While the start of the new generation had its Madden title in Madden 25, it didn’t feel like the next gen leap most had hoped for. It was a celebration of the NFL’s history and yet offered little to encourage you to get it on the newer platforms. This year, with both platforms heading towards their first birthdays, Madden 15 is expected to feel next gen. The proof is in the pudding as they may say. Weight is always an issue with NFL players, in previous years the user hasn’t felt the weight of moving real players, instead it feels like lifting paper across the line. Thankfully one of the first things you’ll notice upon your first run is the extra weight you feel as you twist and turn in your attempt to gain those vital yards. The very feel has been redefined, offering the user a much more realistic and at times tougher experience on the field.

 

Though it's the first game to really take advantage of the new gaming hardware, this year's game lacks any real new big feature to sell the game. The closest is the game's new focus on defense, which does go a long way to make this a more well rounded game but it's likely not enough to change anyone's opinion on the franchise if they're not already sold on it. Key among these defensive changes is the new camera mode, which literally flips the game around completely and has you facing down the quarterback rather than playing from your opponent's point of view. You'll then try to break past the blockers with a fun little quick time game that actually requires some practice to master. Perhaps most important though is the new tackling mechanic, which actually gives you a choice in how you attempt to take down the ball carrier. You can attempt to tackle at different heights and with different momentum, but you'll suffer the consequences if you don't make the right choice.

 

I absolutely love NFL when a new Madden nfl game comes out. It signals two very distinct things I care about. One, it means that football season is about to start (no, I don’t care about the pre-season). Two, the most exciting part of the gaming industry year is about to begin. Madden has been the one game that gamers can count on to kick off the usual explosion of gaming titles we’ve been clamoring for all year long. There’s another tradition more than a fair share of Madden players do every year. They weigh on whether this year’s title is better than last year’s. They debate for a few weeks as to whether or not the new entry into the mega-franchise is worth the pick up. Some wait until the following year, some buy, and then on very seldom instances, some will wait until Madden has “been updated enough.” While last year’s entry was an impressive one for the next-gen, and should mean by the above logic, that it is ok to skip this one, but I can’t agree. Simply put, Madden NFL 15 is something you don’t want to miss.

 

Madden NFL 15 is a great experience with other players and the developers seem to be focused on making the Ultimate Team mode as popular as it is in FIFA 15, with a redesign that focuses on achievable objectives and on rewards for simple in-game actions. A new Binder function makes it much easier to organize a team and to decide whom to bring into a match depending on the situation and easy-to-explore stats. I suspect that the inherent complexity of Madden NFL means that Ultimate Team will never become as popular as in other series, but the mode is engaging and can eat up hundreds of hours for dedicated players.

 

Madden NFL 15 is the latest release in the popular American Football simulator. While not quite as popular as the internationally famous FIFA series, Madden still remains a huge franchise, particular for those in the USA. The latest release in the series brings some massive changes to the gameplay when compared to what we experienced in last year’s release. This year, we see a much higher emphasis put on defensive strategy and this has the overall effect of making the game feel far more realistic.