Madden NFL 11
Finally a version for the casual gamer?
Posted August 19, 2010
Another year has gone by and here comes another version of the Madden NFL series from Electronic Arts. I often ponder why people upgrade to the next year’s copy of Madden, purely for the roster update. Thankfully, I don’t have to ask that question this year. Electronic Arts has made some major changes to how the gameplay works and created a way for players new to the series (or football for that matter) can jump into the game immediately. The presentation is fantastic, per typically EA standards.
The biggest change to the series this year is GameFlow. GameFlow takes over the decision making in terms of choosing plays, ideal for someone new to the series. It also reduces the amount of time an entire game takes, nearly in half. Plays are being called on the fly and there are few breaks to be found during the action (hence the name Gameflow). I played a few games with this mode using a variety of teams (high rated & low rated) and overall I’m pretty pleased. While I’ll always prefer to call my own plays during a game, the pacing of the action is fantastic.
I found that the A.I. chose a quality play about 80 to 90 percent of the time and was able to react to changes in the defense as well during GameFlow. There’s also a section called GamePlanning that you can choose 20 plays and flag them as go-to plays for specific times in the game. For instance, if it’s 3rd and 20, there may be a surefire passing play that you always have success with. It’s moderately useful, but does require a bit of football knowledge. Even on it’s own, it may even be worth inviting casual gamers that don’t typically play console games to try out Gameflow.
Another big change is the removal of the turbo button in the control scheme. Turbo has moved from a player controlled action into an A.I. controlled action based on the rating of the player. You won’t notice it the majority of the time although I still felt like pushing a button when streaking down the field after catching a long pass. Regarding the control scheme, using the dual analog sticks feel more natural for spins, jukes, etc… You also have greater control in protecting the ball from grabby defenders with the sticks. EA has also included a change on the defensive side of the ball, requiring players to make adjustments on the field with the Strategy Pad. Personally, I preferred the old method of making adjustments to an audible, but some may enjoy the new design.
All the standard game modes are back and little has changed in how they work. There is, however, a new online mode to try out. Have you ever tried playing a game with multiple players on one team? I’ve only tried that a few times, typically to dismal failure. EA has tweaked their thoughts on how this should work. In Online Team Play, players are connected online to play against each other in teams or against the PS3 A.I. Each player takes the role of a key player, like quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, defensive ends, etc… The mode works fairly well for a team play mode, quite shocking for me based on my last attempt at it. There are also coins to earn in online multiplayer, specifically to buy upgrades for your team or even reports on the opposing team before taking the field.
It would take a monumental screw-up to break the Madden series and the folks at Electronic Arts are certainly no fools. They have included a way for beginners (perhaps even casual gamers) to excel at Madden without having to learn intricate plays or successful defensive formations. For the hardcore crowd, they have improved the quality of the A.I. on the defensive side and removed the turbo button in favor of including it as a natural player reaction.
There’s a ton of gameplay to last you many hours through the professional NFL season. Even the online modes have gotten a much needed makeover in the form of Online Team Play mode. There’s plenty of fun to be had in this version of Madden and certainly enough of a game update to upgrade over NFL 10. I can highly recommend Madden NFL 11 to any NFL die-hard fans or even those who haven’t played Madden in a while due to the previous level of difficulty.
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The biggest change to the series this year is GameFlow. GameFlow takes over the decision making in terms of choosing plays, ideal for someone new to the series. It also reduces the amount of time an entire game takes, nearly in half. Plays are being called on the fly and there are few breaks to be found during the action (hence the name Gameflow). I played a few games with this mode using a variety of teams (high rated & low rated) and overall I’m pretty pleased. While I’ll always prefer to call my own plays during a game, the pacing of the action is fantastic.
I found that the A.I. chose a quality play about 80 to 90 percent of the time and was able to react to changes in the defense as well during GameFlow. There’s also a section called GamePlanning that you can choose 20 plays and flag them as go-to plays for specific times in the game. For instance, if it’s 3rd and 20, there may be a surefire passing play that you always have success with. It’s moderately useful, but does require a bit of football knowledge. Even on it’s own, it may even be worth inviting casual gamers that don’t typically play console games to try out Gameflow.
Another big change is the removal of the turbo button in the control scheme. Turbo has moved from a player controlled action into an A.I. controlled action based on the rating of the player. You won’t notice it the majority of the time although I still felt like pushing a button when streaking down the field after catching a long pass. Regarding the control scheme, using the dual analog sticks feel more natural for spins, jukes, etc… You also have greater control in protecting the ball from grabby defenders with the sticks. EA has also included a change on the defensive side of the ball, requiring players to make adjustments on the field with the Strategy Pad. Personally, I preferred the old method of making adjustments to an audible, but some may enjoy the new design.
All the standard game modes are back and little has changed in how they work. There is, however, a new online mode to try out. Have you ever tried playing a game with multiple players on one team? I’ve only tried that a few times, typically to dismal failure. EA has tweaked their thoughts on how this should work. In Online Team Play, players are connected online to play against each other in teams or against the PS3 A.I. Each player takes the role of a key player, like quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, defensive ends, etc… The mode works fairly well for a team play mode, quite shocking for me based on my last attempt at it. There are also coins to earn in online multiplayer, specifically to buy upgrades for your team or even reports on the opposing team before taking the field.
Graphics
- Per usual for the Electronic Arts team, character models and player animations are spectacular. Even more so this year, it’s a game that can fool your friends into thinking they are watching the real thing. The physics engine seems to be improved as well, specifically how players react during tackles and tearing down the field.
- On the flip side, there are still framerate and slowdown issues when navigating from menus into the actual game between plays. There are occasional jerky motions during these transitions as well. Overall, the visuals are still pretty phenomenal and it feels like the EA team is still make tweaks to the quality of the engine each year.
Audio
- In the booth, you will notice a new voice: Gus Johnson. He replaces a voice from last year, NBC Sportscaster Tom Hammond (quite the bore, if you ask me). Electronic Arts must have enjoyed working with him in NCAA Basketball 10 and his new quips / comments really offer a breath of fresh air for the Madden series. While the technical execution of his lines based on the current plays is occasionally ill-timed, his commentary is superb. He plays off Chris Collinsworth pretty well.
- On the field, the sport still sounds as brutal as ever. With a solid surround system, you can hear defensive players communicating before the snap, the crowd chanting the background and the crack of a powerful tackle. In this year’s musical soundtrack, you will hear songs from AC/DC, Ozzy, Kiss, Guns N’ Roses and The Hives. (as well as some cover versions of songs). It’s a pretty good mix of music, but lacking somewhat in variety.
Conclusion
It would take a monumental screw-up to break the Madden series and the folks at Electronic Arts are certainly no fools. They have included a way for beginners (perhaps even casual gamers) to excel at Madden without having to learn intricate plays or successful defensive formations. For the hardcore crowd, they have improved the quality of the A.I. on the defensive side and removed the turbo button in favor of including it as a natural player reaction.
There’s a ton of gameplay to last you many hours through the professional NFL season. Even the online modes have gotten a much needed makeover in the form of Online Team Play mode. There’s plenty of fun to be had in this version of Madden and certainly enough of a game update to upgrade over NFL 10. I can highly recommend Madden NFL 11 to any NFL die-hard fans or even those who haven’t played Madden in a while due to the previous level of difficulty.
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum Thread