Madden NFL 08

"Madden08: A turn in the right direction"

First thoughts:
After playing Madden07 the day before buying Madden08, I was worried. Madden07 for the 360 was just plain crap and lazy work. All of those thoughts where thrown away when I popped Madden08 into my 360 and started to play. The game is very good and worth your 60 bucks.

Game play:
Finally, a Madden that runs smoother than silk. Whether it is the 60fps, or the smooth animations, this game really hit the nail on the head. No more studdering in between plays, and no more long waiting times to play a game. Their are tons of new tackle animations that make the hits look that much more painful. I love the new kicking animation and how you only need to pull down on the thumb stick to run down field. The player sizes are spot on and the faces look great, most of them look exactly like the counterparts, which is always a bonus. The controls are basically the same, but with some minor changes, but overall are still easy to get used to. The new hit stick v2.0 offers more bone crushing hits, but now you can target the upper/lower body, which is fun to play with. The all new weapons system lets you see what players strengths are, and allows you to attack their weaknesses to make that big play. Or you can use the weopon to your advantage and make that big play for yourself. Also, the AI is MUCH MUCH smarter this year, which is always a good thing. Do not expect to chuck a deep ball every play and expect to rack up 500 yards and 7 touch downs in one game, because it will never happen. After a play is done, the players run back to the huddle and get ready for the next player (last year they stood around dumbfounded). Super Star mode is also greatly improved. The mode is actually playable! And very fun at that! This is the mode that I always start with, because I think it is a very creative way to play as yourself and work your way up to the Hall of Fame. There are all new camera modes for every position. You can see all around you and makes it easier to play. No more watching your offense/defense play the field as you sit on the bench. Instead, you get to just see their progress in text form and simulate to your next field appearance. One drawback is no matter what your overall is, you are put into the starter job. This is good for the people that just want to play, but I like to work my way up through the rankings. Franchise mode is basically the same, but still fun at that. Front Office mode is also fun for the people that like the financial aspects of your team.

Sound:
The music in this game is not bad at all. I will always be a fan of the music playing during the replays because it makes them seem more dramatic to me... On field sounds are also great. The hits sound punishing and the players smack talk is cool to listen too. Player smack talk adds to the game because it makes it sound like your at a real game, with lively players on the field. The radio announcing is not all that bad, Madden really made me cringe when he said that 100% of the game is half mental. I cannot see how people complain about not having Madden in the game.. get real. Marshall Faulk predicts the score of every game, tells you your ring progress and does the after game re-cap.. this is something I personally could have seen left out of the game. The way he talks just make you scream SCRIPT.. his words never flow and is just terrible. Stick to running back my man.

Presentation:
Not that good... their is still not a good post-game show and no half-time show. As I said above, they have Marshall Faulk doing some of it, but it is just terrible when he talks. They have the Sprint Half Time Re-Cap page and the Under Armour stat tracker which does add a little to the game. The player introductions are also better and add some life to the players. I am hoping that EA does some work on this in Madden09.

Graphics:
The players look great. Their faces look like their counterparts and finally, linemen are not the same size as line backers. Their jerseys are detailed, the players get dirty and their helmets get scratches on them. When they are in the huddle, you can actually see sweat on their necks, so very cool. The field can always be better, the sidelines are still crappy looking, the refs are not on the field, the crowd claps in unison, and there are no kicking nets. Aside from that, the Stadiums are spot-on to their real looks. They look great. The field will get ripped up in spots due to weather tear, which is always cool. Weather could also have been better looking. Snow falls in sections and looks unrealistic. I put the snow level on the max, and it looked more like a flurry to me. Although players do still slip in the rain/snow when trying to make quick cuts... The rain does not splatter on the helmets, nor does it splatter when a player steps in the puddles. Having those features would add to the game. The menu's are very easy to navigate and look really nice graphically speaking.

Others:
I really love the create-a-ring feature. As you win games and win trophies, you will be awarded a certain amount of points. This will add up overtime and you will get pieces of your ring. You can change what team you want on your ring along with other options to fully customize it. You can also order it form Jostens if you really wanted to, how cool! You can now choose from NFL hall of famers to put on your team and use them in any mode. This may seem minor, but the opening movie is also very cool to watch. It pumped me up to lay down some big hits and play my heart out in the game. Fantasy draft is back! Create a player is great! Co op is back!!

Final Thoughts:
This game was a huge leap for the better for EA Sports. I know I will be playing this game until Madden09 comes out, guaranteed. This game can only mean more good to come from EA.... right?

Overall Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/22/07