Madden NFL 07

EA has become the butt of many jokes nowadays. And this time around, it's not just GT throwing the tomatoes at the multi-million dollar developer. Even Playstation Magazine had a whole article about how EA has turned to crap- and it almost made me shed a tear. It's taken a lot of work for some key gaming journalists, including myself and others, to try to show people how really lazy EA is in exploiting the gamer market year after year. And, of course, it's natural that I end up reviewing EA Sports Madden NFL 07. Heh.

Madden NFL 07 is a football game. In fact, chances are, you will have played Madden NFL 07 before. This is because Madden NFL 07 is a repackaged version of NFL 06 with different menus and shine added to the player characters. I would almost bet money that this was the case if I didn't know it wasn't exactly true- because, as I will try to explain in this review, Madden NFL 07 is probably the most unimaginative and generally mediocre Madden game I have ever played, bar none.



For those of you with their head under a rock for the last 10 or so years, the concept of Madden NFL is simple- it essentially is a football game featuring all of the teams from the real life NFL (including the real players), all tied together with star commentator John Madden's face attached everywhere. As the game has progressed over the years, the game has become increasingly detailed as it has gone from a simple 2D game with Madden on the cover to something resembling a real game of football on TV, commentators and all. And, of course, Madden is the one doing a lot of the talking.

While this seems like a good idea, the idea has played itself out. Back when Madden NFL was started, some employee realized that it was a ?good? idea to make a new version every year to add the new rosters, and naturally this somewhat spiraled into a repetitive franchise. One may ask why they don't feature downloadable rosters for the games since online services like XBOX Live have come into being... but I digress.

Madden NFL 07 is not a bad game at all, considering all of the trial-and-error that EA has had with the series. The graphics have now been upgraded to a very nice sheen, making everything look very detailed and, finally, all players unique. A lot of work has been placed into this facet, and anyone playing this game on the XBOX 360 or PC will really be able to feel the ?kick? of the game like none of the games before it. The sound is phenomenal at times, finally getting that ?thud? sound right when you slam into opposition- but the commentary is, as usual, degrading year by year.

The real meat of Madden NFL 07, though, is not in the graphics OR sound. EA actually did a very decent job in ensuring that everything you could possibly want is in Madden NFL 07, especially when it comes to game modes and options. Every team has individual players as well as older teams for your entertainment, which really allows for some arcane ?what if? match ups. Small details like this stick out very well, and hardcore NFL fans will have a blast browsing through what seems like endless stadium options and coach match ups.

Of course, the game in itself is pretty fun too, even for someone like myself, who only has a passing interest in football. The controls for running and passing are very easy (though, note below, the PC controls are really freaking weird), and little manipulative tricks can make even the worst team in the league (See: NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder) can decimate as long as you have some gamer skills and quick reflexes. This is all tied along with an extensive play book for both offensive and defensive plays, which actually variate between teams. That's pretty cool, if you ask me- but then again, it's nothing amazing so far as the gameplay is concerned.



And, of course, the big name of the game for Madden NFL 07 is the franchise mode. Taking your favorite team (or alternatively, making some players, train them, and design a team on the XBOX 360) to the top has never been more enjoyable, primarily because the features I listed above are all available. You can continually work your characters like dogs to ensure you make the top spot, as well as manage them like a psycho angry coach (though I suppose I'll leave my chair throwing jokes for NBA 07....).

One thing I have to add before I end the review is that PC users are going to be severely confused this year. In some sort of attempt at experimenting with the Wii control system, they have added a strange Mouse Gestures system to the game, which involves passing, running- and about everything else. While I don't mind the control fundamentally (it feels something like a shooter), passing by moving my mouse in different directions is weird, especially when the motions are not actually where you throw. The XBOX 360 version is much, much, much better- but then again, consoles always tend to be better for games like this anyway.

But, all of that said, nothing excuses Madden NFL 07. At all. Actually, the above could be copy-pasted into about every single Madden NFL game review. The game presents nothing unique beyond what we've seen before, plus control modifications and general changes overall. Its lazy- very lazy. What EA needs to do is make ONE Madden game per system, and allow downloadable rosters- it would save time and prevent constant re-makes like this one. While the sales for Madden NFL 07 are high, I still think it is high time for EA to sit back, have a beer, and wait for about two years until they make Madden NFL 09- or whatever they want to call it. Until then- shame, EA, shame. You only get one point five stars for entertaining me, but then again, I don't see much different this year.

1.5 star(s) out of 5

Discuss More XBOX 360 Games More Sports Games