This is Madden NFL 12’s tagline in the long running Madden NFL series. If you’re like me and have played every edition of Madden, you’ll probably wonder why you should spend $60 on a new edition of Madden every year. In the past many gamers have criticized the lack of new revolutionary features that set each edition of Madden different from the rest. If you’re a hardcore Madden fan, then this new release of Madden may stifle you but if you’re a casual gamer looking to get some gridiron action before the season starts, then this is maybe it for you
Presentation
One feature that has been hyped before it’s release is the inclusion of authentic team entrances, and real-life broadcast cameras that make you think you’re watching an actual NFL broadcast. Every 32 team entrances has been replicated for the game using Steadi-cam like the NFL Films crew making you feel like you’re part of the action. Ray Lewis’ signature dance? It’s in there. The Dallas Cowboys tunnel entrance through the lounge? It’s also in there. Any NFL team’s entrance is replicated for the diehard NFL fan. The entrances itself made me pumped up to play the game and with camera angles making it feel like an authentic broadcast, I was drawn into the game.
Gameplay and Modes
This year of Madden offers the same modes as previous editions, Play Now, Franchise, Superstar, Online, Ultimate Team; nothing really eye opening to make it different from last year’s edition. In Franchise EA Tiburon has added new features like expanding rosters to 75 players for the preseason making it your responsibility to cut players who aren’t NFL ready every week. Also in Franchise mode, if you’re the type of person who likes to bid on stuff, then bidding on free-agents will be the perfect match for you, allowing you to bid against other GM’s for that prize free-agent on the market. New to this year’s Franchise mode is the inclusion hot and cold streaks that will affect a player throughout the season. Got Tom Brady on a roll in the past 3 games? He will be more focused and on fire in the next game. If you have someone like Tony Romo who has a hard time completing passes and winning games, his playing ability will suffer unless he can turn it around.
New in the gameplay department is the new collision system which relies on momentum rather than pre-set animations. It’s like the developers didn’t pay attention to the NFL’s new route of promoting a safer game, instead you’ll get bone jarring hits that’ll make Roger Goodell hand out fines faster than the Raiders could make a playoff appearance. AIso, AI defenders can now break out of their assignments to react to plays like how the pros do on Sunday. Not only this makes it challenging for the QB to make his passes, but it forces the player to pick his spot carefully when throwing the ball.
Graphics and Sound
I can say this year Madden NFL 12 definitely brought their A-game to the visual department. The new lighting system makes day games feel more vibrant while night games give that distinctive flair of playing gridiron football under lights in front of 70,000+ screaming fans. Player models now look realistic compared to their real-life counterparts and the new animations making big hits look brutal. Stadium models look like the real thing with presentation shots showing off the stadiums in their rendered glory.
However in the sound department, it’s another different story. Commentators Gus Johnson and Cris Collinsworth repeat themselves often that you’ll be keeping track of the phrases they say and they’re both always behind of what’s going on in the field. To make it worse, Johnson’s line sound like they don’t go well with each other. It’s like someone in the sound department threw whatever Johnson recorded in the studio and left the editing session early for no apparent reason.
Verdict
While this year’s Madden didn’t exactly revolutionize the game of American football, it’s still Madden after all and fans everyone will enjoy this year’s edition with the revamped presentation scenes and the new additions to gameplay and Franchise mode. “True to the Game?” Well yes on the gameplay and presentation but not in terms of game modes or feature that will make this edition the best. If you’re a Madden diehard, then this one is for you.