Game: Madden 25 Developer: EA Tiburon Publisher: EA Sports
Release Date: Out Now Available On: PS3-360 Version Played: Ps3
Madden 25 signifies 25 years of the Madden franchise. Madden made it’s debut on the Commodore 64 and has been one of the most successful selling sports franchises in the United States over this time. It continues to be updated on a yearly basis. This year marks the most significant change in a while with the jump to the Ignite Engine on nextgen consoles.
The presentation of Madden is something that EA have always taken pride in. This year, the Infinity Engine has received a nice upgrade. Those awkward tackles that used to defy physics have now have a small upgrade that sees players reacting more realistically to the specific tackle rather than falling limply onto the field. There are some weird graphical glitches such as players walking through walls or benched players but we’d expect a significant upgrade in this once the next-gen versions hit with Ignite Engine.
Some of the voiceovers in Madden 25 have clearly been recycled from previous years. There were a few instances where commentators would make references about deceased formers players which had been made in previous games. There are also some small organisational issues with sponsorship but overall the presentation has improved from last years iteration. The game looks largely the same overall which is to be expected. We’d expect another huge upgrade in visual quality in November.
Madden 25 is largely the same game as it has been in the last few years. Mechanics wise the developers have focused on the run and how offensive lines now open up holes more dynamically. They’ve also tweaked how the backs dynamically changed in motion. This is a really appreciated upgrade and now makes games play more openly and more realistically. It opens up plays that you couldn’t make so easily before and this is significantly important into creating more realistic and enjoyable Madden game.
Ultimate Team has seen a bunch of upgrades. Madden 25 gives you even more of an opportunity to make a killer pack. There are now special challenges placed through the session as well as the opportunity to win big games and special events. EA have also included an ultimate 25 squad which has been hand-picked by EA in order to provide the best football experience. You can only use them in the Play Now mode but this really gives you the chance to use a dream team.
Owners mode is a great node mode that EA have included. It allows you to take the role of the owner and control every aspect of your team as well as things like which stadium they play in. It will be your job to make sure the fans are happy whilst maintaining the overall health of your team. You will manage blockbuster trades and things such as fees of entry and parking tickets. You also have to manage things like staff and player salaries and make sure that all of your books are in order. You also have the chance to move your team to another town if it is financially beneficial to you as the owner.
This all ties into the connected franchise mode. You can improve player and coaching skills by the managing experience that you’ve earned throughout the season. If you’re an NFL lover then this is the mode for you. It incorporates a realistic sim of owning an NFL team whilst still maintaining the great gameplay that is Madden NFL.
Madden Share is also a new feature that EA have added. You can now upload things such as customer sliders and play books with others online using Madden share. It really opens up your playing experience to see what other players have been using and it’s great to see that EA have done away with the USB uploading and allowed for a big community to come to life. You can sort by passing, running or custom with ease and even rate them for the rest of the community.
Madden 25 isn’t ground breaking by any stretch of the imagination. It features a few much needed additions that will force the Madden faithful to upgrade. It’s been great to watch this series grow over the last 25 years and we can’t wait to see it come to a new life with the Ignite engine on Next Gen consoles.
