MADDEN 10 Review - johnprestonevans's Blog

johnprestonevans's Blog

MADDEN 10 Review

Posted on August 20, 2009 at 01:12 PM.

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Madden 10.

There are two avenues when it comes to sports video games: arcade and simulation. When John Madden began his storied franchise his vision was to create a football sim that would replicate the experience of playing an NFL game. Up until a few years ago this mantra held true and as technology improved so too did Madden's authenticity. Then something happened in 2004. Another football franchise had turned out an arguably better product for a cheaper price and supplanted EA's game on its proverbial duff. Instead of rising to the challenge, EA bought the exclusive rights to the NFL - making them the only game in town, which still holds true today. Since then the franchise has seen its once crisp ultra-sim vision grow blurry with the addition and subtraction of features like "QB Vision", "Weapons" and "Madden IQ". While these features helped to sell Madden to fad-conscious buyers in recent years, the result was a less sim - more arcade feel NFL video game. John Madden grew more and more distant from the franchise until the series had become a bottom feeder of the sports genre - still eating up a lot of dollars, but only because it was the only fish in the pond.

Enter 2008 and a new development team at EA Sports Tiburon. It was very apparent that the Madden franchise needed a shot in the arm since making the jump to the Xbox 360 and PS3. It had become a sinking ship with many holes to plug, and so the dev team got to work on Madden 09. On a short development cycle the team managed to put out a solid effort. The graphics were completely overhauled and the focus was to make a game that could adapt to each gamer's unique skill. Unfortunately the game still suffered from the overload of arcade-style features like Weapons, "Jedi"-Madden", and some unrealistic super-human gameplay issues.

This year the focus was clear: Fix Madden. Madden 10 followed one powerful new mantra - "Everything you see on Sunday, see it in Madden NFL". In essence this vision meant stripping the game to the bone and evaluating all of the features, strengths and weaknesses and focusing on re-simming the franchise.

GAMEPLAY:
This is the main area in which the Tiburon team put its emphasis on and the results are clear. Madden plays a lot better than it has in years. In any videogame its important to find a balance between making a game that's challenging but also fun to play. In Madden terms that means doing the best job to emulate the mechanics of the real game, but also keep it accessible to gamers of all skill levels. There were a few major bugs from 09 that needed fixing. One of them was the "robo-QB" issue where computer controlled quarterbacks were able to get rocket throws off with pinpoint accuracy despite being hit. It was next to impossible to sack the QB. On the same token, receivers and defenders were able to make impossible catches even if they weren't looking at, or in many cases, near the ball. The passing game was far too easy and unrealistic.
The other problem was a lack of CPU AI sliders. There was no way to adjust the behavior and performance of the computer players and so the season was relegated to an insanely high completion % and some ridiculous gameplay.
Madden 10 has fixed both of these problems. "Procedural Awareness" is a new technology where players will follow the path of the ball by turning their head to "see" it. Now when a ball is in the air, only those players who see the ball will make catches. This was a big game-breaker last year as receivers were able to pull off blind "rocket-catch" receptions time and time again. No longer.
The biggest new feature in Madden is is "Pro-Tac". Progressive Tackling is not a gimmick. It is a game changing technology that greatly improves the game play in a host of areas. Gang tackles of up to 9 players look amazing. What's better is that Pro-Tak is dynamic and physics based rather than a pre-rendered locked in animation. This means that players being tackled can continue to push and twist to break out of tackles and continue on their way. Gang tackles become a complex mass of moving bodies where the pile moves in relation to the size, speed and strength of the offensive and defensive sum of players. Pro-Tac branches out beyond gang tackles and improves the authenticity of the blocking, pass-rush and one-on-one battles in open field. This is a new technology that still requires a bit more tweaking to make it feel just right. Sometimes ball carriers will exhibit super-human strength and break through 4 or 5 defenders on his was down the field. Generally speaking Pro-Tac makes you feel like the play isn't over until its over.
Players stats have been completely redone this year as well. In the past these numbers have been huddled very close together and the difference in performance from the league's best player to its worst was marginal. This season those differences are amplified as the attributes have been spread out on a wider scale. Elite players are still elite, while average players are noticeably less effective in comparison. This helps to make each player feel unique and authentic to his real life counterpart.
In an effort to improve the sim-style gameplay of the passing game, Tiburon has put a lot of effort into creating a true Pocket for your QB to work within. No longer are players able to snap the ball, run back 20 yards and bomb it down field for a huge gain. Players are rewarded with higher completion %'s for staying in the pocket, avoiding pressure and reading the play as it develops.
"Suction tackles" has been another problem that has plagued the series. This year they have been greatly toned down. Madden 10 feels more fluid and dynamic because you're no longer getting locked into tackle animations from players that are still 5 yards away. QB's can still make throws as they are being hit, but now those tosses are far less accurate and powerful - often resulting in floaters for interceptions. Its better to tuck and take the sack or just throw it away.
The running game is a challenge and one area that could benefit from further development. The running itself is fine. You are forced to look for lanes to run in, make a move and then burst into the open field rather than lay on the speed burst from the get-go. The problem with the running game is the blocking which is spotty at times. Lead blockers and outside linemen sometimes will miss a block completely or stand around looking confused on their assignment. This is especially true on outside runs and pitch outs.
The other offensive issue this year seems to be a lack of deep throws. It's realistic to assume that your QB wont be hitting 30 yard passes with ease, but nearly every completed pass happens within 10 yards. Throwing the ball into the flats for a 4 - 5 yard gain is much too easy. EA needs to find a way to balance and adapt the coverage on these "money" plays that can become a game breaker if gamers choose to exploit them.
Off the field the game still offers a standard set of gameplay options including practice, quick game, franchise, GM mode and Superstar mode. The menus have been nicely streamlined to make finding stats and options much easier than they were last year.
Online leagues is the big mode addition to Madden 10. While this mode was included in last years game, its execution was far from good. There were no divisions and CPU teams. This year Online Franchise mode is complete with all the bells and whistles you'd want. Divisions, flex schedules, CPU teams, online draft, trading and other General Manager duties. Online play is smooth with only a few issues (that will be covered in the Presentation section of this review). Online co-op is a fun way to play with friends, but the camera angle is somewhat disorienting as it follows a position specific point of view. It takes getting used to, but the mode itself works fine. It would be nice to have the ability for both players to take control of the play calling screen and become the quarterback on a play by play basis. Right now one player is designated as the QB and the other can choose any other position they want.
Madden 10 definitely performs a lot better with tweaking of the AI sliders. This year there are a ton of them to tailor the gameplay to your liking. I would recommend to anyone looking for a better football simulation to seek out slider settings on the internet and spend a few minutes tweaking the AI intelligence. The results are astounding and nearly patch the all the issues listed above.
Gameplay = 9/10

GRAPHICS
The jump from 09 to 10 is not nearly as dramatic as it was from 08 to 09. To be fair this is not an issue at all. Madden looked amazing last year and it still does this season. The player models and faces aren't that much improved, but they look reasonably good nonetheless. There are a few moments on the sidelines where some players don't look much like they should, but on the field its not a problem since they're all wearing helmets.
Players faces are more emotive than they've ever been. When a player is being tackled for example, you'll see the effort and impact in that players face. Disappointment, jubilation and frustration are nicely captured in the animations this year.
While we're on the subject, the Pro-Tac technology has been supplemented with a slew of brand new player animations. Players look great performing evasive jukes, and making swim'n'spin moves at the line. Tackling looks better than ever although there are still some nagging clipping issues where parts of one players body will ghost through another's.
The cut scenes also have some problems. You will notice stops and stutters from players and fans animating on close-up shots. The phone disappearing from the QB's hand when on the slideline is a personal favorite of mine. These are small blemishes that don't really impact the overall package, but they definitely need to be addressed moving forward.
The stadiums look incredible. The bloom lighting is much improved, giving the scale and scope of long stadium shots the visual impact it needs. The new depth of field camera effects are absolutely incredible. Visually this is Madden 10's best improvement. Realistic blur and camera focus help make the close-ups and cutscenes come alive.
Players also exhibit shelf shadowing now, meaning that their shadows and subtle coloring are influenced dynamically by the lights, colors and conditions around them. This makes players look like they are much more a part of the environment than a just an element pasted into it.
Each quarterback in the game has his own unique passing animation and running backs also run similar to how they really would.
There are varying weather conditions and times of day to play your game in. Weather conditions can be mapped to live weather reports via the Weather Network. Each combination offers a nice looking effect that gives Madden 10 a lively visual variety. However the absence of progressive lighting and dynamic (changing) weather is suspect. Games will not transition from evening into night and a game that begins sunny will always end sunny. A more progressive system would give Madden that extra level of real world polish.
From a technical standpoint Madden 10 looks very good and very similar to 09 with a small array of subtle improvements.
Graphics = 9/10

SOUND
With all the work done on fixing gameplay and boosting presentation, it's obvious that sound was the one area that got little to no attention this year. It is unfortunate because it is still one of the game's biggest weaknesses. A strong audio track is imperative to immersion. This holds especially true in sports games where you're trying to replicate something that happens in the real world. The most prominent audio element in any sports game is the commentary and unfortunately this is Madden's worst feature - again. I hate to start out with the negative, but in this case it has to be said straight out of the gate. The play by play commentary in Madden 10 is horrible. Tom Hammond returns for his 2nd season in the booth and offers up the same drab, obvious, un-emotive, repetitive and disjointed commentary in all of videogame sports. The writing is terrible, but what's worse is the bush league editing and splicing of his comments that are so garbled and disjointed that it sounds like a Speak-n-Spell is calling the action. He is completely un-natural and it really takes away from the overall immersion of playing or watching a game. EA absolutely needs to deal with this problem moving forward. Hammond is marginally (and I use that term very loosely) better than the worst announcing ever - the Radio Guy from Madden 06-08. At this point I'd rather patch in last gen commentary from John Madden and Al Michaels.
Cris Collinsworth on the other hand is amazing. He was great last season as the color man in the booth, and he is even better this year. His natural, smooth and mostly-accurate comments sound like they would coming from a real broadcast. A few of his lines become repetitive, but overall his presence in Madden helps to nullify the atrocious play by play.
The fans have been given a bit more life in Madden 10 - both visually and verbally. You will hear fans yelling player and position specific comments as the game progresses. However, there still isn't enough variation in volume that affect home field advantage. For the most part the sound from the stands reflects the situation of the game on the field, but this could easily be improved if amplified.
The soundtrack is a mix of NFL Films cues from Sam Spence and a host of heavy rock and hip hop as you would expect. Nothing special, but thankfully you can tailor the play list in your preferences.
The sound is pretty much the same as it was last year. The fact that it continues to tread water and overlook the glaring problems in the booth is disturbing. For this reason it gets a failing grade this year. There is no excuse for how bad this game can sound at times.
Sound = 4/10.

PRESENTATION
Next to gameplay this was the biggest upgrade to the series this year. I've always emphasized the importance of a strong presentation in sports games and im happy that Madden has finally begun to turn things around in this regard.
Lets start with the cutscenes. I've talked about their technical strengths and weakness in the Graphics section, but I would like to speak more about how they impact the overall presentation. Replicating a real NFL broadcast is no small feat. Football is a sport that has a lot of between-the-whistles exposition. Whether it's coaches talking to players on the sideline, kickers warming up for a game winning field goal, players celebrating a huge play, fans going wild in the stands, tailgating before a game, the chain gang measuring the spot of the ball, or the booth looking at an instant replay - these are dramatic things we see every Sunday. Thankfully all of these have been put into Madden 10. The cutscenes look amazing and really help bring the game to life. A few of them are oddly out of place - like when you see the QB on the phone one second and then the game cuts to him standing behind the center to snap the ball on 1st down. It's obvious that more cutscenes are needed as the series continues, but all the hard work on getting what they could into Madden 10 is a massive boost to the presentation. Id love to say the integration of the cutscenes are seamless, but there are many moments where the game pauses to load and transition from gameplay to cinematic.
Madden 10 also has special presentation elements reserved for playoff games and especially the Superbowl. Giving these big games that extra level of hype shows excellent attention to detail.
In game tickers have been beefed up giving some nice statistical information on top of its customary score and penalty warnings. Moving forward, it would be incredible to see out of town scores show up on tickers in franchise mode with an ability to cut to a highlight from another game. These "Game Breaks" happen in every real NFL broadcast and should be an option in Madden in the future. This helps give the impression that you are a part of a league and I think really immerses you in the experience of watching a game.
This year Madden took a shot at bringing a broadcast style halftime and postgame show that fans of the series have been clamoring for to life. The Extra Point is an NFL Network-inspired show that recaps the action from your game and those happening around the league in franchise mode. The results are mixed. Its nice to see the game go around the league to show quick score updates and big player performances, but this would have much more impact if it slowed things down and ran highlights and actually talked about each game as you would see in a real life broadcast. The halftime show runs a bit too fast and ultimately the feature feels rushed. The highlights for our own game look good, but definitely need some commentary to back it up and put things in perspective. Also it would help to show more of these replays from a true telecast camera angle perspective. Madden 10's Extra Point still doesn't match what their competitor did 5 years ago, but it is a welcome entry to the series that I hope will get much more attention next year.
The presentation of online and CPU vs CPU matches has been strangely abbreviated. Cutscenes, instant replays and the Extra Point show are next to nonexistent and the game hardly pauses long enough for you to catch your breath. It's as if online and CPU games are in a constant hurry-up mode. EA should slow it down like it does in offline gameplay so we can take in all the extras they've put in this year.
Camera options are another area that Madden still needs to work on. At this time there is still no broadcast camera angle to play games from. There are rumors of this being patched into the game at some point. This would be the best visual upgrade to the series in years in my opinion. EA should be looking to offer up a number of camera options as other sports games do. The absence of a defensive point of view (as in the Madden PSP version), overhead and sideline cam (for coach mode) is questionable. Lets hope these get patched in soon.
One other area that needs more life is the sidelines. As mentioned the sideline cutscenes are very good, but a real-time living sideline would be much better. This is something that the NBA2K series has done very well in recent years. Seeing players and coaches responding to what it happening and interacting with each other as you play the game is much better than a static lineup of onlookers. It would also be nice to see sideline players and camera operators dynamically react to a player running out of bounds. These little details are critical to rendering an elite sports title.
Madden is well on its way when it comes to presentation. There is still some work to be done with camera options, sidelines and the editorial content from of the Extra Point Show, but the solid groundwork appears to have finally be laid.
Presentation = 8.5/10.

OVERALL
Going back to basics and is about the smartest thing EA could have done. Eliminating all the glitches and arcadey gameplay mechanics that have amassed over the past 4 years was a massive undertaking; but an important one. Bringing Madden back to is "simulation football" roots while offering enough new technology and presentation is enough to warrant a purchase for any casual football fan. Madden 10 is a great game. It still lacks the polish that would elevate it to an "elite" sports game status. The embarrassingly poor commentary needs to be patched and the Extra Point Show and camera options require further development. As a football sim this is the best Madden on current gen systems by far. The gameplay is excellent - with only a few unbalanced plays that EA will hopefully deal with in upcoming patches. If you've been waiting to get back into Madden, this is the year for it. Jump into a league and have some fun. Just don't expect a perfect product. We're still a year away from being a Super Bowl champ.

Final Rating = 8.8/10