Further impressions after a few days of play:
Is this the greatest Madden ever? No.
Is this the greatest football game ever? No.
What it is, is a very solid football game at its core. It isn't "broken". The gameplay works and the options when you get on the field itself are pretty robust. The AI, in my experience, especially in the All-Madden setting is quite tough, but not cheap. Play the game smart and you'll be rewarded.
Sound hasn't changed much. Still no Madden commentary and all you have is the radio guy. I do hate the sound effect for the long throws though. They need to axe that next iteration.
The animations really stand out for me. You see little things that really immerse you even more into the presentation of actual football (as opposed to videogame pigskin), with its intricacies. Though it is disappointing how little "broadcast" feel the game has. Presentation is lacking if you're looking for something that looks and feels like a TV broadcast.
Lead blocking feature is a welcome addition. Coupled with the new animations and AI routines, the inside run has become a viable play choice now. It's actually fun to run up the gut and bust a few long runs out (and thoroughly disheartening when you miss that crucial block and get crushed 3 yards behind the LOS).
Franchise option is right where I like it. I wasn't a fan of that Owner mode stuff anyway, so no big loss for me.
The new mini camp stuff is a bit hit or miss. I still prefer the older mini camp drills in the current gen versions of Madden. The 40 yard dash is just a pain in the ass.
The other addition this year, Superstar Mode, is the only one I have real qualms about. As a whole I'm really not too thrilled with it. The idea is great--one that I hope is further cultivated and improved upon, but there's just a few hitches here and there that keep me from enjoying it as much as I would like:
- Horrid camera: I can understand what they're going for--getting you to really take the role of your player with the tight camera shot. Get in the trenches, if you will. Now, for some positions, I can understand and appreciate the tight camera angle. Being on the line, for one, you can benefit from it. You can see the blocking and the animations better that close and you really don't need to see much of the field anyway, rushing up field or blocking. The problem, however is with every other position.
QB has to be the worst offender. You need to see the whole field yet your view is restricted by the camera. As a result, you'll end up throwing blind passes mostly to the sidelines since you can't see.
It'd be nice if they gave you the option to start pre-snap at the given camera angle and then pull out to the normal view so you can see the play developing. That goes for LB, WR, CB, and HB as well. Though the camera should be behind the defense as well to give you the other perspective.
- Choppy play-calling/pre-snap: It chugs, especially at the start of a drive when you pick the attributes you want affected. It's horribly annoying.
Just a few notes to those still looking to get the game. Overall though, despite my gripes, I really like the game. Having fun with it anyway.
