Madden NFL 13 Demo Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (360, PS3)

[Skyboxer]

Played more yesterday morning and hope to play a couple more games this morning after I get off work. Haven't been this excited for Madden in a long time. For the first time ever I always get that "Anything can happen" feeling when playing. Seen some great things and some weird things but overall it's a step in the right direction.
It delivers fun and that's why I game.
Going to mess more with the speed threshhold and just basically practice while waiting for release and the start of the 3SD league.

[edmus]

Quote: Originally Posted by mkharsh33

Played the demo for about an hour last night. Not sure what to say. But I like NCAA 13's feel, player weightiness, animations - practically everything better than this Madden demo. Disappointed - it seems like steps are being taken backwards. Just doesn't even LOOK LIKE NFL football being played. If you MUST get this game, then more power to you. But for guys like me who LOVE football, I'm having a hard time telling myself it will be worth it. I had higher expectations, but those were clearly dashed.

Its funny how we can all have such differing opinions. I've been an NCAA guy for several years, and if the two games are close in gameplay I'll always buy NCAA over Madden because I just think scouting & recruiting in college games is a lot more fun than haggling over salaries & dealing with salary caps.

Surprisingly, I'm enjoying the Madden demo much more than the NCAA one. This is the first EA football game this generation where the gameplay feels somewhat organic, like things aren't scripted before the ball is even snapped. I set the speed to "Very Slow", and I think I've had more fun running the ball in this demo than any other EA football game this generation. I'm seeing animations I've never seen before, it just feels fresh... which is the exact opposite feeling I got when playing the NCAA demo.

I thought I'd never buy Madden again after being disappointed year after year, but this demo has me rethinking that a little bit...

One concern though (& I haven't had time to search through this thread to see if this is happening for everyone)... replays on the PS3 are horrendous for me. They stutter so badly & take so long to finish that I have to skip them, and even then sometimes that takes longer than I'd like.

[Prophet49]

Quote: Originally Posted by btemp

1) Does anyone else with an HDTV think the graphics have taken a step back? Played a couple games of Redskins vs. Seahawks, and I think it was the shadows were so overblown the Redskins were black... Anyone else have this problem or is it in my head?

I think the graphics look great, the lighting is amazing, and you can actually see the sweat on players.

Quote: Originally Posted by btemp

2) The game seems to play really really fast, quite arcade-y. I obviously know I can slow the speed down, just seemed really fast. Again, this might just be in my head, anyone else?

First off: What is "arcadey?" Is it just a go-to detractor to the game? Second, the speed, on normal, seems at the pace of a normal NFL play.

Quote: Originally Posted by btemp

3) Played on All-Pro (don't touch All Madden anymore, normally play with All-Madden style sliders) and boy was passing easy. Got 10 completions in a row no problem. Again, I'll be able to adjust this with a full game but anyone else notice this?

I've noticed that going with a 3 step drop results in less sacks but shorter plays, where 5 step or 7 step drops results in more sacks but the occasional big play. Passing is easier against the AI now because they don't cheat with certain parts of it. They have to actually be looking for the ball to make a play or in an area where they can if it's zone.

Ok, onto the reasons why this demo has turned me off of M13:

Quote: Originally Posted by btemp

The lack of change. Some people have been loving the Infinity Engine, others have derided it. I thought it was nice, it produced a variety of animations and seemed a nice tweak. But that was it. It's like going to Pro-Tak again, a nice improvement that doesn't address the underlying fundamental flaws of the game. And this is what bores me. Some improved tackling animations do not make up for: horribly outdated offensive line play, poor zone coverage logic, do-or-die press coverage, horrible horrible defensive line play, the inability to differentiate between a very basic 3-4 and 4-3, lack of realistic depth charts, lack of realistic positions... You get it, I know. I just played M13, it was a nice improvement, but after 2 games it felt like I was playing M12 again. It just seems that the Madden team is STILL focused on the wrong things (or have been skating by on years waiting to overhaul the engine). While making some minor improvements to tackling and player interaction, I still can't play my defence properly or get a realistic pocket. The defensive AI is weak and repeatedly running the same plays has no ill effect (obviously I can stop running them - I do - but I shouldn't have to worry about this). I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.

I disagree with the sentiment that it's the same game. Sure if we play as a reductionist on the core aspects of it it will always seem the same. However, knowing how the DB's reacted in Madden12 and how they react now, seeing the infinity engine (good and bad), and having the DE's/OLB's getting more sacks are significant improvements in my eyes. I even feel the blocking pathfinding AI has been improved just from NCAA 13 to Madden.

Of course, we'll both have differing opinions.

[pats3912]

I got to be honest. I've played this demo a dozen times so far and i am actually shocked how much they actually improved with the gameplay in general on top of the infinity engine. I was expecting all the gameplay changes to surround around the IE so I was nervous that not much would change with the CPU AI. Last year I was a huge complainer that it was way too easy to play offense in Madden 12. No matter what i did with the sliders the CPU QB played awfull, and the O-line was downright terrible.

When i loaded up the madden 13 demo i was expecting some oohs and aahs from the IE but I was not expecting that they would have corrected almost all the AI issues that made past maddens just "unplayable" for me. The sideline catching has been great! passing is so much better. The control over the players feels so much more fluid and I feel like i actually have some freedom when controlling a player. There is still some o line/d line issues i would like to see improved. The oline seems to have no sense on how to pick up a blitz but i definitly feel like i have that extra second in the pocket that wasnt there last year. The cpu pass coverage is better but not that much different. These things I can control however with the sliders so it doesnt bother me that much. Usisng my own personel slider set I've played a few games against the giants using the 49ers and all 3 times i lost. First game was 27-20, 2nd game 21-17, 3rd game was 28-17. I have NEVER lost to the cpu in any Madden 3 times in a row even when i play with an all madden slider set and this was on an ALL PRO slider set.

Very encouraged by this game. I am still seeing a few new things every game i play. Last game i played my Dlineman got through and started chasing Eli Manning on one play. Eli ran away from me and tried to throw the ball as he was being hit. They ruled it a fumble and it bounced off his leg and rolled towards the sideline. Everyone reacted to this and started running and diving for the ball as Patrick Willis picked it up and ran it back 80 yards for the TD.

Last year i used to get so frustrated with screen passes when i would try to lob it at the HB when a d line man would be right there and would swat the pass down. Last night i did a screen pass and the lineman was right there again to swat it down but only this time my qb did an under hand lob around the d lineman to be sure my half back got the ball. Un freakin believable that EA is finally addressing these small issues. Say what you want about EA but I finally feel for once, that they are on the same page as us. I hope they just keep it going.

[VM5]

Quote: Originally Posted by g2thecore

As much as I love the NFL and want to play with my Eagles, I think my $60 will go to FIFA 13 this year. I think I've just had enough of Madden's legacy issues.

Couldn't agree with you more. I was looking forward to taking the Eagles and trying to win that elusive superbowl, I guess I have to wait until next gen or 2K.

[Abs0lute]

I'm loving the demo, but is anyone else experiencing freezes? It has frozen on me twice, both times were in the 4th quarter when I got a TD to take the lead

[TheBleedingRed21]

Quote: Originally Posted by hurdinator

Nicely put btemp. The graphics are 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. Beautiful in some respects and atrocious in others(How bad is the extra point camera view? Arcadey and 2 dimensional). As for the line play, same old issues. So frustrating! All that may convince me to buy this is the depth of the CC.

Now how in the heck does the camera become arcady?

Some of these complaints are just whine about the game because they want to find things wrong with it.

[greenegt]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

Played more yesterday morning and hope to play a couple more games this morning after I get off work. Haven't been this excited for Madden in a long time. For the first time ever I always get that "Anything can happen" feeling when playing. Seen some great things and some weird things but overall it's a step in the right direction. It delivers fun and that's why I game. Going to mess more with the speed threshhold and just basically practice while waiting for release and the start of the 3SD league.

I came in here to post pretty much the same thing. This game is really fun. The more I play it, the more I appreciate the improvements. I know it will get even better when we get the retail version and settle in on a good set of sliders.