This game will leave you demanding more NFL action.
This game will leave you demanding more NFL action.
If the one-sided Superbowl has left you demanding more NFL action, then the latest release of EA Sports' annual Madden game is calling your name.
Madden NFL 25 is a celebration of 25 years of the franchise and its first foray into next-gen consoles. In fact, I think enough timehas passed to be able to call PS4 and Xbox One "current gen", don't you?
During the gameplay itself there is visually little difference between Madden NFL 25 and Madden NFL 2013 as the camera is too far away to notice anything. But it's in the replays that the gloss starts to come through. Thanks to the new processing power there is now grass on the field and wear and tear on the ground appears as the game progresses. There are new textures on the stadiums and uniforms with realistic cloth. 3D crowds are also apparent when not in general play view.
The player interactions have been beefed up too, with AI defensive players learning and reacting to offensive statistics. Some players can adjust their decisions in real time, which makes the whole experience much closer to human-on-human interaction.
Players now have genuine momentum and can no longer stop and turn on a dime.
It might not sound like a big change but it really does make you rethink the way you play. Veterans of the series may need some time to adjust. It's too early for any game to really push the new hardware to its limits, but Madden NFL 25 does show enough eye candy to make 2015 and 2016 releases well worth the wait. Ian Knott
