Stage 1: Impressions |
Stage 2: Analysis |
Stage 3: Evaluation |
Last year's Madden NFL 07 proved that the Wii hardware was capable of showcasing a deep, accessible game of football. The title wowed with its innovative FreeMotion Controls (in that key offensive and defensive controls were mapped to Wii Remote and Nunchuk gestures), and granted casual and hardcore gamers alike the most fun and intuitive way to play virtual football.
At first glance, Madden NFL 08 improves upon last year's solid foundation, so read last year's review if you want an overview of the core gameplay here. FreeMotion Controls are back in 08, and the gameplay has become even more accessible and refined on both sides of the ball. Although the improvements add up to make the game feel more complete, they will mainly be noticed only by dedicated Madden players.
For starters, the secondary plays more aggressively than in years past. Returning Madden players will notice that the number of money plays (i.e., plays that are guaranteed to result in a first down or touchdown) has been reduced because it is harder than last year to fire off a bullet pass with the flick of a wrist and expect the ball to find an open receiver. Cornerbacks will play closer to recievers and are more likely to step in and break up or intercept a pass.
Defensive backs are smarter and more aggressive in 08.
The improved secondary highlights the increasingly balanced game of football Madden offers. Since 2004, the series has let offensive players micromanage like Peyton Manning before the snap - calling audibles, hot routes, and other shifts to help make and exploit mismatches against the defense. New in 08 are gesture-based audibles, meaning players can call them with the Nunchuk instead of the directional pad. Another new control that will come in handy during multiplayer matches allows users to display a fake play on field before the snap, so as to potentially confuse opponents who rely too much on memorizing the pre-snap read.
The pre-snap options on the defensive side of the ball have been improved to give defenders equal control before the play begins. Defensive Playmaker, like its offensive counterpart, means that users can assign a role to individual players separate from the play's intended action. In other words, if the play you picked calls for both Baltimore safeties to drop back into pass coverage, but you want to send Ed Reed after the QB instead, you have the option. Finally, the new Reciever Spotlight option calls for defenders to focus on a selected receiver while still carrying out the selected play. If it's third-and-seven and you're sure that Philip Rivers is looking for Antonio Gates, you can make sure your defense keeps an eye on him.
Defense is less underpowered this year.
Finding that go-to guy is even easier in 08 thanks to the introduction of new Weapons icons. Any player who receives a 90 or above in any one of Madden's much-vaunted player ratings will have an on-field icon so that users can quickly see, for example, which players are the fastest, have the best hands, are the best blockers, or are the shutdown cornerbacks.
Some Weapons do more than simply denote expertise. Elusive and Power backs, for example, have access to moves that others do not, and Smart Quarterbacks like Tom Brady will actually begin to read the defense as the game progresses. If an opponent calls the same play too many times, the diagram for the play will be displayed on the field so that its weaknesses can be found instantly.
None of the Weapons feel overpowered, as they all have at least one counter-Weapon. Rather, the Weapons help make star players feel closer like their real-life counterparts, while highlighting the risk-reward system of trying to play to your team's strengths even when the other team is planning especially for them. In all, Weapons make finding, exploiting, and adjusting to pre-snap mismatches even easier, and that in turn adds to the balance that Madden strikes between a pre-snap chess game and in-play execution.
Those who aren't ready to micromanage their gameplan have two options to ease themselves into Madden. The first is to plug in the Nunchuk and focus on picking the play, snapping the ball, and finding the open man while letting Madden's AI do the work - and that option works sublimely. Madden's AI has always been top-notch, and with the improved play in the secondary, gamers can be confident that the AI will behave competently enough to provide a challenging, enjoyable game of football.
Family Play helps get everyone involved.
Not sure what part of football "secondary" refers to? Try the new Family Play mode. Family Play uses only the Wii Remote, with a few of the most entertaining actions assigned to the A button, B trigger, and gestures. Plays can be selected with a situation-based playbook, meaning that it is sorted by categories like "Run," "Medium Pass," and "Deep Pass." The AI handles the rest, including moving the player. This option works well for allowing new players to experience some of the joys of FreeMotion control while not overwhelming them with strategy, making it easy for beginners and experts to play together. Even if one person is using Family Play, other players can still use the advanced control scheme.
Family Play has one major drawback, and it manages to detract from Madden's overall presentation. The icons above the receivers that show which button to hold in order to throw to them? They've gotten bigger. Much bigger. I'll guess that the decision to increase the icon size was made so that Family Players will be able to easily identify their targets, but the icons weren't exactly small before. These new icons are simply intrusive and ruin some of the game's overall precision. Players only have a few seconds to find open receivers before Shawne Merriman, Jason Taylor, or Adalius Thomas tries to leave a permanent imprint of your QB in the turf, so it's a pain having holes in the defense compete for screen real-estate with the unnecessarily humongous control icons.
Animation has improved, but the rest of the presentation suffers.
Beyond that, the character and stadium models haven't noticeably improved, so they are just one year older and more unimpressive. Ditto for the audio. We all love John Madden, sure - his name is on the box and he's as much a Thanksgiving institution as turkey and drunken uncles. But in addition to the NFL license, EA has two of the most coveted licenses in sports: ESPN and Monday Night Football. It's time to put them to good use. Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Tony Kornheiser would make a perfect announcing team. Just try to tell me that Madden's target audience isn't the same one watching MNF and Pardon the Interruption.
Animation is one area of the game's presentation that has happily reached next-generation levels. Gang tackles are finally in, as are player celebrations, diving over the pile, and toe-dragging sideline catches. The players just move more fluidly overall, which makes them more fun to play. It's simply a shame that the superb animation is so covered up by giant control icons.
Stay tuned for Stage 2, where we'll dive into the game's extensive list of single- and multiplayer modes, including online play with EA Nation. Here's a sneak preview featuring words that our readers have longed for: no friend codes.
Stage 1: Impressions |
Stage 2: Analysis |
Stage 3: Evaluation |
