04:27 AM - August 25, 2015 by Millennium
Madden NFL 16 has officially arrived today. Make sure you play a few games and share your impressions with the community!
Madden NFL 16 News Post
04:27 AM - August 25, 2015 by MillenniumMadden NFL 16 has officially arrived today. Make sure you play a few games and share your impressions with the community!
Madden NFL 16 Videos
Member Comments
The game is sick! 9/10. Best Madden i've played so far. The team did a great job.
There are minor issues, but overall they made the game great again. Haven't had this much fun since 05.
There are minor issues, but overall they made the game great again. Haven't had this much fun since 05.
# 2
2_headedmonster @ 08/25/15 05:05 AM
I like the running. So far i REALLY like the running. The running animations, moves and expressiveness seem right.
I'm currently on the opposite end on the spectrum with the aggressive catches. You know when you're under the rim on 2k, in perfect position to make a decent attempt at a block and get sucked into a canned dunk animation? That's the aggressive catch mechanism. At this early stage i feel like it's the pro-tak of catching.
It's not even that it's OP (which it is with stars) that turns me off, it's that it's not organic. Even with the canned dunks from my 2k example there's still plenty of instances where your independent block animation can be used against an independent dunk animation. I don't find that to be the same with M16.
I bring my safety over, time my attempt on the deep ball and it's seemingly neglected. Now it may factor into the success of the catch, but i can't often intervene with what has already been deemed a 2-man animation if that makes sense. My attempt is usually garnish for an aggressive catch interaction.
When the cpu brings a safety over it seems to be worse, they do very little and lag behind the play waiting on a punched ball. So my 2 man under turns into one on one with a witness.
I'm currently on the opposite end on the spectrum with the aggressive catches. You know when you're under the rim on 2k, in perfect position to make a decent attempt at a block and get sucked into a canned dunk animation? That's the aggressive catch mechanism. At this early stage i feel like it's the pro-tak of catching.
It's not even that it's OP (which it is with stars) that turns me off, it's that it's not organic. Even with the canned dunks from my 2k example there's still plenty of instances where your independent block animation can be used against an independent dunk animation. I don't find that to be the same with M16.
I bring my safety over, time my attempt on the deep ball and it's seemingly neglected. Now it may factor into the success of the catch, but i can't often intervene with what has already been deemed a 2-man animation if that makes sense. My attempt is usually garnish for an aggressive catch interaction.
When the cpu brings a safety over it seems to be worse, they do very little and lag behind the play waiting on a punched ball. So my 2 man under turns into one on one with a witness.
# 3
Gotmadskillzson @ 08/25/15 06:15 AM
The Good
Ratings seem to matter way more then ever before. I can clearly tell an offensive linemen with average footwork ratings vs somebody with good footwork ratings. Linemen with average footwork ratings don't get no push at all on running plays and get driven backwards. On passing plays they tend to get destroyed by a high skilled DE.
CPU QB over throw the ball a lot when rushed, which is very nice.
Running the ball can be either extremely easy or hard, depending on the line match ups. I do notice LBs shoot the gaps on running plays a tad bit too good too often. They get through clean untouched if you don't learn to steer them into a blocker or simply cut back across the field.
Play calling must be varied. CPU is must faster in noticing your pattern and shut it down very early.
Passing, we talking passing ?
Passing really is a nail biting experience this year. What use to be guaranteed passes are not anymore. The close out speed for defensive backs can be Deon Sanders like at times. Aggressive catch really is only useful when your WR has a clear ratings advantage over the defender. If they are equal then more often then not the defender will simply knock it out of your hand. I find the possession catch to be the most useful.
One definitely have to learn to use the middle pass and high pass. Passing on a direct line will get you burnt more often then not this year with a LB under cutting your passes. On default speed threshold you get mighty good separation between fast wide receivers and slow corners. Julio Jones burned me quite a bit.
Deep balls are breathe holding experiences. Thankfully for all you no switch players out there, you can rely on the CPU WR and CPU DB to play appropriately. Which is something I do like.
Pass Interference and Defensive holding oh my
Penalties for players are driven by a discipline trait. The choices are undisciplined, disciplined and normal. It works appropriately. You change a player to undisciplined and they turn into a dirty player basically, flags often. Very nice to see pass interference and defensive holding called. It really changes the momentum of drives. Sometimes though the animation doesn't match up.
The bad
Normal speed the players tend to slide and skate around the field. Slow speed fixes this for the most part. Punt returners are brain dead as usual and don't pose a threat. Punts tend to bounce into the end zone more often then not. Commentary is just bad, sometimes they be talking about things that didn't even happen. Like throwing interceptions when you didn't. Going for it on 4th down when you didn't.
Overall
I would give Madden 16 in it's current form a 8.5. All Pro is very competitive, reminds me of All Madden from years ago. I really don't find the need to change sliders other then the penalty ones if you want to see more penalties. Game plays very good out of the box on default All Pro. You get good pressure on the QB, the completion percentage will be in the toilet.
This year is all about playing real FOOTBALL and not playing MADDEN. It also pays to know the people on the team on your team and what their ratings actually are. I have no problem with my CPU controlled defensive line getting to the QB. Depends on what team you are using. Some teams you can get to them with just the front 4, other teams you have to blitz. I find crossing blitzes and overload blitzes to be highly effective this year.
Really all you have to do is play to the strengths of the team that you are using and stop trying to play the same way with every team.
Ratings seem to matter way more then ever before. I can clearly tell an offensive linemen with average footwork ratings vs somebody with good footwork ratings. Linemen with average footwork ratings don't get no push at all on running plays and get driven backwards. On passing plays they tend to get destroyed by a high skilled DE.
CPU QB over throw the ball a lot when rushed, which is very nice.
Running the ball can be either extremely easy or hard, depending on the line match ups. I do notice LBs shoot the gaps on running plays a tad bit too good too often. They get through clean untouched if you don't learn to steer them into a blocker or simply cut back across the field.
Play calling must be varied. CPU is must faster in noticing your pattern and shut it down very early.
Passing, we talking passing ?
Passing really is a nail biting experience this year. What use to be guaranteed passes are not anymore. The close out speed for defensive backs can be Deon Sanders like at times. Aggressive catch really is only useful when your WR has a clear ratings advantage over the defender. If they are equal then more often then not the defender will simply knock it out of your hand. I find the possession catch to be the most useful.
One definitely have to learn to use the middle pass and high pass. Passing on a direct line will get you burnt more often then not this year with a LB under cutting your passes. On default speed threshold you get mighty good separation between fast wide receivers and slow corners. Julio Jones burned me quite a bit.
Deep balls are breathe holding experiences. Thankfully for all you no switch players out there, you can rely on the CPU WR and CPU DB to play appropriately. Which is something I do like.
Pass Interference and Defensive holding oh my
Penalties for players are driven by a discipline trait. The choices are undisciplined, disciplined and normal. It works appropriately. You change a player to undisciplined and they turn into a dirty player basically, flags often. Very nice to see pass interference and defensive holding called. It really changes the momentum of drives. Sometimes though the animation doesn't match up.
The bad
Normal speed the players tend to slide and skate around the field. Slow speed fixes this for the most part. Punt returners are brain dead as usual and don't pose a threat. Punts tend to bounce into the end zone more often then not. Commentary is just bad, sometimes they be talking about things that didn't even happen. Like throwing interceptions when you didn't. Going for it on 4th down when you didn't.
Overall
I would give Madden 16 in it's current form a 8.5. All Pro is very competitive, reminds me of All Madden from years ago. I really don't find the need to change sliders other then the penalty ones if you want to see more penalties. Game plays very good out of the box on default All Pro. You get good pressure on the QB, the completion percentage will be in the toilet.
This year is all about playing real FOOTBALL and not playing MADDEN. It also pays to know the people on the team on your team and what their ratings actually are. I have no problem with my CPU controlled defensive line getting to the QB. Depends on what team you are using. Some teams you can get to them with just the front 4, other teams you have to blitz. I find crossing blitzes and overload blitzes to be highly effective this year.
Really all you have to do is play to the strengths of the team that you are using and stop trying to play the same way with every team.
# 4
ForUntoOblivionSoar∞ @ 08/25/15 08:16 AM
Since this is impressions, I thought I'd share my impression on the lighting. Well, all I need to do is post this screen shot I found at the 49ers official forum:
For the first time ever, Madden as captured the lighting effect on the 49ers helmets during a night time game. The resolution is bad because it's from YouTube, but this just looks stunning to me. Especially in motion, because the bright yellow-gold blob thing moves very similarly to how it does in real life. I didn't think they could ever do it, but they captured it. Very stoked about that.
For the first time ever, Madden as captured the lighting effect on the 49ers helmets during a night time game. The resolution is bad because it's from YouTube, but this just looks stunning to me. Especially in motion, because the bright yellow-gold blob thing moves very similarly to how it does in real life. I didn't think they could ever do it, but they captured it. Very stoked about that.
Played 55 last night 15 quarters, 15 second play Clock on All-Pro and we had a great game. He ended up throwing a TD pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins with 37 seconds left against my giants. We both threw a combined 5 picks.
Game looks amazing and plays great as well. With a few slider tweaks this game is going to be amazing.
Game looks amazing and plays great as well. With a few slider tweaks this game is going to be amazing.
I spent most of my 10 hour trial playing MUT until last night where I started an offline franchise with Oakland. The game played very well on default All-Pro, but I did increase penalty sliders. I am pleased to see that 4 defensive interference calls occurred in my one franchise game. This is a first in probably 20 years+ of Madden.
Despite losing the game 33-6 for wk1 Bengals @ Raiders, I was happy with the gameplay. It was fun, challenging, and I was in it up until 2 crucial INTs in the red zone.
Complaints:
1. Somehow Andy Dalton made into the kick returner depth chart and was injured in a kick return; out 1 week with an elbow injury. How does this happen. No football game's AI should allow this logic to occur.
2. I must've sacked the Bengals QBs 4x but none of them counted in my defensive stats. Big issue IMO.
Despite losing the game 33-6 for wk1 Bengals @ Raiders, I was happy with the gameplay. It was fun, challenging, and I was in it up until 2 crucial INTs in the red zone.
Complaints:
1. Somehow Andy Dalton made into the kick returner depth chart and was injured in a kick return; out 1 week with an elbow injury. How does this happen. No football game's AI should allow this logic to occur.
2. I must've sacked the Bengals QBs 4x but none of them counted in my defensive stats. Big issue IMO.
I played 3 quarters last night on all-pro and it was difficult to say the least.
The Good
Running Game-
This was a thing of beauty to watch. Following your blocks was a sight to behold, much better than last year. Adrian Peterson run all over me by half.
Passing Game- Very nice animations between WR/DB's. You need to follow your reads quickly or the DB will close quickly and break up the pass. It's nice to see CPU QB's throws off the mark and over thrown. Nicely done here, EA.
Penalties- Only 2 holding calls for 3 quarters. I'll take everyone's word for it here.
Presentation- I don't mind the stat bubbles and I do like the camera following the team out to the huddle from the sidelines. Lighting is very good this year.
The Bad-
Commentary- Need much more improving in this area, although there was new commentary added to the new xp try's.
Presentation- Need to feel more immersed and maybe it's the commentary. I will say the crowd sounded good.
QB Signatures- Still not there where it needs to be.
Special Teams- Same as it ever was.
More to come later.
For now, I'm giving the game a 7.5 overall, but that goes up if they fix the CFM issues to 8 or 8.5 in a reasonable amount of time.
The Good
Running Game-
This was a thing of beauty to watch. Following your blocks was a sight to behold, much better than last year. Adrian Peterson run all over me by half.
Passing Game- Very nice animations between WR/DB's. You need to follow your reads quickly or the DB will close quickly and break up the pass. It's nice to see CPU QB's throws off the mark and over thrown. Nicely done here, EA.
Penalties- Only 2 holding calls for 3 quarters. I'll take everyone's word for it here.
Presentation- I don't mind the stat bubbles and I do like the camera following the team out to the huddle from the sidelines. Lighting is very good this year.
The Bad-
Commentary- Need much more improving in this area, although there was new commentary added to the new xp try's.
Presentation- Need to feel more immersed and maybe it's the commentary. I will say the crowd sounded good.
QB Signatures- Still not there where it needs to be.
Special Teams- Same as it ever was.
More to come later.
For now, I'm giving the game a 7.5 overall, but that goes up if they fix the CFM issues to 8 or 8.5 in a reasonable amount of time.
# 8
HockeyPhuck @ 08/25/15 09:29 AM
pretty awesome. i am no pro but i played all madden last year.on madden16 i am having hell a fun on all pro. penalties, passing, running, QB's its great this year. 
# 9
bad_philanthropy @ 08/25/15 10:16 AM
There are some small elements that need work, and the issues in CFM from the regression bug to autosubs need fixing, but damn if this isn't an impressive effort.
First time in years I've bought two releases in a row and the second year felt fresh and more engaging.
I'm really feeling the gameplay so far. Definitely needs some slider tweaks to make it play how I want it, but it's the best out of the box foundation I've come across in a Madden game. Almost cried when I saw the cpu miss some throws.
Lighting is amazing as well. I've spent way too much time cruising around replay and marvelling at stuff, and not even playing the game.
First time in years I've bought two releases in a row and the second year felt fresh and more engaging.
I'm really feeling the gameplay so far. Definitely needs some slider tweaks to make it play how I want it, but it's the best out of the box foundation I've come across in a Madden game. Almost cried when I saw the cpu miss some throws.
Lighting is amazing as well. I've spent way too much time cruising around replay and marvelling at stuff, and not even playing the game.
# 10
Brooke2011 @ 08/25/15 10:41 AM
Best madden to date. Sliders work this year. I had 10 penalties in a 20 minute game . Alot of offensive holding and defensive holding and pass interference. Aggressive catch is not overpowering ,especially with mediocre recievers. Pass rush is fixed with sliders.
Great game good job EA
Great game good job EA
On the field, this is the most organic, polished, and frankly fun Madden NFL game - possibly most organic, polished, and fun football video game, period - to-date. There's a way for the user to get involved in every facet of the game, you really have to to succeed at the highest level, and the game actively encourages you to get involved in everything that happens, rewarding your correct plays and penalizing your mistakes.
On "organic": for example, I had a play last night where I sacked Phillip Rivers with Jeremy Mincey, but I hit him as he was throwing, so the ball popped straight up into the air. It caromed into the waiting arms of Demarcus Lawrence, who returned it fifty yards the other way before getting chased down by Melvin Gordon. This is a play I've never seen in a Madden game, and it happened so believably here too. It was a wow moment for sure.
As soon as some of the little warts in CFM get cleaned up, I'm going to be investing a ton of time into this game. For now, however, I will stick with Play Now and Draft Champions, maybe a little bit of Ultimate Team.
On "organic": for example, I had a play last night where I sacked Phillip Rivers with Jeremy Mincey, but I hit him as he was throwing, so the ball popped straight up into the air. It caromed into the waiting arms of Demarcus Lawrence, who returned it fifty yards the other way before getting chased down by Melvin Gordon. This is a play I've never seen in a Madden game, and it happened so believably here too. It was a wow moment for sure.
As soon as some of the little warts in CFM get cleaned up, I'm going to be investing a ton of time into this game. For now, however, I will stick with Play Now and Draft Champions, maybe a little bit of Ultimate Team.
I'n glad they did away with a lot of the sets that needed collectibles. That was insane!
# 13
Dantecamp21 @ 08/25/15 11:02 AM
Loving the game. Finally enjoying the animations, they nailed the running motion for the first time since the PS2 days. Tackling feels great (FINALLY!).
Like others have already stated, the game does have a much needed "organic" feel to it, something it has been missing since like forever.
The new catch prompts are a bit overwhelming at first and I don't like the augmented reality UI. But the new cameras are pure joy and I know I'm absolutely alone on this one but I'm kinda enjoying the play-by-play commentary. The chatting between Simms and Nantz has been more natural than in year's past and the fact that they talk about what happened on the last drive once the ball possession switches from one team to the other is very refreshing.
Waiting for the clean up before starting my CFM as well.
Like others have already stated, the game does have a much needed "organic" feel to it, something it has been missing since like forever.
The new catch prompts are a bit overwhelming at first and I don't like the augmented reality UI. But the new cameras are pure joy and I know I'm absolutely alone on this one but I'm kinda enjoying the play-by-play commentary. The chatting between Simms and Nantz has been more natural than in year's past and the fact that they talk about what happened on the last drive once the ball possession switches from one team to the other is very refreshing.
Waiting for the clean up before starting my CFM as well.
# 14
SilverChaosVII @ 08/25/15 11:33 AM
I wasn't going to buy the game... but changed my mind last minute because I love football too much.
Pleasantly surprised.
Game is far from perfect, but it's the best one in years.
After a single game of default All-Pro, 15 minutes with accelerated clock, Steelers vs. Cardinals I can say that it's a solid game. I will need to tune sliders, but luckily they work this year.
Aggressive catch is definitely a little OP... but I think sliders can fix that. I saw about 8 ridiculous catches in the game. Far too many. Fitzgerald in double coverage multiple times, Brown doing the same. One-handed. They went overboard... but I think it can be fixed for offline players.
-----------------
For the stat junkies....
Note: I played as Steelers. I run a very old school offense. Ground and pound with short dink and dunk passes. So that's why the really really high completion percent (although still may need sliders to fix)
Steelers: 42
Cardinals: 26
Game was much closer than the score indicates.
Palmer: 27-41, 65%, 349 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 FUM
Roethlisberger: 22-26, 84%, 281 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Ellington: 15 rush, 46 yards, 3.0 avg
Bell: 27 rush, 157 yards, 5.8 avg, 2 TD
Williams: 5 rush, 68 yards, 13.6 avg, 1 TD (56 long)
Fitzgerald: 8 catch, 173 yards
J. Brown: 6 catch, 88 yards, 1 TD
A. Brown: 7 catch, 118 yards, 2 TD
Miller: 6 catch, 88 yards
Cards D: (Top stat / different players) 10 tackles, 4 tfl, 0 sacks, 1 int, 1 td (pick 6)
Steelers D: (Top stat / different players) 11 tackles, 2 tfl, 1 sack (3 total), 1 int
Pleasantly surprised.
Game is far from perfect, but it's the best one in years.
After a single game of default All-Pro, 15 minutes with accelerated clock, Steelers vs. Cardinals I can say that it's a solid game. I will need to tune sliders, but luckily they work this year.
Aggressive catch is definitely a little OP... but I think sliders can fix that. I saw about 8 ridiculous catches in the game. Far too many. Fitzgerald in double coverage multiple times, Brown doing the same. One-handed. They went overboard... but I think it can be fixed for offline players.
-----------------
For the stat junkies....
Note: I played as Steelers. I run a very old school offense. Ground and pound with short dink and dunk passes. So that's why the really really high completion percent (although still may need sliders to fix)
Steelers: 42
Cardinals: 26
Game was much closer than the score indicates.
Palmer: 27-41, 65%, 349 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 FUM
Roethlisberger: 22-26, 84%, 281 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Ellington: 15 rush, 46 yards, 3.0 avg
Bell: 27 rush, 157 yards, 5.8 avg, 2 TD
Williams: 5 rush, 68 yards, 13.6 avg, 1 TD (56 long)
Fitzgerald: 8 catch, 173 yards
J. Brown: 6 catch, 88 yards, 1 TD
A. Brown: 7 catch, 118 yards, 2 TD
Miller: 6 catch, 88 yards
Cards D: (Top stat / different players) 10 tackles, 4 tfl, 0 sacks, 1 int, 1 td (pick 6)
Steelers D: (Top stat / different players) 11 tackles, 2 tfl, 1 sack (3 total), 1 int
# 15
HenryClay1844 @ 08/25/15 11:35 AM
I"m not an American football fan anymore, but I think this is the best gameplay they've ever had. The presentation though -+- is still behind FIFA MLB the Show and NBA2k.
Oh, I wanted to sneak a negative in on the prologue.
I have a Xbone and during the cinematic portions, the sounds were very choppy. I'll check the bug thread on that one.
Sneaking in one more, which I still think is important. The CPU AI under 2 minutes to play. There is no sense of urgency, no calling timeouts, no hurry up offense, etc....
I have a Xbone and during the cinematic portions, the sounds were very choppy. I'll check the bug thread on that one.
Sneaking in one more, which I still think is important. The CPU AI under 2 minutes to play. There is no sense of urgency, no calling timeouts, no hurry up offense, etc....
# 17
JKSportsGamer1984 @ 08/25/15 11:41 AM
+ Physics are definitely improved (but still not where it needs to be)
+ Love the gang tackling (although it still needs to be cleaned up)
+ Love that they cleaned up the post play (players no longer clipping / morphing together)
+ CPU QB AI is definitely improved & QB's are playing like their real life counterparts
+ The new passing mechanics are a nice addition & much needed
+ Love the new handoff / play action fake animations
+ Love that they added various Ball Carrying styles! Bout time!
+ Like the new camera angles on replays & cut scenes
+ Like the new stat bubbles on players. Nice touch
+ Love the improvements to the crowd
- The Sidelines are still lackluster smh (all players wearing high socks, all players wearing the same facemask, players not wearing their accessories, no names on the back of jerseys, etc..) This is holding the look of the game back & must be a priority going forward. We need chearleaders too!
- When in a no huddle hurry up situation players still run right through other players (clip/morph) when running back to the line of scrimmage. Again, this is an immersion killer. They need to add player avoidance (similar to the sidelines) in these situations. They do avoid at times just not all the time. They cleaned up the player clipping/morphing post play but neglected to do it for the hurry up offense. Please fix this!
- RB's still run up their blockers back without pushing off at times & RB's arms still bend behind their back with the ball stuck in their hand smh. I thought this would've been fixed by now! EA, RB's should contextually tuck the ball when in traffic or when near a defender to prevent this from happening. PLEASE fix this! I can't stand when a runner's arm gets stuck behind his back with the ball stuck in their hand. I can not begin to tell you how much I hate to see this! It makes me want to turn the game off every time I see it! I know this is tied to the physics engine but this has to go!
- Spin moves are way too effective & over powered. We shouldn't have RB's like Christian Okoye pulling off spin moves like Barry Sanders. There's needs to be a bigger differential in how RB's are able to utilize certain moves. RB's still feel too similar. It's time to give RB's their own player specific animation packages. This is sorely needed in Madden!
- CPU RB's still don't utilize their entire arsenal & aren't as effective as they should be (I should fear going up against Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, etc..)
- Players still feel a little floaty & not connected to the field. Players need to feel more weighted to the ground. Player momentum still needs improvement.
- Tackling (while improved) still feels sloppy at times. Defenders still flop to the ground like they're lifeless on gang tackles. There's also way too many pillow soft hits in the game. I do see my share of big hits, but I'm seeing a lot of soft hits that have no thump to them what so ever with players going down too easy. This should've been fixed by now in year 3 of the physics engine. Hopefully this can be tuned or patched.
- Goal Line defense is still basically non existent. There needs to be a battle in the trenches especially on the goal line or on short yard attempts. Defenders should be getting low & plugging the holes. It's still too easy to score on the goal line. This has to be addressed going forward!
- Blocking logic/AI is still suspect at times. I'm still seeing offensive linemen give up on blocks too soon & letting defenders go right around them. Still not seeing defenders push or collapse the pocket like you see on Sundays. Lineman look confused at times not knowing who they should block. Offensive lineman often times just break down & attempt to block an area of the field as opposed to blocking the nearest defender. This is a legacy issue that has plagued Madden for years. Blocking (while improved) still needs major improvement. Everything starts with the trenches!
- Way too many One Handed catch animations! In typical EA fashion, ODB Jr makes a once in a lifetime catch & now I'm seeing those types of catches in Madden 5 to 10 times a game smh. This needs to be toned way down. I'm not talking about aggressive catches in general, just these ridiculous one handed catch animations that you rarely see IRL. They don't have to eliminate them just tone them way down.
- The sound quality for the on field action isn't that good at times. Sometimes you can't hear the physicality being displayed (maybe this ties in to the pillow soft hitting). I forget which Madden it was (I think 07) where you could hear players stomping on the field when running. We need stuff like that in the game to add to the immersion. APF2K8 had great on field sound as well. I do like that EA added player chatter this year but the overall sound of the game needs a big upgrade.
- Animation quality still needs work (although it has improved)
- We still don't have True Step for all 22 players on the field (this would greatly improve the game)
- Referees are still ice skating all over the field smh. Gotta fix this EA!
- Some of the aggressive catch animations seem to be predetermined
- Still not able to assign DB's to WR's. We should be able put our best DB on the opponents best WR. This is a must & we need this to combat some of these aggressive catches. I know Rex said they were trying to get this in but EA please try your best to patch this in. It would be a shame if we had to wait until next year for this feature.
- The hit stick has been toned down. I'm not able to lay the wood like I used to. I don't like this.
- I like the idea of the "get skinny" option but it needs to be reworked. It should not be assigned to a button it should just happen contextually. There are times when I just want to cover up the ball only to have my RB do the get skinny animation at the most inopportune times. Just let the animation automatically happen similar to how RB's spin off their blockers when stuck behind them. Having it tied to the same button as protect the ball is a bad idea. There also needs to be more get skinny animations. How are you only going to put one animation in the game & have all RB's do the same move? There should be an animation where the runner leans sideways to get skinny. The way they have it now is the RB just puts his head down with a slight twist similar to a trucking animation. Please address this EA.
- Presentation is still lacking (including commentary). It's disappointing that there's a ticker in the game but they use it for goals instead of scores & updates from around the league smh. EA dropped the ball on this. We need highlights from games around the league & a weekly wrap up show during CFM. These are the things I expected & thought were a no brainer for this generation. EA has to step it up in this department. We also need to go away from cut scenes & add Real-Time presentation. It's long overdue!
- We still are not able to manually set the temperature of games. I want to be able to play cold weather games without it snowing, etc...I don't understand why Madden got rid of this feature. We need the real time weather feed that was in NCAA football.
- Touchdown celebrations are completely out of wack. I shouldn't see Eli Manning doing the Nene after a score smh. Also, how are you going to add Ladanian Tomlinson to the game but not have his signature celebration? Come on EA! Also, we need team celebrations in the end zone after TD's. Looks extremely odd when your player is celebrating by himself whereas in the NFL you rarely see that.
- In Zoom cam when pulling the camera back presnap in a 5 wide empty formation, the outside receivers are cut off out of view on the edges of your screen. This is a problem because you can't see the matchup or who your edge receivers are when it happens. I don't recall this happening last year & I know it's not my TV. Not sure if it's a glitch or if the Zoom cam just needs to be adjusted. All they have to do is pull the Zoom back presnap about an inch to fix this. I only use the Zoom cam & this problem is kind of killing it for me. PLEASE fix this!
Overall I like the improvements & I'm satisfied with the game but as usual with Madden it still falls short of greatness. Seems like every year I see the potential in the game but it always leaves me wanting more & waiting for next year. Hopefully a lot of these issues can be addressed in a patch (especially the issue with RB's arms bending behind their back with the ball stuck in their hand, the Zoom camera issue & clean up the physics). Madden 16 can go down as a great game if a lot of these issues get fixed along with the numerous bugs (see the Bugs & Glitches thread).
+ Love the gang tackling (although it still needs to be cleaned up)
+ Love that they cleaned up the post play (players no longer clipping / morphing together)
+ CPU QB AI is definitely improved & QB's are playing like their real life counterparts
+ The new passing mechanics are a nice addition & much needed
+ Love the new handoff / play action fake animations
+ Love that they added various Ball Carrying styles! Bout time!
+ Like the new camera angles on replays & cut scenes
+ Like the new stat bubbles on players. Nice touch
+ Love the improvements to the crowd
- The Sidelines are still lackluster smh (all players wearing high socks, all players wearing the same facemask, players not wearing their accessories, no names on the back of jerseys, etc..) This is holding the look of the game back & must be a priority going forward. We need chearleaders too!
- When in a no huddle hurry up situation players still run right through other players (clip/morph) when running back to the line of scrimmage. Again, this is an immersion killer. They need to add player avoidance (similar to the sidelines) in these situations. They do avoid at times just not all the time. They cleaned up the player clipping/morphing post play but neglected to do it for the hurry up offense. Please fix this!
- RB's still run up their blockers back without pushing off at times & RB's arms still bend behind their back with the ball stuck in their hand smh. I thought this would've been fixed by now! EA, RB's should contextually tuck the ball when in traffic or when near a defender to prevent this from happening. PLEASE fix this! I can't stand when a runner's arm gets stuck behind his back with the ball stuck in their hand. I can not begin to tell you how much I hate to see this! It makes me want to turn the game off every time I see it! I know this is tied to the physics engine but this has to go!
- Spin moves are way too effective & over powered. We shouldn't have RB's like Christian Okoye pulling off spin moves like Barry Sanders. There's needs to be a bigger differential in how RB's are able to utilize certain moves. RB's still feel too similar. It's time to give RB's their own player specific animation packages. This is sorely needed in Madden!
- CPU RB's still don't utilize their entire arsenal & aren't as effective as they should be (I should fear going up against Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, etc..)
- Players still feel a little floaty & not connected to the field. Players need to feel more weighted to the ground. Player momentum still needs improvement.
- Tackling (while improved) still feels sloppy at times. Defenders still flop to the ground like they're lifeless on gang tackles. There's also way too many pillow soft hits in the game. I do see my share of big hits, but I'm seeing a lot of soft hits that have no thump to them what so ever with players going down too easy. This should've been fixed by now in year 3 of the physics engine. Hopefully this can be tuned or patched.
- Goal Line defense is still basically non existent. There needs to be a battle in the trenches especially on the goal line or on short yard attempts. Defenders should be getting low & plugging the holes. It's still too easy to score on the goal line. This has to be addressed going forward!
- Blocking logic/AI is still suspect at times. I'm still seeing offensive linemen give up on blocks too soon & letting defenders go right around them. Still not seeing defenders push or collapse the pocket like you see on Sundays. Lineman look confused at times not knowing who they should block. Offensive lineman often times just break down & attempt to block an area of the field as opposed to blocking the nearest defender. This is a legacy issue that has plagued Madden for years. Blocking (while improved) still needs major improvement. Everything starts with the trenches!
- Way too many One Handed catch animations! In typical EA fashion, ODB Jr makes a once in a lifetime catch & now I'm seeing those types of catches in Madden 5 to 10 times a game smh. This needs to be toned way down. I'm not talking about aggressive catches in general, just these ridiculous one handed catch animations that you rarely see IRL. They don't have to eliminate them just tone them way down.
- The sound quality for the on field action isn't that good at times. Sometimes you can't hear the physicality being displayed (maybe this ties in to the pillow soft hitting). I forget which Madden it was (I think 07) where you could hear players stomping on the field when running. We need stuff like that in the game to add to the immersion. APF2K8 had great on field sound as well. I do like that EA added player chatter this year but the overall sound of the game needs a big upgrade.
- Animation quality still needs work (although it has improved)
- We still don't have True Step for all 22 players on the field (this would greatly improve the game)
- Referees are still ice skating all over the field smh. Gotta fix this EA!
- Some of the aggressive catch animations seem to be predetermined
- Still not able to assign DB's to WR's. We should be able put our best DB on the opponents best WR. This is a must & we need this to combat some of these aggressive catches. I know Rex said they were trying to get this in but EA please try your best to patch this in. It would be a shame if we had to wait until next year for this feature.
- The hit stick has been toned down. I'm not able to lay the wood like I used to. I don't like this.
- I like the idea of the "get skinny" option but it needs to be reworked. It should not be assigned to a button it should just happen contextually. There are times when I just want to cover up the ball only to have my RB do the get skinny animation at the most inopportune times. Just let the animation automatically happen similar to how RB's spin off their blockers when stuck behind them. Having it tied to the same button as protect the ball is a bad idea. There also needs to be more get skinny animations. How are you only going to put one animation in the game & have all RB's do the same move? There should be an animation where the runner leans sideways to get skinny. The way they have it now is the RB just puts his head down with a slight twist similar to a trucking animation. Please address this EA.
- Presentation is still lacking (including commentary). It's disappointing that there's a ticker in the game but they use it for goals instead of scores & updates from around the league smh. EA dropped the ball on this. We need highlights from games around the league & a weekly wrap up show during CFM. These are the things I expected & thought were a no brainer for this generation. EA has to step it up in this department. We also need to go away from cut scenes & add Real-Time presentation. It's long overdue!
- We still are not able to manually set the temperature of games. I want to be able to play cold weather games without it snowing, etc...I don't understand why Madden got rid of this feature. We need the real time weather feed that was in NCAA football.
- Touchdown celebrations are completely out of wack. I shouldn't see Eli Manning doing the Nene after a score smh. Also, how are you going to add Ladanian Tomlinson to the game but not have his signature celebration? Come on EA! Also, we need team celebrations in the end zone after TD's. Looks extremely odd when your player is celebrating by himself whereas in the NFL you rarely see that.
- In Zoom cam when pulling the camera back presnap in a 5 wide empty formation, the outside receivers are cut off out of view on the edges of your screen. This is a problem because you can't see the matchup or who your edge receivers are when it happens. I don't recall this happening last year & I know it's not my TV. Not sure if it's a glitch or if the Zoom cam just needs to be adjusted. All they have to do is pull the Zoom back presnap about an inch to fix this. I only use the Zoom cam & this problem is kind of killing it for me. PLEASE fix this!
Overall I like the improvements & I'm satisfied with the game but as usual with Madden it still falls short of greatness. Seems like every year I see the potential in the game but it always leaves me wanting more & waiting for next year. Hopefully a lot of these issues can be addressed in a patch (especially the issue with RB's arms bending behind their back with the ball stuck in their hand, the Zoom camera issue & clean up the physics). Madden 16 can go down as a great game if a lot of these issues get fixed along with the numerous bugs (see the Bugs & Glitches thread).
# 18
The_Gaming_Disciple @ 08/25/15 11:43 AM
The last Madden I bought was 04' when Mike Vick graced the cover. I am really enjoying this game. The intro with the Steelers and Cardinals had me hyped last night as I started the game. The running in the game feels fluid and real. I enjoy the tackling way better and it feels more realistic. I especially enjoy the defensive cam because I enjoy player lock. The skills trainer was in depth and informative.
Hopefully EA NCAA will come back with these graphics and gameplay. I'm also glad the penalty sliders are more effective.
Go FSU!
Go Bucs!
Go Winston!
Playstation forever
XBox can take this L!!!
Hopefully EA NCAA will come back with these graphics and gameplay. I'm also glad the penalty sliders are more effective.
Go FSU!
Go Bucs!
Go Winston!
Playstation forever
XBox can take this L!!!
# 19
GisherJohn24 @ 08/25/15 11:43 AM
Had 10 hours to play this bad boy before the release and I can easily say I had no trouble forking out the dough to get it. I'm sold.
So...I thoght today so I thought I'd give my two cents how I Feel after some serious game time
Madden took years to come to form IMO. I've played it since it's first arrival on the beloved Sega Genesis and look what we got now? It's had a rocky road here and there, and I understand it's been under heat for being too much like the previous years game, but no worries, they give you just enough to make it feel new. I feel Madden 16 is worth the price tag, and certainly for someone who took some years off.
Madden 16 is the first football game to utilize penalties to their potential. I can't remember the last time I had a pass interference call in any football game. We finally have them and they work! Pass interference calls? Yep sure are. Holding? You know it! Defensive holding? Sure thing. Late hits penalty calls? You bet! This makes the game feel more like a real game and I think for the most part, most will welcome this addition. I haven't decided if they're over done yet, but so far, it's pretty standard on what you see in a real game. It really adds to the realism if you're into the more simulation aspects.
Controls feel polished and smooth. It still has the classic controls of Madden that long time fans can jump right in. Truck stick, hit stick, spin move, hurdle, juke, etc.... Long time madden fans will be right at home with it. The newest things are the aggressive catch and possession catch functions. The aggressive catch can make for a amazing eye candy that you have never seen in a football game before, it's so real people walking into the room are thinking they're seeing ESPN highlights. With aggressive catch activated with *Y* on the XBONE or triangle on ps4, you can make for some spectacular catches and they look spectacular on both sides of the ball. Defensive will also make some amazing attempts to gain possession. Defense can do the same thing, so it's kind of a crapshoot what happens depending if they go up for the aggressive catch. You can make some mistakesif you get hit using the aggressive too much and interceptions can be more gracious. I do like the new function, but as with anything, including the penalties, if you don't like them, turn them off.
The game feel more organic than ever. 15 was great IMO already. Sure, you get the occasional times where guys flop around on piles and play possum on the field till they want to get up. Yeah, I understand it looks silly at times, but does it really interfere with the game itself after the play? No. It doesn't. A lot of review sites already say this is unacceptable and tired of seeing it I say, it's no big deal. When the game is in play, that's what counts.
The game has a fantastic running game. Blockers seem to make holes and are smarter around running down the field with you. The classic truck stick is still there, although I dont think it's as powerful as it once was as a veteran Madden player will probably agree. 16 has a ton of new animations to make the game feel more awesome. There's some brutal hits going on in this game. Although I've probably put in 10 hours already, I haven't had any injuries? hmmmm. But maybe I'm just lucky.
Passing feels good. I actually prefer to play on the game speed on "very slow". I think normal or even slow is too much speed for me, but that's just a preference. To me, the very slow represents the real game better IMO.
QB's with lower ratings finally are making more incomplete passes and they are definitely inconsistent! That's good! I noticed in 15, QB's with bad ratings were sometimes going 25 for 27 in one game! Now if your QB is just a bench guy or not very good in general, you'll see a lot of short and overthrown passes. This is a good thing again if you're playing a team with strong running game, but a passing game, not so much. QB's seem to get more rattled. As mentioned above, you're going to see some great one on one battles with the new "aggressive" catch option.
IF you want to play things safe, you can go for the regular catch or possession. Going for strictly possession, you lose the ability to get yards after a catch. Some people like to just let the cpu do all the work, that's fine, but you lose your ability to make big plays. That's the rules with madden for years, if you take over, you have a better chance at making something big happen!
Defensively is still fun with the "behind the back perspective" Sometimes I feel like the camera does some funky things after a pass, but I can usually play good defense sticking with this angle. The hit stick, while still there, doesn't seem as intense as past years? (Is this the NFL saying tone is down EA?) I sure hope not. Either way, it's good we still have the ability to make a big hit to cause those fumbles!
Presentation is slightly better than last year, but it's not light years better. And it always needs work and it's too repetitive. Some new commentary lines here and there, a bit more details about players and historical comments, but they still sound like they're reading off the cue cards too much. I'm also not a big fan of Phil Simms. He's a nice guy, but I'd rather get someone to replace him next year. Not horribly bad, but needs a rehaul for next year. Music has a nice sountrack, although I still wish they would bring back the NFL films music they used in Madden 10 and 11. Modern music is all right, I just like the old school stuff, just a preference though.
The graphics are stunning. Anyone who says otherwise, are cray cray! lol The players faces got the most love, you'll see that in the intro on the level of detail. Very detailed stadiums, amazing use of lighting and shadows and spot on reflections on the helmets. Some of the cut scenes they show in between plays etc are a bit over done, but hey, if you like presenation, there ya go!
While some people don't really pay attention, the sky schemes are glorious depending on the time of day and the sunlight peaking through clouds and how it luminates the field with the shadows are really a sight to see! Playing on snow is a blast, you'll see footprints go all over the field and there is real field degradation going on here. I appreciate those little touches.
The classic and most beloved mode is back, the Ultimate Team mode. Fans know how it works. Build your team of scrubs into the ultimate Madden team and take them online!
Speaking of online, I haven't had any major issues, EA has always had decent servers. I've only noticed a few games with a little input lag, but it's very good considering how many people were playing at once. Roster share will be awesome as always, I love being able to download all the Legends! Thanks to the community for that!
I haven't checked how deep the fantasy or franchise modes are yet, but I'm sure there is always plenty to do.
Madden 16 is a great game. Is it perfect? Nah. No football game is. But I feel it's worth your time. Anyone new to the series should pick it up. I don't know if I can justify 60 bucks if you have 15, but if you're a Madden fan like I am, I already know that you probably already have it. God bless to all the sports fans on operation sports!
Oh, BTW, where are the cheerleaders?
So...I thoght today so I thought I'd give my two cents how I Feel after some serious game time
Madden took years to come to form IMO. I've played it since it's first arrival on the beloved Sega Genesis and look what we got now? It's had a rocky road here and there, and I understand it's been under heat for being too much like the previous years game, but no worries, they give you just enough to make it feel new. I feel Madden 16 is worth the price tag, and certainly for someone who took some years off.
Madden 16 is the first football game to utilize penalties to their potential. I can't remember the last time I had a pass interference call in any football game. We finally have them and they work! Pass interference calls? Yep sure are. Holding? You know it! Defensive holding? Sure thing. Late hits penalty calls? You bet! This makes the game feel more like a real game and I think for the most part, most will welcome this addition. I haven't decided if they're over done yet, but so far, it's pretty standard on what you see in a real game. It really adds to the realism if you're into the more simulation aspects.
Controls feel polished and smooth. It still has the classic controls of Madden that long time fans can jump right in. Truck stick, hit stick, spin move, hurdle, juke, etc.... Long time madden fans will be right at home with it. The newest things are the aggressive catch and possession catch functions. The aggressive catch can make for a amazing eye candy that you have never seen in a football game before, it's so real people walking into the room are thinking they're seeing ESPN highlights. With aggressive catch activated with *Y* on the XBONE or triangle on ps4, you can make for some spectacular catches and they look spectacular on both sides of the ball. Defensive will also make some amazing attempts to gain possession. Defense can do the same thing, so it's kind of a crapshoot what happens depending if they go up for the aggressive catch. You can make some mistakesif you get hit using the aggressive too much and interceptions can be more gracious. I do like the new function, but as with anything, including the penalties, if you don't like them, turn them off.
The game feel more organic than ever. 15 was great IMO already. Sure, you get the occasional times where guys flop around on piles and play possum on the field till they want to get up. Yeah, I understand it looks silly at times, but does it really interfere with the game itself after the play? No. It doesn't. A lot of review sites already say this is unacceptable and tired of seeing it I say, it's no big deal. When the game is in play, that's what counts.
The game has a fantastic running game. Blockers seem to make holes and are smarter around running down the field with you. The classic truck stick is still there, although I dont think it's as powerful as it once was as a veteran Madden player will probably agree. 16 has a ton of new animations to make the game feel more awesome. There's some brutal hits going on in this game. Although I've probably put in 10 hours already, I haven't had any injuries? hmmmm. But maybe I'm just lucky.
Passing feels good. I actually prefer to play on the game speed on "very slow". I think normal or even slow is too much speed for me, but that's just a preference. To me, the very slow represents the real game better IMO.
QB's with lower ratings finally are making more incomplete passes and they are definitely inconsistent! That's good! I noticed in 15, QB's with bad ratings were sometimes going 25 for 27 in one game! Now if your QB is just a bench guy or not very good in general, you'll see a lot of short and overthrown passes. This is a good thing again if you're playing a team with strong running game, but a passing game, not so much. QB's seem to get more rattled. As mentioned above, you're going to see some great one on one battles with the new "aggressive" catch option.
IF you want to play things safe, you can go for the regular catch or possession. Going for strictly possession, you lose the ability to get yards after a catch. Some people like to just let the cpu do all the work, that's fine, but you lose your ability to make big plays. That's the rules with madden for years, if you take over, you have a better chance at making something big happen!
Defensively is still fun with the "behind the back perspective" Sometimes I feel like the camera does some funky things after a pass, but I can usually play good defense sticking with this angle. The hit stick, while still there, doesn't seem as intense as past years? (Is this the NFL saying tone is down EA?) I sure hope not. Either way, it's good we still have the ability to make a big hit to cause those fumbles!
Presentation is slightly better than last year, but it's not light years better. And it always needs work and it's too repetitive. Some new commentary lines here and there, a bit more details about players and historical comments, but they still sound like they're reading off the cue cards too much. I'm also not a big fan of Phil Simms. He's a nice guy, but I'd rather get someone to replace him next year. Not horribly bad, but needs a rehaul for next year. Music has a nice sountrack, although I still wish they would bring back the NFL films music they used in Madden 10 and 11. Modern music is all right, I just like the old school stuff, just a preference though.
The graphics are stunning. Anyone who says otherwise, are cray cray! lol The players faces got the most love, you'll see that in the intro on the level of detail. Very detailed stadiums, amazing use of lighting and shadows and spot on reflections on the helmets. Some of the cut scenes they show in between plays etc are a bit over done, but hey, if you like presenation, there ya go!
While some people don't really pay attention, the sky schemes are glorious depending on the time of day and the sunlight peaking through clouds and how it luminates the field with the shadows are really a sight to see! Playing on snow is a blast, you'll see footprints go all over the field and there is real field degradation going on here. I appreciate those little touches.
The classic and most beloved mode is back, the Ultimate Team mode. Fans know how it works. Build your team of scrubs into the ultimate Madden team and take them online!
Speaking of online, I haven't had any major issues, EA has always had decent servers. I've only noticed a few games with a little input lag, but it's very good considering how many people were playing at once. Roster share will be awesome as always, I love being able to download all the Legends! Thanks to the community for that!
I haven't checked how deep the fantasy or franchise modes are yet, but I'm sure there is always plenty to do.
Madden 16 is a great game. Is it perfect? Nah. No football game is. But I feel it's worth your time. Anyone new to the series should pick it up. I don't know if I can justify 60 bucks if you have 15, but if you're a Madden fan like I am, I already know that you probably already have it. God bless to all the sports fans on operation sports!
Oh, BTW, where are the cheerleaders?
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What difficulty level are you guys playing on?
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