Madden NFL 17 News Post

Madden NFL 17 Review (Xbox One)

01:41 PM - August 17, 2016 by RaychelSnr

Madden 17 begins with an authoritative stamp: You’re thrown in Memorial Stadium, right in the thick of a NFC playoff game against the Washington Redskins. The crowd is ferocious, the commentary is well timed and filled with chemistry, and everything that is happening on the field has a manic pace to it. Before you know it, your heart is beating in the same way every sports fan has felt as the clock winds down.

Fortunately, just about everything that makes Madden 17’s intro so great carries itself over to the base game. All at once, Madden boasts improved presentation, feel and gameplay. From the moment the game kicks into gear, a sense of overwhelming confidence on the part of EA Tiburon sets in. Madden 17 may be the best football game put out by the studio this generation.

Read More - Madden NFL 17 Review (Xbox One)

Game: Madden NFL 17Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 17 - View All

Member Comments

# 21 roadman @ 08/17/16 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	Ben, are you a reviewer only or do you have direct contact with Madden Devs? My biggest issue with madden is CFM and how all their abstractions are very arcade. Any chance they will give options in CFM to provide more (optional) realistic CFM abstractions? You were asking Bez for examples so I'm just taking a chance that you may have a line to Madden developer/designers. The realism crowd really doesn't have a franchise path. My question/comment is strictly CFM. I think gameplay has taken some steps toward realism.

Bucky, I'm not answering for Ben, but did you listen to the podcast of 4tdverts with John White, one of the developers of CFM.

Based on that interview, I got the impression that XP wasn't going away. It sounded like to me they would like to make the XP experience more realistic.

That was my takeaway.

# 22 jrjolley @ 08/17/16 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadAssHskr


	yeah this review has me more excited about the game. i'm looking to get some reading and watching in today, and your review was most pleasant from the previous 2 ive read. i like the positive light. i don't play enough to always find glaring issues, and as a whole i'm always happy with the game. this review is way encouraging. thanks.

I'm also looking forward to the game now. As a blind player, it's good to know that the commentary is significantly better. I'd love it if someone has any full games from top to bottom so I can hear what the commentary's like for late game situations and that kind of thing.

# 23 roadman @ 08/17/16 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	"More realistic" doesn't give me confidence in getting a realistic CFM experience. Whether XP exists or not really doesn't matter to me. It's how it's implemented that does. I don't mind EA/Tib providing an arcade experience if they have an optional realistic counterpart. Adding realistic elements on top of an arcade base doesn't really do anyone any good (arcade or realism crowd).

I guess my point was it didn't sound like, based on the interview, that a optional realistic counterpart was in the future, but I could be wrong on that note, too.

Just a gut feeling.

# 24 BezO @ 08/17/16 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenGerman


	Hey Bez, I'm interested in hearing some of the legacy issues you're seeing. While not attributing them directly to "legacy issues", I definitely saw some problems that have existed in prior games (i.e. Running backs slamming into the O line and falling down).

Poor, binary player interaction. You mentioned the pocket, but left out the lacking dynamics. It's still basically win or lose. I'm not seeing pockets collapse, for example. And DEs still get up field way too slow.

Despite gap assignments, contain is almost non-existant. One of the hardest things to do in the NFL is to take the corner. I'm seeing this happen regularly in vids I'm watching. Stretches & tosses still look like the go to run play. And QBs still escape the pocket too easily. When there is contain, it's only because the d-linemen or OLB disengaged. They can't maintain outside leverage while engaged. Very binary.

Despite the emphasis on special teams, still no gunner interaction. In the NFL, those guys try to engage the gunner asap and keep him from getting up field. In Madden, blocker(s) turn, run and set up blocks near the returner.

More special teams, the o-line on field goals are still pass blocking instead of the bend don't break style used in the NFL. I'm sure there's some things I won't notice in a vid, but the only special teams improvements I see are a new kick meter and designated punt/FG blockers.

Footwork is still poor. Still no tiered defensive play calling. A lot of stiff animations that standout against the newer ones. Defensive matchups? No huddle / hurry offense differentiation, and players still get to the LOS too fast. No short yardage blocking animations. No special teams depth chart? No SOLB/WOLB or SS/FS alignment. I'm going to stop before I turn this into my wishlist.

# 25 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	Ben, are you a reviewer only or do you have direct contact with Madden Devs? My biggest issue with madden is CFM and how all their abstractions are very arcade. Any chance they will give options in CFM to provide more (optional) realistic CFM abstractions? You were asking Bez for examples so I'm just taking a chance that you may have a line to Madden developer/designers. The realism crowd really doesn't have a franchise path. My question/comment is strictly CFM. I think gameplay has taken some steps toward realism.

Hey Bucky.

I certainly understand your point. In year's past, the XP system has really bugged me as well. It was more subdued this year and I actually think it works pretty well. My guess is that EA is slowly moving toward handling franchise mode in some other way, but I can't confirm that in any way.

# 26 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	Poor, binary player interaction. You mentioned the pocket, but left out the lacking dynamics. It's still basically win or lose. I'm not seeing pockets collapse, for example. And DEs still get up field way too slow. Despite gap assignments, contain is almost non-existant. One of the hardest things to do in the NFL is to take the corner. I'm seeing this happen regularly in vids I'm watching. Stretches & tosses still look like the go to run play. And QBs still escape the pocket too easily. When there is contain, it's only because the d-linemen or OLB disengaged. They can't maintain outside leverage while engaged. Very binary. Despite the emphasis on special teams, still no gunner interaction. In the NFL, those guys try to engage the gunner asap and keep him from getting up field. In Madden, blocker(s) turn, run and set up blocks near the returner. More special teams, the o-line on field goals are still pass blocking instead of the bend don't break style used in the NFL. I'm sure there's some things I won't notice in a vid, but the only special teams improvements I see are a new kick meter and designated punt/FG blockers. Footwork is still poor. Still no tiered defensive play calling. A lot of stiff animations that standout against the newer ones. Defensive matchups? No huddle / hurry offense differentiation, and players still get to the LOS too fast. No short yardage blocking animations. No special teams depth chart? No SOLB/WOLB or SS/FS alignment. I'm going to stop before I turn this into my wishlist.

I definitely take issue with the binary line play as well. A while ago (I think on OS), I wrote about how well Madden would do with more dynamic variation in the way line play should be handled. I'm totally on board with that line of thought.

It isn't so much that I am ignoring these issues or don't recognize them, it's that there are other things that I think (most) people will find to be more prevalent. As a whole, I thought line play works pretty well. But in a review that already has so much to say, the binary line play wasn't as big of an issue as some of the other things I mentioned (ie the QB play being too uniform across the board).

I get the issues with special teams as well. For me, ST was improved at such a level that - while there are certainly things to work on - I couldn't help but be gleeful with some of the changes.

# 27 BezO @ 08/17/16 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenGerman


	I definitely take issue with the binary line play as well. A while ago (I think on OS), I wrote about how well Madden would do with more dynamic variation in the way line play should be handled. I'm totally on board with that line of thought. It isn't so much that I am ignoring these issues or don't recognize them, it's that there are other things that I think (most) people will find to be more prevalent. As a whole, I thought line play works pretty well. But in a review that already has so much to say, the binary line play wasn't as big of an issue as some of the other things I mentioned (ie the QB play being too uniform across the board). I get the issues with special teams as well. For me, ST was improved at such a level that - while there are certainly things to work on - I couldn't help but be gleeful with some of the changes.

Can't knock it. We're all looking for different things. With some of this mentioned by only a handful of OS members, I'm guessing most don't watch the NFL closely enough to even know what's missing. Others don't care. For me though, there's way too much football missing for this game to be rated any where near great.

# 28 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucky60


	Thanks for the response Ben. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on the bold. I've been very diligent about looking at CFM blogs and watching CFM videos and all the new M17 CFM abstractions are still arcade abstractions. So I just can't see how, the way XP is currently implemented in M17 CFM, works well for realism. I do think it works very well for the arcade/RPG crowd. Thanks again Ben for responding.

No problem, hopefully we get some more options in the future.

# 29 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BezO


	Can't knock it. We're all looking for different things. With some of this mentioned by only a handful of OS members, I'm guessing most don't watch the NFL closely enough to even know what's missing. Others don't care. For me though, there's way too much football missing for this game to be rated any where near great.

Sure, it has a lot to do with priorities. FWIW, it isn't that I'm not aware of the things you mention. But I liked the game and I didn't have enough room to bring up every small thing I didn't like about it - even though I agree with you on all fronts.

# 30 The JareBear @ 08/17/16 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenGerman


	Sure, it has a lot to do with priorities. FWIW, it isn't that I'm not aware of the things you mention. But I liked the game and I didn't have enough room to bring up every small thing I didn't like about it - even though I agree with you on all fronts.

Thanks for your review and your responses in this thread so far, Ben.

# 31 RandallB21 @ 08/17/16 04:59 PM

If there is one thing I wish they would have included this year it would have been custom draft classes because I am a big franchise mode guy..

All in all I am looking forward to playing this game and getting my CFM going.

# 32 BezO @ 08/17/16 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenGerman


	Sure, it has a lot to do with priorities. FWIW, it isn't that I'm not aware of the things you mention. But I liked the game and I didn't have enough room to bring up every small thing I didn't like about it - even though I agree with you on all fronts.

That's the difference. To me, those things are huge. The binary nature of player interaction, for example, ruins the spacing & timing of the game & distorts the strategy.

The lack of tiered defensive play calling is another big one. Scheming your own defense is half the battle. But we're stuck with EA's limited pre-package schemes. I've always had to find the coverage I want and live with the blitz/stunt combo, or find the blitz/stunt combo I want, if it's there, and live with the coverage.

# 33 ednaaard @ 08/17/16 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brza37


	So the draft commentary from Schefter actually works this year? The past 2 years you would see him pop-up but 9 times out of 10 the audio wouldn't play.

Finally! This is huge and adds a huge amount to immersion just knowing players' back stories.

# 34 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The JareBear


	Thanks for your review and your responses in this thread so far, Ben.

No problem, folks. Appreciate all the kind words.

# 35 DeuceDouglas @ 08/17/16 05:35 PM

Nice write-up and good review.

Definitely an interesting read as a lot of what I read, gameplay wise, seemed to contradict what I've seen from pre-release gameplay but I'll have to wait until I get my hands on the game to effectively judge most of it and especially so with CFM.

# 36 BSchwartz07 @ 08/17/16 05:37 PM

Decent write up, but I don't trust OS reviews too much. Pretty much every Madden they have reviewed has received between a 7.5 and 8.5, to include last year that got an 8. If this is no better than last year, and knowing EA it won't be, I'll once again be upset that I bought into the laziest sports game maker on the planet once again.

# 37 roadman @ 08/17/16 05:38 PM

Thanks Ben, I thought it was a well thought out balanced review.

# 38 roadman @ 08/17/16 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchwartz07


	Decent write up, but I don't trust OS reviews too much. Pretty much every Madden they have reviewed has received between a 7.5 and 8.5, to include last year that got an 8. If this is no better than last year, and knowing EA it won't be, I'll once again be upset that I bought into the laziest sports game maker on the planet once again.

I wouldn't look too much into number scores to gauge if one year is better than the other.

The best reviewer is yourself if you trust them.

This Madden seems to be getting good scores around the net, so, I don't see where OS is different vs "all the other sites."

# 39 ChaseB @ 08/17/16 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchwartz07


	Decent write up, but I don't trust OS reviews too much. Pretty much every Madden they have reviewed has received between a 7.5 and 8.5, to include last year that got an 8. If this is no better than last year, and knowing EA it won't be, I'll once again be upset that I bought into the laziest sports game maker on the planet once again.

Apologies that we're not trustworthy or legit. We'll, uh, try to do better in the future?

# 40 BenGerman @ 08/17/16 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadman


	I wouldn't look too much into number scores to gauge if one year is better than the other. The best reviewer is yourself if you trust them. This Madden seems to be getting good scores around the net, so, I don't see where OS is different vs "all the other sites."

Also, we can't have reviews that constantly scale upwards. Just because the review has the same score, that doesn't mean they are just as good as one another.

I'll put it this way, and I'm sure Chris (who reviewed M16), will agree: Madden 17 is a vastly better game than 2016. They were both a step up from their predecessor.

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