We live in the age where successful franchises release a new version every single year. We see that with vehicles, phones, tablets, computers, and games. EA Sports has their flagship franchise which has been at the top for so many years now that we don’t think twice about it. That franchise is Madden NFL Football. With each new version, we get an improvement on graphics and gameplay. This is by far EA’s biggest cash cow, and it makes sense because of the fact that the NFL has an exclusive contract with EA. So if you’re a fan of football games, then you’re going to have to accept the fact that you have to go to EA for that.
Last year, EA threw us for a loop and created a story mode called Longshot. There was a lot of skepticism, especially from me about a sports game having a “story mode”. Madden 18 surprised me with the depth of the story about a Quarterback by the name of Devin Wade and his quest to make it to the NFL via the route of a reality TV show called Longshot. The story was surprisingly good and entertaining. Fast forward to now, we get the second installment of the story continuing where the first left off. So far, I have enjoyed the Longshot: Homecoming story. I will admit the cut scenes so far are a little drawn out, but at the same time it’s still entertaining. I’ll be intrigued to see what EA has done to make it better than the first.
The gameplay has definitely improved since last year. One feature that they decided to focus on is the run game. With each version of madden, they focus on one or two aspects of football to enhance. This year brought a lot of improvements that I feel should have been incorporated into the game long ago. The players movement, and reacting to the situation at hand is a lot more fluid. My one issue however is the icons that appear above your player suggesting your player actions, whether that be a juke, truck, stiff arm etc comes a lot earlier than it has previously. This can cause a premature spin move or juke that make look cool until the defender lays your ass out on the turf.
Aside from that, I noticed my run game has improved because of the opportunity that you have a better chance of breaking tackles and getting those extra yards. They also brought the option of celebrations whether they’re by yourself or including your teammates. It’s fun, and it’ll be interesting the see how the public uses it as well.
9 years ago, EA sports brought a mode called Madden Ultimate Team or MUT. This mode allows for players to create their own teams using a system similar to what Fifa did. When you start out, your team is going to be very low in the rating column. But as you play and get more coins etc (or buying coins if that’s the route you like to go), you can obtain your favorite players and create the dream football team. I was never big into this mode until last years edition of Madden where I was able to really understand and appreciate the mode for what it is.
In previous games, you either had to do solo challenges, or play against people online. The online mode brings an interesting twist because if the person you’re playing against rage quits, you don’t get to finish the game. Yes you get the win, but for those players that like to see it all the way through, this can be frustrating. So EA made the move, which in my opinion was the best move they could have done for the franchise, by bringing the mode Solo Battles. This mode is perfect for those players who want the rewards of an “online game” without having to worry about rage quitters. Solo Battles will set you up in a game against another online players team, but instead of playing the actual person, it’s the AI that has been learning the respective players trends and tendencies and then translates that into a game versus the computer, but it’s origin stems from the human player. This was the most fun I have had playing Madden, and by far it has made the game, and the replay value worth it. If you’re a fan of the Madden games, then you already know you’re going to pick up the game. If you’re a new player to the franchise, it’s worth picking up.
[UPDATE] After playing through more of the Madden Ultimate Team mode, specifically the solo battles, EA has brought another twist to make it fair for players of all levels of skill. You have 5 games that you’re able to play each day. You set the level of difficulty that you want to play against and that will provide an idea of what your score will be towards your overall rank in MUT. At the end of the week, EA will also monitor the games to prevent those who try to cheat the game from reaping any rewards in the game. In my opinion, I appreciate what EA is doing. They’re keeping it fair across the board, for all levels of players, from Rookie all the way to the Pros. Bravo EA for stepping up and creating a system to keep it fun and fair.
Madden NFL 19
Developed by EA Sports
Xbox One & Playstation 4
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
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- Growing up, I'm a stereotypical nerd. I love comics, superheroes, video games, you name it I love it. Except tofu, that stuff is just different. Fast forward a few years, Now I'm living my dream where being a "nerd" is cool, and I have the wonderful opportunity to do exactly what I want to do; Read comics, play video games, and show off my passion for geek culture for the world to see and not care what critics may think. Aside from reviewing games, comics, being a member of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network and Geekery Magazine, I love sports of all kinds, and especially following all of my teams from the great state of Colorado. Being random is what I love doing because it why not be random, it makes life interesting. Make sure to also follow me on Twitter for updates on live gaming streams on other shenanigans at @TheRandomeDud3.
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