Madden NFL 2004

"Not a bad game but could have been a lot better."

The Madden series by EA Sports has dominated these past years and have earned a respectable name. Being a football fan, I picked up this game and thought I'd try this and see how good it is. Madden 2004 is the expansion to last years Madden 2003. The game has the perfect combination of realism and explosiveness for big plays. New in this game is to be able to take control of a team as a manager and draft the best rookies, ticket prices, other franchise moves. This game has both failed and succeeded, and let me tell you why.

Graphics:

The graphics in this game seem pretty realistic compared to past games. The developers put a lot of attention in the fields, so they look almost flawless. They could have done better by putting more people on the sidelines and have different moves for the cheerleaders. Overall, I think the animations look very much like Madden 2003. I must note that when you challenge a play, you get a close up of the referees face and his face looks kind of strange. Maybe it is because he doesn't blink 0_0. The shadows of the players can look kind of odd. The markings on the field look pretty good, and the endzone as well. Things like dirt, grass stains, and damage show up on the uniform and helmet, which is good. Also, sometimes when you give a big hit, the helmet will fly off. Another major improvement is that arms and legs no longer go through other peoples bodies. Despite all these great details, they are not very much different from last years model. There are new tackle animations, but the rest are just leftovers from last year. It would have been better if the faces got a bit of improvement, but it's still fine.

Sound:

Probably the most lacking part of this game. The voice of the announcer, the grunting from the players, and the referees are all the same from last year. Sound is not that important, but the "color" commentary seems more black and white. I didn't even pay attention to the soundtrack since most of it was rap. The commentators says the players name, their number, and occasionally the score and the game situation. There is not very much you can expect from the sound in this game.

Gameplay:

Pretty much like last year. You can hardly ever get a sack on the QB. CPU-controlled QB's can somehow pass to a receiver covered by 3 men, complete the pass and run for 80-yards. No matter how poor the stats for the team is, they can always move smoothly down the field while you have to struggle for that 4th and inches. The interceptions and fumbles are average. However, you can still have a lot of fun with this game. You can always choose to go to the Mini-Camp and do some drills. You play as a certain team and complete tasks to earn Madden cards, which you can use during the game. There is also a practice mode, which you can do anything you want, and Situation mode. In situation mode, you can start a game in any quarter you want, what teams, what the score is, and much more. A small bonus in this field is the Madden cards. By completing various tasks on various difficulties, you earn Madden points. If you get 100 points, you can buy a Madden booster pack. Using those cards during a game can enable you some special features. The AI in this game for X-box is very advanced compared to Madden 2004 for other consoles, making it challenging.

Story:

The basic story in this game would be the new Owner mode. You can choose your staff and players, proceed to build or renovate your stadium, set prices for Parking, Merchandise, Concessions, and Tickets, then go on to work your way into building the best team you can have. You can choose to start with the worst team and build them up by signing contracts with high potential rookies. A good addition to the Franchise mode is that you can now view the career stats of a current player. Basically, your goal is to lead a team to the Super bowl while managing a positive profit by selling out home games.

Controls:

The controls may seem a bit unbearable at first, but you will get used to it. There are new Playmaker controls and Hot Routes. The controls are simple so beginners can get used to the game. You can call audibles so you can change the play if you sense a blitz, or rush a seemingly weak side of the defense. On offense, the controls are pretty good, but on defense, you may have trouble. It is very hard to bring down the runner unless you have a good 3 men tackle him. Missed tackles are common and usually lead to blow-out victories for the opponents. Using the right analog stick you can quickly change a play by telling primary WR to run a different route than specified in the play. There is also a lot of stuff you can do before the snap to ensure the play will go smoothly. Controls in this game are actually pretty decent, so we can expect phenomenal improvements next year.

Playtime:

You could be playing this game for a very long time, whether it is to collect all the cards or to master every aspect of this game. You can be playing against you friend or just playing for fun. You can run your favorite team and take them to the Super Bowl. Madden 2003 was already pretty good and with the new additions, Madden 2004 will last even longer, at least until, Madden 2005 comes out.

Replayability:

You can't really beat the game, but you will love this game so much that you will be dreaming about it. It is really so awesome that you will still like it if you play again in a few years.

Final Recommendation (Rent or Buy):

Definitely buy this game, since it is worth it. This is a no-brainer and since it is from 2003, you can get it pretty cheap at a Gamestop. It's it a perfect Birthday present to give to any gamer. I gave this game an 8 because everything is great except for the sound and the gameplay. These minor "bugs" should not interfere with the gameplay. Plus, if you have enough room on your memory card, this game will add to your EA sports Bio. This bio will track and records all your activities done in all EA Sports games and give bonuses for doing well.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/04