Almost without exception, online reviewers have raved about Madden 16. I’m in that category. I scored the game an 8.4, and to be honest, the more I play, I’m not so sure it isn’t even better than that.
The game is by no means perfect. There’s a few returning legacy issues, like a lack of pre and postgame presentation, and a few too many spectacular catches. However, those issues are drowned out by beautiful graphics, the best gameplay the series has ever delivered, a new addictive mode called Draft Champions and some notable in-game presentation improvements.
Loving Madden 16
image provided by EA Sports
There were a few reviewers who liked Madden even more than I did. Louis Edwards of PlayStationLifestyle.net scored the game a 9.0, which is tied with Polygon.com’s Owen S. Good for the highest scores for Madden 16 on Metacritic.
Edwards writes: “Madden NFL 16 truly is more than just a roster update as EA added enough new features to kick the game up a notch to another level. The question now is: what can they do for Madden 17?”
Edwards cites the new aggressive catches, improved quarterback and wide receiver experience, smoother running game, improved soundtrack and Draft Champions as positives. The only negatives he points out are the lack of carryover saves from Madden 15, the slow process to skip the pregame presentation and the absence of a PS Vita version.
I mostly agree with Edwards’ points. Madden desperately needs to implement carryover saves. Then again, just about every sports video game franchise needs to add this to its games. As of now, MLB: The Show is the only franchise that understands the importance of the feature. There’s no better way to keep franchise gamers coming back than to allow them to continue the virtual history they’ve created from previous versions.
The aggressive catches look pretty cool, but it feels like they happen a little too much. Aside from that, Edwards and I are on the same page.
Hating on Madden 16
image provided by EA Sports
Not everyone was as enthused with Madden 16. Steven Hansen of Destructoid was clearly not impressed, as he gave the game a 6.5. He wrote:
Load times, too, are still a bit of a problem (and intrusive presentation elements are bothersome when running a hurry up offense). The insistence towards microtransaction-laden Ultimate Team and the new fantasy football-cribbed Draft Champions modes is useless. Throwing, catching, and defending throws have seen some welcomed, long-ignored additions that get a couple yards closer to faithful simulation. You can decide if that’s enough.
There’s a lot there and even more in other parts of Hansen’s review, where he goes in on Madden‘s in-game advertisements and the “boring” interactive Super Bowl intro. Those last two details are somewhat irrelevant, though.
It seems odd to detract from a game because of an intro that is really only meant to be played once. That said, I agree with Hansen—it is pretty whack. But to put it plainly, who cares? That’s not why I bought the game.
As far as the in-game advertisements go, those don’t bother me. This is business, and EA Sports, just like any other gaming developer, has the right to take advantage of the platform it creates. The ads aren’t overdone, and it actually makes the experience feel more like a real television broadcast.
Hansen also takes a shot at Madden Ultimate Team, which is understandable. Many people have an issue with a game that encourages you to spend real money to compete. Here’s the thing: You don’t really need to spend money to play the mode well.
The people who are a little impatient, and perhaps less skilled, feel that they need to buy a ton of packs to get the great players. It can be helpful, but it isn’t necessary.
Perhaps the most bewildering slight from Hansen’s review is the section about Draft Champions. He simply calls it “useless.” It would have been great to have an explanation of what makes it useless. In many ways, it’s like MUT without the microtransactions.
In any case, to each his own, but the variance in reviews is the reason gamers should always read more than one take before making a decision. Know your reviewer, and find out which one is most like you.
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