Madden NFL 11 Demo Available Now, Please Post Impressions Here

[Critical Kills]

Anyone that knows me knows I'm pretty EASY on EA's games. I'm usually able to overlook a lot of stuff. But due to the negatives I posted, especially this strategy pad thing, this is honestly the first year I've considered not buying Madden at all. If I can get a good deal on it and/or get it early then I probably still will just for the occasional time for when a buddy comes over but I really am not sure if I can get over the negatives I've seen from this demo.

I probably will end up wasting money on the game this year and not playing it much at all. I hope I'm wrong, maybe the retail will change my mind, but so far I'm very discouraged. At least I have a great NCAA 11 to enjoy though.

[Critical Kills]

tazdevil20 - very well said. Your post put into words what I was unable to do in my impressions. I 100% agree with everything you said.

[ryan36]

Quote: Originally Posted by ODogg

tazdevil20 - very well said. Your post put into words what I was unable to do in my impressions. I 100% agree with everything you said.

ODogg that was my point, too...that it wasn't just the strat pad that would have someone like you considering not buying...you're not one of those "shoelaces are a gamekiller" guys.

...with the new kick meter, I still haven't missed a FG!

[SA1NT401]

Quote: Originally Posted by navygoat1998

Taste like chicken and plays like Madden. Another year of a good football, great no, good yes! Mike

Time will tell...I am on the other side of the fence at this point.

JUst too much of the same (good and bad) and not as much of a step forward loke M10....

More time with the DEMO and feedback 2-3 weeks after release will be the way i make my decison heading into late august.

Main reason for that thinking is this...You KNOW there will be new.old bugs and glitches that rear their ugly head at some point...Be it Franchise stat bugs...in game bugs etc....Just how many issues there will be is unknown at this point.

NCAA has the dynasty progession and player ratings issue that KILLS dynasty by yr 4 or 5...Madden will have something for sure. But who knows. Maybe they took the extra time this year and fixed some things.

[sportyguyfl31]

Quote: Originally Posted by tazdevil20

I just have a hard time believing that a year of work went into the gameplay, and in the case of locomotion, nearly 2 years. Really? My expectations were much higher after playing the NCAA demo, but IMHO, the gameplay doesn't measure up at all.

This is how I have been feeling for months now.

I'm in love with NCAA 11

Madden 11 is clearly inferior to it, and I do not understand why.

What was the development team doing all year?

Thank God for Online Franchise.

[Skyboxer]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blake1288

I was bored and highly angered after one game. Maybe I'm missing something, but how do I shade my safeties? How do I press? How do I shift linemen? How do I audible a route to a streak or a slant?

I believe its:
Pad then up to select DB's the pad for the direction
Pad then up to select DB's then down on pad
Pad then Lpad then either up/down/L or R
Pad then up then select which wr and then pick the route....


From work and I can remember what to do. Pad is simple.
I agree it should have been an option but I'm 44 and can remember from work after playing for about 1 hour yesterday what the controls are.

The scarey part is if the simple D-Pad configuration/change is this problematic for a lot of people then we can pretty much kiss any real innovation to, for example, the passing system. If EA ever gets rid of the brain dead system that been this way and stale for the last umpteen years (Hit X for X...Hit Y for Y) the world will collapse into itself.

[SuperDave21]

I'm somewhat new to the forums and I thought that I could post my perspectives from a casual Madden fan/player POV.

I read about 35 pages of this thread yesterday at work to get a feel for what the demo would be when I got home. Needless to say I surprised at the amount of negative reviews. The top 3 complaints were the Strategy Pad, run blocking, and players "skating" due to the new engine. After playing only one game, and being in the position I am in as far as the casual Madden crowd, I've got to say that I enjoyed playing the demo regardless of the supposed "flaws."

I grew up with the Madden franchise as a kid. My first video game (that I can remember anyways) was Madden '92 for the Sega Genesis. I played that game until I got sick of it and then came back an hour later to play it again. My family bought each Madden iteration year after year until about 2000 or so. I had a Dreamcast at the time, found the 2K series, and never looked back. The reason is because I found the 2K series much more fun to play. What's my point in all of this? Fun.

I enjoyed Madden 09 and 10, but they didn't have the lasting appeal for me that other sports games had. I'm a huge hockey fan and buy/play every version of the sport I can get my hands on, EA's NHL franchise being my favorite. I played 08 and 09 until I my hands bled raw because they were downright fun. NHL 10? Not so much. It didn't feel right and there were some things that were a little off. Madden was ok for a while but then I got bored and went onto something else, just like after NHL 10. Both games were not fun to play in my case.

After playing the demo last night, I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time and will be picking up the game on day 1 as always, but this time it might be different. This time I think I'll be playing Madden 11 for a while because it has something for me that I just find fun again. I have NCAA 11 as well and I haven't stopped playing the game until last night because of the Madden demo!

I guess my point is, instead of bickering and trying to find faults with the game, honestly ask yourself if you're having fun with the game despite the flaws you find. No game is perfect, especially sports games. That's probably why I like them so much. Just like in real sports, every game is different, good or bad. If you're not having fun with the game, then don't get it. If you can get past the flaws and still find yourself smiling after a huge run or defensive stop on the goal line, then get it. It's all about fun gents!

[SA1NT401]

Quote: Originally Posted by ryan36

ODogg that was my point, too...that it wasn't just the strat pad that would have someone like you considering not buying...you're not one of those "shoelaces are a gamekiller" guys. ...with the new kick meter, I still haven't missed a FG!

Unless we bring up O-Doggs DREADS issue with NCAA that is... j/k Dogg.

I have a similar obsession this year regarding dirty uniforms(or lack there of)...Ticks me off royally. So much so, that if its absent in madden11, i will pass 1000%.

Back to impressions....sorry.