[LAKE4742]

Are you ready for some football?!!!!

It's been a loooooong time since many have felt that EA has lived up to they're marketing schtick. Three years to be exact, since EA's last great football game came out. Well, it seems THIS is the year for a great gridiron comeback. If you've played NCAA 09 then you have a pretty good idea of Madden gameplay-but still far from final, and there are some differences. Flawless?-of course not. Bug free?-probaly not. The Yellow Brick Road of all directions?-you bet'cha! As well as EA stuffing their deep, ankle-reachin' pockets, it seems this year they've finally put it....in the game. Goodbye David Ortiz, hello Peter Moore! Yes! EA is finally heading in a great, new direction, using alot more hardware power, pushin' the limits of football gaming on consoles. This year will include more animatons, realistic movement and effort than ever before! Also, ugrades in passing, tackling, and running-which includes a zoom-in, roadie run type camera for breakaway runs (thank GOW for this one). Hell, even online leagues! There will be a complete presentation overhaul, with great new graphics and sound (announcers are back), and even custom end zone celebrations to help show off the new awesomeness with some swagger.

This year should be a turning point in NFL football gaming (there's no competition that includes NFL players, so the only ones who could make a turning point would have to be EA, greedy sons of....anyway, as I saying). This year, Madden is shaping up to arguably be the greatest representation of America's national pastime (no, not baseball, football-the game with the most teamwork)-adding a real sense of speed, better A.I. and more.This is the year Madden returns to greatness! Maybe this football season will be the great inspiration for all future sports games. Of course, every year us fans get our hopes up so high because of past Madden high points. But since the last great Madden hit shelves in '06, most fans (including me) have needed our Gatorade (with a little vodka) just to bear the seemingly effortless and goofy gameplay. But this year, hopefully, the Madden curse will be broken in more ways than one....unless Brett Favre (Farv-ra) is at home, sippin' on a warm cup of cocoa and chokes on a marshmallow.

Maybe this year EA finally lives up to their thought provoking-yet innacurate slogan....and maybe this year I'll just drink some vodka before pressing start-just in case.

 

[Lord Flatus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by LAKE4742 /forum/post/14267986


Maybe this year EA finally lives up to their thought provoking-yet innacurate slogan...

Ahhhh, the exuberant hopes of the weeks immediately preceeding another Madden launch.

 

[Degenerazn]

This will just be another reminder of how much I miss the 2k series.

 

[LAKE4742]

Am I the only one impressed with the NCAA 09 demo?! I mean, these players are really smart! There are alot of times when the ball is batted into the air, or juggled by a receiver and lost; and a nearby player will always make the effort to catch it, and usually always does! I even saw a player dive...sideways in the end zone to catch the ball! As long as Madden is as good as NCAA 09, IMO, the drought is over!

 

[mboojigga]



Quote:
Am I the only one impressed with the NCAA 09 demo?!

Nope

 

[StreetPreacher]

Am I the only one who thinks the grass looks terrible?

 

[mboojigga]



Quote:
Originally Posted by StreetPreacher /forum/post/14268704


Am I the only one who thinks the grass looks terrible?

Probably not.

 

[Chitown1211]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Degenerazn /forum/post/14268524


This will just be another reminder of how much I miss the 2k series.

Exactly. Ill rent it . Try and force myself to like it. Then innevitably return it within two weeks out of bordom.

 

[markc72]

Yeah, EA will hype up all the features that you would think make the game better than last year. You get it, and it's the same game with those minor features. I felt the NCAA demo was ok, but the players seemed to be walking on air. If they could harness the 2k5 play, then it could be great. For now, I will kill myself if I buy this game again and to only to trade in after month.

 

[LAKE4742]

I feel the passion with you naysayers, and there's a big part of me that's right there with you, so I'm not trying to convince you at all. But, I didn't list every new feature I've read about or seen. The NCAA demo is far from the final build itself, and Madden always gets more attention. I've seen the videos of new foot-planting animations and interrupted animations-which are no longer canned and unfold quite naturally. And I've seen videos of the new better lookin' grass. Again, I wouldn't dare try to convince anyone to forget the travesty of the development lately. I would say: If you truly care about Madden and football gaming in general, then maybe you should check out the blogs and videos on the official Madden webpage at EA Sports, then come back and share your thoughts after you've researched a bit.

 

[Beeron]

I pay no attention to the hype of Madden anymore...last football game I bought was NFL 2k5. I'll agree the the college games are better than Madden, but I'm more of an NFL fan.

 

[eck979]

From all I've read on the community sites not ran by EA from people that have played both games, if you like NCAA you're gonna love Madden this year. All I've seen is basically NCAA is good, but Madden is over the top Excellent. Hoping it all comes true, really..

I'm optimistic for the first time in a few years.

 

[Daekwan]

If the last football game you bought was NFL 2K.. you need to do yourself a BIG favour and wait till Madden '09 comes out.. and then go purchase Madden '08 for about $9.99. Its only $10 bucks..


It is absolutely amazing the amount of stuff that goes into the game and what you can do on and off the field. Youre really cheating yourself by not participating. Especially if you are a real NFL fan.


I was a huge 2k series fan myself.. but you know what in the end.. football was more important to me. And if for whatever reason 2k doesnt offer an up to date NFL game.. then I have to play what they do have. And trust me.. Madden is rewarding. It may be a monopoly, but that still doesnt mean its not fun to play. It has many of the features NFL2K invented.. so you will feel at home.


As much as some people dislike the Madden monopoly on football.. they couldnt accomplish it without the help of the greedy NFL who signs these silly azz contracts. The DirectTV Sunday football package pisses me off ALOT more than the Madden monopoly. Because I live in an apartment and cannot get a DTV satellite signal. So I'm stuck watching sucky azz regional coverage of teams I have zero interest in all day Sunday. Half of the time I flip over to Bowling on ESPN.

 

[Beeron]

I said I haven't bought a Madden game since 2k5, which doesn't mean I haven't played them.

 

[Anthony1]

For Madden to make me sit up and take notice, they would have to completely scrap their current engine, and basically build the game from the ground up again. They keep iterating on the same busted engine. Sure, they keep refining it, to make it "seem" better, but it's still a bunk game engine to begin with. The core code from Madden 06 is still in it. It's been refined to death, so you don't see it, but the foundation is still from 06.


Does anybody remember the target render that they were showing before the next gen systems came out? The one with Terrell Owens on the Eagles, and they were playing the New York Giants in the snow?

Remember that?



They need to completely scrap their current game and start over from scratch. Problem is, they'll never do that. Why should they? Chumps keep buying the slop they've been serving for the last 20 years. Last great Madden was Madden 93' on Genesis. Ever since then it's been downhill. Maybe after the Take Two aquisition, they can take some of the best talent that was on the 2K series, and make a new team combined with Tiberon and 2K members, and have them secretly build a totally brand new engine, and then I'll actually give a damn about Madden once again.

 

[Degenerazn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Daekwan /forum/post/14269058


As much as some people dislike the Madden monopoly on football.. they couldnt accomplish it without the help of the greedy NFL who signs these silly azz contracts. The DirectTV Sunday football package pisses me off ALOT more than the Madden monopoly. Because I live in an apartment and cannot get a DTV satellite signal. So I'm stuck watching sucky azz regional coverage of teams I have zero interest in all day Sunday. Half of the time I flip over to Bowling on ESPN.

Oh man, I'm with you all the way there. Being a comcast subscriber for over 20 years, I would hate to switch over to satellite just for a season of football and mess up my whole TV scheduling. Every Sunday I'm always hoping that the Niners or Raiders won't sell out so I can actually watch teams that are actually good.


Anyways, as much as I hate the Madden series, I love football and competing online even more. I'll be buying Madden for the 3rd year in a row..just so I can lay the smackdown on all you noobs.

 

[Daekwan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Beeron /forum/post/14269203


I said I haven't bought a Madden game since 2k5, which doesn't mean I haven't played them.

Well why didnt you make that point clearer in your first post. You post was worded to come off as though Madden somehow wasnt worth your time. And only NFL2k5 was good enough.


Whether you play it, buy it, or take it out on a date really doesnt matter to me. I was just simply trying to convey, that its definitely worth your time if youre a gamer who is a true NFL fan.


Madden seems to get alot of bad hype.. because its 'cool' to hate EA these days. And alot of it really is undeserved.

 

[Daekwan]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Degenerazn /forum/post/14269297


I love football and competing online even more. I'll be buying Madden for the 3rd year in a row..just so I can lay the smackdown on all you noobs.

Something else we seem to agree on. I find its necessary to purchase Madden every year just for the roster updates. Sure it may cost me $60 a year. But its priceless to be able to kick all of my friends azz'es.


The last thing I need after laying the smackdown on one of them.. is for them to pull out the "only reason you beat me is because the roster is a year old" card.


With the 360 price drop looming.. I expect i'll have a few new azz'es to whip in Madden this year. As football fans are anxious as hell to participate in anytype of 1st and 10 action right now. I played Madden08 with 3 friends all of last Saturday.. and they cant wait to pick up a 360 and hop online to continue the battles.

 

[h3ro]

Sweet, Roster Update 2009 is coming out!


I used to be such a staunch Madden fan, even took part in some Madden Tourneys when I was back in college. The game just isn't that fun anymore. Its like the game play is all based on gimmicks now, hit sticks, taunt sticks and all this nonsense. I find little reason to throw down $60 when the only difference from my copy of Madden 2005 is the guy on the cover and some roster updates.

 

[Degenerazn]



Quote:
Originally Posted by h3ro /forum/post/14269447


Sweet, Roster Update 2009 is coming out!


I used to be such a staunch Madden fan, even took part in some Madden Tourneys when I was back in college. The game just isn't that fun anymore. Its like the game play is all based on gimmicks now, hit sticks, taunt sticks and all this nonsense. I find little reason to throw down $60 when the only difference from my copy of Madden 2005 is the guy on the cover and some roster updates.

Same could be said about all sports games. Thats why these games are such money makers for EA, Take-two, etc. They lay the foundation, then make minor tweaks and improvements along w/ roster updates and charge $60 a pop.