GAMING/SPORTS/NFL
I’m Setting Myself Up Not To Be Disappointed With Madden Yet Again
I already have low expectations for the game and I’m even doubtful but still hopeful the game will meet at least those
I’ve been watching a ton of videos about the new features in the game from the gameplay to the various improvements EA has claimed to make within the game to upgrade it from the version that I’m playing now (Madden NFL 23).
To be honest, I only stick with this brand because I am a huge fan of the NFL and want to be able to escape and control my own franchise when the offseason is happening. Technically, the first preseason game against the Jets and the Browns was played this week on August 3rd but football still feels a ways away.
The thing that gamers/sports fans alike wait for every year is the new Madden game. It comes out around mid-August like clockwork every year. Since its peak around 2004 or 2005, the game has felt like a shell of itself EVERY YEAR. I have been a loyal fan but did stop playing it for a few years until I got back into the swing of it starting with my XBox and continuing on my laptop now.
The game feels slightly better to me on the PC than on consoles but there’s still a lot wrong with it in its current iteration. From the trailers I’ve seen, they are going to try to address some of the shortcomings.
It looks like they’ve improved blocking for running and open-field play. That was always something that has been lacking for many years now. Another thing that they seem to address is the AI tackling in coverage. When I play Madden, I notice that when I get beat on a play, defenders don’t automatically go back to try to stop the person with the ball.
This also made the QB run for a fast QB more of a hack to the game. If you’re playing with Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray, you get more 20–30 yard runs than not and that’s just not how real-life works.
I also notice that high throws aren’t going to be as much of a hack in the new game as in previous versions. In real life, there’s no way that a high pass is caught every time. Those are more likely to be affected by a defender than anything else.
Not everyone in the NFL has 99 overall hands and catches in traffic. It seemed that even the least skilled receivers could catch a high ball in NFL Madden 23. In 24, from the beta play to this point and the trailers from EA, this seems to be addressed.
For me, I’m not paying $69.99 for a game that might be marginally better. I will wait for the price to go down or for it to be available through a subscription. I also will see the improved play for myself before I jump on a massive hype train for what EA is trying to bill as one of the best versions of Madden ever.
Slow your roll, EA, it seems that your developers need to figure out proper game physics first before you can actually call your game a simulation football game instead of how it feels most of the time, an arcade-style simulation football game, a small distinction but an important one. I’m happy that there are going to be releases from other companies coming out to make EA have to compete again and not just have the market cornered for football video games.
Even though Maximum Football (2023) won’t have real players or teams and will be geared more toward an arcade “college football” game, you can actually edit and create teams to your liking on that game. I really hope that some competition will drive EA to step their game back up to the next level so that we don’t get any more shitty EA sports games and they’re forced to actually make their games comparatively good again, like back in the early to mid-2000s.
I would truly appreciate it if they just took the whole pay-to-win structure out completely. Those microtransactions have frustrated and angered many long-time fans of these games. Also, I hope that they continue to see the investment in making a serviceable and fun franchise mode even more of a priority going forward.
The last franchise mode was an improvement over the year before and this one is also supposed to be but it’s still very short of where it should be, considering not only the technology but where it once was. Forgive me if I’m not going to buy into any ads telling me how great the “New Madden game is going to be.” I feel like too many people are on the multi-billion dollar company’s payroll at this point and I just want to see some damn results.
