones.
Why ? and what is hit or miss ?
Controls - Much better now compared to then.
How so ? The audible system and hot route calls are easier to make in Ap2k8 imo. But please tell me how the controls in the new madden is better ?
Tackling - Pro-Tak is better than any other system in the previous gen, really by quite a bit in techincal terms. It's not Backbreaker-esque, but it's not far off.
In 2K8 If I ran and hit a RB already in a tackle animation I could influence the direction the tackle went and actually help. In madden I just bounce off into a tumble weed animation, How in the world is this better ? BackBreaker is on a whole other level so how does maddens system honestly stack up ?
Ratings - They're much better and much more descriptive now.
How does this make it better on the field when you are playing the game ?
The technology/time has allowed the next-gen games to go well beyond the previous gen games on the field. Anyone saying the old games are better are simply living in a fantasy land at this point. You can make the argument that progress hasn't been as much as it should be, but to say Madden 11/NCAA 11 isn't much better than 05 or 2K5 is simply ridiculous at this point.
What does Madden have today that 2K5 and 2k8 dont have other than the NFL license ? What does madden do that those games dont do ? You can include presentation, game play, animations...what ?
Why ? What do the current EA games do that that AP2K8 does not ?
They both have double teams on runs, however AP2k8 has them also in the passing game. Madden has slide protection. 2K8 you could choose to have the center help double the left guard or the right guard.
Passing game - at best a push, but really thanks to additional animations/ratings this crop.
The WR's in 2k* run their routes better, look better running them. The QB's did not have to throw random bad passes to show their lack of skill. If a QB had a weak arm or accuracy problem he had it ALL the time so you had to call plays that had routes in it he could make good throws to.
Running game - This year's, not even close.
Again why ? What are you doing in Madden that you could not do in 2k5 or AP2k8 control wise ?
Defense - This year's games thanks to improved line play, although not very different.
What about the line play makes it better than AP2K8 ? Ill agree, the Dline play in Madden is much better but what makes it better then 2k8 ?
AI - Much better today than it used to be, it's more dynamic.
Explain this ? Whats more dynamic ? In 2k8 you could adjust the depth of your corners(5, 10, 15 yards off the ball in increments) and shade them inside or out.
Special teams - Hit or miss, new kicking system still better than old ones.
Why ? and what is hit or miss ?
Controls - Much better now compared to then.
How so ? The audible system and hot route calls are easier to make in Ap2k8 imo. But please tell me how the controls in the new madden is better ?
Tackling - Pro-Tak is better than any other system in the previous gen, really by quite a bit in techincal terms. It's not Backbreaker-esque, but it's not far off.
In 2K8 If I ran and hit a RB already in a tackle animation I could influence the direction the tackle went and actually help. In madden I just bounce off into a tumble weed animation, How in the world is this better ? BackBreaker is on a whole other level so how does maddens system honestly stack up ?
Ratings - They're much better and much more descriptive now.
How does this make it better on the field when you are playing the game ?
The technology/time has allowed the next-gen games to go well beyond the previous gen games on the field. Anyone saying the old games are better are simply living in a fantasy land at this point. You can make the argument that progress hasn't been as much as it should be, but to say Madden 11/NCAA 11 isn't much better than 05 or 2K5 is simply ridiculous at this point.
What does Madden have today that 2K5 and 2k8 dont have other than the NFL license ? What does madden do that those games dont do ? You can include presentation, game play, animations...what ?
# 39
saragathers @ Aug 10
I don't think the madden 11 reviews are totally right. Every year we get the same game.
# 41
texans @ Aug 11
Sucks about Franchise Mode. Guess it's supposed to be better next year. Guess we'll have to wait and see if EA gets my money then, but definitely not now.
# 42
quietcool72 @ Aug 12
Not a bad review. I just have to ask how bad and what has to be malfunctioning before an EA football game drops below a 3 star rating on OS. And, not to just pick on OS- but also IGN, Gamespot, and 1up and their "9s".
For EA's part, I also wonder where that promised "premium content" is that was supposed to be paid for by the "EA Online Pass" implementation. Hmmm.
Maybe the implementation special teams kick return blocking can be a paid-for microtransaction down the road.
For EA's part, I also wonder where that promised "premium content" is that was supposed to be paid for by the "EA Online Pass" implementation. Hmmm.
Maybe the implementation special teams kick return blocking can be a paid-for microtransaction down the road.
# 44
lewski19 @ Aug 13
I actually think this review is a bit kind. I do not think it plays as well on the field this year as it did last year. I think there are elements that are better, but as a whole I do not really like it. It seems to me that there is a lot of skating, especially by QB's when they move around the field. Also, the franchise review is dead on, that part of the game is incredibly stale, it seems like an afterthought. NCAA is way better.
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