Video Game Review: Madden NFL 10 for Xbox 360

Game Rating: E (Everyone)
Game Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform: Xbox 360 (Also available for PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2)
Release Date: August 14, 2009
Buy this at: Amazon for $59.99

Madden-mania has become a global phenomenon. I have finally succumbed to it. I played Madden back in the early 90s and felt very frustrated by gameplay. It was hard. It was too frustrating to attempt to play, so I pushed my love of football to the side and dismissed the series. Other fans of football, fans from around the world, didn’t dismiss the game. In fact, they celebrated it long and hard enough to make it into one of the most popular, most successful, and most profitable game franchises in video game history.

I admit I should have given Madden a second chance a few years ago. The last few releases have looked amazing. I decided this would be the year I’d reintroduce myself to Madden. I’m a huge sports nerd. I love me some football. If I could actually play the sport from my living room, why not? Well, I’m definitely glad that I’ve taken the chance and stepped back into the Madden arena. What a fun game Madden NFL 10 is! It’s so crazy. I never thought Madden would be fun. I never felt so into a football game. I never felt like I was on the field, actually making the plays until now!

This game is not without its faults. Sometimes pressing A doesn’t always happen immediately when you are trying to get the ball snapped. In the event you hit A over and over like I do, you’ll be looking at an incomplete pass. You need to be patient to make the throw, and if you aren’t you lose out. The online league options should be ironed out more for future releases. This is a great idea, but needs to be expanded upon. Occasionally, the games offer a bit of lag. This wasn’t a huge problem, but every once in a blue moon I noticed this.

Madden NFL 10 is beautiful. The visual quality for Madden NFL 10 is standout. You have a lot of detail. You can choose from a plethora of options to configure each and every game you play down to the look of your players’ uniforms. The amount of control you have over your team and your players is what makes the game. Of course, getting down all the functionality to make the game work is the hardest part. Still, it’s not that hard if you have some idea what you’re doing and you play around with the features, as I did.

There really isn’t a story to Madden NFL 10. Essentially, the game is about football. You can play as any team in the NFL in a variety of football game situations. The whole idea behind Madden is to give football fans the chance to play as their favorite teams and their favorite players.

Enjoyment/Fun Factor:

Step into the NFL with Madden NFL 10. You have the opportunity to be immediately thrust into the game when you first turn it on. You can choose your team, your opponent (play 1 or 2 player games), and then face a selection of menu options. You can choose every element of the uniform your team wears, mix and match retro uniforms with modern ones, choose the stadium where you want to play, a game level, which dictates the level of play (Beginner, Intermediate, Pro, etc.), the weather (cloudy, clear, heavy snow, etc.), your stats level (Rookie, Pro, etc.), whether you want the accelerated clock, how long you want each quarter to last, and a selection of other, individualized game options.

From there, you’ll be hearing the commentators discuss the game, and in no time you’ll be involved in the kick off. It’s smooth sailing as you take on whatever team you like. You choose the plays in every mode, but Beginner. If you are a Beginner, color coding allows you to follow a path for success in each individual play. In Intermediate mode, you can choose a play based on the kind of offense you or your opponent plans to use. You can choose from the Run Offense, Pass Offense, Run Defense, Pass Defense and Special Teams. The Pro levels of play lets you choose your plays with much more options. You can even select plays Madden recommends. There is even the inclusion of plays such as the Hail Mary and the Wildcat offense.

On the offense, you have to fight to connect with receivers or find an open hole to run through. Sometimes this is easy, but sometimes its brutal and you are up against a defense that makes you fight your way down the field. One of the coolest aspects of defense is the turn over. I had games where I received multiple turnovers, as I tried to block receivers. This is better than the fumble. I never did manage to win a single fumble. The fumble option has you pressing a series of buttons that flash on the screen quickly. The combination is so fast it’s hard to punch in the buttons. I am told you can turn this off, but I haven’t attempted to, at this point.

The gameplay runs smoothly with realistic movement on the offense and defense. The QB functionality has improved from other versions, especially with the inclusion of QB ratings and signature throwing styles. WRs have more options for running specific routes and DBs are improved in the level of in field coverage. Each player has a lot more functionality, as they follow the ball. There are also enhancements to the kicking. You can kick from Middle, Right, and Left. When you kick, you automatically move down field in a defensive position after completing the kick. You can, of course, switch players mid-play, if you prefer, but if you don’t the AI puts you into the action on its own.

One of the more interesting additions is the Pro-Tak technology option. This is the ability to gang tackle. You can tackle with up to 9 different men. You can use this to improve the QB pocket in order to evade blitzing, enhance the rush, and you can also steer tackles all with this new technology.

To keep with the authenticity of the NFL game, midway through the game, you’ll be treated to a halftime show with Alex Flanagan. You can skip through it, but I prefer to watch it as it highlights all of the exceptional plays you made during the first half of gameplay. A smaller version of this is available post game. A few plays are shown, but aren’t as detailed or highlighted as during the halftime show. There is also an instant replay option after every game you play.

Speaking of highlights, Madden NFL 10 features something I believe is new to this edition of the game called The Extra Point Show. This is Madden’s post game show, which mimics the post game shows you expect to see after watching your favorite game on Sunday. You can view the show to relive the action during your weekly games and to check out the other happenings going on with your online Madden franchise. The NFL Network’s Fran Charles and Alex Flanagan provide the commentary for The Extra Point Show, making it about as realistic to a post game show as you’re going to get.

Speaking of Online Franchise options, this is one of the most touted new features that EA added to Madden NFL 10. I feel this is still a work in progress. It’s an ingenious idea for this type of game, but there is definitely room for improvement in future releases of Madden. Online Franchise options allow for up to 32 teams in a real-time run NFL scheduling league situation. This features live drafting, and you can also participate on the league message board. Better still, you have the ability to gain access to your franchise not only though your console, but also online and through an iPhone.

This isn’t the only online option. There is the online co-op mode. Madden NFL 10 allows for a lot of connectivity amongst players and their friends. In online co-op mode, you can control a player in an online game and your friend can control another player on the same team. You will play against the CPU while communicating with your friends, with the option to play any position on the team you want. You can switch players prior to the snap. I played as QB while my friend played wide receiver on offense, and then we switched positions. This teamwork option is pretty cool if you have friends who play Madden. The on screen camera also takes on a different angle during play to accommodate the positions you choose to play.

While I can only talk about how authentically realistic this game is from my experience with the older Madden titles, and as a fan of football, I’ve read discussions by gamers online who feel that this is one of the most authentic Madden titles, to date. I would have to say that I agree with the authenticity from a football fan’s standpoint. I honestly felt like I was in a football game. I didn’t feel like I was on the sidelines looking in. From every snap of the ball, I felt the pressure of the QB or RB to perform. I was coherently aware of the defense closing in and I had to make quick and efficient decisions or face consequences. The same can be said about the defense. I felt the pressure to close in on the offense and thwart their ability to get a first down. When they did, it was frustrating!

This authenticity extends even into the injuries that players sustain. You have players getting injured on field. You have to wait for them to be removed from the field to play. You get updates mid-game about the players and are told when they are taken out indefinitely. This may be a relatively small addition, but it is the little things that make the game so authentic.

There are a few other authenticating features I’d like to mention, but they weren’t really all that thrilling or necessary. Madden brings out the chain gang on close plays, just like in real games. The Superbowl Presentation show is about as realistic as it gets. Coaches are visible pacing or shaking their heads on the sidelines mid-game. The announcers make reference to them throughout the game. There are new player accessories to make gameplay more authentic. On close touchdowns, the referees even attempt to make a logical judgment on whether it is a TD or not.

Madden NFL 10 has a plethora of options and modes to keep you involved in the game. I like the online single player options. You can run drills. There are some mini-games (the weight lifting competition) that mix it up with actual game play. You can partake in a scrimmage or even play against another player. I don’t have a lot of friends who have Madden, so I wasn’t able to explore the franchise options as much as I would have liked. However, this gives those who may not have any friends with Madden the chance to actually compete. The only mode of play I’m not fond of is Superstar mode. I feel this is under developed and not much attention went into making Superstar mode spectacular.

I should note that some players have reported glitches in the game, that have frozen their players or put them on loop. I cannot comment on this. I haven’t experienced this problem personally, so there really is no judgment I can make on this.

Replayability:

The controls for Madden NFL are extremely easy to use. When playing offense, you have to figure out how to snap the ball on your own (or you can read the manual), but it’s the A button, so it isn’t rocket science. From there, you are given buttons you can press to find the receiver of your choice. The buttons also are used to choose a play. It’s really rather elementary. Once you have the ball in your possession, you can experiment by pressing the colored buttons to dive, spin, and improve your movement through defensive traffic.

On defense, you really only need to know how to switch amongst players and how to attempt to deflect or intercept the ball by jumping. The rest of the team works for you to try and sack the QB, though I recommend doing that on your own if you can. Most of the time, I prefer to hang back and take on the WRs because they aren’t always covered. If you can put the pressure on the QB by blocking their WRs, you can give your teammates time to sack them, or you can switch players to sack them yourself.

Ease of Use:

I remember what the early Madden titles used to look like. They were good for their time, but as graphics have continually improved with better gaming systems, Madden has continued to evolve, graphically. I’m going to be honest. The visuals for Madden are stunning. It could only get clearer if the actual players would be morphed into live action players.

The intricate details show on everything from the design on the helmets and uniforms all the way to the line markings on the field. There are minor instances of pixelation, though that is definitely kept to a minimum. Other visual errors such as blur or noise are not present. There is occasional moments of over sharpness, but nothing to write home about and there really are no visible edge enhancements that stick out beyond what is available through the animation.

Visual:

The audio for Madden NFL 10 comes through loudly and clearly. This is a sound effects dependent title. You have the crowd cheering, whistles blowing and various other football themed sounds. This adds to the realistic feel of the game. The announcing dialogue is perfect. It comes through exactly the way I expect my announcing to be done. Listening to the announcers is an identical experience to what you hear on Sunday/Monday football. I didn’t need to toggle my volume to hear, either, which is always a plus.

Of course, the audio truly shines when it comes to the game’s score. This score is fly. It’s rockin. This just shows off how great the audio is for this game. The musical interludes are primarily in the Rock and Hip Hop genres. Expect to be treated to a plethora of high energy songs by 2 Pac, the Beastie Boys, Judas Priest, Nas ft. Puff Daddy, Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Korn, Nirvana and more.

Audio:

As a gamer with a disability, I cannot be more thrilled by how accessibility friendly this game is. If you can play Xbox then you can play Madden. That’s really all you need to know. It isn’t hard to press any of the buttons. There are no weird combination button plays. The fumble fight, I’m told, is just as hard for those with no physical issues. Overall, everything is as you’d expect for an Xbox 360 game. I played several games in different modes and did not struggle in any of them.

The downside to Madden is the lack of subtitles. I don’t know if there is anything a hearing impaired person can do to add subtitles to their game, but on a standard television that allows for subtitles there isn’t anything that adds what is being said to the screen. Luckily, you mainly miss out on just the announcers and the score. You should be able to figure out what is going on game wise and are able to make game play decisions without needing to hear sound. So, even if it sucks you cannot hear everything on the game, if you have a hearing impairment, you should still have little trouble playing Madden NFL 10.

Madden NFL 10 is awesome. I don’t have the luxury of referring to the last four or five Madden titles for comparison. Coming into this game, I can tell you that it is awesome. I really enjoy playing Madden and partaking in the football experience. I love football. It is my favorite sport, so getting the chance to actually be a part of the action is really cool. If you are a football fan or you like the Madden franchise, I recommend you check Madden NFL out. With better graphics, more gameplay options, and the ability to be any team you want, there isn’t much to complain about in this latest Madden release.

Overall Rating:

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick is in his late 20s. Having been born in the 80s gave him a unique advantage to experience the development of gaming into the massive industry it has become today. From the days of Atari to the purchase of his very first NES (before his 10th birthday), Dominick has been involved in gaming. Initially, a huge fan of Nintendo, he's delved more into the exciting world of Xbox 360, and everything Microsoft in recent years. His favorite games are Action/Adventure, Shooters (especially WWII or Historical based games) and racing games. Of course, some days he enjoys playing an old fashioned game featuring his original gaming heroes, Mario and Zelda. In a wheelchair since age 16, Dominick has the unique perspective of gaming with limited mobility. When not gaming, he is a human rights activist, a creative mind, and he enjoys spending time with his family.