Madden NFL 11
SCORE: 84
I have always been a Next-Gen Madden gamer. So you can imagine my excitement in checking out the Wii version this year when EA announced some of the new features and gameplay changes – specific to the Wii console. These new features include an all-new Franchise mode, the new GameFlow play calling system, brand new player animations and weather based gameplay. Add those additions to some minor tweaks and enhancements, and you have a highly anticipated Madden experience for the Wii.
The all-new Franchise mode provides the gamer with assistants and assistant coaches that provide feedback ranging from fan loyalty to income and expenses. The Franchise interface is the town of your chosen team. Each aspect of you Franchise (such as finances, game-planning, and roster) is located in a different building around the team’s stadium. The town’s success is directly related to the success of the team on the field. If fans are not pleased with the on-field product, then the revenue drops and the town suffers. The presentation of the new Franchise mode is top notch. Menus are easy to use and the interaction with the assistants is fun.
But with any football game, the Franchise mode is only as good as the on-field action. And that leads us to the new play calling system called GameFlow. GameFlow lets the gamer focus on running the plays as they are called in from the sideline. The plays are called and based on the tendencies of the real life coaches of all 32 teams. Some gamers may not like this feature, as I know I like to call my own plays and use certain strategies in doing so. But newcomers and novice gamers may enjoy not having to cycle through so many plays between every snap. Hard core gamers rest assured that this is an option that can be turned on or off, so it is not required.
The weather-based gameplay makes an appearance on the Wii console and is much welcomed. It is nice to see the uniforms get muddy from the rain soaked field. The games in the winter months will now be more representative of their real life counterparts.
Making a return in Madden 11 are the plethora of mini games. A favorite of the younger gamers will be Huddle-up. This mode allows the second player to simply knock down the opponent’s players to aid player number one. This makes for some funny gameplay for those looking for some entertainment and laughs. Other mini games include training camp drills, multiplayer competitions and many more.
The graphics of Wii Madden are definitely more “cartoony” than the Next Gen cousins. Players are big and bulky, and do not look like real life football players. This is fine though, as it fits with the style of play and overall presentation of Madden 11 for the Wii. Speaking of presentation, the play-by-play commentary has a new voice – Gus Johnson. Gus joins Madden veteran Cris Collinsworth in the booth. Their commentary is decent and brings a more Sunday afternoon feel to the game. Gus does get over excited for small gains or relatively unimportant plays, but that is actually how he calls games in real life. One specific issue I had with the commentary was when running a toss play. Gus would blurt out something like “He has plenty of running room…” and then I would be tackled for a 3 yard loss. This happened at least a dozen times, and I grew to expect it on those types of plays, and Gus never let me down.
Even with the new features and improvements made in gameplay and presentations, there are several bugs and issues that keep Madden from being a great game. As a die-hard football fan I grew exhausted of hearing the whistle blow before players were down. On some occasions I would be prompted to drum the Wii remote to break a tackle, and then other times the linebacker would hit my running back and the whistle would blow before they ever hit the ground. So the computer predetermines when you can and can not use the ability to break a tackle. While we are discussing the whistle blowing, I cannot understand why the play pauses ever time the whistle blows. When kicking extra points, crossing the goal line, running out of bounds, etc., the gameplay pauses for a split second when the whistle blows on every play. Every play. So those times I mentioned when the whistle blows before the runner hits the ground, the play pauses while the runner is half way down.
I also noticed some inconsistencies with the marking of the ball. There were times when receivers would or would not get forward progress. At times the ball would be marked where the tackler hit the running back, even if the running back fell forward for two more yards. That goes back to the whistle blowing (and game pausing) before the runner hits the ground.
There were also some issues with the AI, specifically on defense. A cornerback covering my receiver – in man coverage – once ran out bounds for no reason, leaving my receiver wide open for a touchdown. When using the standard play calling system, I noticed that defensive players are in the huddle after turnovers. After intercepting a pass, I was sorting through my plays when I noticed the huddle was full of all the defensive players – for both teams.
Following in the footsteps of the recent World Cup, there was some terrible officiating in Madden 11. I was once facing a 3 and 17 when I was sacked by a defensive player, only to see the defense was flagged for Roughing the Passer. That’s right, even though he sacked me (I had the ball) the defense was called for a penalty that gave me a first down.
Madden 11 for the Wii has a great foundation for what could be a
wonderful football experience. But there are too many issues that plague
this title and keep it from reaching its full potential. Even though the
title did not meet the high expectations, the numerous game modes, mini
games, multiplayer games and new features will propel Madden 11 to what
should be another successful season.
- Alan
Graphics: 85%
Sound: 84%
Replay/Extras: 86%
Gameplay: 74%
Family Friendly Factor: 94%
System: Wii
Publisher: EA Sports
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
Want more info on this
product,
or the company that made this product?
Set web browser to:
Link
Got a question, comment,
or a concern regarding this
review?
Email them to:
GameReviews@familyfriendlygaming.com