Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Review (PS4/XB1)

05:43 PM - August 22, 2014 by RaychelSnr

Madden NFL is a series which has always been under the most intense of microscopes in the sports gaming community. It’s almost like Madden is a Kardashian, with its every move being dissected and broken apart on a level that would make any other sports game crumble.

Despite all of this, Madden does continually give a good and solid NFL experience most years, but is still flawed in one way or another. The past several years we have witnessed Madden fixing one set of problems, only to see a new batch arise from those fixes. I have long said football was a difficult sport to program for, and it certainly stands to reason that is the case. However, despite all of this, Madden sells extremely well and has seemed on the cusp of making it to the level of the elites in our genre for a couple of years — but it has ultimately been held back by something.

Madden NFL 15 is no different. On one hand, the game is a blast to play. On the other, it’s an, ahem, "maddening" experience.

Read More - Madden NFL 15 Review (PS4/XB1)

Game: Madden NFL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 42 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 scottyp180 @ 08/22/14 06:17 PM

This sounds positive but I am always hesitant when it comes to madden. The defensive improvements are very encouraging and is one of my biggest gripes about the series for years, excluding nagging legacy issues. I don't remember ever having fun on defense in madden, which was a reason I loved the 2k series. Hopefully defense feels as good as it sounds, especially tackling. Countless times over there years I've missed tackles simply because I thought my player was in range but instead I whiffed. Chris can you reassure my fears?

# 22 RaychelSnr @ 08/22/14 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyp180


	This sounds positive but I am always hesitant when it comes to madden. The defensive improvements are very encouraging and is one of my biggest gripes about the series for years, excluding nagging legacy issues. I don't remember ever having fun on defense in madden, which was a reason I loved the 2k series. Hopefully defense feels as good as it sounds, especially tackling. Countless times over there years I've missed tackles simply because I thought my player was in range but instead I whiffed. Chris can you reassure my fears?

Defense is hugely improved, especially if you play on the line. The over the shoulder view makes it much more fun, and the on the fly camera changes make experimenting from play to play so easy. You'll need slider tweaks, but the foundation is there for a much more fun experience on defense.

# 23 bxphenom7 @ 08/22/14 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauer4MVP


	But to an individual, that is all that matters. For example, Big Bang Theory is flat out horrible. But to an individual that likes the show, should it really matter to them what I think?

First, I don't mean any disrespect. You're right, it doesn't have to matter to him. But he were to come saying to me that show was a good show, then he'd be wrong. For example, I bought the first Amazing Spider-Man game. I bought it because I like comics, that's a taste of mine. Yeah, i enjoyed. But i could never say it was great or even good, I'd say it was decent at best. Even though I enjoyed it overall, I still saw all the flaws that were mentioned in reviews and how exactly the game held up to other games in general, and in its genre, like a Batman: Arkham game. That's accepting ignorance if you blindly say something is good/bad because you like/don't like it.

# 24 Mauer4MVP @ 08/22/14 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxphenom7


	First, I don't mean any disrespect. You're right, it doesn't have to matter to him. But he were to come saying to me that show was a good show, then he'd be wrong. For example, I bought the first Amazing Spider-Man game. I bought it because I like comics, that's a taste of mine. Yeah, i enjoyed. But i could never say it was great or even good, I'd say it was decent at best. Even though I enjoyed it overall, I still saw all the flaws that were mentioned in reviews and how exactly the game held up to other games in general, and in its genre, like a Batman: Arkham game. That's accepting ignorance if you blindly say something is good/bad because you like/don't like it.

Why would you like something if you thought it were horrible? I kind of get what you are saying. Everyone has their guilty pleasures.

But if you really didn't like something, you probably wouldn't think it's good. And if you like something, you probably will think it's good. It's opinion based.

(And I probably do this just as much as anyone).

Now if you don't like Breaking Bad, GOT, or the Wire, then GTFO (just kidding)

# 25 Mauer4MVP @ 08/22/14 06:27 PM

Didn't say it yet, but thanks for the review!

# 26 Cowboy008 @ 08/22/14 06:27 PM

Good review. Looks like I won't be starting my real CFM until they patch some stuff.

# 27 scottyp180 @ 08/22/14 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxphenom7


	Not really. You liking something doesn't determine whether something is good or not. Quality is quality and mediocrity is mediocrity. There are always standards to be met. For example, you can like Alien: Colonial Marines, but if you're convinced that's a good game, you're flat out wrong. Liking and disliking comes down to tastes, and does not dictate quality. Same way you may not like The Last of Us, but for you to say it's a bad game is also flat out wrong. There are standards in the industry, in any entertainment industry, and as consumers we trust critics to uphold these standards in evaluating games/products.

That is completely missing the point. He never said people had agree with him or that his opinion is the right opinion. Nor did he say this review or any review doesn't matter. All he said is that the only thing that matters to him is whether or not he enjoys the game, which is a good perspective to have. There are people who have the complete opposite opinion of him where they simply dislike the madden franchise and no matter what people say, unless the game receives a complete overhaul, they will still dislike the game. Nothing wrong with enjoying something that is generally disliked or hating something that is generally loved. Different people, different opinions.

# 28 bxphenom7 @ 08/22/14 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauer4MVP


	Why would you like something if you thought it were horrible? I kind of get what you are saying. Everyone has their guilty pleasures. But if you really didn't like something, you probably wouldn't think it's good. And if you like something, you probably will think it's good. It's opinion based. (And I probably do this just as much as anyone). Now if you don't like Breaking Bad, GOT, or the Wire, then GTFO (just kidding)

It's more how much the flaws break your game to the point where your taste in the source material doesn't even matter. I didn't even give the sequel game a look with that reception. "Guilty pleasure" is a great way to describe it. When it comes to quality of a product, there is a huge amount of objectivity that has to be present. People are overlooking that and just going with subjectivity. Of course, reviewers themselves can be on opposite ends of scores, but it's incredibly easy to weed out which ones are reliable with cross referencing.

See, I love Breaking Bad, I'm sure there are people who don't. I'm not a fan of Game of Thrones, but I'm not going to deny that it's a well developed show. You would have every right to look at me like an idiot lol

# 29 Retropyro @ 08/22/14 06:39 PM

Seems every game releases with a day one patch so I'm guessing M15 will be no different. I'd love to see the notes on that update.

# 30 dkp23 @ 08/22/14 06:48 PM

EA needs to change the playcall screen as it was for next year. There wasnt a reason to change it, all they did was change the scrolling direction, but the screen is essentially the same and now laggy. The playcall screen is this years stratpad. Now change it back.

Overall, only played a few games, game plays relatively the same without the arcade type momentum. Being able to zig zag, will paly more and find out more. Decent improvement to m25, but m25 was such a bad game.

# 31 OPDriver @ 08/22/14 06:50 PM

Could the playcalling menu be patched back to the old style or at least a option in the menus to make it old style? Kinda like they did with hot routes and the pre-snap adjustment controls in the past.

# 32 Primo80 @ 08/22/14 07:03 PM

My relationship with madden football is like having the same girlfriend since high school who really let herself go. Like shes fugly. I cant get another one cuz she's literally the only one who will date me in the whole world. She can go to the store once a year and come home with some new swing or a crazy pillow but... well, you get the idea. I can't give the Madden team props for their game since 05. Ive owned every year's Madden, ever since 01. They have impressed me here and there, but in a video game market, they have not released an innovative product that I can recall besides the 2001 model. Thats the first football game that had me saying wow. The last was 2k5.

05 was the hitstick, 06 was the miserable next gen atrocity, 07-12 ???? Fight for the fumble, pro-tak, weapons...thats all I can think of in no particular order. 13 was physics, 25 was pretty solid I wont lie but still an incremental change that had its yearly, year long, lingering issues.

The Madden team has proved, since they introduced 3D graphics, that a yearly cycle doesnt allow the progress, innovation and quality that is possible and that loyal fans expect. Im going to buy it. I'm absolutely an addict to videogame football and I want the newest, updated iteration every time it comes out since I play season upon season. But EA hasnt done anything in 10 years to take the bitter taste of exclusivity out of my mouth and they never will. Thats not to say I wont buy 15 and play it to death. If I had scored every season of Madden halfway through each game's effective life cycle (6 months), I dont think any of them would have gotten a 7.5. A 7, or above average at most for the best one (25 if I had to choose). Damn, every post turns into a rant.

# 33 leathrneck34 @ 08/22/14 07:20 PM

Good review Chris and I have to believe they will patch the sim issue and progression and regression in the first major patch they release. If not then I will not have my copy long. However, if they do and it holds the same value to me it has with other's who have either played early access or have a disc. This version of Madden could possibly be placed in my Top 5 Maddens of All -Time.

I will only really know once I haver my copy of Madden Tues and get some time with it myself.

But again Chris good review as always , very detailed and to the point.

# 34 DePounded @ 08/22/14 07:21 PM

Wow this is pretty harsh review lol. I would score it around 8.5. I agree that the commentary lacks polish (seriously, Nantz says at the end of every game that it is a game we will always remember despite the fact that it was a blowout), but EA has always struggled with commentary in its sports games. I would rather have better gameplay and suspect commentary. Also, I haven't encountered any bugs at the play calling screen, but I do agree that having to navigate from the community play calling screen to regular formations is annoying. Haven't played CF so I can't comment on the stat tracking. Still buying on launch and hopefully these issues will be fixed with a patch.

# 35 OrganizedChaos @ 08/22/14 07:23 PM

All I needed to hear was that every offensive play has a defensive stop to it. I play Madden to play simulated football, I wanna get back to M13 where I can ball hawk with my SS or my weakside LB and make users pay for pre reading their pass reads due to broken AI and jagged defensive user controlling that pull me certain ways with out me controlling the player. Thank you Madden 15, the user Pick Six is back.

# 36 LorenzoDC @ 08/22/14 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armor & Sword


	Excellent review. I gotta believe we will get a comprehensive patch to address sim stats which are probably directly affecting QB progression. I can see if that patch does indeed come through his review would be at least an 8. That and the wonky commentary on stat swipes brought the score down. Plus Chris does not like the new play call menu. But gameplay wise this game looks like a feast for Madden fans! Can't wait till Tuesday!

By the same token, for those who only play the game offline in CFM, the review really equates to a 6 or 6.5 at this point, as the mode is broken.

That could change with patching, but that's where the game is now for offline CFM players.

# 37 Pirate @ 08/22/14 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	Smartest man in the room thus far

Couldn't care less... Get that right, then we can talk about smart.

# 38 TypicalPhenom @ 08/22/14 07:52 PM

Hate the "no stats on free agency screen" part. Hated it last year. Like you said, ratings are fine and all, but I want to see what the actual production was.

# 39 garyjr33 @ 08/22/14 07:55 PM

why did this game get a 7.5 when madden 25 got an 8??? I am quite confused by that because the general consensus seems to be that this game is better from what I have gleaned so far.

# 40 bxphenom7 @ 08/22/14 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garyjr33


	why did this game get a 7.5 when madden 25 got an 8??? I am quite confused by that because the general consensus seems to be that this game is better from what I have gleaned so far.

Madden 25 also got a 7.5. Standards change. Definitely one of the many reasons Madden can't catch up with its peers like MLB The Show and NBA 2k

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