Caltrops - Gamerasutra - Re: Madden 2006

Forum Overview :: Gamerasutra

by mark 12/23/2005, 12:06pm PST

I bought Madden 2004 after much chin scratching and review reading. All the (non-caltrops) internet reviewers suggested that NFL2k4 was almost as good overall, did some things better, a couple things worse etc etc giving me the impression that I ought to get Madden.

The game only tangentally resembles football. It's possible to score over a hundred points a game but impossible to block field goal kicks. There are piles of counter intuitive, changing controls. If you need to signal for a fair catch, you'll probably have to pause and look for the manual. There are no idioms to help you remember what a button does like "X is always sprint", it changes continually. It's incredibly hard to teach, encouraging you never to play it with friends.

The interfaces are so fucked up that you'll never want to change lines or create new plays or really any of the management stuff. If you ask Madden for help, he'll belch out one of his 2 or 3 sampled, guttural lines like "Woah! This'll stop them for sure!" while suggesting a play that makes no sense. Are you down in the last minute or so with a 4th and inches situation? Punt it! Just unbelivable...I guess Madden is worried about the spread.

Like all good EA games, the computer opponent will become amazingly skilled if you are beating it by enough. If you've got a couple touchdowns, watch out for the machine pulling out an insane, out-stoppable 3rd and long run that goes for 15, 25, or more yards. This doesn't actually make the game that much harder but far far more aggrivating. In the lower difficulty settings, it is easy to have a perfect season.

I'm not sure if this is in the other Madden games, but in 2004 there is a fairly retarded card collecting subgame. You buy packs of cards via Madden points which are collected by making big plays and winning games. The cards allow you to either make your team more powerful or actually break the rules of the game for a play, a drive or a half. If you use them, the game is way too easy and not very fun -- but then, what's the purpose of having them at all?

In 2004, it was possible to challenge plays, but it has to be done via the "start" menu in an amazing bit of interface design.

Still, I wouldn't rate the game as unplayable, I thought it was okay; it's not really NFL football but some other related game. I'm sure NFL2K5 is better, but I've never gotten around to shelling out the 4 or 5 dollars that it costs now. Maybe on boxing day.