Madden NFL 10 review

The team at Gamestyle consists of Packers, Cowboys and Dolphin fans to name but a few. Most of us can still recall the popularity of the NFL in the UK during the 80s, assisted by Channel 4s coverage and those sell out Wembley events. Nowadays we have to rely on Sky for our fix of American Football, or walk down the road to watch a local team train. Such is the devotion of British or even European fans that you wont struggle online for a Madden match.After experiencing the disappointing Ashes 2009 presentation, Madden NFL 10 shows sublime expertise in orchestrating the total experience. A makeover has been performed with the menus particularly much improved and the option to watch the Extra Point post-show programme is nicely done in high definition. The cut sequences in and around the gorgeous stadiums help build the atmosphere, which comes alive during matches. The crowds sound fantastic and Gamestyle takes great satisfaction in controlling the clock and annoying the locals. In comparison the commentary is bland, emotionless and surprisingly repetitive. During our first thirty minutes of play we experienced several specific phrases, while this is often a criticism of sporting titles in general, EA need to improve this aspect.Madden is well known for offering a wide range of modes and this release is no different. The Quick mode allows you to jump into matches without any tinkering, getting to grips with the basics of defence and offence. A huge rulebook governs the sport, but with the assistance of Madden, rookies can participate immediately and have fun with reasonable success. It caters to all skill sets remarkably well; just looking at the combinations of controls and actions on offer is enough to intimidate any player. In-depth knowledge isnt a requirement and a good balance is maintained.A decent practice mode is available alongside a Virtual Trainer option and Madden Tests. Madden also returns to test your IQ, which is improved through playing matches and performance, although this feels like a gimmick when its results that ultimately matter. All of these tools assist in your progression towards the Franchise mode and All Pro difficulty setting. Our main criticism of the Franchise and Be An NFL Superstar is that they are practically identical, with little differentiation between each.We would have preferred a more in-depth head coach offering, that did not rely on controlling on field players. Some of our fondest gaming moments come from the American Football release on the Spectrum, which was purely managerial in its approach. The NFL Superstar is almost identical, except lacking administration and drafting, with you taking part in practice sessions and following the playbook whilst on pitch. Neither is as involving or sustainable and as such the Franchise mode soon becomes the place to be.The Franchise modes are very attractive and now feature the ability to take your dynasty online against other players, who are also trying to build great teams. It works reasonably well, again our criticism of the mix of on field play and management stands. Yet Franchise is for the aficionados of the sport who want to go beyond just merely a quick game online. While were on the topic, generally online matches work extremely well, whether its in a versus or co-operative setting.The basic of gameplay in Madden hasnt changed much over the years with the playbook providing more than enough options and variety. While the menus have been streamlined the remaining issue regarding these only arises during match play. If you dont agree with Maddens offered selections, then youll have to exit these and find your own preferred play. Trawling through the passing, rushing, defensive or special teams playbooks is an almighty task, made even harder by the play clock counting down. On numerous occasions we received penalties when a more fluid playbook menu system should have overcome this.Matches remain great fun and do not deviate much from previous Madden templates. A more enjoyable passing system is now in operation and really rewards the skill of the player by picking suitable routes and timing the pass to perfection. Bad execution is easily punished through incompletions or interceptions, but the system never feels unfair. The other new ingredient is the Pro-Tak system, this improves tackling by relying more on physics and facilitating multiple hits. It works surprisingly well and the QTE inspired events that appear when a fumble arises are a nice touch.Overall Madden NFL 10 features enough additions to warrant purchasing. Its far from perfect with several gameplay issues and modes requiring work, but it remains Madden and its annoyingly good.