Madden NFL 15 News Post

Madden NFL 15 Review (PS4/XB1)

04:43 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

# 101 TeamHawkins @ 08/25/14 01:12 AM

I have NEVER played a Madden game in the past 10 years that I've agreed with the ratings of Gaming Sites, or rated it higher. I've always rated it lower. Sometimes not significantly lower, but it's always lower than generous websites. So if this is a 7.5 here, I'm expecting a 7 or lower once I play it. And if it's lower than 7 I never keep Madden longer than 2 months. Also, at his point, 9 years from a Football game that gave us halftime highlights and weekly highlights from other games around the league, it's extremely sad the teams on Madden simply can't get things right or even up to standard from previous games that were better.

# 102 bkrich83 @ 08/25/14 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeamHawkins


	I have NEVER played a Madden game in the past 10 years that I've agreed with the ratings of Gaming Sites, or rated it higher. I've always rated it lower. Sometimes not significantly lower, but it's always lower than generous websites. So if this is a 7.5 here, I'm expecting a 7 or lower once I play it. And if it's lower than 7 I never keep Madden longer than 2 months. Also, at his point, 9 years from a Football game that gave us halftime highlights and weekly highlights from other games around the league, it's extremely sad the teams on Madden simply can't get things right or even up to standard from previous games that were better.

What does that have to do with the OS review?

# 103 snc237 @ 08/25/14 08:14 AM

So if the franchise stats were accurate of the bat this game gets an 8.5? This is by far the best madden since the ps2 days

# 104 sbattisti @ 08/25/14 10:11 AM

What does this mean? "The ability to play your Connected Franchise with friends is obviously a big bonus"

Does this mean I can have a connected franchise and play coop with a friend against the computer? That would be awesome.

# 105 Jerros @ 08/25/14 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timsmooth503pa


	have you played m15 yet because its way better that your assessment

Yep, played it on xbone1 and everything I described still happens. Where do you think my assessment came from? Again, if you enjoy it man then good for you. Not knocking that. Just stating facts from my experience. But, tell ya what, I will be posting some video breakdowns and as soon as I do, I will send you a link and we can discuss it further. For now, I just simply agree to disagree.

# 106 Jerros @ 08/25/14 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timsmooth503pa


	have you played m15 yet because its way better that your assessment

I guess you missed the part where I said FROM WHAT I PLAYED.

# 107 DaSmerg @ 08/25/14 12:48 PM

Thanks for the review Chris. You have an (almost

) always interesting perspective.

I do have to question one of your conclusions and score though. The reason is that I think you (OperationSports.com) continue to greatly under value and under appreciate the force of change you could be.

Look, I totally get that you (OS) don't want to '...piss on another man's work...' so to speak, that's been a consistent attitude here at OS since forever AFAIK.

But a game that, admittedly in your own evaluation, is releasing in an incomplete state and requires patching out of the box to function properly...again?

My point is that an admittedly incomplete product warrants a definitively lower score than was given...or alternatively a non-rating and/or deferred until the game is in a "complete" state.

Larger than that, more 'louder' voices like OS do hold sway and influence in the larger 'sports gaming' community saying to EA/EA Sports/Tiburon that it is no longer an acceptable business practice to be taking advantage of their customers [and your own customers too btw] in this manner (the shipping an incomplete product and expecting you the community voices to carry their water).

/2 cents

# 108 Klocker @ 08/25/14 12:56 PM

Quote:


	A football game which finds its true strength on the field in the gameplay. With patches, will be a must-own title.

I don't care about the stat issue so to me this game is a 9.5 and Must own, today

# 109 Khanchus @ 08/25/14 02:42 PM

got the retail copy on saturday

last yr (M25) i played it on the 360 and it i give it a 6.5/7 out of 10 and i feel like that was the best madden of last gen

i have ea access so i was able to play friday but was scared to use up my 6 hours

but when i finally got the retail copy and made my playbook and what

finally sat down to play and boy was i blown away...

play calling definitely plays an impact
(i got smacked by the 49ers on all madden but it was close until i started getting pass happy)

the presentation is a step above any madden i have yet to come across and is definitely if not on par above the rest of the sports game (with exception to mlb show and fifa because i never played them) (8 out of 10)
alot of people ask for like scores and whats going on around the league on the bottom ticker, but its hard to do that with games that only sim when you sim the weak, so its hard to replicated a ticker but i understand the want for it especially when it was in gen before last version.

graphics WOWed me (8 out of 10) they need to make the side line a little better and the crowd as well

what really made me feel like this is such a great game was that in last gen madden the field didnt really replicated real life, like the field felt to big, the proportions werent right in my opinion but this year i think that has finally changed and probably impact pass coverage for the better because the field feels so much tighter so will the zones ( i wonder if anyone noticed this)

one thing that i can say upset me was the taking out the practice feature in cfm

the game prep is a great idea, a little broken. Even though i may have only done it for 4 weeks of the preseason on my cfm it seems like it can be overpowered when you focus on certain players
you weekly balance of hours goes up week by week which is nice but the training is to general and i wish it was more hands on....

the edit playbook screen is a little clunky but nothing to complain about

i really dislike the play calling screen being vertical, I am so use to it being horizontal that is going to take me a while to get use to.

getting familiarized with the game and controls will be a learning curve in its self...

but boy there will be nay sayers but man oh man if you havent bought madden or waiting for the right one, this is the one to get!!! i guarentee it!!!!

duck it i give this game a 8.5 out of 10

this is the madden i have been waiting for....what made them finally wake up and make a quality game????

ea kinda burnt me with ea access but it wasnt that bad....madden made up for it and the only reason i would not like them is because of all the microtransactions just like the other gaming companies.....

# 110 vagrantwade @ 08/25/14 02:56 PM

The great thing is, almost all of the negatives are about things I don't really care about.

# 111 MAXIPAD2K @ 08/25/14 04:24 PM

Great review, I agree 100%

# 112 ForUntoOblivionSoar∞ @ 08/25/14 07:15 PM

Ypu are telling me that Madden 25 is better thanadden 15? Because I am pretty sure 25 got an 8.0 last year.

# 113 Njock @ 08/25/14 10:32 PM

This is a fantastic review that hits on, compliments, critiques and explains all facets of the game that I saw in my 6 hours with it. I disagree with the final grade but not by much.
You can't label everyone who dislikes Madden as "always a Madden *****" just as you cannot label all folks who love it as "fanboys". I once loved Madden but in what seems a long time ago 2k came out and I bought their game.
THE THING IS----I didn't want to buy 2K at first because I actually LOVED Madden and buying any other game was almost sacrilege to me. It wasn't until I went to a friends house and saw 2k football that I switched. I then fell in love with another football game. I never thought it was possible!
Everyone knows how the rest of the console football wars story goes but (despite EA's horrific monopoly now) I buy the game every year cuz I love the NFL..... And every single year I have been disappointed.
For context, I only play offline franchise mode and occasionally connected franchise with some buddies. I don't venture online to play because it is too much of a role of the dice of what you get-it always seems to hover between a real football fan that just wants to play and a child that does not get enough attention from his parents.
Anywayyyy.....on the impressions thread here at OS a few days ago I posted a semi favorable reply of my experience after a couple hours with the new Madden. After four more hours with the game and its flaws( that are so well described in the OS review) I have decided-- for the very first time ever---- I will not be buying a football game this year. I would have given this years Madden one full point lower than the OS review. This game is beautiful to look at but it's like a gorgeous model with kind of a crappy personality.
I'm lucky though. I love the Show on my PS4, and on XB1 Fifa and the NHL series (which never disappoint) and they will temper my NFL videogame sadness. The only difference this year is I won't be trading in Madden a month later to get credit toward those latter games. I am not a *****. I am not a fanboy of 2k. I just want a great NFL football sim no matter who is making it.

# 114 Mitchrapp @ 08/26/14 02:12 AM

I always told myself I'd get Madden if OS rated it an 8.5. So I think I'll pass..I like the look of the new defense but not enough to sway me. I made the mistake getting Madden 25..fortunately I got most of my money back.

I still got The Show, and I'm looking forward to NHL. Oh and The Golf Club is out today..my new must have.

Good review..

Btw, if the reviews of Uncharted 4 is bad I'm still getting it.

# 115 RaychelSnr @ 08/26/14 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForUntoOblivionSoar∞


	Ypu are telling me that Madden 25 is better thanadden 15? Because I am pretty sure 25 got an 8.0 last year.

If we reviewed games on a linear scale like that, every game would be a 10 right now or games from 10 years ago would have to be rated 2s and 3s. Games are rated based upon the situation they are in, the value they offer to the genre (which changes EVERY year), and the condition they are in at launch -- and then there's the little thing about reviewer subjectivity. Simply put, you can only take one review for what it is, one person's (in this case mine) opinion on a game...and in the larger context vs. other prior games, the scores are meant to reflect the value of a game on release day on store shelves.

# 116 DBMcGee3 @ 08/26/14 01:34 PM

I feel like the game will always have imperfections, but at least they made defense more fun to play. That has always been the biggest issue I've had.....I turn the ball over a couple of times and I get fed up with the game, mainly because it was so boring to play D. Just got my email from Gamefly, it's on the way baby!

# 117 pjs24 @ 08/26/14 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMChrisS


	Smartest man in the room thus far

No one who says "could care less" is the smartest anything anywhere.

# 118 dukefan123a @ 08/26/14 04:03 PM

what up with the weird defensive camera angles. Is there a way to get back to the original camera view where you can see the hole defense? I hate being zoned in on one guy.

# 119 Dr. Banner @ 08/27/14 02:24 PM

All I wanna know is can you edit draft classes or nah?

# 120 JasonZimmerman @ 09/09/14 01:03 PM

Why is it in Broadcast view the user controlled player runs backwards sometimes? Meaning Ill try to rush the line or return a kick and push left, the player turns around and runs the other way! I dosent happen on offense, just defense, punt return, and kick return!

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