Madden 09 News Post

Madden NFL 09 Review

01:49 AM - August 12, 2008 by RaychelSnr

We have posted what is the most comprehensive and in-depth review you will find on Madden NFL 09, written by OS veteran Terry Crouch. Check out his thoughts on the game and be sure to add your own by reading the Madden NFL 09 Review!

Quote:


	"In terms of sports game sales in the United States, there is Madden, and then there is everything else. Every year a new version is released, and routinely it outsells practically everything else sports wise in America. Every year people debate the quality of Madden on Internet forums and around water coolers across the country. Madden is more than a game to many people, and the frenzied mobs that either condemn or curse the game annually are evidence to this. So when you�re asked to review Madden for Operation Sports, you can be assured of two things: that you�ll be told you are the biggest idiot on the planet for your opinion, and that Madden is "arcade" while NFL 2K is/was 'sim'."

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Game: Madden NFL 09Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: NDS / PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 88 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 Bahnzo @ 08/12/08 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brophog


	it just means you're basing your assumption on very little besides motive, seemingly unaware of how the business is ran.

No I understand there are deadlines and such, especially for sports games. But unless we the consumer let it be known that releasing a game that knowingly needs to be patched to function correctly, then this practice will not only continue but branch out to other things.

Note that I'm not talking about small bugs, gameplay tweaks and such, but large things that are certainly caught during Q&A, but allowed to pass anyways because they know they can just patch it later. It's easy to forget that not everyone has their console connected, so then what happens to those people? Saying that you think patches are a good thing is a double edged sword. It has it's place, but when developers are allowed to use it as a crutch then it's hurting the game more than it helps.

# 22 areobee401 @ 08/12/08 08:30 AM

Nice honest fair review IMO. I think this review might convince me to pick the game up used when the price drops and the patches are released.

# 23 TIm @ 08/12/08 08:39 AM

Very nice review... When is the Wii and Ps2 review coming?? That's what I have currently. Also could you make impressions thread 1 for ps2 and xbox.... 1 for Wii... and 1 for Ps3/360

# 24 porkys8077 @ 08/12/08 09:04 AM

Nice review.

# 25 Complex @ 08/12/08 09:05 AM

Who knew that NEW animations would serve well in a fiight.

# 26 Pete1210 @ 08/12/08 09:32 AM

Thanks for the thorough review. It solidified my decision to get the game today.
I just wish they put more effort into the online "leagues." Hopefully with all the negative feedback, we will see more options next year.

# 27 boomhauertjs @ 08/12/08 09:40 AM

I pretty much agree with everything in this review, though I haven't seen the Robo-QB's yet. My CPU opponents have had pretty realistic completion percentages.
The only thing I'm disappointed in (besides the online leagues) is the length of games to get realistic stats. I wish I could play 5 min quarters and get realistic stats. Oh well, it's still one of the best Maddens in years.

# 28 Hooe @ 08/12/08 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockbottom3


	I would rather they could patch the game than not at all. Think about 2k5 if it could of had patches.

Not to derail the topic, but NFL2K5 did get patched on the XBOX; there was a rather significant bug where the running back would lose rushing yards if an offensive lineman committed a clipping penalty.

# 29 sportyguyfl31 @ 08/12/08 10:00 AM

Good review. I was also shocked that the IGN review was pretty balanced as well.

Much better, more balanced reviews then the sycophantic NCAA reviews.

Didnt really expect much out of online leagues so that doesnt bother me. Everything else seems fairly solid.

# 30 Behindshadows @ 08/12/08 10:06 AM

Nice review!!! I would have given it at least the same score to a 9. Game is good, but I guess the AI issues and sometimes the accuracy is a drawback, its not a perfect game but its the best Madden to date!

# 31 callmetaternuts @ 08/12/08 10:17 AM

Pretty good (and damn thorough) review. Im holding my breath on franchise, but at lesat this year, if its not up to par, i can just play Head Coach. Funny how this year was supposed to be THE year for games (NCAA, Madden, HC) and its possible that HC, the bastard child of EA may win out........

# 32 KBomber @ 08/12/08 10:31 AM

Why does it seem like the bugs get the gloss over treatment on a game where once again, significant options for customization and gameplay enhancement have disappeared?

Great that the game is prettier, but shouldn't features and gameplay provided on inferior systems be the minimum expectation for (to paraphrase...) "the greatest football game of all time"

Just a question, discuss at your leisure

Have fun...............

# 33 Freezer Boy @ 08/12/08 10:43 AM

Great review, I'll be picking up my collector's edition sometime today at Gamestop.

# 34 Hooe @ 08/12/08 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph from Guelph


	The only thing that I'll suggest is that in reviewing (to paraphrase...) "the greatest football video game ever", the writer highlights the fact that functionality has once again been removed from this title, in this case the ability to adjust CPU sliders which allow key customization to the gameplay experience. I'm not understanding the concept of how this is acceptable, along with the broken mini-games for determining the skill level of users. To me these would seem to be major and significant flaws/omissions Ya think?

The lack of CPU sliders would in fact be a problem if the Madden IQ feature did not work as advertised. The review states that, although it's kinda wonky in the way it works (the tests in particular don't really convey the difficulty of the game properly), the feature works pretty well.

# 35 Shadymamba @ 08/12/08 11:00 AM

great review...you made some points that i made...but there are always people here looking for negative geeze....

# 36 greenngold01 @ 08/12/08 11:03 AM

I've been playing this game a bit and he nailed the CPU QB accuracy problem. The offense is going to adapt around you, and while the QB's are very good, you can stop them. You just cant keep using the same three plays. Games have toted this around for years (especially NHL 08) but this is the first game, I feel, that actually punishes you for it. This will obviously be something to complain about for the average EA hating fanboy, but the hardcore are in for a treat

# 37 bravesdawg9 @ 08/12/08 11:05 AM

Seems to me that when you think Madden, you come to expect perfection. There's the mindset that we're only *one year away* to some ultimate experience that is more accurate than real football. Obviously, that's hardly ever gonna be the case. I know I'm not the only one in here that says they'll fix X or tweak Y next year. I think we should take it for what it is, the best available gridiron game. Madden himself didn't simply make up the hysteria---the game earned every fan.

I appreciate the review and it only psyches me up more to get my copy. I simply thought it was digging for weaknesses. I'm simply happy I'll only dust off NCAA '09 for draft classes from now on.

# 38 ab2c4 @ 08/12/08 11:05 AM

I enjoyed reading this review and I thought it was pretty thorough. I am still eagerly awaiting the two patches and free DLC to see if that really helps the game turn into what it should be. From the sounds of it all that needs to be done for this version is add the cpu sliders back in, fix the robo QB accuracy, and fix the cpu players from going out of bounds problem and this will be a fantastic game.

# 39 bravesdawg9 @ 08/12/08 11:13 AM

Oh, about the sliders, what is the point of messing with those in the first place? Sure it makes the game more difficult but I don't want Rex Grossman torching me for 300 yds---I want to try and stop Peyton Manning from doing it. We all want realism every year and here we are discussing giving them cyber steroids. Thanks to online play, when you figure everything out and get too good, you'll always find somebody out there who's better. I am iffy on this whole adaptive difficulty thing or whatever's designed to replace the sliders but I'm glad to see they used valuable time elsewhere.

# 40 Qb @ 08/12/08 11:21 AM

Wow. Thanks for taking the time & effort to write such a thorough review, Terry. Still can't make up my mind, but that has nothing to do with a lack of information after reading this. Great job, man...

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