We Go "In The Game" With Madden NFL '09
If you're a real Madden fan, you didn't wait to see what ANYONE had to say about it.
Published: August 22, 2008
The way helpful information and options are displayed on-screen has also taken a turn for the better. The play-calling menu has seen some changes, most notably the ability to substitute players without exiting to the main menu and, in single player mode, relevant player and team statistics, helpful hints, and training recommendations in a tidy window to the right of the plays. Prior to the snap (while on the line of scrimmage), a list of audible and formation options appear on both offense and defense, a great addition for newcomers who may be unaware of how to perform formation changes and hot routes.
Also available pre-snap through these menus is the "Receiver Spotlight" option, a defensive technique used to pay closer attention to an opponent's main offensive threat. After the snap, appropriate button choices will appear below the character being controlled—for example, a rush defensive end will see "L1- Finesse Move" as they attempt to get around the offensive tackle and sack the quarterback, and running backs will see "R2- Speed Burst" when it's time to hit the second level and break for the outside. Both of these options can be turned off for experienced players who prefer to play without the hints, but newer Maddenites will, without a doubt, benefit from them.
Those who pick up Madden for any reason other than to select "Play Now" from the main menu may be a bit surprised to find out that, while still great additions to the game, many other game modes seem to have received little, if any, attention. Running a team through franchise mode for a few years feels nearly identical to how it felt in last year's edition, with what appears to be a heavier focus on playing the actual games than running your team's front office. Trading away recently signed quality free-agents for franchise type players is still remarkably easy, and we still aren't sold on the whole financing menu. Relocating your team is exactly the same as creating a brand new one from the main menu, though potential locations are limited to pre-selected cities in North America, including those outside U.S. borders in Mexico City and Toronto.
Though most major markets are covered by these choices, you can kiss your wish to create the Hawaii 'Aumakua away, as Honolulu is not among the listed cities. Fantasy drafts can be fun, but the option to turn off the salary cap makes your duties as a G.M. rather easy. Among the few additions to the Franchise mode are rivalry games, in which the computer AI automatically becomes more challenging if your opponent is a division rival. Playoff games and the Super Bowl will automatically be more difficult as a result of the same "Rivalry" system.
Similarly, any changes made to the Superstar mode are nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye. Small updates identical to those made in the main menu's 'Create-A-Player' option are present, and gameplay, cohesive with the updates made to the arcade mode, feels a little more fluid, but there is still tremendous room for improvement. Heck, some of the interview options available at your agent's office have not been changed at all. Whether this is a case of either "Don't fix what isn't broken" or "We're just too lazy to change this" remains to be seen, though if gamers were interested in playing the same game modes as last year, they probably wouldn't pick up '09.
The mode-for-friendless-gamers returns with a brand-spanking new online-league mode, where players control each of the 32 teams throughout the course of a full 16-game season, as does the standard co-op Play Now mode. Not much to say about online gameplay, which remains one of the games' strength since it is essentially the same as standard multiplayer, save for a bit of laggy playcalling here and there. We weren't especially impressed with the online leagues either, since once the novelty of being able to trade with another player in real life and experiencing a non-simulated draft wore off the mode didn't seem all that practical anymore.
So finally, with the score tied and time dwindling down, the time to turn to a clutch superstar comes, with hope that the game can still be won; Madden NFL '09 delivers a win in the heat of the moment. It may not have been a runaway victory—the game still has its flaws. Gameplay is not yet perfect, and some prominent features of the game, like Franchise and Superstar modes, haven't changed much from a year ago.
It should be noted, however, that while the lack of attention towards new, innovative ideas in these game modes means you are essentially playing a game rather similar to NFL '08, it's not to say that they are of poor quality; to the contrary, they are very solid elements of the game. Ultimately, most fans will buy Madden based on the quality of the football gameplay. Without a doubt, Madden NFL '09 for the PS3 provides the best re-creation of professional football ever seen on a video game system. The verdict: Buy it
