Madden NFL 13
SCORE: 94
EA Sports has done it. They have taken the
Madden brand and created what is now the gold standard in sports gaming.
From pick up and play to RPG style gameplay, this year’s installment of
Madden on the consoles is packed full of entertainment and football
action that shatters expectations.
Madden 13 was promised to bring new physics and features to the table
that would change the way we play football on home consoles, and that it
did...very successfully. EA through everything at us including the
kitchen sink. Gamers will immediately notice the improved graphics,
player models, player animations and overall improved presentation.
In Madden 13 the developers vowed to make the presentation more
realistic and TV like. This includes the addition of Jim Nantz and Phil
Sims in the broadcast booth. Not just lending their voices, but also
their 3-D likenesses to the game. There is more than 82 hours of
commentary from Jim and Phil. With more than 9,000 new lines, the play
by play does not wear on you as quickly as it has in years past.
The game intros, player cutscenes, and replay overlays reflect more of a
TV style approach...and it really pays off. Even when you go online
there are video presentations of Trey Wingo (ESPN Anchor) providing
feedback and information about online play. For those social media
types, there is the option to share your game results through Facebook
and Twitter. It is obvious EA took presentation seriously and the game
is much better off for their efforts.
The first thing you notice when turning the game on is the complete
overhaul of the menu system. This can be a bit overwhelming at first,
but after a couple of minutes it all makes sense and it actually laid
out really well. Gamers will notice the emphasis on online gaming, which
is a natural progression based on our current state of gaming. Game
modes include Exhibition (Online/Offline), Career (Online/Offline),
Ultimate Team - an online trading card style game - and Gridiron Club.
The Career mode is a combination of franchise, superstar mode and an RPG
style mode to give the game an immersive football gaming experience. You
can choose to be a current player or coach, a legendary player or coach,
or create one of the two from scratch. Using a player focuses on just
that player and you only have control of what that player does in
practice and games. Controlling a coach is a much more detailed
experience in which you control every aspect of the football team from
scouting, calling playing, playing the game, cutting players, etc. This
was by far my favorite mode and one I will be playing for months to
come.
But we all know the best presentation and game modes mean absolutely
nothing if the gameplay isn't well done. Even with all of the great
attribute we discussed above, they are just the icing on the cake,
because the true greatness of Madden 13 is in the gameplay. EA
introduced the new Infinity Engine for all new physics in the gameplay.
This includes new player interactions such as: balance, stumbles,
hurdling, bouncing off of tacklers. Due to the physics of the new
Infinity Engine the possibilities of the player interactions are
limitless. This is implemented by the Infinity Engine creating muscle
tone and tension to create realistic impacts and prevent unrealistic
animations. Also, gone are the days of receivers and defenders blindly
catching passes. No longer can catches be made without the player
looking at the ball (this may be my favorite “fix”). There are also new
catch animations and throwing animations that bring additional realism
to the game. EA promote the new Infinity Engine as one that would raise
the bar on sports gaming and provide a new sense of realism, and it has
done just that.
I did notice a couple of glitches with the new engine, which could be
corrected next year I am certain. Once a player fell to the ground while
being tackled by a linebacker, then got back up and ran to the end zone
for a touchdown. There was also a fumble by the quarterback that a
lineman recovered standing up. The whistle blew and the play blown dead
without any defensive player touching the lineman. One other instance
was after a running back was tackle for a short gain the defender stood
up and the running back spun in circles on the ground twice before the
replay started. I understand these are small issues, and these are the
only issues I notices in hours of gaming. With the implementation of the
new Infinity Engine there are bound to be a few hiccups here and there,
but they were far fewer than I would have anticipated.
Another depth of realism that was improved in Madden 13 was the audio.
EA brought in a professional composer to producer the theme, halftime
shows, etc. Also added were the actual voices and cadences of 12 NFL
quarterbacks; including Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Drew Brees and more.
Gamers will also notice the use of authentic sound effects such as
tackles and player chatter from NFL Films.
For the Xbox 360 owners, the Kinect can be used for capturing your photo
for your career and voice commands in the game. This is a neat addition
to the game, but one I did not find necessary to the overall enjoyment
of the game. In the end, I did not use it.
I have been playing video games for 25 plus years. From the
Intellivision to the Atari to the Nintendo all the way through to the
Next Generation Consoles. I can say without hesitation the home console
version of Madden 13 is by far the most impressive and realistic sports
game to date. Thank you EA for taking the franchise to a new level.
- Alan
Graphics: 92%
Sound: 93%
Replay/Extras: 100%
Gameplay: 90%
Family Friendly Factor: 94%
System: Xbox 360/PS3
Publisher: EA Sports
Rating: ‘E’ - 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