Madden NFL 2005

"Fear the D"

Introduction:

For years, EA Sports's Madden NFL franchise has been the most authentic representation of the NFL . From its solid passing system to its realistic running game, its popularity has been unrivaled, selling over 40 million copies worldwide since its debut in 1989 and earning the respect of many players from the NFL. Last year, Playmaker Control revolutionized how the offense was run. This year, EA decided to revamp the defense – but could it deliver the big hit to defend its crown as the king of football videogames?

Gameplay:

As one would expect with each new installment in the Madden franchise, the core gameplay system is the same with a few improvements. This year, most of these improvements are on the defensive side. In fact, EA has revamped the defensive features and artificial intelligence so much that now great defense will probably beat great offense, resembling the recent trend in the NFL. For one, Defensive Ends on defense have been fine-tuned. In previous installments, little difference could be noticed between a player like Champ Bailey and a rookie Cornerback. This year, however, Cornerbacks and Safeties will actually play with skills similar to their real life counterparts. This means that no longer can an Anquan Boldin repeatedly burn a veteran Cornerback like Ty Law. If you put a shutdown Cornerback like Chris McAllister on the opposing team's number one option as opposed to a rookie Cornerback, you'll notice the results – the receiver will actually be somewhat shutdown. This was a great touch to the game, as now having a shutdown corner finally means something.

Linebackers have received an overhaul on defense as well. Unlike past games where Linebackers were only good for stopping the run and pressuring the Quarterback, this year they will make their impact felt in defending the pass. No longer will Linebackers stand by and watch as a pass sails by them for the reception. Now, they will make an attempt to intercept or deflect any ball that comes towards them. But while the improved AI is nice, the Linebackers now react a little too quickly, which can make it difficult to complete short passes across the middle of the field.
The play of the Defensive Ends has also been improved. This year, when the Quarterback is pressured, instead of falling right into the block that lets the Quarterback escape the pocket to the outside they will actually guard the escape and force the Quarterback to stay in the pocket.

The key addition to the 2005 version, however, is the Hit Stick feature. Instead of a normal tackle, players will now have the option to use the Right Analog Stick to deliver a truly devastating blow. When your defender is near the ball carrier, tapping the Right Analog Stick in the direction of the ball carrier will make him perform the dramatized tackle. Using the Hit Stick effectively can be tough, however, as it takes a lot of practice to truly master. But if done correctly, the defender will crush the offensive player and raise the chance for a fumble considerably. But the reward doesn't come without its risks, as defenders will have a tendency to just bounce off the offensive player or even worse miss the tackle completely if you don't time it perfectly. So while you can completely shift the momentum of the game with a fumble recovery, you can also give up the game-winning touchdown. Basically, it's a make or break system that can be a lot of fun once you master it. The Hit Stick feature was nicely implemented because it gives players a more interactive feel on defense. No longer will you want to just sit there and let the computer get the ball back for you, as the game-changing play can occur with every snap of the ball. Also, EA put a lot of realism into this feature. If you try to use the Hit Stick with a player like Deion Sanders against a power back like Ricky Williams, chances are you're going to fail – miserably. On the flip side, if you use the Hit Stick with Ray Lewis against Terrell Owens, T.O. will probably be wishing he never left Baltimore.

Here are a few examples just to give you a perspective on the effect that the Hit Stick can have on the game. On a punt, using the Hit Stick on the returner just as he catches the ball is almost a guaranteed fumble. Likewise, using the Hit Stick on a receiver just as he gets his hands on the ball will make him drop the pass most of the time. Also, Quarterbacks realistically have much more of a tendency to fumble the ball, especially on scrambles, so the Vicks, McNabbs, and Culpeppers are more limited in online play. As you can see, the Hit Stick changes the whole dynamics of the game and how defense is played. However, while some of the tackle animations for the Hit Stick can be simply amazing, the variety of tackle animations can be somewhat limited. Still, the Hit Stick is a lot of fun and a great addition to the game.

The strip ball feature is another improvement for the defense after the snap. When you are near the Quarterback, holding the R2 button down will make your defender attempt to strip the ball loose. As with the Hit Stick, it is a risk as the Quarterback can elude you and cause you to miss the tackle as opposed to just taking the guaranteed sack. After the ball is snapped, the controls remain mostly the same as it always was minus these additions. You have your normal repertoire of dive/tackle, sprint, jump/intercept/hands up, spin, strafe, and swat. It's a little disappointing that EA didn't improve the normal tackle system, as missed tackles are still a common sight if you try to manually tackle an offensive player with the square button. However, the strafe feature is great, as it allows your defender to stay facing forward even if you move back or side to side, thus always keeping him in position to make the big play.

The Hit Stick is just the beginning of the defensive improvements, however, as EA has included Defensive Playmaker. As opposed to the Hit Stick and ability to strip the ball, which are used during the actually play, Defensive Playmaker is where true defensive gurus can show their talent. With this feature, you can fully customize your defense with all of the new pre-snap adjustments available. These adjustments range from units of the defense to each individual defender. For every offensive look or situation, there is a defensive adjustment to counter it. With Linebackers, you can control whether they play a zone or blitz or spy on the Quarterback. With your Cornerbacks you can play bump and run, back off the receiver, blitz the Quarterback, play a zone, or spy the Quarterback. With your Safeties you can change their zone coverage, double team certain receivers, or bring them near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. With your Defensive Line you can change where they pressure, from crashing the middle to blitzing from the outside. Third down and three? Pressing the triangle button and then down will make your defenders play a bump and run defense. Two seconds left in the game and your opponent has a 5-wide set for a Hail Mary? Pressing the triangle button and then up will cause your Cornerbacks to play off of the receiver to defend the long pass. Are you getting burned on the blitz by the speed of Vick? Highlight a defensive player and flick the Right Analog Stick down twice for a Quarterback contain coverage or to the left for a Quarterback spy coverage. Fourth and inches? Pressing the triangle button and then left on the D Pad will bring the safeties up for run support. The possibilities are endless.

While the defense gets all the focus, the offense in Madden 2005 got some improvements as well. It starts with the formation audibles, where you can audible to a different formation. When you do this, the play remains the same but the formation changes. For instance, you could change the formation from 3-wide to a normal set and put your Wide Receiver at the Tight End position, but essentially run the exact same route. However, normal audibles have been limited this year as you can now only call an audible when you are at the line of scrimmage.

Wide Receiver option routes have also been an addition this year. This is where a receiver will have two or more different routes in the initial play. During the play, he will actually read the defense and then decide which route is best to take. This can add another dimension in multiplayer play and make your offense really tough to guess. However, the feature still needs some work, as you never get the feeling that the receiver is actually reading the defense and making the best decision. And while the blocking of the Offensive Linemen has been addressed, some key issues still remain. For one, the blocking can be downright terrible at times. On certain plays, you'll see the guard just stand there and give little effort as a Linebacker blows by them for the sack.

The passing and running game have been toned down a bit and made more realistic. In the passing game, Quarterbacks could make perfect thirty yard passes off their back foot being chased by a Linebackers in previous games. This year, if your Quarterback is not in good position, his throw will be very inaccurate and probably end up short of the intended receiver. In the running game, no longer can players dance around the backfield until they find an opening. The runningback's momentum will now be taken into consideration, and there will be a slight delay in any change of direction that occurs. Another thing to note is that EA has decreased the chance of converting on fourth downs considerably, as punting was almost non-existent in previous games.

Unless you play online, the Franchise Mode is where most of your hours will be spent. Last year's Owner Mode was a huge addition, but this year's additions were not to be outdone. It's called Storyline Central – basically taking a look at everything off the field. For starters, every week there will be Tony Bruno's radio talk show, where Tony will sound off about the NFL. But this isn't some generic talk, as EA has put hours upon hours of his voice into the game. He talks about everything from breaking news to how certain teams are doing to key issues in the NFL. He'll even have interviews with real life players and coaches and have people call in to voice their opinions or answer his weekly trivia. All of this was very well done and is actually entertaining to listen to – it'll have you feeling like you were listening to ESPN radio.

But Tony Bruno's radio show is just the beginning. Every player on your team is now like an individual person with individual needs. While winning can boost the morale of the team as a whole, a player's morale can be affected by other things as well, such as playing time and contract issues. If a player's morale is low, he might demand a trade or perform poorly on the field. Pressing on any player will tell you how he is currently feeling. When resigning a player, each player also has a certain interest in resigning and a comprehensive breakdown of the key factors that are most important to him, such as team success, money, and the coaching staff.

And it's called Storyline Central for a reason, as newspapers will track the big stories surrounding the league. They have both a local newspaper, which will obviously cover only your team, and a national newspaper, which will cover the biggest stories. These stories range from contract issues to position battles to the team's current performance. But while it can be interesting to read, it isn't as refined as the Tony Bruno radio show and can get bland and repetitive very soon.

Assistant coaches, players, and others from the organization will now even e-mail you on some of their thoughts. Players will tell you if they're happy, while others might congratulate you on a big win or tell you things need to turn around after an embarrassing loss. They will even give you a full game plan for your upcoming opponent.

One addition that I have been wanting for years was the ability to practice in Franchise Mode, and this year they delivered. Not much of an addition, as they just took the Practice Mode and put it into the Franchise Mode, but it's great to now be able to practice with your current team, try out new plays for your next opponent, or test out any new rookies or free agents before game day.

Then, after the season is over, it's time for the off-season, which has been made even deeper. EA has really improved the whole draft process, from scouting players to the actual draft. Resigning players, singing free agents, and trading players to improve your team is as solid as ever. All of the great features of Owner Mode such as relocating your team are there as well. Overall, the 30-year Franchise Mode has been made even deeper and really is a full experience.

On top of the standard ability to create a player or team, Create-A-Fan is new to this year's version. With this feature, you can customize your own fan and have him show up in the cut scenes when you're playing a game. However, unlike the Create-A-Player, the options in this feature can be pretty limited.

Create-A-Play was new to last year's game and was a lot of fun, but it only allowed players to create offensive plays. This year, Create-A-Play on defense has been added. With this feature, you can create your own formation and then give assignments to each individual defender, such as blitzing, zone, or QB spy. While not as free as the Create-A-Play on offense, it still offers a lot of options and adds to the defensive experience.

This year EA has taken huge strides to make Madden 2005 the best online experience available. Players will now have a Reputation. Basically, you start at 200 and if you play a straight game without quitting or disconnecting, your Rep goes up a point. Likewise, your Rep will go down a few points for quitting or disconnecting. Players can also now receive feedback, from cheating to vulgar language to a good sport. While these types of feedback don't reflect in a player Reputation or anything, accounts might be banned once a player has received enough complaints.

Before playing a somebody, you can scout them. Every player has a profile where all their stats are recorded as well as their recent games. Aside from the basic stats, players will be tracked on things such as their run to pass ratio, quit/disconnect percentage, and QB scramble/audible/hurry up offense percentage. Players can also earn trophies and medals for statistical achievements and for achievements such as not quitting.

Online Mode features the basic game modes. You can enter a room based on location or other factors to find a worthy opponent. Or, you can use the Play Now feature to quickly find an opponent, which can be customized to search for similar rankings or connection speed. Quick Tournaments have been added, which are quick four to eight player tournaments which will earn you medals. The biggest addition to online play, however, is the Rushing Attack. It takes the same great mini game from the offline and puts it online, where you can compete with other players. Records and high scores will be tracked and the game can be really addicting to play. It also features the standard buddy list where you can save friends and even track their current game or block certain players.

The actual game in online mode plays like the offline game, with limited lag as long as both players have a broadband connection. In order to ensure the integrity of the game, EA has put more restrictions on its Fair Play feature. All ranked games must have this feature on, which greatly restricts things like going for it on fourth down and onside kicks. Also, games will now have four-minute-long quarters and each player will have three pauses of thirty seconds per game. A Concede option has also been added, where you can quit without any consequence if you are losing by more than 21 points, as well as a Friendly Quit option where the game will have never been played if both players agree to quit. Despite EA's attempt to eliminate cheaters, however, online cheating will probably always be in existence as long as games are online. While they fixed most of the glitches and loopholes, there are still many glitches that players can exploit that ruin the overall online experience. Still, EA is taking a step in the right direction.

Gameplay score: 9

Graphics:

Aside from the obvious shift from one generation of consoles to the next, the graphics and animation in this year's installment might be the biggest jump. The detail remains as refined as ever, from the logos on the player's equipment to when they blink their eyes. But the shading of the players and the lighting of the weather that actually changes throughout the game are so much more realistic this year. The player models are also top notch, as every player is now pretty much in proportion with their real life counterparts. Most players are recognizable, and the coaches are outstanding and look exactly like the real life ones. EA has also added hundreds of new animations, from new catches to the obvious new tackle animations. Still, some of the animations in the game can be a bit glitchy at times, such as some of the passing animations, but can only really be noticed on replays.

While the crowd has been made somewhat 3D, the stadium and crowd could have been more detailed to add to the atmosphere. Also, what the heck is up with those halftime cheerleaders? Seriously, they're the worst looking cheerleaders I've ever seen. I mean, if they would have the same graphical quality as the players or coaches they would have been fine but they look like dull stick figures. Still, the overall graphics have been noticeably improved and the animations are now a lot smoother.

Graphics score: 8

Sound:

Once again, Al Michaels and John Madden call the in-game action. They do a fairly decent job of covering what's going on in the game, although they can get repetitive and generic. The crowd noise has been improved, yet I don't know why no sports game can ever get it right. It's simple – cheer when the home team makes a good play or scores and boo when a bad call is made. Also, be as loud as possible when the opposing team has the ball and keep quiet when the home team has the ball. I never really felt as if the crowd was into the game. Also, more in-game sound effects would be nice. While you have the standard tackle effects, it would be nice to have more in-game smack talk and some of the sounds you would hear at a real NFL game.

The music of the game remains great, as it features some pretty high profiled artists – most notably Green Day and their “American Idiot”. It offers pretty good variety but the game does have the feature to turn off the music as well as the commentary and things like that if they ever get boring, which they definitely will. The Tony Bruno radio show probably remains the best thing to listen to in the game.

Sound score: 8

Replayability:

The value that you'll get from this game is incredible. The Franchise Mode is so deep that you could spends weeks playing it, and I doubt anyone will ever get through all 30 seasons without simulating a few games. Then there are the numerous extra modes and mini games. The training camp and two-minute drill mini games are as fun as ever, as it's always a challenge to break your old record. The ability to create full playbooks and teams just add so many hours to the gameplay, and all of this is without the Online Mode, which is where many gamers will spend their time. With 30 seasons of the Franchise Mode, the Online Mode, the mini games, the creation of playbooks, players, and teams, tournaments, and the Situation Mode where you can recreate any of the most dramatic NFL moments, any NFL fan will easily put 50+ hours into this game.

Replayability score: 10

Conclusion:

Despite some stiff competition, Madden NFL 2005 remains the king of NFL videogames. It has made some huge gameplay innovations, especially on defense, as well as tons of additions to Franchise Mode. It is worth every penny and will keep you playing until Madden NFL 2006 comes out. Definitely a must own, especially for football fans.

Final score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/28/05