Once again we reach the time of the year when EA releases a myriad of games that end with the year ahead. We’ve had Tiger Woods kicking things off with his golf simulator, and next in line is John Madden with his videogame version of American Football. Never really taking off the way it should in the UK, Madden NFL finds it hard to keep up with what most would say is the ‘real’ football series’ Pro Evo and FIFA. I personally have never played a Madden game before, and so represent a large portion of the gaming population in Britain. What I found through utilising all of the available training modes and options in Madden 10 was that American Football is a much better fit for a videogame than the more familiar version.
In American Football there is a very distinct divide between playing defence and offense. When on the offensive you’re aim is to move the ball as far up the field as possible, having up to 4 attempts to reach a line 10 yards away which will give you 4 more chances to move the next 10 yards. It’s a much slower paced game, where one side can keep pushing forward yard by yard and make it close enough to the touchdown area to score. That said, the tides can change dramatically at any point too, and a small mistake in either side’s strategy can leave a gap open just big enough for a player to squeeze through and steal points. While on the offensive you choose what formation and approach to take with each attempt at breaking the defences; you can choose to perform a pass or run through the defenders. To pass effectively it requires the ability to scan the whole field, while keeping your pocket-a set of players that keep the opposition from the ball-active to allow a clear shot. Thinking on your feet is vital to win any game, and in this way Madden 10 really excels.
From a Defensive gameplay standpoint, it’s much more about choosing the right defensive strategy before hand and looking for spaces in your defensive line. It gets tricky very early on, which is in keeping with the game as a whole. On higher skill levels-not difficulty levels but the skill that you feel you are-the game rarely makes it out of the middle section of the field, with the AI being skilled enough to think through situations on the fly. For a newcomer it’s near impossible without the plentiful assists switched on and a low skill level, but this only makes the game that bit more satisfying when you win. There are always a lot more things to think about than in standard football games, but with Madden being so tactical it has a weird appeal that branches out from merely the sports gamer.
But of course, the yearly Madden player doesn’t need to know these sorts of things, what they want to know is why they should shell out another £50 for this year’s version. While the changes this time round are much more subtle than certain years, advancements such as Pro-Tak will be noticeable to those familiar with the series. Here, up to 9 players can be involved in a tackle at once, with improved physics and AI reacting to this build up of players in the way you would expect. When things don’t go according to play however, and a player fumbles the ball, a new minigame, Fight For The Fumble will often begin, which sees you pressing different buttons in rapid succession to get a hold on the ball. It’s a tad unorthodox when compared to some of the classier gameplay styles, but luckily can be turned off if not to a player’s liking. The Franchise mode has been extended, but this 32 online league based game suffers thanks to the distinct lack of having many mates playing the game in the UK. If you are lucky enough to know 31 other people who play Madden, it can be the most authentic, and enjoyable way to play; small numbers should avoid it though.
Unlike the aforementioned regular football franchises FIFA and PES, one aspect of Madden NFL that seems to be stuck in the past is the presentation. While soccer players like Rooney and Torres become more lifelike as each game goes on, and the animations of each player replicates them more and more, this isn’t the case here. While the likeness of players is slight, it wouldn’t be enough to persuade a non gamer to check if it was the real thing on the TV or not. The graphics of the crowd too are great in between plays, but revert to a pixelized mess as soon as they’re in the background. It’s things like this that make you miss out on some impressive animations in tackles and the like, with players reacting, dodging and being pulled down with some impressive physics. The audio isn’t as good as a FIFA player would expect, the commentary becoming repetitive within the space of one match, and the overall sound design compromising mostly of noisy crowds, there’s little feeling of a living crowd, just people shouting. That said, Madden NFL 10 features slick menus and half time chat that lives up to EA’s reputation, it just won’t be a game you show off your new HDTV with.
I was very surprised by Madden NFL 10, as a newcomer I found it a tough but rewarding challenge to really get where the game was coming from, but once that happened, the depth and challenge the series holds become apparent. As an RPG gamer at heart, the tactical nature, and somewhat turn based game really fit with my style of play, while it still kept the competitive urge going with unexpected things happening all the time. Madden is a gamer’s sports series, and may well be a game that many gamers in the UK-including myself-would never think to play. It may not be as polished, or as relevant as FIFA or PES, but the depth here is enough to put it just ahead of its competition from a gameplay standpoint. An unexpected joy.
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