[Xbox 360 version tested.
weighing in at a sizeable 1.45 gigs]
Well, it's nearly that time of year again for all you pigskin/ egghand lovers where the annual run up to the oncoming 'football' season approaches with a Madden NFL game to precede the season.
The main big difference from what I can tell really has been the added locomotion engine (as first seen in NCAA 11) and it does change things nicely, though admittedly opponents to this engine will cite Euphoria as being more accomplished. I'm inclineed to agree, however that's not to say that 'locomotion' is not much of a slouch either.
Anyway, onto the "greatest show on turf"
The game you're given is the AFC Championship matchup where the Indianapolis Colts V New York Jets at the New Meadowlands stadium. Although the actual 2010 game was at Colts Stadium... but I digress.
The game has been bumped up in duration to 5 minute quarters (are you listening potential FIFA 11 demo) and the new Play-calling feature is the defaulted playstyle. However, you change it back to the more conventional style where you have the complete team playbook at your disposal.
Now, a little more on the new Play-call implementation for this year Madden.
The simple tag-line for this year from the studio is "simpler, quicker, deeper"
Where the aim was to speed up Madden matches where it would range from 30-45 minutes, down to 15-20 minutes with this system.
For the seasoned Madden vet, this looks ominously like the 'Maddens Play' being forced down your throat. And as many players will know is that, usually the Madden option (instead of choosing your own specific play) is garbage.
It's a little more succinct than that, in terms of you can now specify which plays you want at 1st and 10/ 1st and long/ 4th and 2nd and so on. In some ways it's nice to have all your 'money plays' quickly available to you.
In terms of visual fidelity it looks very similar, give or take some better face models for Mark Sanchez and a few others. Other than that, it looks eerily familiar to Madden NFL 10
I touched on 'locomotion' engine a little earlier, so I give a rundown of it from my few games.
It doesn't have as much rigid-ness when doing sweeping turn or making sharp cuts and jukes as it used to. Also the game speed feels a little faster (possibly) than last years iteration, but definitely not as blisteringly quick as NCAA 11
Every movement is mapped to the analog sticks now where the left controls your acceleration/ deceleration/ cuts (lower body half) whilst the right analog stick controls your juking/ trucking (upper body half) if you have the ball. If you don't have the ball, then it controls your tackling.
Definitely feels they've tightened up the running mechanic.
Would be nice to see how much a difference a premier running back like Chris Johnson/ Adrian Peterson would control.
Oh and one more thing.
For all you budding Peyton Mannings out there that love to change the line of scrimmage about half a dozen times before the snap, well there's just one thing... they've changed the mapping of the hot keys where you can change who runs what motion/ changing the blocking angles of the D-line/ changing hot routes of receivers etc
They've now changed the majority of it to the D-pad now. So you're going to have to relearn where all the placements are to quickly adjust things before the timer runs out, and not get called for "delay of game" which has happened a few times as I adjust to what button changes what.
All in all, a little underwhelmed, but no doubt I'll still pick it up on the 13th August.
weighing in at a sizeable 1.45 gigs]
Well, it's nearly that time of year again for all you pigskin/ egghand lovers where the annual run up to the oncoming 'football' season approaches with a Madden NFL game to precede the season.
The main big difference from what I can tell really has been the added locomotion engine (as first seen in NCAA 11) and it does change things nicely, though admittedly opponents to this engine will cite Euphoria as being more accomplished. I'm inclineed to agree, however that's not to say that 'locomotion' is not much of a slouch either.
Anyway, onto the "greatest show on turf"
The game you're given is the AFC Championship matchup where the Indianapolis Colts V New York Jets at the New Meadowlands stadium. Although the actual 2010 game was at Colts Stadium... but I digress.
The game has been bumped up in duration to 5 minute quarters (are you listening potential FIFA 11 demo) and the new Play-calling feature is the defaulted playstyle. However, you change it back to the more conventional style where you have the complete team playbook at your disposal.
Now, a little more on the new Play-call implementation for this year Madden.
The simple tag-line for this year from the studio is "simpler, quicker, deeper"
Where the aim was to speed up Madden matches where it would range from 30-45 minutes, down to 15-20 minutes with this system.
For the seasoned Madden vet, this looks ominously like the 'Maddens Play' being forced down your throat. And as many players will know is that, usually the Madden option (instead of choosing your own specific play) is garbage.
It's a little more succinct than that, in terms of you can now specify which plays you want at 1st and 10/ 1st and long/ 4th and 2nd and so on. In some ways it's nice to have all your 'money plays' quickly available to you.
In terms of visual fidelity it looks very similar, give or take some better face models for Mark Sanchez and a few others. Other than that, it looks eerily familiar to Madden NFL 10
I touched on 'locomotion' engine a little earlier, so I give a rundown of it from my few games.
It doesn't have as much rigid-ness when doing sweeping turn or making sharp cuts and jukes as it used to. Also the game speed feels a little faster (possibly) than last years iteration, but definitely not as blisteringly quick as NCAA 11
Every movement is mapped to the analog sticks now where the left controls your acceleration/ deceleration/ cuts (lower body half) whilst the right analog stick controls your juking/ trucking (upper body half) if you have the ball. If you don't have the ball, then it controls your tackling.
Definitely feels they've tightened up the running mechanic.
Would be nice to see how much a difference a premier running back like Chris Johnson/ Adrian Peterson would control.
Oh and one more thing.
For all you budding Peyton Mannings out there that love to change the line of scrimmage about half a dozen times before the snap, well there's just one thing... they've changed the mapping of the hot keys where you can change who runs what motion/ changing the blocking angles of the D-line/ changing hot routes of receivers etc
They've now changed the majority of it to the D-pad now. So you're going to have to relearn where all the placements are to quickly adjust things before the timer runs out, and not get called for "delay of game" which has happened a few times as I adjust to what button changes what.
All in all, a little underwhelmed, but no doubt I'll still pick it up on the 13th August.