Madden NFL 10 Hands-On Preview (IGN)

Playing Madden NFL 10 with the new Pro-Tak system in place makes you realize just how large a gap there was from every other game in the series to real football. But that's not the only reason why this year's Madden is looking like one of the best to date. I got the chance to spend some time with Madden 10 and came away very pleased with the new, re-focused development strategy employed with this year's game.

Another big change that I actually didn't realize until I got my hands on NCAA Football 10 is the change in the general game speed of Madden. I was told by a producer that this year's game has been reduced in speed by 5% to bring it more in line with reality. Now guys supposedly run a realistic 40-yard sprint, unlike before. Also more realistic are the jukes that you'll see from running backs. Gone are the days of running full-steam ahead and then doing a hop-step to the left or right. Now it's a much more subtle and realistic looking movement with the same desired effect.

When I did feel pressure the controller rumbled to let me know that defenders were breathing down my neck. On a few occurrences they even got close enough to force a duck pass rather than a perfect spiral like you would've seen in previous years.

Secondly, quarterback animations have been greatly improved from last year. It's not something that I found to impact gameplay, but when I was shown screenshots of marquee quarterbacks hurling the pigskin the changes were very recognizable. Whether it's the position of their left hand on the ball when dropping back or how the ball is oriented in relation to their body when bringing it back to throw, every quarterback throws the ball differently. Just like in the real NFL. And yes, these authentic styles trickle down to the kickers as well.

Presentation, something that was seriously lacking in the first Madden iterations on current-gen systems, has seen a nice overhaul. Pre-game you'll notice camera angles that show concession stands handing hot dogs to fans and people making their way to their seats. During the action there will be detailed cutscenes (not the low-resolution models like in last year's game) showing players warming up on the sideline. If your quarterback is taking a licking on the field you'll see him trot over to the sideline and pick up a phone to talk to the coach's box. The chain gang is also present, as are all of the refs that should be on the field. And yes, you can truck into them.

Just don't run into them too hard or you might injure one of your star players. Do that, and you'll be greeted with a new injury mechanic. It won't happen immediately – depending on the severity of the injury your man might need to be helped off the field by other players – but once the problem is diagnosed you'll be shown a screen that tells you what's injured, how severe it is and then you'll be given the option to put him back in the game. You'll be given a rating that tells you how good he'll be once he's back on the field and you'll see the likelihood of him re-injuring himself. It's sort of like Blitz The League, but without the steroid use.