|
|
 |
|
|
|
Madden NFL 08 Review (continued)
More User Submitted Madden NFL 08 Reviews
Date: 2007-09-14
Madden NFL 08
I hate this game.
Someday I will learn that the professional reviewers are nothing but shills for EA sports and the NFL.
Now I have reverted back to playing Madden NFL 06 on my trusty Xbox, which is a far superior product to either Madden NFL 07 or Madden NFL 08 Xbox 360 versions.
My review will be a comparison between Xbox NFL06 and NFL 08 Xbox 360.
Features Xbox NFL 06 has that Xbox 360 doesn't have: Substitutions for each formation. This means I can put a player like Reggie Bush into the slot formation for Xbox, but not for Xbox 360.
Can adjust camera view for Xbox. Not only that, but camera view can be adjusted independently for run plays versus passes.
Can edit created team uniform any time.
Can assign linebackers and Dbacks to individual receivers on man coverages.
Xbox 360 has to many interceptions and fumbles compared to the earlier version Xbox. Similarly, the field is too narrow as the receivers continually catch passes out of bounds in Madden 08.
Because I can't adjust the camera view, it is difficult to see sideline receivers.
Special capability icons do not make sense, as one cannot assign Dback for one on one receiver coverage unless one makes changes to the depth chart.
Madden 08 has an incomplete set of plays. Many of my favorite plays for Madden 06 Xbox are not included.
The announcer makes repetitive comments.
While the graphics are outstanding on Xbox 360, too much focus is spent on individual players between plays before the play calling screen comes up. Further, the play calling screen is difficult to use compared to Xbox version 06.
Question: why does EA always change the gameplay button controls? Is it asking too much for more consistency among NFL games for each platform?
It would seem with the power of the Xbox 360 that EA would have come up with a version of Madden NFL superior to a two year old Xbox version, but it is not to be. Maybe next year, huh?
I won't waste any more money on these duds.
Date: 2007-09-12
Uh NFL? Can we have competion please?
I won't rant and rave about how we need the NFL to grant competition between companies again, but I will say that people need to stop buying this game and then complaining about how bad it sucks year in and year out. So, now that I've said that, onward with the review.
Plain and simple, this game is fun. If you're a big football fan, and you need your video game version of a NFL fix, well, then you must buy this game.
PROS:
Running the ball is actually difficult in this game. You really have to work throughout the entire game before you are rewarded with that big run in the end.
The weapon system is also a nice touch, and really adds to the depth of the game.
Passing the ball and getting rid of it in time are also realistic for a change. You don't have 5 to 10 seconds to throw anymore. Depending on how good your O-line is on pass protection you'll have a good 2-3 seconds in the pocket before you need to make your mind up.
I also really like the new control scheme. I really hated it at first, but after a few hours, I came to appreciate it. Your jukes, cuts, and bull dozing forward are all done with your right control stick. Your sprinting is done with the right trigger. Stiff arms are done with just the press of one button instead of trying to figure out at the last second which trigger to push.
The preplay snap controls take a lot of learning, but once you get them down, you can shut the annoying menu off that so many people have grown to hate. They work great, too, and it's easy to tweek your defense before the snap. The only thing that makes the preplay snap controls a likely con as well, is that there is a HIGH learning curve for them.
Oh, and all those wonderful features that come year in and year out. No more mini-camp though. :( (I haven't owned a copy of Madden since 05 ... well the PC version of 07, too, but does that really count?)
CONS:
Right away the menu system actually confused me. It took me a couple minutes to realize I had to press start to bring up the main menu, because I was staring at the vast hallway thing on the startup screen wondering "where's the menu?". So, I'm probably dumb. However, after that, I got used to how the menu system works, and I didn't really care after that. Still, though, a mild annoyance.
The announcing, er radio announcing ... yeah it's that bad. I had to shut it off. My wife said she could do better announcing than that. Ooooh, BURN!
The graphics .... "GRAPHICS?!" you say? Yeah, it's a con, and I'll tell you why. The players look TOO shiny. They don't get roughed up or messed up as the game goes on. They look the same they did coming out of the tunnel as they go back in it. Go through a game of All-Pro 2k8 and tell me what the players look like 1/4 of the way into it. Yeah, that's what I mean. The field looks great, but that's about it. The coaches are designed and move just badly. I've seen better animations done by Madden games in the past. What's with the step back here? Players on the side line are too generic for a next-gen console game. Once again, look at what APF2K8 has done with the side line ambiance, then look at Madden NFL 08. It's a pathetic comparison. There aren't too many player animations either, which 2K8 has also done better. My other little thing, is that there are less accessories on the players. No mouth pieces or tattoos. Other Madden games had this, so why did they remove that stuff? Seeing Larry Johnson run the football without his mouth piece on kind of erks me. Call me picky, but when you spend $400 on a next gen console, and another $60 (I rented this, so I only spent $5) you tend to get picky about the performance of your games.
One game play thing that in my opinion has yet to be fixed with any Madden NFL game is how accurate the QBs are in this game. Yes, even Peyton Manning throws overthrows and underthrows in real life. So why does my second string quarterback with an overall rating of 75 throw passes dead on 100% of the time? Well, lets just say that I'm glad there's a way to modify the AI or I'd go crazy.
Just a side note thing, but does anyone really care about User trophies and points? After the game is over, Marshal Faulk comes on and talks about how many more points I earned. I don't care! Can I just get back to playing football? What's with the silly rings on the side of the teams' names before each game? Can't I have a television style of commentary during the game instead of this hybrid EA/radio crap? I'll tell you what, EA. If you really don't want Madden in your game anymore, than go grab some competent announcers from, oh I don't know, ESPN! (since you kind of bought the license out for that for the next 15 years), and call your game EA Sports/ESPN NFL 09 for next year.
Overall, this really is a good game. I haven't enjoyed any Madden football games since 05, but this one, 08, really is better. There are just a few minor annoyances that keep this game from being great. Is APF2k8 better? No, it's just different. That game has it's own annoying quirks as well. As far as Madden 08 goes, I think it just needs a little competition to push it over the envelope to make it a great game. Until then, here's Madden 08, which should provide you with a good solid year of fun.
Date: 2007-09-07
Please give 2k its rights back...
The Madden on the psp is better than the 360 for the second year in the row. Its unbelieveable that precision passers throw 2-5 a game in 08 for 360. This game is not offense minded at all. Randy Moss, Lavereneus Coles and even Devin Hester can be caught up in this game. Its a d@mn shame. This game looks great though, But until Madden relases its stranglehold on the NFL rights and have some competition, these are going to be some lean years for EA.
Date: 2007-09-04
Good Potential, But Frustrating
This game had a lot of potential. Improvements include new animations for things like spins, deeper franchise mode, and a better superstar mode (mostly because the camera is pulled back more). So, basically, EA tried to add some content to a bare bones 07 game.
Unfortunately, I found the game to be basically unplayable in franchise mode--or at least hard to enjoy. I'm a casual madden player, but I'm usually half decent. However, even at All-Pro the game starts breaking down for me. If you have a merely good running back, even with great speed (like Willie Parker), it's hard to go anywhere without a good line. And if you don't have a running back with good carrying, you'll fumble a lot. You also need a good line to protect your Quarterback, or you'll get sacked repeatedly. You also need a great Quarterback, since a middle of the road one (with, say, accuracy in the high 80's or low 90's) will cause a ton of interceptions. Then on defense you obviously need great players at the key positions. Now, this isn't anything new, and you can never have great players at all the positions (you just can't afford it). However, in past games, your great players could cover for the average players; but that's not the case in this game.
Another problem is that the game just gives too much skill to the CPU. I had Devin Hester as my 3rd string WR, this guy has a 99 speed rating. And DB's STILL not only kept up with him, but would often be able to cut in front of him and make interceptions. Not just leap and knock the ball away or make a pick, but actually run faster than Hester and catch the ball. There is also the lack of times that you can succesfully make deep throws. There was only one time in the game where a guy going deep was wide open. Much more common is double or triple coverage--and with the DB's almost always in perfect position to make a pick or knock the ball away. Well, there are other problems (like 95% of my kickoffs were so deep in the endzone that there was no return, which is obviously unrealistic), but they are minor gripes compared to the above. If you're a hard core Madden player, you might be able to get past the difficulties I had; however, if you're just a casual player like me, you'd be better off going with the PS2 version from 07 or one of the past old gen versions.
Date: 2007-09-03
Good not great
As an older gamer (in my 30's) I still fondly remember not only the early Madden titles, but earlier games like the Tecmo series. One of the things I liked best about those games was that they were both fun and SIMPLE. Madden '08 has good gameplay, but the endless features and in-game adjustments are a little overwhelming for someone who only wants to play a game every once-in-a-while. This seems like a game that would really benefit from commiting more of it's cache to gameplay and graphics and less to over-thought minutia.
That said, the computer AI is much improved. AI players respond smoothly and efficiently to the action on the field and the basic gameplay is very good. The Franchise Mode seems solid.
Overall, really good, but be prepared to spend a lot of time either learning the details or getting your butt kicked by people who do.
|
|
|
|
