Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Same Great Game, But With Few Improvements, August 13, 2007
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
I have purchased all the Madden games over the past dozen years or so, and each year the game saw major improvements. That is, until Madden 2006 came out. That game was basically a re-hashing of madden 2005 with roster updates, that is about it. Madden 2007 was just as bad, the same exact game. And to make matters worse, all of the rookies were not in last year's game, so you had to create them. There were numerous glitches with rosters and stats in the franchise mode as well. However, the game was worth the price if you love football and enjoy the gameplay itself. And that is what makes the new Madden 2008 a bit better than previous years, although not by much. I am finding it more complicated to run the ball without using a proper blocking scheme, which was not evident in past Maddes games. Also, when stopping the run against the AI, you can read their blocking scheme and make the adjustments on the fly much easier than before. On Madden 2006, Michael Vick ran for 350 yards per game and nobody could stop him. He would break five tackles by pro-bowl defenders twice his size. But this seems to be corrected to an extent here. The dynasty mode and practice modes have been tweaked some, but I wouldn't call it an all out improvement from past years. In closing, this game is perfect if you loved last year's game. But for those of you who still play Madden 2007 and enjoy it, don't rush out today and buy this one thinking it is 100% improvement. It is still the best game on earth, but it is also a game that stays nearly the same each year, too.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's good, August 23, 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't listen to the guy who said that nothing is new. They've actually added a few new features that are pretty cool since 07, but he probably hasn't bothered to try them out or read the (admittedly limited) manual to even know they're there.
First off, remember superstar mode where you could take control of a player, like a wr, te or whatever and just play as that player, running routes while the QB did the work of reading and throwing the ball. Well, they've made a huge step forward in now allowing you to control a receiver on a pass play, much in the same way you could control a blocker on a run play last year. You simply do the same thing, push the circle button until the receiver you want is highlighted. You can do this in franchise mode, the new fantasy challenge, etc. pretty much anywhere you're playing a real game. So often in 07 I would go to the line of scrimmage and see a good mismatch, but I didn't have the right route set in my audibles for hot routes. Well now I can just take control of that receiver, set him as the primary route so my QB will look that way first, and exploit the mismatch by running my own route! Very cool.
The other major addition is Fantasy challenge where you can draft your own team and play through a tournament bracket in different levels of leagues. You start with a certain number of roster points that you can spend on your team and you can earn more roster points, trade players with other teams, earn skill points to make your players better, etc. But beware if you run low on roster points any team in the league can offer one of your players more points to play for their team. You can match the offer and just pay the player more, or decline and the other team will swap their worst player at that position. The only thing that kinda sux is you play these games without fatigue. So I didn't know before and drafted a sweet RB combo of Thunder and lightning, but it turns out that since there are no injuries or fatigue, the one guy never gets tired to give way to the 2nd, and I can't set depth charts for having a 3rd down rb, so all I can do is spell my RB manually in certain situations. This even becomes useless because as I earn skill points, it's best to just give them all to one RB instead of distributing between the two, so one just becomes a never used guy. This mode is really pretty cool, but I think it's missing a lot. They should really let you set your own depth charts and also turn on fatigue or injuries for the mode. If a guy gets injured you should be able to dip into a pool of FAs with your remaining roster points or something like that.
So don't listen to the detractors that say there's nothing new here. Also don't listen to the crazies that say this is the best game ever. The reality is this is a very solid game. There is just enough new stuff to make it worth ponying up the 50 bucks and to get the updated rosters. The controlling a WR may sound like a small addition and it really is, but the added flexibility is huge for me. Yes, I would love for them to do more, and the fact that most of their development is going to next-gen now does irk me, but I don't place unreasonable demands. I just want consistent improvement. I haven't played enough to have encountered the glitches the other reviewer mentioned, hopefully it's just a defect in his CD or memory card, I don't know. I also haven't played enough to find out if they've fixed a number of bonehead things about 07 that really drove me crazy, the most annoying being how when you're playing a franchise and you're prior to the trade deadline the teams with better records value their draft pick more. This is completely backwards because you can trade a 1st round pick from a 6-0 team for a 1st, 2nd and 4th from an 0-6 team. I think they just got the logic wrong because it should be the other way around. Hopefully, they fixed this sort of thing, but I'm not optimistic about that.
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27 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ah, the old Madden cheapness shines through once again, September 3, 2007
Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars
I'm focusing on the player-vs-CPU gameplay & can tell you that it's an infuriating experience. Fantasy mode is nice, the create-a-blank features are fine, Madden cards again yadda-yadda, let's get to the backbone of this aging warhorse: the CPU AI. First off, Rookie and Pro levels are equally pointless: both levels are filled with acrobatic, unrealistic interceptions on the part of your squad, along with the ability to bust off a 40+ yard run almost at will. It's not worth your time. Step up to All-Pro, however, and watch as those awesome old-time Madden cheap tricks start rearing their old heads. On this super-duper difficulty level you too will get to experience/endure:
A) compeletely shutting down the running game on 2 out of every 3 plays, only to have the CPU pull some phony BS passing play out of his posterior to beat you on 3rd down
B) having any pass that results in a DB anywhere close to between you and your receiver either batted down or intercepted, as your WR just stands there flat-footed and lets it all happen. oh, and before i forget, your DBs can cram 3 of themselves in front of a receiver and if you are fortunate enough not to have it dematerialize through them and into the WR's awaiting grasp they might, MIGHT just bat it down, but don't ever expect an INT because if it happens it's a gift
C) Have you ever played a football game where you have 3 downs to achieve "inches" and you never get there? well now you will, even with guys that supposedly have nifty icons declaring a decided ability to get such things done easily
D) Enjoy the teeth-grinding hijinks as your special teams prove amazingly inept at even the simplest of maneuvers, like fielding a punt without either muffing it outright or fumbling after running half a yard
E) do you like the 2-minute-drill? well you won't after even the most dimwitted of CPU QB's suddenly becomes Joe Montana when the clock strikes 2:00 (i'm looking at you, Mr. Leftwich)
F) If the interceptions and atrocious punt-returns don't have you hurling your controller through the nearest TV screen, revel in cursing your players' seeming inability to ever pick up a fumble, watch them scamper around as if the thing is either radioactive or on fire or maybe both
G) if the CPU DB does get the pick, don't bother running after him because you won't catch up. ever.
H) and if you are adept enough to shut down their offense (which admittedly isn't horribly difficult, minus the cheap AI), neutralize their 3rd-down miracle plays, and you manage to pound the ball for a nice 60-yard drive down the field, all it takes is 1 mis-timed pass for the whole thing to blow up in your face, as his DB does a pirouette worthy of Nureyev & books 80 yards for the TD
And that last one about sums it up: practically every game hinges on some complete and total case of BS CPU shenanigans. You can slaughter the CPU in time-of-possession, rushing yards, passing yards, everything, yet the CPU will completely turn the game with 1 freak play, leaving you to pull out every stop just to get even. Hey, i don't mind getting beat by the CPU, IF the CPU plays an honest game. But they NEVER DO. It's always some muffed punt return that gives them insanely good field-position, or some lucky fumble that your side will never recover, or the tried-and-true d-back jumping 40-feet vertically, engaging his anti-gravity jet shoes, and executing a miracle interception to run it back for a TD (did i mention that will happen AFTER you have completely owned them for the last 10 plays?) I wanted to like it, but EA can cram all the pretty special features in here they want, it's the gameplay by which the title lives or dies. And in this case you will be the one that suffers.
p.s.
As an NCAA guy, i am surprised at the lack of any sort of cut-scenes during gameplay. Makes the whole thing seem very bare-bones & unfinished, especially compared to NCAA which has an incredible atmosphere. Oh, and have fun counting the seconds of loading time between possessions, gotta love that too.
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