2.10.2012

The last madden I bought was madden 10, and only now have I deemed a madden worthy of purchase. Many things have changed this year, mostly for the better.Connected careers is one great addition. Many people are complaining that features have been removed but this is not how I have found things. Having played full seasons as both a player and a coach, I have been much more engrossed in the experience. As a player there is the allure of season goals, hall of fame recognition and player progression (which makes this superstar mode much more playable and purposeful). As a coach now you can be fired which adds an element of pressure, and goals adapt to your success or failure to make next season more realistic and enjoyable.Free agency is pretty interesting too, as you can see who has bid for players and watch as the offers are wittled down. My only issue is the lack of notification when you successfully gain a free agent (i only found out when checking my roster). The draft is another great improvement. It feels so life-like in the way that cpu teams trade up and down picks, and the back stories behind players is a nice touch. Scouting is a huge part of the game now, if you don't scout the right players you will end up guessing on players and inevitably wind up with first round busts. Finally, the added news feed is interesting to read throughout the year, and can be helpful for scouting players, as it hints at who is playing well in the college leagues etc.Gameplay feels different too. The new physics engine definitely has flaws - players running into each other will react no matter who they are or when this happens (even after the end of plays). It can get frustrating as a running back to trip over a lineman in the back field when you can see a huge lane opening up. But thankfully, this is rare and with more practice it becomes a rare occurence. Ultimately running is more interesting (no more guaranteed TDs by juking/trucking everywhere) and tackles often feel much more powerful and wince-worthy, which is always a plus. Tackles and sacks generally look more pleasing, and the new ball hawk interception system is fun without making interceptions overly simple.The one problem i did have however is with defence this year. While playing as the bills, with a great d, it was still really tough to get stops, especially against superstar players (to the point that any team with a running back or receiver over 80 tended to win games against me). Eventually i found that commiting to a type of play using the left trigger was one way of dealing with it, and in a way it makes things more challenging, but it can be frustrating.In conclusion, while many say this madden is terrible, I think it is in fact one of the best yet. I was on the fence with this but haven't regretted it at all. The graphics are great, the gameplay is vastly better and the game modes have more depth - you feel more inclined to play in your league's universe for as long as possible. With fantasy draft being added apparently there really isn't much of a reason not to get this game.+ great gameplay, with a physics engine, means no repetitive animations+ immersive career modes, franchise and superstar are still here! And they have improved for the better+ it seems EA have listened and are adding fantasy draft- defence can be a b%$, especially against speedy players- players tripping over each other isn't a great look, and can really ruin some great plays- i guess if i'm complaining, why wasn't this changed earlier?Verdict: 8(.5) out of 10 - a great, slightly flawed, but largely well executed madden, if you're sitting on the fence you won't regret it

13.9.2012

I really really enjoy this game. Before I go ahead and give my opinion, I just want to say I don't play online, haven't had XBL for ages.Pros:- running game is greatly improved from previous versions, it feels so much more realistic, the momentum-based style makes you think totally differently than the standard Madden 'employ juke move now' mentality.- the 'news' screen when you are playing your manager/player career is AWESOME. They have a fake twitter feed where people such as Skip Bayless put up their opinions about games in the league, and there seem to be storylines about every team not just your own.- the draft is very fun even if the method of scouting players in the upcoming draft means you really can't get much info past your 1st and 2nd picks.- also,and this is probably my favourite aspect of the game, they made up a metric tonne of fake histories of all the new draft players that come out every year, that the draft commentato actually says! I'm in 2019 and whenever I draft, the commentator guy still comes out with fresh new tales about some of the big names in the draft, for example that one of the guys was highly lauded and looked to be a shoo in to the top 10, before his reputation as a party boy started to exceed his on field reputation and he slid down the draft.- the fact that all your players earn XP and you can spend it developing them however you wish is fantastic- something really amazing, it seems the AI of the computer adapts to your way of playing!!! It's like, there is film going around in the league and everyone learns your favourite plays. It's crazy, I used to run loads of plays where my WRs go up and then turn around on the spot, but the AI started to bring OLBs to undercut the route and stop me pumping the ball there. So I changed and brought in two top TEs, making them run straight up and firing the ball left or right of them depending on the safeties. It took me to a superbowl, in one game I racked up 370 yards with one of the TEs, and then in the final the AI finally cottoned on to what was going on, and Green Bay intercepted me 3 times on that exact type of play before I realised they were on to me!- They sped up the game transition between halves and quarters, so it really is fast, which is great.Cons:- When you win the superbowl in career multiple times, they don't acknowledge the previous times you won it in your career. For example, I won the SB 4 times with Indy, and they repeatedly said 'for the first time since SuperBowl 41, the Vince Lombardi trophy is coming back to Indianapolis!'. Sigh.- Also, the game designers haven't prepared for the fact that rookie QBs, you know, grow up and become multiple superbowl MVPs!!! Every time Andrew Luck comes on the field, even after having won the SB 4 times...the commentators still say 'coming into the league out of Stanford...' etc. Also, in the twitter news feed, every time I throw a good game with him, people often say 'expect good things to come from this kid' even though he has already become a Montana-esque legend o.O- You can't make your own team in career mode. Let me repeat that, you CAN'T make your own team in career mode. After all the great things about this game, this is what prevents me from giving a 5 star.All in all I think it's worth buying if you really love Madden, but if you absolutely have to be able to make your own team, I advise you pick up Madden 12.

26.9.2012

Ive played Madden regularly since the very first version on Megadrive in the early 90s so its fair to say Im a bit of a fan.I reviewed last years effort almost immediately after release and gave it 5 stars which in hindsight was a mistake. The AI especially the CPU on pass coverage was truly shocking especially on All Madden and it was nigh on impossible to get separation, Corners could intercept without looking at the ball. It was ALSO too difficult to run the ball on All Madden level also, even with quicker players. So punt returns etc were pretty much null and void. On any lower setting than All Madden it was just too easy even if you done individual difficulty settings.So on to the 2013 version.The usual EA polish is evident. As usual critics will moan that its too similar etc and again roll out the usual EA rip off talk, Its difficult to argue with that but you have to review as an individual game in its own right & not a 20 year series. This year I've deliberately waited a few weeks and in my opinion this is the best version of Madden yet by some distance. Our friends across the pond have slated this, particularly the career mode and fantasy draft which is now called Connected Careers. Personally I don't see the problem and as this is my main game type, I think its a big improvement and you really feel yourself building a dynasty. The draft and scouting in particular is a monumental improvement and really adds to the game over previous years half baked effort. The news section with famous pundits such as Skip Bayless and various twitter reports is a great addition and adds massively to the realism in career mode.As for gameplay, collision detection is far better with new Infinity Engine, the coverage on pass pays is 100% better, depending on a players Awareness rating you have far more busted coverages where a wide receiver is wide open. (Far more like the real thing.) Running the ball is again better and feels more like the 2011 version. Blocking and the general battle in the trenches is far better this year and you dont see your elite Left Tackle getting obliterated by anyone quicker who blitzes. As usual X Box live is fantastic and is worth the price alone, this is where the game comes into its own.Theres room to improve of course. The Kinect interface is an early novelty that wanes quickly. The stadium upgrade section has gone which isn't a bad thing. It was just half baked last time and if done well it could still return and be a great addition. The clubs now have prestige ratings which are good but it would be great to enhance this and have an interface with the owner and GM. Each club would be different with the Patriots, Steelers and Packers seemless management and drafting to the likes of the Cowboys with their media hungry interfering owner creating different challenges & pressures. The Media section although very good will hopefully be enhanced massively. If your doing poorly and looking at a 1-15 season lets see nigh on empty stadiums and disgruntled fans booing or waering paper bags. This would work excellently with the owner interface and affect the amount you have to spend on your salary cap.All in all this is an excellent game even though to many it will be far too similar to previous versions.

14.2.2013

So I got into American football in 2006 after playing Madden 2006, I got every madden from there up until Madden 10 as they were all too similar with nothing really making each one unique. I follow the NFL as much as I can being here in England, watching late night games on sundays till 4am, and Madden 13 really has captured each team and players playstyle perfectly, especially with the new engine that allows proper physics, you see stuff happen that never could without these new physics.Running-backs getting pummelled by the blitz is different every single time, instead of those boring pre-set animations, the ball getting caught just above the ground after being batted down and then players tripping over the CB body etc.

22.11.2012

I have played Madden games since the Megadrive days and although I have missed the odd year I have enjoyed watching the game grow over the years. I thought last years version was superb and although Madden 13 took a little getting used to I think it is also a fantastic product.A couple of things have been lost with Franchise mode but the Connected Careers player/coach mode is virtually franchise in all but name and the generated draft stories are genius. Once you become a proficient player, getting the difficulty right is always a bit of a problem and I don't think any experienced player has set it up perfectly yet but nevertheless the gameplay and presentation are superb once again.However,

11.3.2013

4 stars instead of 5 only because I am still getting to grips with the understanding of NFL rules of how the game is to be played so not a true reflection of the product itself, as far as I know the madden series that has been around for years is a credit to the sport, improving each year, I guess like the FIFA series does in my opinionIf you buy this product for online gameplay then I suggest being bought on or soon after release date so one has a full year to enjoy this feature before the next madden is released, people online tend to buy the latest online games meaning older games tend to have less available community unless the new release is flawed in some wayI bought this game from amazon and as usual it arrived early and in excellent conditionWould I recommend to others....

29.11.2013

Shipping: Game arrived on time, and in good condition. 5/5Game: A fun game. I don't get the Madden's every year, but the last one I got was Madden 11. There's been some improvements since then, I mostly play offline mode, but the player career is a bit frustrating. It seems Madden will never be able to make realistic player personnel decision - you can be NFL MVP one year but be put on the bench the next year just because the team signed a free agent with a higher overall rating.The challenges to gain points could be more immersive too. The game is a lot more difficult, playing as QB you'd think everyone on the defense is Deion Sanders,

21.2.2013

This is my first ever Madden game that I have bought.The last Madden I have even played was 08, so I'm out of the loop. Over the course of the year, I've been really interested in NFL, and I originally wanted to get this for PC. It was only than that I noticed EA Sports no longer make it for PC (Unlike the last Madden I played) so I started to consider buying it for the xbox. Even though it's late in the year to buy Madden, I went for it.Since getting it, I haven't been able to put it down! I may not be much good, but I'm having great fun with this game! Would recommend it to any Sports games fans!

8.9.2012

Im going to keep this simple. As a die hard madden fan this is without a doubt the best yet. The graphics are top notch, and I know they use a new graphic engine, and boy does it look good. The in game commentry is also top notch, its actually very realistic to what's happening within the game, and very rarely repeats it's self. With lot's of game modes, and the ultimate team mode this is a must for any american football fan.

11.3.2013

Since being a Madden fan since '06 you can tell the improvements each year are leading to something really great. Madden 13 is probably my favorite Madden so far, with the new tackling system, passing trajectories and motion blur. Still a lot to work on, such as glitchy tackles and jumps some times, and far more drops than need be, but it is a far better game both in the gameplay and presentation. 5 stars.

1.2.2013

I just gave this to my 15 year-old, he's finding amazingly enjoyable - but I see too the tremendously complicated play selection menus and realise that it should be easier to play.There are some graphic issues too, I expected more fluid graphics -- but that's really forgotten in the excitement of the game.It's huge and there's simply so much to explore - the online aspects open up huge possibilities...

16.5.2013

Taken the game to uni and me and my flatmate cannot stop playing it, we are on our 4th season now and it just never gets old. We haven't even tried online features like ultimate team etc as im too poor to get xbox live :( great game and fun. Obviously there will be frustrating moments in the game where crazy stuff happens but it does in any game.

8.12.2013

Game was class but I have now moved on to Madden 25 which to be honest is a lot better. But Madden is 13 is cheaper and you know it is a great way to test if you like the game before paying more for the most recent version. Delivered very fast and it's a great game, Ultimate team is sooo addictive, trust me you will be hooked!

8.2.2013

This game is actually really difficult to get decent at.Patience is a virtue. And if you're lacking, trying to go for the big plays, double-or-nothing, you will be punished.Severely.But that's what we love about games right? Challenging. Fun. Frustrating. But good.

18.3.2014

Quite a decent game.Ive recently got into NFL more than FIFA or English football.The only think i was a bit disappointed with was the controls and play are nothing like FIFA.I do need a lot more practice at this though, it does get addictive as well

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