Amazon.com: Madden NFL 09: Sony PSP: Video Games

16 Reviews

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3.2 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars HINDERED WITH CUMBERSOME & UNNECESSARY FEATURES, August 12, 2008

By	Justin Paxton "CLOWNZ IN MY HEAD" (The vast cornfields of the Midwest) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Fun:2.0 out of 5 stars

Yes...I've been playing Madden since the Sega Genesis days just like most of you here. I've noticed EA doesn't like to deviate too far from the original gameplay format, therefore adding a handful of new (but seldom used) features every release. Most of these "advancements" disappear as quickly as they were introduced the following year.

This year EA has again brought Madden consumers something new... the "Defensive Camera" angle. Just one of the poorly-thought-out, unnecessary features that has contributed to the decreasing fun factor of this year's release.

Why, after 20 years of playing a game from a certain viewpoint, was this new angle introduced? As helpful as it sounds to have this "Defensive Angle" as an option...it is honestly more cumbersome than ever before.

This new feature makes manual pass coverage nearly impossible. The opposing wide receivers run towards you then disappear off screen as my safeties are left to fend for themselves downfield.

Meanwhile, I'm switching to a defensive lineman and trying to look past the many players obstructing my view to see if I can sack the quarterback or at least apply some pressure. Trying to tip the ball at the line is not an option because visibility is zero.

Granted (and thank goodness) this "Defensive Angle" can be shut off, but why was this even applied to the game in the first place? My guess is it will be gone by Madden 2010.

Let's move on.

After playing and mastering the controls to Madden 08 for the past 365 days, why pull the rug out from underneath players by completely overhauling the entire control setup?

I'm giving a stiff-arm all the way down the field thinking I'm in sprint mode. Huh? Oh, someone over at EA thought it would be a great idea to move everything around on the PSP control buttons for no apparent reason other than to agitate loyal & longtime fans of the game. Thanks so much for this and for having no way to alter these controls to put them back to last year's version.

I, for one, don't feel like re-learning everything I have come to know almost religiously for the past year.

Other features include a "Rookie Mode" that is so dumbed down I don't even think Rex Grossman would want to use it. The "All New Play Calling System" isn't as hard to grow accustomed to as the new altered button controls but still is irritatingly pointless. "Intelligent Coach Tips" are now featured...yeah...we really needed those.

Some of the more helpful features include "New Player Indicators" that let wide receivers identify themselves as being open or not.

I have already resorted back to my copy of Madden 08...the best PSP version so far.

Brett Favre might have an uphill battle against him this season after signing with the Jets but, after trying all day to like this game I had to check the cover of the case to make sure I wasn't displayed on the front. I'm the one who feels jinxed.

UPDATE:

After yet another and desperate attempt to like this game, I tried to play a few online games with the Madden community. What a mistake.

There is NOTINNG more pointless than engaging in online Madden gameplay because every time you're winning your opponent will quit. Now if your opponent forfeits a game shouldn't that mean you get the win? Nope...not in the world of Madden. After seven online games (that should have been wins) my record is still 0-0 because my opponent ditched in the middle of the game leaving me with the message, "Online Connection To Your Opponent Has Been Lost...End Game."

Thanks EA...for adding yet another aggravating feature to this poorly thrown together & overpriced game. I have put my copy up for auction on eBay and you will never see another dollar from me.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Alas, Poor Madden, I Knew Him Well..., September 21, 2008

By	Super Dave (Ada, Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars

I have been playing Madden on PSP since I bought my PSP. That is why I bought a PSP, so I could play football any where I go. I have been playing football since the good old days of Techmo Bowl on plain old vanilla Ninentendo. This years Madden is just not that great.

Why do I say this? Well, for one, the graphics aren't really that good. The new default angle is from such a far away vantage point that you can see the whole field, but, it also makes everything looked horribly pixelated. There is a lot some full screen anti-aliasing could do for this picture, especially when you consider how small the screen and therefore the resolution must be already. You can change this somewhat with the "zoom" camera mode, but this mode makes it kind of difficult to see where your receivers are since, it drops the angle of view down to almost horizontal. The other views either make the graphics look awful, or don't help with gameplay.

The other thing, which is similar to the NCAA 09 "freshman mode" is the oversimplification of this game in order to widen their market. It was not too bad an idea with NCAA 09, but I doubt it would widen the appeal of Madden fans with a 'basic' set of controls, since it is the competitive spirit which makes you try to learn the controls and get better. If you like to quit when you can't "get" a game, then you don't have the kind of competitve drive needed to be a Madden addict, and you will probably get bored with the game quickly.

Almost all other aspects of the game are the same as last year, with the exception of not turning the angle of the camera around when playing defense. People like me have been used to your team staring off at the bottom of the screen no matter offense or defense for so long that this is just plain annoying. I mean, it totally changes the thumb motion on the d-pad to the less natural down motion, and it makes it more difficult to judge your players position in space by having him up at the top of the screen where he the field is narrower and he is smaller.

I could understand this if the game no longer paused every time you made an interception, but it still does! So, how does changing the angle get you more "immersed" into the game? It doesn't! It makes it more difficult, and now the game pauses a moment when you make an interception, which is lame, and it doesn't have that awe inspiring rotation of the screen, which makes things more dramatic!

Things are still clearly not immersive in the fact that you pause when you make an interception. Rarely, in live games that I have seen do they pause the live action when that happens, therefore, this is very non immersive. But, if they could pause the live game and rotate the screen like they do in Madden, it would be very appealing to fans watching the game.

This isn't a bad game. The controls are different, the graphics are awful, and it lacks some of the things that made playing Madden more fun, and it is now accessible to idiots. Sounds like something a loyal fan would just eat up, right? Well, the sound track is better, and I like the new rosters, and the stadium graphics have improved. Overall, this is an ok game. They took a few small steps forward, and a few more noticble steps backward.

The only reason I am not giving it 2 stars, is the fact that I don't want to sound like one of those whiners who complain every year. I have been quite faithful up to now, because I could see some improvement. Now, this is getting ridiculous.

Play it at your own risk.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great game, but loses its fun after a while for casual gamers, March 2, 2009

By	John - See all my reviews

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars

I bought this game the week it came out and I played it alot. It is very fun except for that stupid defensive camera, so I suggest you turn it off. The game is fun for a hardcore Madden fan. This is one of my favorite PSP games, and always has been. I have been a huge Madden fan since 2001 and when I bought my PSP I had to get 07 at the time and I liked the spawn a franchise feature for my PSP/PS2 copies. But when I got a PS3 this feature has been lacking and it disappoints me. One problem I have had was that once I got the PS3 version (CE at Best Buy for 60 bucks) this one has been boring to me and lacks to keep my attention. I still think its a good game especially if you need your Madden fix when away from a console, but keep in mind the games are different and while I am not saying that is bad, I am saying that you should not expect them to be. I suggest this game but try to buy it cheaper than 39.99, the purchase will feel more justified.