This will feel familiar to fans of NCAA Football 14. That’s not to say that you can’t feel the momentum swinging in-game as it is tangible, but it feels more like a new visual toy that’s there to show you something that has sort of been in Madden already under the hood.Īs I mentioned, the game also features a new skill tree for your coaching staff. I often found myself forgetting it was even part of the equation. For me, the momentum meter feels a bit gimmicky, and it has impacted my approach to the game very little. For example, a filled out momentum meter is supposed to allow certain players to take over the game in ways that we see happen often in real life. That said, some of the new additions have less of an impact than what I was anticipating. Thankfully, most of it has been integrated correctly and it works more or less how it seems to have been designed. The team also went further and implemented the highly touted Dynamic Gameday feature that was promised to see teams play as they do in real life, momentum swings that can alter the way each team plays, and an AI that is smarter and more intuitive when it comes to decision making on the field.Īll of this sounds great if it is - wait for it - implemented correctly. And when that overhauled scouting system is delivered in September, that should be another very important upgrade. The new additions of franchise staff and skill trees, weekly strategy, new season engine, and an improved franchise hub are felt. So here we are in what amounts to year two of this overhaul, and I like where things are headed. Surprisingly though, EA’s Clint Oldenburg revealed that over 80 percent of Madden players partake in franchise mode, and the company has made it a priority starting last year to make it a focus for the foreseeable future. This mode has always been and will always be my “go-to” mode when it comes to the Madden series or any other football series for that matter.įootball lends itself extremely well to the idea of running a franchise because the seasons are only 17 games (plus playoffs if applicable), and the draft and rookies can have an instant impact in year one.Īs has been well documented, fans have grown tired of seeing the same options, the lack of immersion, and seeing their favorite mode treated as a castoff. Even with some of the odd animations and glitches, Madden 22 looks visually appealing and consistently representative of what we see on Sundays. Now, a lot of those things have been reduced since the patch was dropped - PS, it’s no fun reviewing a sports game that drops a large patch right before launch - but reduced does not mean eliminated. That said, I did see some animation quirks, such as ball carriers tackling the defender, running backs switching uniforms mid-carry (no, really), and players running straight past my return man, through the wall, and out of the stadium without ever losing a step. The animations go a long way in making me feel like I was watching players replicate how they move and perform when I watch on TV or sit in a stadium. The momentum and player weight also shine during tackling sequences when bigger and stronger players make more of an impact than more agile players. The momentum improvements to the players have the biggest impact on the field, especially during short-yardage situations such as goal line and fourth-down scenarios. The ability to cut on a dime in an unrealistic fashion has been greatly reduced, and in my experience, the running game feels as good as it has in years. Player momentum has also seen a tangible upgrade as weight, ability, and direction now play a larger part in how tackling or blocking sequences play out. But what I see and feel on the field this year that is improved comes in the form of better player movement and additional animations that were added to create a more authentic look and feel. Sometimes EA sort of tries to tell us “XYZ” has been improved, but then you pick up the sticks and it doesn’t really seem different. Madden 22 Review – What I LikeĪ lot of the improvements in Madden 22 are the type that can be felt and seen. Fans have waited a very long time to hear that sort of promise from EA, so I spent a lot of time in franchise mode for this review, but fear not, I’ll cover much more than just that, so let’s dig into things here. This year feels a bit different though as the folks at EA Sports in charge of the Madden 22 franchise mode have promised big changes, so that of course that plays into this Madden 22 review. It is that time of year again as football fans eagerly await the release of their sole choice for NFL bliss on console and PC.
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