Madden NFL 15 is now available in stores. Be sure to read our review if you haven't gotten the game. If you have, leave your own impressions of your first play sessions in the comments below!
Player models on some are great, others are horrible. Too many players have the shine to them which isn't realistic, I can see the helmets but jerseys have a glass shine to them is ridiculous. Lighting sucks, fields are so dark.
How does NCAA 14 of last gen and ps2 give us options of customizing our own player size and skin color but this gen doesn't allow us to. Some players skin tone are just dead off.
Played a really good game on All-Madden last night against the Saints. I love the running game. It can get frustrating at times but it makes runs of 5-8 yards feel great and the bigger runs feel even better. One thing that needs to be improved is the "dazed and confused" nature the RB's or ball carriers get into when they make contact with lineman. Sometimes it's really good where they'll do the avoidance maneuvers and it will look really sharp. Then there's times where you're literally glued to the back of your lineman's backside and just wait for the inevitable one or two yard gain.
My biggest issue still remains user pass defense. I don't know if the slider doesn't work or if on All-Madden you just don't get any of the buffed pass defense but it's night and day between my coverage and theirs. I've had my coverage and reaction time at 100 and changed it down to 65-65 before the game against the Saints I played and really didn't notice any difference. My defense doesn't really make plays, when I have good coverage I'll get a sack or a throwaway, and if I have bad coverage, which is more often than not, it's either a completion or an inaccurate pass. I'd like to see tighter coverage and better zone play along with smarter (and more ballsy) QB's so it feels like they have to fit the ball into tighter windows like I do.
Another issue I've had happen twice now is replay getting a call absolutely wrong. I had one the other day where it was a touchdown catch and I challenged and during the review it was clear he only had one foot down but the play stood. I was willing to convince myself that he somehow dragged the second foot. But then last night in the Saints game I was down 21-17, forced a fumble and scooped and scored. Only for it to be reviewed and overturned and on the replay the ball came out and was even recovered before his knees went down. Completely changed the game.
One last thing I really want to see done is either allowing us to go in and change gameplans and use those for the CPU or themselves going in and altering gameplans. Just going through the Broncos playbook there are so many plays that aren't assigned to any situation and, if you're playing the CPU, will never get called. It does appear that the limit of 20 per situation has been lifted too which means you could do some really great things with playbooks on here if they would allow it. I'd gladly spend an entire day or two going through and crafting custom playbooks for each team for my CFM and making sure that every play in the book was utilized in some way.
Overall, really enjoying the game and can't stop playing. Hopefully, they'll come out with some good tuning in patches and make it even better.
I agree with most of your thoughts. Especially about the user pass defense. Just a word of advice. Never go in and look at the replay when you called a zone defense. Linebackers just sit there as guys run through their zone. It's infuriating g. I don't know if it's because I'm on All Madden or what, but it's maddening. Don't know how to fix that.
I agree with most of your thoughts. Especially about the user pass defense. Just a word of advice. Never go in and look at the replay when you called a zone defense. Linebackers just sit there as guys run through their zone. It's infuriating g. I don't know if it's because I'm on All Madden or what, but it's maddening. Don't know how to fix that.
Other than that, I love this game.
Yeah, I've definitely gone back and seen some weird stuff happening. I've played on All-Pro and All-Madden on defaults and 100-100 and there isn't really any difference in coverage, the CPU QB is just more dumb. And I've gone into practice and ran some plays and changed settings and there does seem to be a negative difference between 0 and 100 so it's not reversed, just bad. I'm getting good games it's just annoying when I watch there safeties in Cover 3 or something and from the snap just make a bee-line to the flats to cover anything out of the back field and my guys don't pick up guys in their zones or cover the flats at all. And man coverage is just as bad a lot of the time, the only routes my guys will sometimes stop is deep streaks and curls. Slants, crosses, and corners are absolute money in man. I love the way the CPU plays D, just wish my guys played the same way.
Two things are starting to really stand out to me. The CPU on offense (regardless of team or QB) runs so many shallow crossing routes, which lead to the very high completion percentages. Mix that in with watching my defenders be slower to react when in zone coverage. I'm see the CPU throw for really low YPA stats.
My CPU controlled WRs are not nearly aggressive enough when the ball is in the air. I threw a deep post route against a single high safety. First time my WR ignored the ball and just ran his route. He didn't make a play for the ball until he was already behind the safety who had a play on it. Threw the same thing again and this time I took control of the WR ran across the face of the safety and made the catch. I would like to see my WR be as aggressive as I was or the CPU DB was for balls like that.
Another play I had my WR breaking in and the CB sitting in cover 3 inside of him. As soon as I threw the ball I knew it would be intercepted. But my WR ran his route like he still had a chance and the ball and rather than "turn into a defender" and go to make a play on the DB he ran his route and went into a catch animation despite being behind the DB with no chance at the ball.
Enjoy the game its fun, but I really want to see them invest in improving the WR/DB interaction for 16 because on the outside and in the passing game the game is starting to feel like "Madden" again.
Let me preface this again by saying this is hands down the best Madden I have ever played and quite frankly the best console football game as well. It is light years ahead of last gen.
But some warts are showing and I am believing this team will address them in next years game because a super solid foundation is now in place. OL/DL is really magnificent. truly awesome and a game within a game now.
However WR/DB interactions must be a huge focus next season. This is the area that is a killer right now. The cpu WR's are not fighting for the ball and therefore making the deep ball difficult this year. I like to not user catch...but I am getting to a point where when I get a WR open on a post or flag....I may start taking control of them to make the catch...because they are not making enough of an effort.
It is what it is.
Also AI is questionable in short yardage and goaline situations. This needs to be tuned. Will EA use game tuners this year?
Sacks and pass rush are overpowered this year. It needs a nerf on a patch. But not too much. Just balance it. QB's pocket awareness is off as well and I have been forced to do QB edits to rectify this. Problem is 4-5 years into CFM rookie QB's will populate the league and you can't edit them within CFM....another area EA needs to give us control again. We should be able to edit ratings in CFM whenever we want. Please give us that back.
But still a wonderful game, a huge improvement from all the average to uninspired games from last gen save for M10, 12 and 25.
Let me preface this again by saying this is hands down the best Madden I have ever played and quite frankly the best console football game as well. It is light years ahead of last gen.
But some warts are showing and I am believing this team will address them in next years game because a super solid foundation is now in place. OL/DL is really magnificent. truly awesome and a game within a game now.
However WR/DB interactions must be a huge focus next season. This is the area that is a killer right now. The cpu WR's are not fighting for the ball and therefore making the deep ball difficult this year. I like to not user catch...but I am getting to a point where when I get a WR open on a post or flag....I may start taking control of them to make the catch...because they are not making enough of an effort.
It is what it is.
Also AI is questionable in short yardage and goaline situations. This needs to be tuned. Will EA use game tuners this year?
Sacks and pass rush are overpowered this year. It needs a nerf on a patch. But not too much. Just balance it. QB's pocket awareness is off as well and I have been forced to do QB edits to rectify this. Problem is 4-5 years into CFM rookie QB's will populate the league and you can't edit them within CFM....another area EA needs to give us control again. We should be able to edit ratings in CFM whenever we want. Please give us that back.
But still a wonderful game, a huge improvement from all the average to uninspired games from last gen save for M10, 12 and 25.
I am having a wonderful time playing Madden 15.
Agreed on all your points.
What i don't get about the WR aggresion is, sometimes they fight for the jump balls and sometimes they don't.
Sometimes I almost think all our slider tweaking has unintended results. Don't know.
WR/DB interaction and QB decision making have to be primary focuses next year, if they can not be patched this year.
I honestly don't watch any of that stuff. Those dudes take the fun out of gaming. Plus they manipulate things to make their points.
They have one goal, internet fame. No thanks.
Personally doesn't take the fun out of it for me. Most of the things he mentions are noticeable whether I watch his videos or not. Tiburon shouldn't give him so much material, lol.
Wow. Sim stats are bus-ted. Drew Brees threw 99 passes, racked up 785 yards, and RG3 threw 84 passes and racked up 691 yards. Alfred Morris rushed for 302 yards.
Final score: Redskins 72 Saints 67
Is that the in game sim thing. I just forgot what it was called.
The time isn't balanced so they run a ton of plays. They've never fixed that.
Personally doesn't take the fun out of it for me. Most of the things he mentions are noticeable whether I watch his videos or not. Tiburon shouldn't give him so much material, lol.
Ehh.. At this point, the game is fun to me, that's all I care about. . I have no desire to go on bug hunts. To each their own, but I don't put a lot of stock in the opinions of people who are simply looking for YouTube fame.
1. Is it just me or does shade inside, shade outside, shade underneath, shade over the top and protect the sticks don't seem to work ? If anything it seems to make the CPU WRs get open even more wide open then they normally be.
2. I am really getting highly annoyed by WRs momentum carrying them out of bounds on drag routes and out routes. Same thing happens when I try to dump the ball to my HB or FB.
3. I swear there is a delay at times when it comes to the USER controlling a player. A lot of times I want to make a cut or a turn but the player don't immediately respond. I noticed this when I want to throw a stiff arm too. Half the time nothing happens. And on running plays up the middle, half the time I feel as though I am sucked into the butt of my blockers, like I have no control of the player until he is into the back of the blockers.
I noticed you really notice this lack of control when you play as a lower rated team. I just played as the Raiders and it was TERRIBLE. Felt like half the time I had zero control of what my players were doing.
4. Speaking of the Raiders, this brings me to offensive linemen who don't BLOCK ANYBODY on running plays or passing plays. They just stand there and let a defender run right passed them. I don't know if the Raiders offensive line is that bad or what, but that crap was happening every play. Every cut scene I would watch the right tackle and left guard just constantly not block anybody, just standing there clueless.
5. At first I just thought it was buzz zones, but I am starting to think all zones simply don't work. Once again, unless the Raiders are simply that damn bad. They couldn't cover anybody and made Phillip Rivers look like Tom Brady in his prime, even with a 10 throwing accuracy.
I swear this Chargers vs Raiders game playing as the Raiders was the most irritating game I ever played.
1. Is it just me or does shade inside, shade outside, shade underneath, shade over the top and protect the sticks don't seem to work ? If anything it seems to make the CPU WRs get open even more wide open then they normally be.
2. I am really getting highly annoyed by WRs momentum carrying them out of bounds on drag routes and out routes. Same thing happens when I try to dump the ball to my HB or FB.
3. I swear there is a delay at times when it comes to the USER controlling a player. A lot of times I want to make a cut or a turn but the player don't immediately respond. I noticed this when I want to throw a stiff arm too. Half the time nothing happens. And on running plays up the middle, half the time I feel as though I am sucked into the butt of my blockers, like I have no control of the player until he is into the back of the blockers.
I noticed you really notice this lack of control when you play as a lower rated team. I just played as the Raiders and it was TERRIBLE. Felt like half the time I had zero control of what my players were doing.
4. Speaking of the Raiders, this brings me to offensive linemen who don't BLOCK ANYBODY on running plays or passing plays. They just stand there and let a defender run right passed them. I don't know if the Raiders offensive line is that bad or what, but that crap was happening every play. Every cut scene I would watch the right tackle and left guard just constantly not block anybody, just standing there clueless.
5. At first I just thought it was buzz zones, but I am starting to think all zones simply don't work. Once again, unless the Raiders are simply that damn bad. They couldn't cover anybody and made Phillip Rivers look like Tom Brady in his prime, even with a 10 throwing accuracy.
I swear this Chargers vs Raiders game playing as the Raiders was the most irritating game I ever played.
That D is terrible. Rivers did shred them last year. I think I remember a 35 of 40 something, 400+ yard game against them last year.
Zones still may be broken, but the Raiders may be a poor test case.
1. Is it just me or does shade inside, shade outside, shade underneath, shade over the top and protect the sticks don't seem to work ? If anything it seems to make the CPU WRs get open even more wide open then they normally be.
2. I am really getting highly annoyed by WRs momentum carrying them out of bounds on drag routes and out routes. Same thing happens when I try to dump the ball to my HB or FB.
3. I swear there is a delay at times when it comes to the USER controlling a player. A lot of times I want to make a cut or a turn but the player don't immediately respond. I noticed this when I want to throw a stiff arm too. Half the time nothing happens. And on running plays up the middle, half the time I feel as though I am sucked into the butt of my blockers, like I have no control of the player until he is into the back of the blockers.
I noticed you really notice this lack of control when you play as a lower rated team. I just played as the Raiders and it was TERRIBLE. Felt like half the time I had zero control of what my players were doing.
4. Speaking of the Raiders, this brings me to offensive linemen who don't BLOCK ANYBODY on running plays or passing plays. They just stand there and let a defender run right passed them. I don't know if the Raiders offensive line is that bad or what, but that crap was happening every play. Every cut scene I would watch the right tackle and left guard just constantly not block anybody, just standing there clueless.
5. At first I just thought it was buzz zones, but I am starting to think all zones simply don't work. Once again, unless the Raiders are simply that damn bad. They couldn't cover anybody and made Phillip Rivers look like Tom Brady in his prime, even with a 10 throwing accuracy.
I swear this Chargers vs Raiders game playing as the Raiders was the most irritating game I ever played.
Ha. Exactly right about the zones and play the sticks, shade this, and that. I don't think they work either. I always call protect sticks on 3rd down. For two reasons. To get the CPU to actually throw deep and to, well, "protect this sticks ". I notice ZERO difference. Same with shade underneath and all that. No difference at all for me. Again, on All Madden.
Alright looking at the Raiders rosters in the manage roster area.
They are rated 72, the lowest rated team in the game.
Matt Schaub has a very weak arm, which would explain why all his deep passes were under thrown.
Maurice Jones-Drew has very low ratings, lower then I thought he would have, that would explain why I couldn't run for crap with him.
Piss poor WRs, which would explain why they took forever to get open and dropped so many passes.
Their starting right tackle has 57 AWARENESS, WTF. No wonder he was just standing there every play not blocking anybody. And their starting left guard has poor blocking stats, which would explain why people ran right by him with ease.
Both of their outside linebackers have very low awareness.
Other then the 2 starting CB, all the rest of the CB have very low awareness.
So in a nut shell, the Raiders really are that damn bad. Holy crap.
Thanks for telling me that. The stats were nuts on 15 minutes. I was about to give up.
That issue actually dates back to the My Player mode that came out in NCAA.. Not sure why they've never addressed it. Having the right amount of time tick off per play depdning on play type and result isn't that difficult and text sims have been doing it for decades.