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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Sport Developer: EA Sports Publisher: Electronic Arts |
The “Madden NFL” franchise has been a very important part of the sports gaming genre. It would be impossible to think of sports
games without thinking of a football game featuring John Madden. Last year didn’t make much of an impact because of the rush that
was put on completing the game, and the fact that many of the features in the game were the same as years before. Players were
paying more money for the same game they played the year before. Players will be happy to hear that “Madden NFL 07” has returned to
its former glory. While not being perfect by any means, the game has taken yet another giant step forward for the Xbox 360 in the
football genre.
One of the greatest additions to the game is NFL Superstar Hall of Fame mode. This is where players create a football player all the
way down to the DNA, picking the perfect parents for the player. Players can cycle through different sets of parents to find the perfect
match and then create a customized look for the player, all the way to the gloves and pads that they wear on the field. Every position,
except for punter and kicker, are available to be played, each of which offers a different gaming experience. Every position has a unique
camera angle as well, and since players take the role of a single player, they no longer call plays, they do what their coach tells them to
do. When players aren’t out on the field they will simply watch the game and help cheer the team to victory and work their way to the Hall
of Fame.
Along with working towards the Hall of Fame, there are also over 140 Hall of Fame players to be found that can be unlocked during
game play. These Hall of Fame players range from Walter Payton to Earl Campbell. One problem that many players will probably have
with the list of Hall of Fame players is the complete lack of Hall of Fame players. Even though there are 140 players to look through,
there are only a few that players will be worth playing. As players look at the list they will notice that there are a lot of big name Hall of
Fame players miss, including Joe Montana, John Elway, Marcus Allen and Dan Marino. Though a large list of Hall of Fame players is
available, players would probably be happier with a shorter list of well known players.
Another large addition to “Madden NFL 07” is the feature called Run to Daylight. Before running plays, players can cycle through every
player on offense, from the guards and tackles to the fullback and tight end. They will pick a player, then hike the ball to become that
player. By flicking up the right analog stick and players can try to smash opponents as the computer follows the player’s lead. This
mode becomes very addictive, especially when players take on the role of the full back, smashing through as many defenders as
possible.
Of course, like most games, there are a few flaws and drawbacks to the game. The most notably players will notice that Owner mode is
not longer on the menu, a feature that has been an important part of the current generation that lets players take over franchises. Also,
there is no fantasy draft and the fatigue icons don’t accurately show players how tired their team is getting. It is said by the producers of
the game that the fatigue feature works just fine, causing players to fumble more when they become fatigued, but how are players
supposed to know who needs to rest on the bench if there is no information given to the players on screen. Another problem is the fact
that during the franchise mode there is no post-game celebration after a victory at the Super Bowl. There is no trophy presentation, no
fireworks, nothing that makes players feel as though they just won a huge game. There is a pregame, but no postgame, it just doesn’t
make much sense.
With a large list of new features for players to try out, another feature that will impress the hardcore players is a new featured called
Madden Gamer Level. The more a player plays the game, the better they get and the higher the level players will earn. Players can earn
up to a maximum of 50 including Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. This mode tracks everything that players do in the game, interceptions
returned for touchdowns, scores that players get against opponents, the total number of sacks that player hit quarterbacks and more.
Players can even risk their Madden Gamers points against friends to really heat up the level of tension and importance of the game. A
great way to prove to friends how good of a player they are, players are able to compare their Madden Gamer points because there are
now numbers to back them up.
Last year, the more players played the game, the more frustrated they got with it. There will be a complete change in feelings for
“Madden NFL 07.” Of course there are still a lot of flaws in the game, but even if players played only in Superstar mode, “Madden NFL
07” is worth the money. EA finally released a game that feels like it fits on the Xbox 360, the trash talking, head to head competition, and
the ability to create a player and become a star of the gridiron. This is the Madden game that everyone will want to get their hands on,
the one that sets the standard for what players have come to expect of the franchise. It is nice to see a quality football game again,
hopefully next time Owner mode can come back as well.
games without thinking of a football game featuring John Madden. Last year didn’t make much of an impact because of the rush that
was put on completing the game, and the fact that many of the features in the game were the same as years before. Players were
paying more money for the same game they played the year before. Players will be happy to hear that “Madden NFL 07” has returned to
its former glory. While not being perfect by any means, the game has taken yet another giant step forward for the Xbox 360 in the
football genre.
One of the greatest additions to the game is NFL Superstar Hall of Fame mode. This is where players create a football player all the
way down to the DNA, picking the perfect parents for the player. Players can cycle through different sets of parents to find the perfect
match and then create a customized look for the player, all the way to the gloves and pads that they wear on the field. Every position,
except for punter and kicker, are available to be played, each of which offers a different gaming experience. Every position has a unique
camera angle as well, and since players take the role of a single player, they no longer call plays, they do what their coach tells them to
do. When players aren’t out on the field they will simply watch the game and help cheer the team to victory and work their way to the Hall
of Fame.
Along with working towards the Hall of Fame, there are also over 140 Hall of Fame players to be found that can be unlocked during
game play. These Hall of Fame players range from Walter Payton to Earl Campbell. One problem that many players will probably have
with the list of Hall of Fame players is the complete lack of Hall of Fame players. Even though there are 140 players to look through,
there are only a few that players will be worth playing. As players look at the list they will notice that there are a lot of big name Hall of
Fame players miss, including Joe Montana, John Elway, Marcus Allen and Dan Marino. Though a large list of Hall of Fame players is
available, players would probably be happier with a shorter list of well known players.
Another large addition to “Madden NFL 07” is the feature called Run to Daylight. Before running plays, players can cycle through every
player on offense, from the guards and tackles to the fullback and tight end. They will pick a player, then hike the ball to become that
player. By flicking up the right analog stick and players can try to smash opponents as the computer follows the player’s lead. This
mode becomes very addictive, especially when players take on the role of the full back, smashing through as many defenders as
possible.
Of course, like most games, there are a few flaws and drawbacks to the game. The most notably players will notice that Owner mode is
not longer on the menu, a feature that has been an important part of the current generation that lets players take over franchises. Also,
there is no fantasy draft and the fatigue icons don’t accurately show players how tired their team is getting. It is said by the producers of
the game that the fatigue feature works just fine, causing players to fumble more when they become fatigued, but how are players
supposed to know who needs to rest on the bench if there is no information given to the players on screen. Another problem is the fact
that during the franchise mode there is no post-game celebration after a victory at the Super Bowl. There is no trophy presentation, no
fireworks, nothing that makes players feel as though they just won a huge game. There is a pregame, but no postgame, it just doesn’t
make much sense.
With a large list of new features for players to try out, another feature that will impress the hardcore players is a new featured called
Madden Gamer Level. The more a player plays the game, the better they get and the higher the level players will earn. Players can earn
up to a maximum of 50 including Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. This mode tracks everything that players do in the game, interceptions
returned for touchdowns, scores that players get against opponents, the total number of sacks that player hit quarterbacks and more.
Players can even risk their Madden Gamers points against friends to really heat up the level of tension and importance of the game. A
great way to prove to friends how good of a player they are, players are able to compare their Madden Gamer points because there are
now numbers to back them up.
Last year, the more players played the game, the more frustrated they got with it. There will be a complete change in feelings for
“Madden NFL 07.” Of course there are still a lot of flaws in the game, but even if players played only in Superstar mode, “Madden NFL
07” is worth the money. EA finally released a game that feels like it fits on the Xbox 360, the trash talking, head to head competition, and
the ability to create a player and become a star of the gridiron. This is the Madden game that everyone will want to get their hands on,
the one that sets the standard for what players have come to expect of the franchise. It is nice to see a quality football game again,
hopefully next time Owner mode can come back as well.
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