31.8.2013

As an avid NFL & Madden fan like a kid in a sweet shop each year I look forward with geat anticipation to the Madden launch & purchase the game on the day of release year after year. Much like Fifa In recent years the game itself often falls short of the anticipation but when you have a year on year release it is understandable. This years version again achieves great highs but again in some instances falls short. Each year the franchsie moves forward in some instances but seemingly falls back in others so you never quite see the game achieving the highs it should.After a few days of playing the game Pros and Cons are summarised below.Pros- As usual the graphics are exceptional although thereis little difference to previous versions.- Presentation is flawless with the usual EA polish- Commentary continues on from last year and is again very good. However there are still moments when you score a touchdown and there is a delay with the commentators talking about somthing from the previous play and they dont quite capture the event. (A consolation TD should be potrayed diffrently than a game winning OT play but this isnt neccasairly reflected in the commentary)- The Collision detection was improved last year and continues again this year. There are still some issues but its a big improvemnt on previous years. Blocking from the tackles is far better and u cant just use a quick Defensive End to easily sprint outside and sack the QB.- XBox live as usual is superb with more options than ever. The lobbies split the people who quit games and those who make stupid plays on every 4th down etcto the players who want a proper game- The draft process in Connected carears is the same as last year which was a massive upgrade on previous years.- Connected Careers Owner mode is the big change this year. This was a fantastic idea and showed EA listened to fans, It adds a totally new dimension and has unlimited growth, potentially even a game in its own right. (Sega SI are you listening) However It sometimes feels a bit generic and doesnt quite capture the individuality of each franchise.Cons- Some very strange glitches. Ive had a TD disallowed for being out of bounds when I literally ran into the end zone untouched. (I would expect a Patch to resolve shortly)- Again there are glitches where you can score a TD and run through the end of the statdium. This is fairly trivial but youd expect it to be resolved by now.- Another very minor issue is on kick offs there is poor collision detection between the kicker actually kicking and the ball connection. (Very minimal and trivial but u would expect this to be resolved)- The running game was woeful in Madden 2012, improved massively in 2013 but falls somehwere in between this year, there is a very minimal split second delay either from hand off from QB to RB or WR taking a catch and then running which is frustrating and can result in plays not having the impact they should. This just isnt as fluid as last years version.- The games biggest plus this year Owner Mode also turns out to be the biggest dissapointemnt. It just feels Like EA have missed a trick and its too generic for each team. For example The press interface should be far bigger and if you make boastfull comments and loose you should be under pressure. eg The press in New York should be far more intrusive than say Jcksonville. Expectation levels in each City should vary massively. Again crowds could boo in ceratin area such as New York or get behind the team in say Green Bay. This could could link in and impact a players confidence streak. The stadium upgrade section is just far too simplistic. You simple spend an amound and Hey presto your stadium is improved in that section to the Max. This could be far more bespoke and you should be able to have an input on appearnace etc, when its done should impact the rest of the stadium etc. The growth potential in this facet is massive and could even be a game in its own right.- NCAA football is not availble for XBox in the Uk which means you cant link the 2 games and transfer draft picks on to MaddenIn summary Madden 25 is a great game in isolation but doesnt improve on previous versions as much as it should with Owner Mode not quite having the impact it could.

2.9.2013

Ahh, Madden. It was John Madden 92 that got me into playing video games seriously and the reason I bought my first video game console, a SEGA Megadrive ( Genesis in USA )all those years ago. This generation ( the last 7 years or so )has brought as many frustrations as it has pleasures. EA loudly trumpeting some great new feature, only to quietly withdraw it completely a couple of years later. Madden's best graphics, only to have the immersion ruined by the same dumb offensive line play or a receiver out of the back field flaring out to the side lines wide open, only to keep on running and end up catching the ball out of bounds.Every year in this XBOX360 generation my hopes have been raised,

1.11.2013

I haven't brought a Madden game for a few years so this was a serious upgrade for me. I've found it's quite a steep learning curve but the AI acts a lot more like a pro-NFL team rather than a bunch of separate computer characters, the menu lay out is great and no online pass means you can access the online should you decide to buy this second hand. The game as always is great with another player on the same screen and me and my house mate quite regularly slug it out on the couch. Real time stat updates are a clever idea but can be frustrating if you play as a hit/miss team in real life and your players will drop passes six years old could catch but then again it just adds to the realism.

8.9.2013

It's great, your buying an American football game, if its not what you expect I don't know why your buying it, ultimate team is as good as ever and has integrated solo challenges for those who find online hard, it's full of features and owner mode is incredible. There is no online pass so EA aren't being stingy with this title. Is is rammed with content and will have you playing for hours. I do have kinetic but this is only for play calls and to be honest isn't great. It doesn't get them wrong but is a feature which isn't really needed. Graphics are great nd I tell you pictures do it no justice, download th demo and try it, it really is good. Load screens show the game over the years and the improvements are visible.

18.2.2015

I bought Madden 25 (2014) because Madden 15 is still hovering around the £35-£40 mark which is pretty ridiculous to be honest especially considering that Madden 25 is in my opinion every bit as good as Madden 15. The gameplay is fluid as well as fun and due to the team update system all your favourite players will be in their real life times and your favourite team will have all the correct players. The learning curve for the controls is massive which is why this game has such a large proffessional circuit. Tactics are also vital but they're a lot easier to work out and different plays work with varying degrees of effectiveness against different teams. Defending is also a lot harder than attacking and also a lot more boring.

5.1.2015

Great game. Bought for Christmas 2014, as I didn't see sufficient improvement in Madden 15.Madden 25 is superb fun, particurlarly if you like the running game. With the added controls, players like Marshawn Lynch (Seattle) can cause utter damage to defensive lines. But defending, although tougher, is not impossible. I'd certainly recommend that buyers make use of the tutorials to sharpen up their games.I also like the range of diffculties and settings that can be applied. I like the more realistic setting but fun and playability is key. This is now my 7-year old's favourite game. He loves the gameplay at Rookie level and the TV-style preamble to each fixture. Well done EA Sports.

27.9.2013

The Madden franchise is great, and they have done a really good job with Madden 25! The game-play is a step up from madden 13 with so many more moves, animations, AI intellect it is really a job to play.New features which are great that were not in madden 13 and I found great were the drills and owner mode. Very cool being able to control a franchise and change what you like or don't like about it. Also drill tutorials were awesome to learn how to do some pretty cool things in games.I did not give it 5 stars because I was a little disappointed with the rosters, player cuts and ratings. It felt like preseaon performances were not taken into account. But overall still very good.

2.4.2014

I bought this as a Christmas present for my Brother-in-Law and the report from him is that this is the ultimate Madden game. The game has intelligence as it learns from your plays. In other words, you cannot keep playing the same offence play as the Xbox eventually learns and sets its defence to stop you. There are lots of the teams from yesteryear included in the game, together with all the stadiums. According to my Brother-in-Law, this is a game that will last quite a long time. A must fro any American Football fan.

14.1.2014

Very enjoyable game to play with decent graphics and a number of different game types to keep you entertained. Easy to use and understand both for a rookie to madden games or an experienced vet. Ticks all boxes for me and I have had hours of fun with it, good solid purchase and well worth it.

28.5.2021

I had this game previously on my PS3 but wanted to enjoy a bit of nostalgia by getting it for my PS4. It's great I play it alongside the current Madden 21 & it holds up well. I love Jim Nantz & Phil Simms on commentary & I love the team intros for Prime time games. Really good ?.

13.11.2013

Ordered Madden 25 and NFS:Most Wanted. Arrived on 3rd working week day after order (one day ahead of estimated delivery). Game is my first Madden game so cannot compare to previous titles but reviews are generally positive, so I'm happy with the package.

28.4.2014

I love it! Great graphics, good soundtrack & smooth game play. Only thing that was slightly disappointing was the amount of time waiting for things to load up in between game modes and menus, apart from that its another great game from EA Sports!

29.9.2013

Played it a hell of a lot since it arrived and i've barely touched ultimate teams and online gameplay, well worth the buy and plenty of gameplay to sink into if you're into NFL. Highly recommend.

6.2.2014

Madden is a very good game - but if you have played Madden in the past you won't be blown away by it, as it is a little similar to the other versions of the game.

17.1.2014

This is the second madden 25 i have bought, the original was for the 360 so it was a must to have the Xbox One version.Great game so many different ways to play.

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