Madden's Current Gen Has Not Been a Success

[K the Q]

I'm gonna keep it short and simple. I want two things in any given video game.

1. I want to be able to play with and against my friends.
2. I want it to be fun.

I feel like EA has attempted to make the GAME too real and its not as FUN to play as previous versions. I honestly don't care if there are a couple hilarious glitches. As long as they don't happen every other snap I find that sort of thing to be entertaining. I also feel like EA doesn't have enough multiplayer modes. I had an online dynasty in NCAA 11 this year and it was the greatest thing ever. Why not more modes like this??

[simfballcritic]

No competition means no innovation, its as simple as that. Some people might ask why NCAA has improved without competition? The answer is because Madden is NCAA's competition. In years past the game was always considered the little brother and a lot of people would wait for Madden to spend there money on.

Why would EA spend money on new developments if they know the cash cow will rake in the bucks anyway. Thats the real issue folks. Every other game EA Sports offers has received major gameplay innovations except Madden. Whether you are a Madden lover or a Madden ***** you have to acknowledge that.

[LingeringRegime]

I remember that trailer in 2006 for next gen Maddens. SMH.

[RedZoneD25]

Quote: Originally Posted by K the Q

I'm gonna keep it short and simple. I want two things in any given video game. 1. I want to be able to play with and against my friends. 2. I want it to be fun. I feel like EA has attempted to make the GAME too real and its not as FUN to play as previous versions. I honestly don't care if there are a couple hilarious glitches. As long as they don't happen every other snap I find that sort of thing to be entertaining. I also feel like EA doesn't have enough multiplayer modes. I had an online dynasty in NCAA 11 this year and it was the greatest thing ever. Why not more modes like this??

Well I respect your opinion, but let me run this by you.

If Madden NFL calls itself a "simulation", it needs to be real. Off the record, I don't even begin to think for a second Madden plays like a true NFL game, whether it be in gameplay, franchise, online, superstar, anywhere. I rarely see a complaint that it is too real. This is where the exclusive license may have hurt Madden more than anyone realizes. Now instead of deciding to make a sim or arcade version of the game, they have to combine everyone into one $60 disc. This is near impossible, as the two sides want what they want and that's that. So you either make the people who just want to have fun mad, or the people who want total realism and authenticity mad. They've done a pretty good job including the basics of both concepts, but where my issue lies is:

-We are in year 3 of this dev team. I don't like hearing about "visions" anymore. Show me the money, so to say. Not even for M12, just in general. Andy Reid had a 5 year plan in 1999 that would win the Super Bowl for Philadelphia. He got to the game in 04, but he's still here in 2011 (year 12, going on 13 if there is football next season)

-With 2011's technologies, a development team with the prior 2 games of the same core, should be (IMO) FAR past the "basic concepts" of ANYTHING. That's why you have a year one, which leads me to my final point.

-Madden needs to find their identity BADLY. Whether they want to be arcade, sim, or a weird mixture of the two, take a sharp right turn in that direction and make it known worldwide that MADDEN NFL IS A ____ FOOTBALL GAME! Even though it would alienate fans of the other option, you could no longer fault EA for not looking in a certain direction if they came out and say it.

As of right now, Madden NFL says they want to be the best simulation sports game out there. I say, prove it. Show the world you can take Madden back to the top.

[Nab_Impervious_XII]

Quote: Originally Posted by WTFitsDaveyJ

I rarely see a complaint that it is too real.

Yea, that's the first time I've seen that complaint too. If anything, Madden caters to the "casual fun" crowd profusely. You can't go through a game without seeing a David Tyree-like reception or a goofy interception. It's actually pretty fun to watch when you're playing against a human player (I'll admit). But when it comes to realistically simulating tackles and player interaction, it just falls short.

Bigger risks have to be made with the tackling engine to get Madden anywhere near "too real". Pro-Tak was just a sloppy band-aid.

[KyGamerLT]

Quote: Originally Posted by K the Q

I'm gonna keep it short and simple. I want two things in any given video game. 1. I want to be able to play with and against my friends. 2. I want it to be fun. I feel like EA has attempted to make the GAME too real and its not as FUN to play as previous versions. I honestly don't care if there are a couple hilarious glitches. As long as they don't happen every other snap I find that sort of thing to be entertaining. I also feel like EA doesn't have enough multiplayer modes. I had an online dynasty in NCAA 11 this year and it was the greatest thing ever. Why not more modes like this??

This game is far from being To real. Nothing in madden works like it does in real life. Nanos that can't be blocked. RBs who don't step up and into their blocks. No gap discipline. Simple things that make football players great ( good technique ). Madden is closer to a Arcade game. Slants burning man everytime in Bunch formations. Simple things like flipping a play can change how it works. Madden is built around an arcade base instead of realism.

[KyGamerLT]

Quote: Originally Posted by simfballcritic

No competition means no innovation, its as simple as that. Some people might ask why NCAA has improved without competition? The answer is because Madden is NCAA's competition. In years past the game was always considered the little brother and a lot of people would wait for Madden to spend there money on. Why would EA spend money on new developments if they know the cash cow will rake in the bucks anyway. Thats the real issue folks. Every other game EA Sports offers has received major gameplay innovations except Madden. Whether you are a Madden lover or a Madden ***** you have to acknowledge that.

This is why we the gamers need to voice this and get something done. I'm done buying this waterdown crap EA calls Madden. Madden is like Jordan shoes always the same, bring back the old features and present them as new Bells. The whole speed and stop glitch destroys madden in so many ways and I bet EA knows nothing about it.

[Vikes1]

Quote: Originally Posted by ch46647

Unfortunately, I have all but given up on Madden for this generation. I have not played "The Show" much but I play NHL 11 all the time. The gameplay in NHL 11 is LIGHT YEARS ahead of where Madden is at the moment. Other sports games like "The Show", FIFA, NBA 2k11, and NHL are absoulely amazing when compared with Madden.

Yep Ch46647...this is pretty much my opinion too.

My interest in this gen of Madden has waned badly. To the point where I haven't bought the game the last two years. Imo...Madden has been over hyped, and has underperformed this entire generation.

I agree with you that several other sports games [even some of EA's own] have simply surpassed Madden in nearly every important way. Game play, AI, franchise modes, simulation of the sport they represent, etc... And in the biggest way possible...just simply more fun and interesting to play. Again...this is Jmo.

For me personally, I think the best way to express my feelings about things would be...even as a huge lifelong football fan, and purchaser of Madden for years...since playing NHL '08'-'11'...I haven't touched Madden since. Not meaning to bash, just speaking the facts.