My take on Madden NFL 11

[The Don]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but I know a lot of people on here play madden and thought I'd spread the word... it sucks... badly. I actually purchased the new NCAA Football 11 this year, when I skipped picking up NCAA last year. I've been playing it for the past couple weeks non-stop when I have the free time. Then I downloaded the new Madden demo tonight and it just isn't what I hoped it would turn out to be.

The commentary by Gus Johnson (I think that's who it is) is just horrible. It actually sounds like it was pre-recorded and it makes him sound like he's trying to act. Also, your offensive coordinator will start telling you a play and explaining it, then Gus Johnson will cut him off before he even finishes explaining it every now and then throughout the game.

The graphics did not improve compared to the enormous jump in graphics quality that NCAA took. The stadiums look nicer, but the player models pretty much look exactly the same as last year's. The tackling system still sucks, even though EA swore up and down that it was better in this year's version. And the presentation as a whole is just horrible. The whole... before the game entrance with the team getting off the bus thing... doesn't really add to the presentation in my opinion. How about an actual booth shot where it shows Colinsworth and Johnson discussing the teams or something like that???

Then this whole game-flow thing. No... just, no. *Shakes head* then goes into *Face palm*. It takes away from the strategic manner of the game. Yeah, they introduce this new "game planning" feature, but it almost seems pointless to me because you're gonna be calling audibles and stuff all over the place. And it's a real let-down to the hardcore fans. They should have made it so that when you go to call an audible, it brings up the entire playbook in a horizontal scrolling menu like in NCAA with plays previously selected for those situations.

They changed the way you kick the ball, they changed the way you change your protection before snapping the ball... they just tried to do too many new things imo, and it failed... big time.

But I won't be the judge for everyone, just giving my opinion. As I'm sure many of you may feel differently about it. This will be one year that I don't purchase Madden. (It's a good year not to anyway, since the Panthers are rated so poorly on there.)

[Dpantherman]

I like it.

[Dpantherman]

but what the hell do i know about video games. i just play them

[dixontosanders]

i will burn madden ea headquarters to the ground so 2K can take back the rights.

[AnalyzeThIs#28]

Dude, it can't be that bad... can it? I like 2010 madden, and this one supposedly has improvements right.

How about with the RB controls, aren't there more control when running the ball this year?

[Swarly]

tried the demo.... the new controls are beyond annoying(both for audibles, hot routes, kicking the ball..) why fix what isn't broke? there is so much stuff they could do, but instead they add stupid unnecessary things like "Swag" ratings, while changing things that didn't need to be changed.

I'll buy it because franchise mode has always been my thing, and (as far as I'm aware) you can't use franchise mode on the demo.

[The Don]

It depends on how you define bad. I define it as EA taking last year's Madden and adding a layer of B.S. on top of it. Everything is basically the same as last year's, but they put in the game flow thing, which I thought was lame. They changed the commentary, which I thought sucked. And they changed the controls some, which really irritated me considering I've been playing Madden for the past five or six years and it's been the same control configuration ever since. They only added the right stick in for jukes and hurdling players... but those motions were already in the game, you just had to hit a button instead of moving the right stick.

What pissed me off the most about it was the fact that EA swore up and down that their tackling system was finally perfect, when it's still just as bad as before.

[stankowalski]

I haven't bought Madden since 2008 (and I ended up trading that one in). I skipped last year for NCAA, but bought this year's. NCAA is great. The best it's ever been IMO. I doubt very seriously I'll be buying Madden this year.

[Argus Plexus]

Damn. I was going to buy that.

[The Question]

You guys are stupid. How do you figure it's bad? It's quite smoother than last year and the running is a lot more responsive as well more realistic quarterback motion and better wide receiver reaction to the ball. With the updated graphics and 3 vs. 3 online. What more do you fuging want. I'm so sick of people talking poo about Madden every year just because it's Madden. HURR DURR 2K WAS BETTUR

[The Don]

I actually never talk bad about Madden. This is the first year since the franchise started that I was disappointed. Usually they make enough changes for it to actually be worth picking up. But all the changes they made this year turned it into a pile of garbage. Trust me, I don't want to be saying all this negative stuff about it... but it's really hard not to. I skipped getting NCAA last year, but got it this year and was highly impressed. Which led me to believe that Madden would be even better... but no, it's worse. In the demo, you can play as the Colts or the Jets, and I picked the Colts... Peyton Manning may look like a down-syndrome baby in real life, but it's even worse on the video game. The graphics are horrible, and the running isn't that much more responsive. Honestly, the whole juking and hurdling thing that you can now do with the Right Analog Stick... that was in the game before, except you had to hit the "Y" button or some crap.

But listen, I've said my due, you can waste 65 bucks on a piece of crap all you want. I'll be saving that money for something else that's actually worth the money. EA took a huge dump on Madden this year and I feel really bad for those parents out there that have no clue and are gonna drop 65 bucks on crap for their kids.

[C47]

Bashing the game because of gameflow makes one sound like an idiot since you don't have to ever use it if you don't want to........

As for the rest of your rant just sounds like 2k fanboy whining to me. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with the graphics for M11, and you're absolutely wrong in saying they weren't updated.....all you have to do is look at the lighting in the game.....As for your rant on the commentary Gus Johnson>>>>>>>>>Hammond, if you really think the commentary was better with Collinsworth and Hammond then I don't think theres hope for you in sports gaming.....

Also I find it odd that you don't complain about NCAA's controls since they are the same as Maddens.....

[The Don]

Bashing the game because of gameflow makes one sound like an idiot since you don't have to ever use it if you don't want to........

As for the rest of your rant just sounds like 2k fanboy whining to me. Theres absolutely nothing wrong with the graphics for M11, and you're absolutely wrong in saying they weren't updated.....all you have to do is look at the lighting in the game.....As for your rant on the commentary Gus Johnson>>>>>>>>>Hammond, if you really think the commentary was better with Collinsworth and Hammond then I don't think theres hope for you in sports gaming.....

Also I find it odd that you don't complain about NCAA's controls since they are the same as Maddens.....

Never played 2k actually... so hmm... let's see... lighting changes everything in a game huh? How bout the player models... how bout the turf they play on, how bout the crowd in the stands... how bout the lame ass team shields that come down from the sky before the game starts, what's up with that crap??? They should've gotten rid of that a year ago. Gus Johnson sounds horrible, and so does Tom Hammond. Collinsworth sounds great. Find me someone who sounds as good as he does on there and I'm sold on the commentary. You know what, you know nothing about video games. And the reason I complained about the gameflow crap, even though I know you don't have to use it, is because it's a part of the F'ing game. When you read reviews, they aren't going to leave out information on certain aspects of the game because you don't have to use it... damn, and I thought the people on this board actually knew something about video games. Shame on me...

[C47]

Never played 2k actually... so hmm... let's see... lighting changes everything in a game huh? How bout the player models... how bout the turf they play on, how bout the crowd in the stands... how bout the lame ass team shields that come down from the sky before the game starts, what's up with that crap??? They should've gotten rid of that a year ago. Gus Johnson sounds horrible, and so does Tom Hammond. Collinsworth sounds great. Find me someone who sounds as good as he does on there and I'm sold on the commentary. You know what, you know nothing about video games. And the reason I complained about the gameflow crap, even though I know you don't have to use it, is because it's a part of the F'ing game. When you read reviews, they aren't going to leave out information on certain aspects of the game because you don't have to use it... damn, and I thought the people on this board actually knew something about video games. Shame on me...

oh no you didn't......

As for the rest of that trash you just posted I'm not even going to bother to dignify it by arguing with you.....