Madden NFL 15 Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here (XB1/PS4)

[TeamHawkins]

Someone a few pages up pointed out almost EXACTLY why this game is horrible, and to be honest most Maddens are horrible due to this very fact.

There is absolutely zero logic as to what's happening on the field.

1.) Online Head to Head - One team is always going to play head and shoulders better than the other regardless to the users. And this is unfair, and ridiculous and as someone pointed out, due to bad programming of randomness. I have dominated teams like Dallas and Philadelphia online, and then get dominated by Minnesota and the Bills simply because the game says so after the 1st kickoff.

2.) Play calls are meaningless - Yes EA has a Skills Trainer. It's all cute and well done. The problem arises when you try to use this in game. It all goes out the window because the core game engine doesn't recognize true football. Since when in the NFL does QB's get sacked on screen plays consistently? Or Defensive Tackles chase down RB's on screen plays consistently? The very fact this has to be coded in the game in order to slow down, or stop screens, only builds on the fact the core game engine is flawed to no end.

3.) Safety speed cheats - I can't begin to tell you how many times a Safety has run from 15 yards deep in the secondary, to meet my RB in the backfield for a 1 or 2 yard loss, simply because either the CPU is cheating me, or in a head to head matchup, my team has been chosen to lose. If the Safety is cheating the line at the second level, then it's understandable, at times. However, to come from it's natural position and still stop me for a loss time and time again is ridiculous and fake. Which brings me to my next issue:

4.) Bad bad O-line blocking - Some will want to rebuttal this. I'm sorry, you cannot. O-linemen are literally letting defenders right by untouched all throughout every game I've played so far. Including online. No matter how many yards I gain, no matter what pass play, there is someone running free. On run plays, O-linemen run right by Linebackers, Safeties, DB's and then run in a straight line downfield while I'm left to take on two or three defenders. Really?

5.) Overpowered Defenses - This is where the arcade aspect really comes to life. Ok back to the skills trainer. It says, you run a slant against this defense, or a Seam against this defense, etc... now to in-game. It doesn't matter when no matter what you call, the CPU comes out in the perfect defense. If you catch the CPU in a bad one, which is rare, it will either speed cheat you, or blow up your offensive line. If those don't work, your QB then throws a bad ball in the ground or it gets picked off by a speed cheating defender.

No defense should defend EVERYTHING you put up against it. If you catch someone in a bad defense, they should either have to audible or call a timeout, or better yet, LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKE. But not in Madden. 3 man rush will defend the pass, get sacks, stop your RB for 3 yard losses, defend slants, defend screens, etc... all from the same formation!

I've seen LB's running with WR's and RB's all over the field. And then stopping the run with ease. In games like this, you have been programmed to lose. Either that, or find a nano-blitz to cheat the CPU in return. This is how the game is coded to be played. NOT sim, and not like the Skills Trainer misleads you to think.

I tried and wanted to keep Madden for an entire year for once. I just can't tolerate this every year, over and over. And nothing gets done about it. Trading it Thursday for Destiny.

[SladeWilson]

This is easily the best Madden EA has ever produced. I'm 4 games into my franchise mode and iv played 4 incredibly realistic and authentic games. I still need to tweak the CPU's QB sliders a bit, but other than that it's just been incredible. The AI seems to really try and one up me with smart play calling and they're incredibly sensitive to me running the same formations over and over. I was just playing the ravens and I ran the same defensive formation 3 times in a row and on that 3rd time, they called an audible and burned me for a big gain. It was just fantastic to see(even if it did eventually lead to a TD). There are also just some fantastic looking animations here(yea there's plenty of wonky ones too). Overall the game is just awesome though. A few tweaks(sim stats I'm looking at you) and the game will be beyond incredible.

It's grest to feel this enthusiastic about a madden. Something that's been lacking for a long long time.

[SladeWilson]

Quote: Originally Posted by TeamHawkins

Someone a few pages up pointed out almost EXACTLY why this game is horrible, and to be honest most Maddens are horrible due to this very fact. There is absolutely zero logic as to what's happening on the field. 3.) Safety speed cheats - I can't begin to tell you how many times a Safety has run from 15 yards deep in the secondary, to meet my RB in the backfield for a 1 or 2 yard loss, simply because either the CPU is cheating me, or in a head to head matchup, my team has been chosen to lose. If the Safety is cheating the line at the second level, then it's understandable, at times. However, to come from it's natural position and still stop me for a loss time and time again is ridiculous and fake. Which brings me to my next issue: 4.) Bad bad O-line blocking - Some will want to rebuttal this. I'm sorry, you cannot. O-linemen are literally letting defenders right by untouched all throughout every game I've played so far. Including online. No matter how many yards I gain, no matter what pass play, there is someone running free. On run plays, O-linemen run right by Linebackers, Safeties, DB's and then run in a straight line downfield while I'm left to take on two or three defenders. Really? 5.) Overpowered Defenses - This is where the arcade aspect really comes to life. Ok back to the skills trainer. It says, you run a slant against this defense, or a Seam against this defense, etc... now to in-game. It doesn't matter when no matter what you call, the CPU comes out in the perfect defense. If you catch the CPU in a bad one, which is rare, it will either speed cheat you, or blow up your offensive line. If those don't work, your QB then throws a bad ball in the ground or it gets picked off by a speed cheating defender. No defense should defend EVERYTHING you put up against it. If you catch someone in a bad defense, they should either have to audible or call a timeout, or better yet, LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKE. But not in Madden. 3 man rush will defend the pass, get sacks, stop your RB for 3 yard losses, defend slants, defend screens, etc... all from the same formation! I've seen LB's running with WR's and RB's all over the field. And then stopping the run with ease. In games like this, you have been programmed to lose. Either that, or find a nano-blitz to cheat the CPU in return. This is how the game is coded to be played. NOT sim, and not like the Skills Trainer misleads you to think. I tried and wanted to keep Madden for an entire year for once. I just can't tolerate this every year, over and over. And nothing gets done about it. Trading it Thursday for Destiny.

Most of that post is just a flat out, bold faced lie. If the AI defense was doing half of what you say, you wouldn't be able to win. Iv had no issues beating the AI while mimicking the real life offense of the team I'm using. This gsme just requires more skill than prior Maddens and that's something I'm seeing causing issues amongst a lot of gamers not used to skill based gameplay. The game is difficult, but it's fair. Get better and you'll notice that.

[1908_Cubs]

It would seem some of us are looking for the game to basically go from incredibly flawed to an absolute pitch-perfect simulation recreation of the NFL in just on game, or basically because it's "next-gen". If that's the case, you're setting yourself up for disappointment with this, and not the other way around.

Sure, you need some slider help to get it where it needs to be (pass protection on the computer, comp-QB accuracy issues, fumbles etc.), but the on-the-field product is easily the best thing Madden has put out in quite some time. Expecting every legacy issue to be gone magically is just ridiculous. Some of these things may just be issues in the AI considering it'll always be impossible to get AI to act according to real-life human thought processes. I also find it funny when people compare this to the Show and say "well you need some many sliders to get it to work!". The Show needs an incredible amount of roster edits and slider edits to get it to work properly, too.

This is the first time I've felt like I can play a game of Madden and not have to run out of bounds/pick bad offenses to artificially lose the game so I don't trounce the computer to a 16-0 record. Pretty impressive leap, imo.

[Candymandagreat]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdeezy89

The Robo QB is killing me. I had to turn off the game after Jay Cutler broke a tackle from Aldon Smith, was chased out of pocket by Justin Smith, ran into his own linebacker but somehow still threw the ball off balance 20+ yards perfectly between 2 defenders on 3rd and 14. I almost threw my controller

josh mccown got me on one of those too.

[Candymandagreat]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sdot23

Funny reading some of these comments... Like some of you are expecting video game characters to react like real life human beings. Finding every glitch, bug big or small and questioning plays like everyone is all of a sudden Bill Belichek...fellas It's a video game portrayal of football. It's not going to play perfect to the sport. Even as good as NBA2K and The Show even have crazy out of the normal plays. I know we all want sim football to play out like actual real life NFL but that's never ever ever going to happen. I can play a season with my Jets and throw 65 Td passes with Geno, am I only going to throw 25 to keep it somewhat sim or am I going to try my best to score as much as I can because I can... If I can rush for over 2200 yards with Chris Johnson I'm going to do it... Is that going to be realistic?? No. But am I going to turn a couple 80 yard runs into 5 yard runs to make it more sim??? No. Because it's a video game!!! It's supposed to be fun. Find the fun in the game fellas... If you paid $60 for the game make the best of it... Wait for some updates and just find the good in the games. I been playing Madden since it was John Madden Football without a year lol this is by far the most amazing football game to date on a system. I'm enjoying it. It's amazing. I sit there and can't believe how far sports video games have come... But I know it's a video game and it will always be a video game.... Bugs and glitches and all... I know it will never play out perfect. I'll find sliders and make the best of it.

i totally agree...i wasnt feeling this game at first but i think it was based on skill....i sucked. so as im getting better im having more fun with it. and that's what ive noticed with alot of people's comments. they arent good so it leads to frustration.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Man I'm loving this game. It feels so great to be able to actually step up into the pocket and pump fake a safety before throwing it over the top for a big TD.

Also feels amazing when you set up your blocks in the run game.

A couple issues I'm having though:

1. Sometimes I'll hold L2 to allow me to set up my blocks and it'll end up doing a stutter step when I don't want it to (tapping L2 does a stutter step, so I guess sometimes it gets confused if you don't hold down L2 for a long time?)

2. The challenge system still sucks IMO. I've already had 3 or 4 plays in just a couple games where the receiver catches the ball, and his first step hits about 3 yards out of bounds and it's ruled a catch. Sometimes it'll let you challenge, but it'll be ruled a complete pass even though it's not even remotely close. Sometimes it won't even give you the option to challenge. It's extremely frustrating that it appears the game doesn't actually know when a receiver successfully gets their feet in bounds or not.

Also, quick question: To switch the hand you're carrying the ball with, is it tap the stiff-arm button? I tried that last night but it didn't work.

[GlennonTheGr8]

For me personally, it's the first time I have really really enjoyed a Madden game as well as the franchise mode. I'm having so much fun, the most fun I have had since NLF 2K5 or Madden 10 (which had its issues but i thought it was a fun game) Madden 15 feels different though, in a really good way. I haven't even felt as if I am missing out on better gameplay via people's slider sets as I am not interested in what they're using because of the enjoyment I am getting out of playing on All Pro. I am glad I haven't got to waste countless hours testing various sets and so on... I dont want to spend my free time doing that and now thankfully I dont feel as if I need to.

I am currently loving my NY Jets franchise, Geno is frustrating but also shows moments of brilliance. I signed Josh Freeman becasue I dont trust Vick but Freeman broke his arm in his first snap at the line. I have played 12, won 6, lost 5 and tied with Patriots in a crazy game in the rain where Geno or Tom couldn't get anything going. This game has been great.