Madden NFL 15 Trailer - See The Transformation This June, Releases on August 26th

[Hooe]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trick13

The fact that Metacritic gave any of those games a rating of 80 or higher should be proof positive to me that they are some of the reviews used for the "Metascore" were done by complete, well name calling solves nothing. But the fact remains that the validity of game magazine and site reviews is questionable, especially in the case of magazines because the vast majority of their advertisements are paid for by gaming companies.

That a reviewer gives the game good marks in contrast to your opinion doesn't invalidate his opinion.

More specifically, most reviewers are reviewing Madden holistically as a video game. Not as a football video game or even sports video game, but merely a video game. The average reviewer is asking himself "how enjoyable and technically sound is this game compared to any other video game on the market?". The average reviewer is NOT asking himself questions about the level of detail in the simulation, because the average person doesn't understand football to the extent that (conservative estimate) 90% of the traffic in this forum does. To the average reviewer, all Madden has to do to be a football simulation is have eleven players on each side of the ball, have run plays and pass plays, and not have over-the-top ridiculousness like what might exist NFL Blitz (e.g. flame trails on passes, Tombstone piledrivers as tackles, obvious in-game power-ups or special powers such as "fire" or "unleash")

All that said, I think that reviewers ought to take more care to note minor technical problems and glitches in the game in their reviews. We do see reviewers increasingly more hold reviews in the face of always-online games with poor server stability and/or connectivity (SimCity, Battlefield 4, and Diablo 3 being the notable examples, and I think MLB The Show should have faced the same scrutiny based on reports I have read). I'd like to see more of that scrutiny for things beyond functionality of the online feature set, however. For example, it'd have been nice if the accelerated clock bug in Madden 25's online Connected Franchise mode was flagged... well, anywhere at all.

[Trick13]

The contrast to my opinion is not the point I was trying to make - actually you have me a bit confused at this point.


You start out with their opinion differs from mine and that doesn't make it invalid, but then you take a shot (intentionally or not) at Madden reviewers who evaluate the game in "general video game" terms.


In either case, the big time gaming sites/magazines (where the money does in fact stream from the very companies whose games are being reviewed) or independent sites that have some average gamer Joe or Jill do the Madden review further casts reasonable questions on the "viability" of Metacritic ratings. Because those high reviews that are half-A$$ed and fail to point out or "flag" certain issues are dragging the over all Metascore higher than the product has any business being rated.


A review of Madden 25 that fails to admonish the flagrant stupidity of the draft classes, or misses the backwards wind arrow for 5 years running, or the accelerated clock not working for HUM vs HUM games within online CFMs again, or the clunky convoluted menu navigation, or the fact that you can't view FAs separately in the roster screens again - is a general video game review and has no meaningful bearing on if the game was a flop.


More relevant is the absolute dominance of the NFL's popularity and yet a basketball game is right there in sales numbers. Had EA not absolutely dropped the proverbial ball for the entire 360 era the Madden sales numbers would be far and away better than any basketball game, period.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trick13

More relevant is the absolute dominance of the NFL's popularity and yet a basketball game is right there in sales numbers. Had EA not absolutely dropped the proverbial ball for the entire 360 era the Madden sales numbers would be far and away better than any basketball game, period.

I understand what you are saying and would agree five years ago, but I have to believe that there are more international players in the NBA vs the NFL, am I wrong?(even though there are 48 players on a NFL team. Most NFL players, most, are from North America. Almost half of the Bucks are from overseas.

I'm willing to bet the NBA games, including EA's sell much better globally vs Madden overseas. Also, I'm willing to bet FIFA and PES outsell the basketball games overseas because of the popularity of soccer.

Not trying to back Madden, here, because I've been a disgruntled customer over the past few years. I'm sure Madden could sell more if they made a game that was closer to the NFL, but as long as EA's stockholders are happy........

Just trying to put some perspective into it.

[Kramer5150]

Sorry,but I'm not getting caught up in the hype anymore.
The last couple of Madden games,I was hardly able to get 2 months of enjoyment out of the game.

I understand that many enjoy it,and that's fine....but until they are able to PROVE that the penalty and gameplay sliders are tuned to the degree of them actually doing anything....I can in no WAY take this as a serious "sim" of the game of football.

I will not take the "word" of a gamechanger,and I certainly will NOT take the word of the yearly "Madden Hypers"either. I need to see it first hand in hopefully a demo version...and I will not accept the "early build" crap or any other excuse....Madden has had too many excuses,and their all played out.

[N51_rob]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

I understand what you are saying and would agree five years ago, but I have to believe that there are more international players in the NBA vs the NFL, am I wrong?(even though there are 48 players on a NFL team. Most NFL players, most, are from North America. Almost half of the Bucks are from overseas. I'm willing to bet the NBA games, including EA's sell much better globally vs Madden overseas. Also, I'm willing to bet FIFA and PES outsell the basketball games overseas because of the popularity of soccer. Not trying to back Madden, here, because I've been a disgruntled customer over the past few years. I'm sure Madden could sell more if they made a game that was closer to the NFL, but as long as EA's stockholders are happy........ Just trying to put some perspective into it.

FIFA is EA's number one franchise bar none. That game sells everywhere. Here, europe, asia the middle east, south pacific. Everywhere because "soccer" is a global game.

Madden does numbers in the US, Canada and a few places in europe. The money that EA makes from FIFA Ultimate Team is staggering and the reason they brought it over to Madden, and eventually the NBA series.

As for metacritic and reviews in general, I don't know why a hard core sports gamer would go to an IGN type site for a review. If you want an honest sometimes harsh review of a madden game come here. If you want an honest yet more forgiving review on Madden go to tradition sports. Similarly OS's reviews of MLB the Show for example tend to be more forgiving that some other hardcore sports sites.

I don't think Ive ever even been to metacritic to see a games reviews and I could care less about video gaming sites when they review sports games. I was watching the IGN MLB 14 Puig vs Pence thing and the IGN guy running that literally looked and acted like he would strike out playing t-ball.

[jyoung]

Quote: Originally Posted by roadman

I understand what you are saying and would agree five years ago, but I have to believe that there are more international players in the NBA vs the NFL, am I wrong?(even though there are 48 players on a NFL team. Most NFL players, most, are from North America. Almost half of the Bucks are from overseas. I'm willing to bet the NBA games, including EA's sell much better globally vs Madden overseas. Also, I'm willing to bet FIFA and PES outsell the basketball games overseas because of the popularity of soccer. Not trying to back Madden, here, because I've been a disgruntled customer over the past few years. I'm sure Madden could sell more if they made a game that was closer to the NFL, but as long as EA's stockholders are happy........ Just trying to put some perspective into it.

According to the NPD, NBA 2K14 was the top-selling sports game on both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.

Global sales are not included in NPD figures. They only cover North American retail sales.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

According to the NPD, NBA 2K14 was the top-selling sports game on both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Global sales are not included in NPD figures. They only cover North American retail sales.

According to VGChartz, NBA 2K outsells Madden over 2 to 1 in Europe and the rest of the world in numbers, which is what I was trying to point out. The NBA is more popular oversees than the NFL.

Still doesn't dismiss Madden being a underwhelming game.

http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name...=0&results=200

http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name...=0&results=200

[Dolphins88]

Ya I'm frustrated with the nfl and madden. If only 2k or Sony San Diego could make a realistic representation of the sport the situation would be so much better. I'm hoping 2 k or sony jump back into nhl on next gen too.