If it wasn’t for the fact that plenty of loyal Madden users will be perfectly satisfied with the PLAYSTATION 3 version of Madden that’s launching with the system hardware -  mystifyingly willing to trade in all the great things that have been removed from the game for some plasticky “hi-def” graphics and to easily swallow the fact that EA Sports has done nothing to move Madden’s gameplay into the new era of gaming platforms that’s dawning  - we’d slam the heck out of EA for dropping this retread on us. But numbers don’t lie. Joe Gamer still loves Madden. He still buys it in droves. And on a certain level we have to respect the franchises staying power. Of course, I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that it’s the only NFL-licensed game in town, right? Right?

Fumblaya

But you can’t make us swallow that bitter pill. Madden 07 continues the disappointment we’ve felt for the series since it arrived on the next generation of systems last year on the Xbox 360. That first game was a stripped down abomination, and to their credit EA Sports actually listened to gamers and put back into Madden 07 on the 360 such missed features as Franchise mode and the ability to challenge rulings on the field.

But this time around they do a big disservice to Sony, one of their longtime allies considering how many copies of Madden for PlayStation platforms have sold over the years. The PS3 version is virtually identical to the Xbox 360 version, from feature set, to gameplay, even to the way it looks. If the PS3 is more powerful than the Xbox 360, you sure can’t tell from looking at Madden 07.

The one place they did have an opportunity to make a big difference was with the Sixaxis controller. Whether it’s the fault of the gamepads poor design, or simply a lack of imagination on the part of Madden’s designers, the Sixaxis is vastly underused by Madden 07. It gives you extra control on a total of four (count em) different actions. You can use it for fake snaps (really only good against a human opponent sitting next to you on the couch, and even then probably only against dim-witted ones), changing to your lead blocker, jumping the snap on defense, or as the hit stick. The Wiimote does so much more, not just because it’s capable of more but because it was far more thought out.

Fumblerooski

Aside from what we want Madden to be, there is of course what it is. And 07 is a big improvement over 06, with the inclusion of minicamp drills like the 40 yard dash and a weightlifting minigame. And we really like the idea of the coverage and lineman drills, but a lot more thought needs to be put into the controls for these – like for instance, giving them some actual position specific controls, like maybe a man lock button? – before anyone will accuse them of fun. That’s why the exclusion of the mini-camp feature that existed in the old-gen Maddens (and does in the Wii version) is so harsh. Those games were FUN. Have you forgotten what its like to have fun EA Sports?

Thank goodness the Franchise mode is back, and done largely well. Being able to unlock Hall of Fame players and draft them onto your rosters as free agents adds a lot to the fantasy element; but it does seem some of the classic players are a bit overrated . They cant all be 99’s. No disrespect. After a couple years the Superstar mode is even starting to get tolerable.

Fumble-Roni

We could debate our favorite features and modes and which ones make the game great or don’t all day. When it really comes down to it, it’s all about the action on the field. And to be honest, it all feels kind of meh. Characters look more realistic than ever, but they still act like they did in the last generation. Collision detection is still a joke, penalties come few and far between (seriously, watch am NFL game and count the false start penalties; now play 5 straight games of Madden and see if the AI commits even one.) and overall it just doesn’t feel like real football. But like I said before, the majority of Madden gamers don’t want a real football simulation – they want Madden.

So who cares if this reviewer thinks Madden is ruining football fandom almost as much as fantasy football? Most fans play that too. It’s the fact that EA Sports has denied me any other option for enjoying the NFL as a videogame, whether I want realism or not. Oh right, they gave us NFL Street too! You can have your Madden, America. Wake me in 10 years when the license is up for grabs again.

Article by: Tom Price
Video produced by: Jonathan Solin