Naturally, the revenue-generating Madden NFL 15 Ultimate Team Mode--a combination of fantasy football and card collecting that lets you take a custom-built team online against other players--gets more attention every year. This season, it’s evident EA wants to bring in as many players as possible. Menus have been dramatically simplified, and there are less “walls” around the various aspects of the mode. Newcomers to the mode are given better tools to navigate, while veterans will appreciate the consolidation of actions.

 

When it comes to offensive play, the changes are more often seen than felt. The interface for picking plays has been revamped, cleaning up much of the previous clutter and giving you helpful information about suggested calls. Less-seasoned players who prefer to just settle for suggested plays often had little idea why short passes were more effective when the defense was about to blitz, or how one run play was likely to produce more positive yards over another. The logic behind the choices was hidden, but Madden NFL 15 provides an explanation for the more casual football strategist. Coach’s suggestions are coupled with text that might mention how the opposing team is often vulnerable to a particular play during a specific down, while additional plays often used by the community show success rate and average yards gained. Experienced players will likely choose their own formation and offensive maneuvers, but taking the game’s advice is both viable and edifying.

 

Passing remains a challenge, however. Interceptions are still too prevalent, especially in some one-on-one situations where receivers don't fight for the ball and corners have too much of an advantage. This can be counterbalanced, of course; it just takes practice and impeccable timing to consistently complete throws. There are times when you’ll swear you made the pass at the right moment to an open receiver only to be foiled by a linebacker or defensive back. Simply put, Madden NFL 15 gives no quarter to sloppy passes--you will be punished for mistakes.

 

Dispatches from across the pond suggested the World Cup in Brazil was bringing a halcyon age for football in the United States. But as the previously soccer-shy Americans were embracing the heroics of Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey, the most popular sports in the States was plotting its own contribution to the global sporting exchange. The Madden NFL 15, more than ever before, is becoming a worldwide brand, reaching out from its homeland to thrill fans, perplex the dubious and maybe convert those that stand somewhere in the middle. During the current NFL season, which began last Thursday with no little fanfare, three of the league’s most important games will be played at Wembley. Match-ups that have sold out the 80,000-seater stadium at a pace that would make the beleaguered England soccer team blush.

 

If you are feeling radical, though, try out the new defensive camera (while on defense) for a third-person, behind the back angle from your defender's point of view. I also recommend locking yourself as that player so as to avoid disorienting camera angles when you try to shift to a DB after a throw, unless you must get every hit yourself (fumbles are in vogue this year). This is most obviously felt when switching between different quarterbacks. Peyton Manning is one of the most revered players of all time; he will go down in history not only as a sportsman of immense talent but as one of the hallowed few responsible for changing the way we think about the quarterback position. While his throwing ability in Madden NFL 15 is beyond reproach, his lack of speed makes him a liability in a way you'd never associate with his real-life self.

 

In addition to the improved player controls, computer A.I. has been improved greatly with Player Sense 2.0. I was as surprised as I was frustrated to see Harrison Smith correctly crash into the box and shut down my run after he read the play. It was great sitting on the defensive line as opposing quarterbacks tried to draw me offsides. The controller would vibrate just as if it was a real snap, although I was savvy enough to watch the ball and not trust the controller. The players read and react much like an actual football player or intelligent Madden player would, helping give the game a more realistic feel.