One of the more enjoyable aspects of this years Madden instalment is the soundtrack. When I think of the NFL, the first thing that comes to mind is powerful, aggressive athletes, all fighting for the same thing, clashing helmets and making big hits on their opponents. In a video game like this you need the music to be loud and hard; and EA Trax delivers. Featuring artists such as Beastie Boys, Iron Maiden, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot and even a little 2Pac, there is a strong musical focus on tracks that are bound to hype you up and have you doing back flips off your couch. I will definitely be adding a few of these tracks to my workout play list! This all adds to the presentation of the game, which is generally pretty slick all around and probably one of the best looking Madden games to date. A lot of detail has been put into the smaller things. When a game loads up, it cuts to some shots of fans outside the stadium with the commentators giving a little bit of history about the team. Fans are standing around chatting while wearing team gear and the detail isn’t just limited to pre-game. Mid-game you will see refs getting together to discuss aspects of the game, jets flying overhead, athletes riding exercycles on the sidelines, even some clever in-game advertising from Snickers (really satisfies). If Franchise mode is your thing, you are also greeted with a new weekly recap show covering some of the high and low-lights of your franchise. “The Extra Point” features Fran Charles and Alex Flanagan, who do a great job at putting you into the game.
No matter how pretty a game is, what really matters is the game play. NFL games can be split into three categories when discussing game play. Running, passing and defence. The latter has been covered pretty well in my discussion about Pro-Tak so I will stick to running and passing play. The running game in Madden NFL 10 is pretty sweet to be honest. Playing previous iterations of the game has seen me struggle to utilise my blockers effectively to get any sort of running game going. Blockers used to run by a defender without so much as even a wink, leaving my running back open for some controller throwing, constant hit-stick action. The good thing is though, If you have a line that can block, they will provide great running lines for you. If you have a weak line, they will get beaten and those lines will close quicker. But remember good ol’ Pro-Tak? Find yourself facing a hit from a big lineman and your teammates will get in behind you to keep you progressing forward, which is great for those small yard situations. It may sound insignificant, but it all adds up.
Passing has never been my forte when it comes to Madden games, but Madden NFL 10 feels significantly slower than previous versions, which probably assisted me in scanning for open receivers and avoiding the blitz. I noticed less interceptions than in the past and I felt your patience was really rewarded if you managed to feed a clear receiver the ball. Staying in the pocket also elicits better protection for your quarterback. I am notorious in previous versions for getting my quarterback out of the pocket and panicking, but more often than not being able to scramble successfully. Try and go without protection more than once in Madden NFL 10 and you will feel the wrath! The successful running game also has a flow on effect to your passing game, with play action leading to plenty of yardage.
Closing comments
I often wonder how EA Sports manage to keep it’s customers coming back year after year when essentially they are repackaging a product with a couple of additional features and graphical upgrades. This time, Madden NFL 10 introduces some great new features that actually tend to serve a real purpose, as well as valuing some of the fundamental aspects of the game of football. The game has slowed somewhat, which allows you to really sit back and immerse yourself making some of those pivotal decisions that often seem to hard to do. Online franchise mode hits it off like a fourth quarter drive to the end zone for the win, and Pro-Tak adds realism and some additional options to toy with during your games. I really enjoyed my time with Madden NFL 10 and clearly feel it is the best Madden experience I have had to date.
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