Areas that after 6yrs Madden still needs to Improve - bigsmallwood's Blog

bigsmallwood's Blog

Areas that after 6yrs Madden still needs to Improve

Posted on August 1, 2010 at 12:25 AM.

(44)

After 6years on Next-Gen systems The Madden series has yet to get it quite right. Here are some areas that could use a huge improvement so that the franchise can finally move forward and not only vault past 2K5, but set a new bar in football gaming.

Challenges

In Madden you have no control over what you are challenging and this can be frustrating especially when the CPU may not choose what you were looking to challenge. Ex. You may want to challenge whether or not a pass caught was a fumble or did the receiver never have possession? The CPU challenges the spot of the ball and you slam your controller through the television. Simply put, we need choices EA and your motto is if it's in the game, IT's in the game. Make it happen.

NFL Superstar Mode

This has been a head scratcher since it's inception. Why has this mode not seen any overhaul? Better yet the user should have control over the entire offense/defense in order to help PROGRESS the created player towards the goal of becoming an NFL Legend and winning Super Bowls....MVPs etc. Instead we are treated to the AI calling bone-headed plays and we have little to no control over the outcome of the game. Please, this mode begs fixing...otherwise we are better off creating a player and guiding him through our dynasty mode to get the SuperStar effect.

Presentation (ouch)

The hardcore gamer says "EA" why is there no real presentation in Madden 11 (10,09 etc.)? EA responds "We have had it in the game already" If Madden ever hopes to join the ranks of NFL 2K5, MLB the SHow, CH2K8, FIFA World Cup 2010, and NBA 2K (which is taking an even bigger leap this year) ....They had better make time to place HEAVY emphasis on presentation. Look at the banter of the two commentators in 2K5...it actually sounds like they are in the booth together and watching the same game! If Randy Moss drops 3 passes in the first quarter and doesn't show up til the 2nd half, you will hear about it. In Madden...not so much. Gus Johnson brings his signature commentary in Madden 11, but is often behind the play and he and Collinsworth (who is spectacular in real life) never so much as reference one another.

The lack of a half-time show (again 2K5 nailed it), Season review that is actually passable for NEXT GEN, and play-off/Super-Bowl commentary really hurts this game. If the Browns are on the verge of being eliminated from the AFC title Game and they are kicking a potentially game winning field goal...the commentary should match the implications. If NFL 2K5 was able to pull off an AMAZING Sports Center show during the season that SHOWED highlights from games you did not play...Next-Gen madden has to be able to do the same.

Ian and Crew have to stop making excuses and either deliver or let other Dev team in who do get it. I personally believe that if 2K and others were still making football games, We would have the Madden we saw in the video in 06' with the Eagles and Giants.....We have yet to see this on Next-Gen. EVEN NFL FEVER 2004 had better presentation and stat boxes (esp. if you broke a record) in their game. One would think Madden would have it by now.

Gameplay

Maybe it is the level of talent, maybe they just don't care to fix the gameplay. Madden NFL 11 has shown (in the demo and pirated copies on youtube) that the gameplay is still not up to par. I do not care what IGN or anybody else thinks, Madden is broken in the gameplay department.

I have yet to ever see a football get swatted down and the ball is magnetically bouncing off the players arms and legs without hitting the ground. I have never seen Leon Washington prepare to return a kick-off and SLIDE, not step, but SLIDE over to where the ball is going to be. Where do they teach that football skill at? I have never seen Peyton Manning throw an INT and then proceed to go and chest bump his offensive linemen like they just scored a TD.....EA....come on already. I know Ian doesn't want any real constructive criticism....he just wants to hear that they did a "great" job, when in reality the gameplay could use a TON of fixes that will instantly make Madden a winner. Why is it that when Revis goes to tackle Addai, Bart Scott instead leveling him, falls down....Cromartie who should clean Addais clock as well gets magnetically pulled down. We need multiple people to be able to hit a player at once. 2K5 does it. Backbreaker does it. Madden does not.

This Blog is not intended to "bash" Madden for all of the defenders of Madden and the Madden homers who say Madden can do NO WRONG. For the Record:

EVERY NFL game is flawed that has ever been released. 2K5. NFL Fever. Gameday. Backbreaker. Madden. All Flawed. It is just amazing that since the era of games being able to be patched, and since EA snatched the NFL License, the games have become amazingly lackluster. We are treated to next-year, year after year. These are just one person's opinion of what Madden can do to turn their franchise around. Yes, it was done constructively, so please no lashing out at me for pointing out what MANY have already known. Madden 11 looks to carry on the tradition of current gen Madden games....let's hold our collective breaths for Madden 12 or whatever name change EA comes up with...and hope that NFL returns in the year 2012.

Fire away! I would like to know your thoughts about what can be improved...and please don't tell me about Larry Fitzgeralds towel on his waist and how it should be half-red and half white.....let's get in thoughts about things that affect the gameplay and atmosphere.

Comments

# 1 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

The option to change the camera angle DURING the game would help as well.

# 2 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

No more cut off replays as part of the presentation...Maybe we can get the whole thing...with commentary! lol

# 3 nba2012 @ Aug 1

good blog ... hopefully someone from EA sees this...lol

# 4 stlstudios189 @ Aug 1

commentary needs an upgrade for sure. MLB 2k10's commentary is amazing. NFL2k5's presentation would be amazing with the upgraded technology

# 5 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

@nba2012: Thanks....I really hope they see this and do something about it as well.

# 6 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

@stlstudios189: exactly! The running theme is that 2Ksports keeps on improving their atmosphere...while EA seems to think that everything is okay.....really says something to me.

# 7 shadthedad @ Aug 1

They have to keep the gameplay the same, otherwise gamers would score 70 points per game. That's the only reason why it wouldn't be a good idea to change the core physics of the game.

# 8 statum71 @ Aug 1

I'm huge on presentation. I like for my sports games to feel like they are ACTUALLY on TV. The way The Show, NHL, and NBA 2K do.

I too wish Madden had more of an "actually on TV" feel. Right now it has a "video game impersonation of TV" feel.

# 9 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

@v11exit14: Yeah unfortunately none of this seems to matter to EA. The player models still look cartoonish and Revis is not as strong as he should be this year. He should be rated 99 without a doubt.

# 10 BillJ @ Aug 1

There are always areas where any game needs to be improved.

I've been buying Madden since 'The Championship Edition' on the Sega Genesis and have always enjoyed them for what they are: video games.

I guess if your spending thirty hours a week picking the game apart, you're not as irked by trivial flaws in the game.

Played the demo multiple times with Gameflow off and on and have had a blast tinkering around with it.

# 11 BillJ @ Aug 1

I guess if your NOT spending thirty hours a week picking the game apart, you're not as irked by trivial flaws in the game.

Typo!

# 12 XxJrSmith3xX @ Aug 1

Amen to this i really want to play some Football! and this year is just as bad as 11 or just worst.

# 13 bigsmallwood @ Aug 1

@BillJ: I've stated that no game is perfect...however you cannot in good faith call these "flaws" trivial?

I know that Madden 11 should play pretty decent on the field but the flaws and missing overall package is far from a being dismissive, especially when it is apparent what they can do for a game. Have you ever played the MLB the Show 2010? How about CH2K8? There are plenty of examples of games that have improved in a shorter life cycle than Madden. We have to hope they step up to the plate and finally deliver...next year.

# 14 BillJ @ Aug 1

@bigsmallwood: It's a video game! Think about the mind-numbing number of combinations that can happen on a 100 yard field with 22 players fighting over a single ball. American football has to be the toughest sport to accurately emulate via a video game.

Peyton Manning chest bumping an offensive lineman after an interception (which I've yet to see) really isn't a big deal. I know he threw the pick, the system knows he threw the pick. Hit the 'X' and go on by the animation.

Also have a hard time wondering why everyone is so up in arms about a TV style presentation... I get that on Sunday watching the games. I actually like seeing something different. I do wish they'd bring the telestrator function over from the WII version though. If nothing else I wish they would bring in each teams radio announcers to add variety to the commentaries you're listening too.

The point about replays I do agree with. Since this is a demo build we could get a surprise.

At the end of the day, I want to be entertained. Madden does this for me in spades.

# 15 BillJ @ Aug 1

Yes I do own MLB 10: The Show... and it bores me to tears.

« Previous12 3 Next »

bigsmallwood

Create Your Card Flip Card Over