Post by Donny on Nov 30, 2005 5:48:57 GMT -5
New Look Madden
Donny Rennegarbe
The new pre-snap camera view is lower to the ground keeps a tight view of the field.
This is not the Madden of old. Not by a long shot. While a lot of features are missing (owner mode, create-a-anything, and practice mode to name a few) this game is still a whole lot of fun to play. Everything is different and in a good way. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the game to take off that damn plastic wrap was how incredibly light it was. When I finally got it open I found out why. The usual novel length instruction manual has been replaced with, no joke, a nine page manual. And that ninth page is the inside of the back cover with the warranty info on it. In all honesty this had me scared at first, even the games for my NES had longer manuals, but as soon as I started playing the game I realized it didn’t matter in the least. Out of the box this is the most realistic version of Madden I have ever played. In my first game I went against the Jets with my Niners. One would expect this to be a low scoring ugly game based on the teams seasons thus far, and that’s exactly what I got. The Jets came out running the ball with Martin, and trying to methodically move down the field. Brooks Bollinger wound up throwing quite a few errant passes when I got pressure on him, and this game was a defensive struggle through out. I ended up winning with a final score of 7-3. I never felt like I was cheated out of a play, or that the CPU cheated into getting a big play.
Gameplay
The gameplay is much better then any version of Madden I’ve played. The running game is actually a challenge. No longer will 3rd string running backs be able to run for 200+ yards on a solid defense. Running outside is not a guaranteed big play any more. I have yet to break a good run to the outside, but the CPU has gone for a 20 yarder on a sweep against me when I guessed the wrong side. The passing game is much more realistic. The vision cone is still in the game, but it is turned off for human players by default. Deep throws are much harder this time around. I had Brandon Lloyd open down the sideline, only to have Alex Smith’s throw sail over his head and out of bounds. Quarterbacks with average or worse accuracy some of their throws will miss their targets instead of every throw being right on the money. Defensive players do seem to fly a little far when you dive though. When I have dove from far away at a player it doesn’t seem to effect them like it has on past versions, now it takes more then just a little bump to take down a ball carrier.
The controls have been changed quite a bit. Those accustomed to the older scheme will be happy to know that you can customize them to your liking. Each individual button can be changed to your liking. Also receiving a major change is the kicking game. Now you choose where you want to aim your kick and hit A to start the arrow moving back and forth. You have to hit A again over the shadow of where you originally aimed to start the power meter. One more push of the A button will stop the power and kick the ball away. While the old way of kicking wasn’t bad, I prefer this much better.
Play-calling is revamped as well. Now you have 5 options when you first get to the play call screen. You can choose plays by formation, by play type, by key player, or you can ask Madden, or your coach. This makes play calling easier in key situations where you want to get the ball to your star player. Instead of scouring the playbook for a play that looks good for them, all you have to do is pick them in the key players section and you get many plays specifically designed for them.
Score: 8/10
Graphics
As is to be expected with all next-gen titles Madden 06 has great graphics. Player faces were scanned into the game and it’s noticeable. When you see the cut scene of Peyton Manning walking to the line you can actually tell it’s him. And if you look close enough you will notice his eyes moving from side to side scanning the field. Player uniforms show wear and tear better now. Instead of just having a dirty spot on the back where the numbers are it shows up all over. I noticed Kevan Barlow had a big grass stain on his shoulder after sliding on it during a tackle on the previous play. The field itself shows wear as well, so if you play around a certain area enough you’ll start see the conditions deteriorate. Coaches look just as good as the players while they roam the sidelines, and are just as distinct when you see them in a cut scene. The stadiums look stunning, and the weather effects are great. Seeing the fog roll into Monster Park looks as real as I think it can get. Speaking of the stadiums, those look great as well. Graphically this game is just amazing, easily the best looking Madden game, as it should be.
Score: 10/10
Audio
Gone are Madden and Michaels for the play by play and color commentary. In their place is a radio announcer, biased towards the home team. It breaks up the monotony of having to listen to the same old comments year in and year out, and it seems like this guy is actually alive. He gets excited on the big plays, and I can just picture him jumping up and down celebrating after the home team makes a great play. While much better then Madden and Michaels it could still use some work.
Individual player voices are in the game now. That means that when the quarterbacks bark out the signals at the line they actually sound different from one another. Before the opening kickoff three players will run out onto the field and yell things to get their team mates pumped up for the game, with each one sounding different. While just a little thing, it makes the game just that much better.
Sounds on the field during play are good as well. When a hard hitting safety comes up and hits a receiving coming over the middle, you’ll know when it’s a hard hit simply from the sounds. The collision sounds are great and definitely add to the football experience. As well as the hard hits, the fans get into the game based on the situation. I took a knee before halftime to just run the clock down instead of trying to score, and the fans actually booed me. All in all the game experience is great from the audio standpoint.
Score: 8/10
Game Modes/Features
Features?? What features? This is definitely not like past versions of Madden filled to the brim with features. There is no Owner Mode, no Create-a-team/player/fan, no Training camp, no Practice mode. You don’t even have the ability to challenge plays. This wouldn’t be so bad if there weren’t any blown calls, but I’ve seen my fair share of blown calls already.
There still is Franchise mode though. This should keep those who want to play more then one game at a time happy. You can’t import draft classes obviously with there being no NCAA Football game for the Xbox 360, but the draft classes seem to come in much better ratings wise. I simmed through one full year and in the draft my highest rated player was a 75 overall, the rest were in the 60’s and lower. What may kill franchise mode for many though is the screwy sim engine. In my simmed season Alex Smith and Fred Beasley lead the team in carries. I know Smith is a mobile QB and has the ability to run if needed, but Beasley get maybe 20 carries in a good year and he had over 100. That and the fact that the CPU seems to let go of too good of players, and not sign any in the free agency period. In the opening week of preseason I found Marshall Faulk, Domanick Davis, Travis Henry, Nate Burleson, and Marcus Washington to name a few in the free agency pool. This is going to have to change in future versions and hopefully some of the features we’re used to will make a return soon.
Score: 4/10
Online
**I have yet to actually play a game online so I will wait to score this until after I have done so.**
Just as in my NBA 2k6 review I have yet to actually play a game online, but not for lack of trying this time. I was all set to play a guy, we had even started talking during the team select screen, and then I got booted from the EA servers. This happened to me a few other times and I’m hoping this is fixed soon.
The online setup is similar to what everyone is used to. The lobby system is there so you can find specific individuals, and if you just want to hop into a game real quick there’s always the Quick Match feature.
Score: ?/10
Recap
While being stripped of nearly all the features Madden players are used to the next-gen Madden is looking promising. This appears to be a base for the guys at EA to build on for years to come with great gameplay. Some won’t like it simply because it doesn’t have all the features they are used to, but after playing a few games it definitely grows on you. The future looks bright for the series, hopefully EA doesn’t settle for a sub-par game year in and year out.
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Audio: 8/10
Modes/Features: 4/10
Online: ?/10
Overall Score: 7/10*
*Score subject to change due to online rating.
Donny Rennegarbe writes exclusively for Vetz Virtual Ballin. Any other writing will need to be greatly compensated. Contact Donny at donnyrennegarbe@hotmail.com
Donny Rennegarbe
The new pre-snap camera view is lower to the ground keeps a tight view of the field.
This is not the Madden of old. Not by a long shot. While a lot of features are missing (owner mode, create-a-anything, and practice mode to name a few) this game is still a whole lot of fun to play. Everything is different and in a good way. The first thing I noticed when I picked up the game to take off that damn plastic wrap was how incredibly light it was. When I finally got it open I found out why. The usual novel length instruction manual has been replaced with, no joke, a nine page manual. And that ninth page is the inside of the back cover with the warranty info on it. In all honesty this had me scared at first, even the games for my NES had longer manuals, but as soon as I started playing the game I realized it didn’t matter in the least. Out of the box this is the most realistic version of Madden I have ever played. In my first game I went against the Jets with my Niners. One would expect this to be a low scoring ugly game based on the teams seasons thus far, and that’s exactly what I got. The Jets came out running the ball with Martin, and trying to methodically move down the field. Brooks Bollinger wound up throwing quite a few errant passes when I got pressure on him, and this game was a defensive struggle through out. I ended up winning with a final score of 7-3. I never felt like I was cheated out of a play, or that the CPU cheated into getting a big play.
Gameplay
The gameplay is much better then any version of Madden I’ve played. The running game is actually a challenge. No longer will 3rd string running backs be able to run for 200+ yards on a solid defense. Running outside is not a guaranteed big play any more. I have yet to break a good run to the outside, but the CPU has gone for a 20 yarder on a sweep against me when I guessed the wrong side. The passing game is much more realistic. The vision cone is still in the game, but it is turned off for human players by default. Deep throws are much harder this time around. I had Brandon Lloyd open down the sideline, only to have Alex Smith’s throw sail over his head and out of bounds. Quarterbacks with average or worse accuracy some of their throws will miss their targets instead of every throw being right on the money. Defensive players do seem to fly a little far when you dive though. When I have dove from far away at a player it doesn’t seem to effect them like it has on past versions, now it takes more then just a little bump to take down a ball carrier.
The controls have been changed quite a bit. Those accustomed to the older scheme will be happy to know that you can customize them to your liking. Each individual button can be changed to your liking. Also receiving a major change is the kicking game. Now you choose where you want to aim your kick and hit A to start the arrow moving back and forth. You have to hit A again over the shadow of where you originally aimed to start the power meter. One more push of the A button will stop the power and kick the ball away. While the old way of kicking wasn’t bad, I prefer this much better.
Play-calling is revamped as well. Now you have 5 options when you first get to the play call screen. You can choose plays by formation, by play type, by key player, or you can ask Madden, or your coach. This makes play calling easier in key situations where you want to get the ball to your star player. Instead of scouring the playbook for a play that looks good for them, all you have to do is pick them in the key players section and you get many plays specifically designed for them.
Score: 8/10
Graphics
As is to be expected with all next-gen titles Madden 06 has great graphics. Player faces were scanned into the game and it’s noticeable. When you see the cut scene of Peyton Manning walking to the line you can actually tell it’s him. And if you look close enough you will notice his eyes moving from side to side scanning the field. Player uniforms show wear and tear better now. Instead of just having a dirty spot on the back where the numbers are it shows up all over. I noticed Kevan Barlow had a big grass stain on his shoulder after sliding on it during a tackle on the previous play. The field itself shows wear as well, so if you play around a certain area enough you’ll start see the conditions deteriorate. Coaches look just as good as the players while they roam the sidelines, and are just as distinct when you see them in a cut scene. The stadiums look stunning, and the weather effects are great. Seeing the fog roll into Monster Park looks as real as I think it can get. Speaking of the stadiums, those look great as well. Graphically this game is just amazing, easily the best looking Madden game, as it should be.
Score: 10/10
Audio
Gone are Madden and Michaels for the play by play and color commentary. In their place is a radio announcer, biased towards the home team. It breaks up the monotony of having to listen to the same old comments year in and year out, and it seems like this guy is actually alive. He gets excited on the big plays, and I can just picture him jumping up and down celebrating after the home team makes a great play. While much better then Madden and Michaels it could still use some work.
Individual player voices are in the game now. That means that when the quarterbacks bark out the signals at the line they actually sound different from one another. Before the opening kickoff three players will run out onto the field and yell things to get their team mates pumped up for the game, with each one sounding different. While just a little thing, it makes the game just that much better.
Sounds on the field during play are good as well. When a hard hitting safety comes up and hits a receiving coming over the middle, you’ll know when it’s a hard hit simply from the sounds. The collision sounds are great and definitely add to the football experience. As well as the hard hits, the fans get into the game based on the situation. I took a knee before halftime to just run the clock down instead of trying to score, and the fans actually booed me. All in all the game experience is great from the audio standpoint.
Score: 8/10
Game Modes/Features
Features?? What features? This is definitely not like past versions of Madden filled to the brim with features. There is no Owner Mode, no Create-a-team/player/fan, no Training camp, no Practice mode. You don’t even have the ability to challenge plays. This wouldn’t be so bad if there weren’t any blown calls, but I’ve seen my fair share of blown calls already.
There still is Franchise mode though. This should keep those who want to play more then one game at a time happy. You can’t import draft classes obviously with there being no NCAA Football game for the Xbox 360, but the draft classes seem to come in much better ratings wise. I simmed through one full year and in the draft my highest rated player was a 75 overall, the rest were in the 60’s and lower. What may kill franchise mode for many though is the screwy sim engine. In my simmed season Alex Smith and Fred Beasley lead the team in carries. I know Smith is a mobile QB and has the ability to run if needed, but Beasley get maybe 20 carries in a good year and he had over 100. That and the fact that the CPU seems to let go of too good of players, and not sign any in the free agency period. In the opening week of preseason I found Marshall Faulk, Domanick Davis, Travis Henry, Nate Burleson, and Marcus Washington to name a few in the free agency pool. This is going to have to change in future versions and hopefully some of the features we’re used to will make a return soon.
Score: 4/10
Online
**I have yet to actually play a game online so I will wait to score this until after I have done so.**
Just as in my NBA 2k6 review I have yet to actually play a game online, but not for lack of trying this time. I was all set to play a guy, we had even started talking during the team select screen, and then I got booted from the EA servers. This happened to me a few other times and I’m hoping this is fixed soon.
The online setup is similar to what everyone is used to. The lobby system is there so you can find specific individuals, and if you just want to hop into a game real quick there’s always the Quick Match feature.
Score: ?/10
Recap
While being stripped of nearly all the features Madden players are used to the next-gen Madden is looking promising. This appears to be a base for the guys at EA to build on for years to come with great gameplay. Some won’t like it simply because it doesn’t have all the features they are used to, but after playing a few games it definitely grows on you. The future looks bright for the series, hopefully EA doesn’t settle for a sub-par game year in and year out.
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Audio: 8/10
Modes/Features: 4/10
Online: ?/10
Overall Score: 7/10*
*Score subject to change due to online rating.
Donny Rennegarbe writes exclusively for Vetz Virtual Ballin. Any other writing will need to be greatly compensated. Contact Donny at donnyrennegarbe@hotmail.com
