John White
Madden NFL 16
So Madden NFL returns to next gen consoles for the third time and this time boy oh boy, have they made improvements. Well gameplay improvements definitely visually it looks tidier but has the same layout for the opening of games and and same score layout, the playbook is the same since god knows how long ago but if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I have noticed the players have a more realistic approach to their physique, the defenders don’t all look like Earthquake and Typhoon from WWE days they look like athletes (even know some of them defenders are great lumps) Madden NFL 16 has really captured that real game feel.
They have introduced a new pop up feature which will tell you stats for that game so for instance Russell Wilson (QB for Seattle Seahawks) may have thrown 12/18 passes up to a certain stage of the game and it will give you little pop up like in real life which is cool and gives the game that realistic approach, just another little touch that EA & Madden have included to make the game that much better.
But enough on the semi new visuals let’s embark on the new gameplay features, there is a new game mode introduced called Madden Draft Champions which gives you the opportunity to select your favorite team in the NFL league (which is populated with random players) then choose from three random coaches all with similar backgrounds of playstyle (it seems) and then the real selection is on, this is both online and offline and results back to your Ultimate team, you have fifteen selections to build on your already bolstered team but these selections will help improve your current team.
It is random in players and positions, like you could get Odell Beckham Jnr (Cover player) in your first selection at WR (wide receiver) and put him in straight away but in that same selection get Russell Wilson one of the best QB’s in the league so you have a tough selection, but this is spanned over fifteen selections and then the battle begins you play four games to get to the championship and the reward to redeem in MUT (Madden Ultimate Team) however if you lose you have to build a new team all over again.
This game mode is an interesting and addictive it adds to the already huge fantasy background of NFL, this seems to be the new push that EA are pushing on their games with Fifa also having a similar game mode added to their new Fifa 16 release.
I will point out that the team’s you face are similar to yours, all random and vary in overall ratings and skill, this is also the same for the online portion of the game mode.
Franchise mode is a mode I really enjoyed since i started playing Madden and have done for the last three years, the thrill of taking the league and moving towards the superbowl has never been as satisfying, there are quite a few new features added to this years release.
For one the menu is completely changed and looks very tidy,you no longer have the laggy social media account that banged on about how good or bad you played, this is tucked away in another sub menu.
The menu works well just flick the left stick to navigate across the screen instead of the old version using LB and RB which was one reason it was laggy. There are no more delegation options to get the CPU to do your dirty work you have to do everything, well to an extent.. But what i mean, by you have to do all the work yourself is in last years game you could delegate more or less all tasks to your assistant that could be trades, salary caps, training & the draft.
This only left you with playing the games which suited me down to a tee, as there are still portions of the NFL that i don’t understand. You still have the option to be a pro player, a coach and an owner though.
“Draft champions breathes new life into a great game and extends MUT even further.”
In game for franchise mode there is a focus on individual players overall and their confidence, you’re tasked with weekly and season goals for each player, the coach and the team. I found this a little distracting from the game but it is a good feature to improve the players, i’m sure in real life the players have their own goals and also they have their contract bonuses, set on how many sacks a defender gets or how many rushing yards a running back gets over the course of a season.
As stated before the visuals aren’t that noticeable, there is a few tidy areas where you’ll think ooooo and ahhhh but overall it is much the same as last year. In game being the quarterback has never been so good now with so many different plays to choose from and the new mechanics created to make passing that much better.
As the quarterback you call the play you want to run, the passing comprises a selection of buttons on the receiver’s and you used to press the button to pass, tap it for a lofted pass, hold it for a bullet. Well now they have new motions, LB passes it low away from interception is just one of them i won’t go into details as i’ll be here all day.
This not only helps deliver the most challenging CPU QB’s to date, but also creates a clear distinction between different QB’s. The response you get from Peyton Manning (pocket passer) is dramatically different than the behavior you will see from dual threats like Andrew Luck or Russell Wilson. The team completely re-worked QB pocket, scramble and rollout locomotion. Tap the RT button in the QB’s drop back, or when standing in the pocket. This allows players to “roll to pass,” and includes a completely reworked back shoulder roll out to pass. These new mechanics work brilliantly with our boot and roll out plays, each style of QB will now react to situations differently, based on their traits.
There are also new catching motions added to Madden this year, which make it all the more satisfying to make that last ditch one handed catch in the end zone for the game winning touchdown. The Y catch is now the aggressive catch which will see your player leap in the air with no care in the world to catch the ball, the X button is a RAC catch (run after catch) nothing better than a bullet pass followed by a RAC catch and off you go, Possession catch is A where the receiver will protect the ball at all costs to get those extra yards.
The new mechanics included this year’s Madden has really made it intense and fun to play.
The defense has also had a reshuffle. Is it more complicated…Yes, Does it work…Oh Yes.
Here are just a few of the upgrade EA have included;
- Play Receiver DB Mechanic is new in this year, so by holding the A button once the pass has been thrown drives you the defender towards the receiver as opposed to driving you to a catch point.
- Gang Tackling is back (Trust me i was like WHAT???) there are new animation that compliment the defenders play styles, assisted tackles and half sacks are now being tracked appropriately in the stats screen.
Overall in the defensive portion of the game the tackles are harder and they’re also better timed and realistic, still there are the moments where the players glitch around on the pitch when the segment is over, there will be times where three defenders a glitching away on the deck before the game refreshes.
I found the main menu a slight bit laggy but the great soundtrack made me feel calm, take note Fifa this is how you do a soundtrack, from The Weeknd, Yelawolf, Lee Brice, twenty one pilots, James Bay,Blackberry Smoke, and Sigma,” EA Sports said in a prepared statement. “The mix also includes brand new music from John Newman, Don Broco, Robert
DeLong, Fashon, and Rag‘n’Bone Man. The soundtrack gives the game days that added realism, during the intervals you can hear music blaring out in the stadium, the coaches are heard shouting from the sides, but it’s a generic voice not the actual coaches themselves. The commentary is improved from last year but you still have a similar approach to it, they explain the in games stats more and also give more of a backstory to the players and the teams but nothing has been said about the Tom Brady scandal yet.
The online games felt smooth as playing offline, no time delays and games felt equal with the game identifying players from a similar skill level to you. I haven’t tried the online game for MUT (Madden Ultimate Team)as the embarrassment is too much for me as my team is abysmal but with more time invested it can become a force.
The smartglass app which works with the Xbox One Companion app (Madden Coachglass) looks beautiful! You more or less have a playbook in your lap, it tracks plays made by yourself and your opponent throughout the game in any game mode and gives you advice on what to play next it can distract, you can adjust where the plays will be used as well, so if your opponent is rushing a certain area of the pitch it will give you the best plays to kill that attack dead.
Here are a few videos captured for Madden NFL 16:
Official YouTube Video:
