OS Fact or Fiction: Is Madden for Real This Time?

Feature Article

Submitted on: 09/06/2012 by Chris Sanner, Jayson Young

Chris Sanner: Fact.

Someone compared Madden NFL 13 to NBA 2K10 in a blog post of mine earlier last week. I think that's perhaps the best comparison I can come up with for the game. Yes, there are still numerous issues which crop up, and yes the new engine is with many quirks, but the foundation has been laid down now to the point where next season we could see a game that really creeps into greatness when things are polished up even more than where they are today.

The infinity engine really does make a huge difference in the game and gives it a much different feel and with some more tuning and tweaking via a couple of patches I'd suspect Madden NFL 13 ends up a very darned good game as it is. Then attention turns to Madden NFL 14 and what we should expect. If even half of the legacy issues are figured out, the missing elements from franchise are implemented into connected careers, and presentation is expanded upon -- all realistic goals -- Madden will be at the same level without a doubt as it's peers.

This year, you saw not just the Infinity engine and it's various benefits in each facet of the game -- but you also saw Madden move forward in the passing game with a new approach to icon passing which is subtle yet good. You also saw the game balance itself out a bit more than in year's past, at least to me. I've had some of the best games I've ever had in EA Football in Madden and while the game still cuts corners in realism, you can nitpick other series in the same way and arrive at the same conclusions. What matters to me at this point is that Madden is good, balanced football and it's now just a couple of real steps away from incredibly realistic football as well.

What is missing in this series now are subtle things that, if/when they are implemented will truly take this series into the Game of the Year conversation.

The Madden team made a brilliant decision to make big moves here at the end of this console generation. So long as they don't blow up the bridge and start over when the new consoles hit late next year I'm sure the franchise is set for a bright future from this point onwards.

Jayson Young: Fiction

The only areas where Madden NFL 13 performs at or near the top of sports gaming are its redone online franchise mode, spectacular dynamic lighting and highly detailed NFL stadiums. In all other aspects, Madden NFL 13 remains significantly behind the standards being set by industry leaders like FIFA, MLB The Show, NBA 2K and EA NHL.

While Madden NFL 13 looks attractive in still screenshots, its warts start appearing as soon as the ball is snapped, with weightless, exaggerated player movement, outdated blocking interactions, dumbfounding AI decision-making, outlandish Monday Night Raw collisions and inhuman limb contortions created by the new Infinity Engine. If beautifully animated franchises like NBA 2K and MLB The Show are poetry in motion, then Madden NFL 13's gameplay is a third grade spelling bee in motion -- unpolished, unsophisticated and full of glaring mistakes.

With an abundance of missing options and lost features, Madden NFL 13's offline experience is arguably worse this year than it was in Madden NFL 12. Virtual Twitter feeds are cool, but not at the expense of coach mode, NCAA roster transfers, fantasy drafts, roster editing, player editing, custom playbooks, custom gameplans, defensive camera perspective, multi-user offline franchise, etc.

Another potentially great mode, online team play, remains completely neglected, having made zero improvements since its Madden NFL 11 debut. EA's own FIFA and NHL series offer the ability to field full teams of human players and compete in online clubs or leagues, yet Madden NFL 13 remains limited to one-off 3 vs. 3 matches that don't even include fatigue or injuries. Madden NFL 13's online team play feature is actually worse now than when it debuted, due to the removal of the "behind the defense" camera.

High sales numbers don't always correlate to high product quality, and this console generation, EA Tiburon's Madden franchise has essentially become the Metallica of sports gaming -- still selling copies by the truckload at retail, but failing to satisfy hardcore fans who remember how great the brand used to be and how far it has fallen in recent years.

Madden NFL 13 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 jWILL253 @ 09/06/12 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyinPA75


	Fiction. 100% Fiction. Madden at this point is Obama. Said a lot, promised alot. Really had us as believers. But delivered on way too little of Hope and Change. Us football fans are now open to give crazy unproven knockoffs a try like a Romney. If 2k get back into the running for making football games. We will listen and watch what that Romney has to offer. Maybe bring back the heyday of football.

This isn't the place for political talk, or for opinions delivered straight from the Fox News teleprompter. Let's get back to Madden Talk...

# 42 regroc88 @ 09/06/12 07:34 PM

fiction fiction fiction!!!!!! this madden Sucks!!!! the new engine is cool, but all the other issues makes that no big deal. lets just start with the coaches cut scenes. They HAVE NO HEADSETS!!!!! C'mon Man!!! ea you guys just drop the ball on this the simplest thing you guys missed. No wonder why everything on the field went worng the freakin coach cant talk to anyone. he has a playbook and no way to get play in lol. I just cant belive no one says anything about this all the testing ea said this game had no one seen this!!! Really!!!! to me the game doesn't know it's ON!! and what i mean by this is there not enough player interaction after the plays on def and off. players walk rite by each other on big plays takes away form the Sim aspect. this game is not a Sim. arcade at best. if it was'nt for NFL 2k5 with the ros update and AllPro with the update ros! WE BE SCREWED!!!!!!!!

# 43 leathrneck34 @ 09/06/12 07:39 PM

I feel like this : Fiction, because after 7 years of failing to produce a true next gen game they continue to hold the NFL license and I hate to bring up 2k Football from last gen, Madden has yet to surpass that game in over all simulation of the game of football. And until they truly make a complete game they don't deserve the benefit of the doubt. Madden 13 is a better game than the previous years, yet it is still far from a true NFL experience let alone a true football simulation. I have it, I've been playing it since the demo and as impressed as I am sometimes with the way the IE works I am just as unimpressed with the way the IE works or in a lot of cases doesn't work. CCM is a great idea and at the same time because of lack of features , bugs , and glitches it is a nightmare. Playing offline is a disaster and online isn't much better. I respect Cam and Looman for they're effort, but they have a long way to go and after taking my money as well as millions of others hard earned money over the last 7 years they don't have my trust as a company anymore. And until we have a game that is complete and polished this Fact or Fiction question will get the same answer it is today over and over again.

# 44 khaliib @ 09/06/12 07:43 PM

As I said during hype time, this is Madden '06 all over again as they lead into developing on the next gaming consoles.

Strip and add, that's all it is.

It's hard for me to use the word "Great" in any discussion dealing with Madden football since being on Next-Gen and I refuse to compare it to itself as a measuring stick to pinpoint it's progress.

Funny thing is that I see some folks who have given praise and/or progression cudo's to EA's version of Physics, but ripped Backbreakers Physics (the 1st for Next-Gen football) as garbage. (go figure!!!)

The only true Fact that can't be debated is that both of EA's football titles have been pointed in the right direction since being on Next-Gen in 2006/07, but have shown that the raised "Genre Standards" are set at a level they can't keep pace with.

# 45 regroc88 @ 09/06/12 07:55 PM

Im not buying madden no more!!! **** this. this game is broken!!! im Suing EASports they Lied! to us agian someone need to help us or we just need to help ourselves and Stop buyin this ****!!!!!

# 46 TreFacTor @ 09/06/12 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khaliib


	As I said during hype time, this is Madden '06 all over again as they lead into developing on the next gaming consoles. Strip and add, that's all it is. It's hard for me to use the word "Great" in any discussion dealing with Madden football since being on Next-Gen and I refuse to compare it to itself as a measuring stick to pinpoint it's progress. Funny thing is that I see some folks who have given praise and/or progression cudo's to EA's version of Physics, but ripped Backbreakers Physics (the 1st for Next-Gen football) as garbage. (go figure!!!) The only true Fact that can't be debated is that both of EA's football titles have been pointed in the right direction since being on Next-Gen in 2006/07, but have shown that the raised "Genre Standards" are set at a level they can't keep pace with.

By comparison, I think BB did a better job than Madden as far as first attempts go, the bodies in BB seem more solid...Madden simply trumps it in every other way. Dang now I gotta pop the game in.

# 47 aussieBKR @ 09/06/12 07:57 PM

standing ovation for Jayson, would have to agree on nearly every point made. It is light years behind 2k......can't wait for nba2k13, i get more excitement about reading posts and updates on that game, then i do actually playing madden...But I love my NFL so i got no other choice.....

# 48 dramachild11 @ 09/06/12 08:02 PM

The answer to this question regardless of personal oponin is fact but that's only by default because they have no competition!! I honestly think that if the rights to the NFL weren't EA's exclusive property that they would make a better game year in an year out... FIFA has comp, before 2k really took off an made live take a dirt nap there was comp, an madden 05 was probably their best edition during the 2k wars... But if your only competing against yourself than all you can do is try to do better than your past output an in my humble opinion M13 is better than M12, cause I remember these boards a year ago at this time and most people seemed to hate 12 cause it didn't change at all from he previous years version

# 49 Da_IllusiveGuy @ 09/06/12 08:22 PM

Fiction

As said by others, other devs have better games ( The Show, NBA2k). EA made a good business decision in getting Exclusive Rights, no arguing that. However, they have done nothing to thwart the scrutiny of the deal by producing groundbreaking product. They throw bricks against a wall year after year hoping for one to bounce back. Over time, this could lead to the deal not being extended. Whether it be because of the NFL caving to public demand or showing possible better revenue in multiple devs. Right now, the revenue part might not be the case. 300million from EA compared to 25-30million from 2 or 3 devs each? You cant charge hundreds of millions without promising exclusiveness. But EA's product, or lack thereof, might cause someone to get creative with a non exclusive proposal. Such as lump sum up front and royalties. I don't buy the "reboot" or good place to start from argument. Recall final ps2 Madden and first Ps3 one? Umm yea. The PS4 is coming around gents.

M13 has good gameplay, better presentation, but flawed everywhere else. No immersion, just game. Did NFL Blitz comeback?

# 50 SamoanSteelerFromAus @ 09/06/12 08:25 PM

Fiction.

We should'nt be left with anticipation for next years game a couple weeks after this years is released but that's what a lof of us are doing. 8 years on next gen they should of found their groove years ago and be presenting an enthralling and drastically improved game every year.

There just doesn't seem to be any logic with Madden EA. Why not use the dev cycle to focus solely on gameplay...then we would of had a really polished game on the field and most would of been happy with the same ol franchise if the gameplay is on point. instead everything was rushed cause and we have to wait for patches? PS2 games came out hot and ready to go, no one waited around for major patches on the outdated ps2 so why are we subjected to this crap in 2012?
Jayson nailed it by the way.

# 51 TreyIM2 @ 09/06/12 08:29 PM

I say FACT - I think this new dev leader is making good on trying to make this game better and more realistic. Remember, the team, what, doubled in size for Madden 12 while there was still hangover from what the Ian team had done setting up 12 and this team has now had 13 to build on all by themselves and they've done a good job.

Now, the one thing that bothers me, and makes me mad, is what they will possibly need to alter, drastically or otherwise, for 14. EA usually has to taper, cut and move things around to be able to implement new additions and changes on with these current systems.

The, uhh, maddening part is how much better this game could have possibly been LOOONG AGO, even with a smaller Madden dev team, if MS just went with effin Blu-ray. Bigger disc space increases the data capacity of what devs can do on one disc. DVDs hold this game back and causes all that tapering, cutting and moving around. Anybody want to take this personally and argue this, again, go educate urself. Not trying to start some debate. It's FACT and there ARE games on PS3 that only needed one Blu-ray disc when that very same game had to be released on multiple DVDs for the 360. MS messed that up for all of us.
If EA still had wanted to double up on the team with having Blu-ray copacity for both systems, sheesh, Madden would probably be approaching if not already at legendary status with 13.

# 52 TreyIM2 @ 09/06/12 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	I say FACT - I think this new dev leader is making good on trying to make this game better and more realistic. Remember, the team, what, doubled in size for Madden 12 while there was still hangover from what the Ian team had done setting up 12 and this team has now had 13 to build on all by themselves and they've done a good job. Now, the one thing that bothers me, and makes me mad, is what they will possibly need to alter, drastically or otherwise, for 14. EA usually has to taper, cut and move things around to be able to implement new additions and changes on with these current systems. The, uhh, maddening part is how much better this game could have possibly been LOOONG AGO, even with a smaller Madden dev team, if MS just went with effin Blu-ray. Bigger disc space increases the data capacity of what devs can do on one disc. DVDs hold this game back and causes all that tapering, cutting and moving around. Anybody want to take this personally and argue this, again, go educate urself. Not trying to start some debate. It's FACT and there ARE games on PS3 that only needed one Blu-ray disc when that very same game had to be released on multiple DVDs for the 360. MS messed that up for all of us. If EA still had wanted to double up on the team with having Blu-ray copacity for both systems, sheesh, Madden would probably be approaching if not already at legendary status with 13.

*And the comment about 14 obviously would refer to the game releasing on current gen systems.

# 53 Da_IllusiveGuy @ 09/06/12 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	I say FACT - I think this new dev leader is making good on trying to make this game better and more realistic. Remember, the team, what, doubled in size for Madden 12 while there was still hangover from what the Ian team had done setting up 12 and this team has now had 13 to build on all by themselves and they've done a good job. Now, the one thing that bothers me, and makes me mad, is what they will possibly need to alter, drastically or otherwise, for 14. EA usually has to taper, cut and move things around to be able to implement new additions and changes on with these current systems. The, uhh, maddening part is how much better this game could have possibly been LOOONG AGO, even with a smaller Madden dev team, if MS just went with effin Blu-ray. Bigger disc space increases the data capacity of what devs can do on one disc. DVDs hold this game back and causes all that tapering, cutting and moving around. Anybody want to take this personally and argue this, again, go educate urself. Not trying to start some debate. It's FACT and there ARE games on PS3 that only needed one Blu-ray disc when that very same game had to be released on multiple DVDs for the 360. MS messed that up for all of us. If EA still had wanted to double up on the team with having Blu-ray copacity for both systems, sheesh, Madden would probably be approaching if not already at legendary status with 13.

Good point I say. However, some of the "basic" elements of Franchise could of been kept with a bigger local install package. Yea I hate waiting too for games to install data but edits and roster control would of tapered the lynchmobs. Many of them. EA has haters, I know. Much of it is their doing anyway. NHL is one of my favorite all time IPs in their defense.

# 54 TreyIM2 @ 09/06/12 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_IllusiveGuy


	Good point I say. However, some of the "basic" elements of Franchise could of been kept with a bigger local install package. Yea I hate waiting too for games to install data but edits and roster control would of tapered the lynchmobs. Many of them. EA has haters, I know. Much of it is their doing anyway. NHL is one of my favorite all time IPs in their defense.

Yea but I have NO probs with one time initial installs. I don't see the fuss. I could see if EVERYTIME u booted up the game, u'd have to find something to do prior to playing but it's just a, uhh, one-timer. Heh...

Things definitely coulda been better by now but, whatever. I like 13. Most fun I've had with a Madden in a very long time.

# 55 Da_IllusiveGuy @ 09/06/12 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TreyIM2


	Yea but I have NO probs with one time initial installs. I don't see the fuss. I could see if EVERYTIME u booted up the game, u'd have to find something to do prior to playing but it's just a, uhh, one-timer. Heh... Things definitely coulda been better by now but, whatever. I like 13. Most fun I've had with a Madden in a very long time.

Oh yea, bigger initial install wouldn't be dealbreaker here either. Sometimes I get irk'd when I can squeeze an hour in for a game I bought and that install sneaks up on me. No big deal.

# 56 SamoanSteelerFromAus @ 09/06/12 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adub88


	Fiction without a shadow of a doubt. I'm going to keep saying this, until they can find a way to get down or even address the core fundamental aspects of football, I will never consider this game. Good things here and there ain't gonna cut it. Line-play, player movement, overall animations, and AI take priority over any other aspect of the game. All in all, I'm just frustrated with the game I grew up playing and actually liked it. I look at the NBA2K vs. NBA Live series and can honestly say Madden probably would have had the same fate or a drastic reduction in sales, if they had not acquired the exclusive license. Let's be real folks!

Well said.

# 57 k_mac @ 09/06/12 09:21 PM

I'd have to say it's a fact. For the first time in years I am having fun playing Madden. I was very hesitant to pick the game up, but I ended up buying it anyways. I am very pleased so far. Sure, I'll have to get used to the Connected Careers, but I think Madden is definitely on the right track. Love the infinity engine.

# 58 onac22 @ 09/06/12 09:28 PM

It's the little things EA is still missing that make this game tough to handle. I know a new engine and some AI aspects are going to have bugs attached to them so I decided to wait for the patch to release and then start my new coach ccm. In the meantime I decided to be John Elway.

My concern is that after all of these years of superstar mode and now CCM. Why can the QB still not send his receivers into motion? It's the little errors in the game that make it the same old thing and really it's an error that shouldn't even be there.

Am I missing something? Is this a trait I have to unlock? If so that is dumb because part of the QB job description is pre-play adjustments.

Oh and one more thing it's time to do away with the plays with the pre-snap motion routes, any run the cpu jumps all over, and any pass the route gets jumped by the cpu. Especially when it's AI running. I've seen those guys run back over a first down line before.

# 59 graygriff78 @ 09/06/12 09:28 PM

I agree with Jayson Young (Fiction). Although Madden 13 has taken a step in the right direction, it's a step that's long over due and something that should have taken place in Madden 08 or 09. Madden 13 is still a long ways away from being a great game of virtual football. I think many gamers have forgotten how good video game football used to be and they have been subjected to the only mediocre brand of football available for too long. I remember a time when the thing that kept me playing video game football was the gameplay and franchise mode itself, and not the ability to rack up rpg like xp as in CCM. Another thing too, why does the QB's wind up and release take so damn long in Madden, I could never figure out why a QB can't ever get rid of the ball when he is under pressure, it happens all the time in the NFL, why not in Madden. I guess it really isn't in the game.

# 60 PVarck31 @ 09/06/12 09:40 PM

Just wanted to point out something I noticed here. The last site poll asked how we felt about Madden 13. And the vast majority voted great, or good. Yet in this article the vast majority pretty much hate it.

Not trying to be a "smart guy." I just find it interesting.

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