Geeked

Madden NFL 07
Videogame reviews by Adam Diamond

PUBLISHER | EA SPORTS
DEVELOPER | EA TIBURON
PLATFORM | PS2, XBOX, GC, 360, PSP, GBA, DS, PC (PS3, Wii)
PRICE | $29.99-$69.99 DEPENDING ON PLATFORM AND EDITION
ESRB RATING | E (EVERYONE)

WHAT’S COOL: Just about everything here is amazing.

WHAT’S UNCOOL: The Hall of Fame features seem like a waste of space and money.

GAMEPLAY: 4.5 out of 5
GRAPHICS: 5 out of 5
SOUND: 5 out of 5

It’s going to come as a shock to absolutely no one that Madden NFL 07 gets a positive review, from me or anyone else. It is, to be sure, the all-out best football game on the planet. The question every year is not whether the game is worth the money (it always is). Rather, what we must decide is whether the game has improved enough to warrant the purchase of this year’s version over last year’s. Well, if you’re a 360 owner, the answer is an unreserved yes. All other platforms, sadly, are in somewhat of a gray area.

Playing the games is even better than in previous years. Controls are more fluid and easier to handle. The Highlight Stick, which is being called a new feature but really isn’t, actually does something this year, and what it does depends on the type of player you’re controlling. Got a big bruising back? That guy’ll start pounding the defensive line and run ‘em over. Got the ball in the hands of that nimble wide receiver? Use the Highlight Stick to dodge the defense as it dives after you.

What’s really changed, however, is the kicking game. Madden hadn’t really done much with kicking recently and the game was worse for it. Now, instead of rhythmically hitting buttons to kick, you’ve got to manipulate one of the joysticks in order to kick correctly. It adds a difficulty factor that wasn’t there and is far less forgiving than the older kick meter. Sure, it’s a minor change, but it’s one that does add enjoyment to the playing experience.

Another thing that could add enjoyment is all the mini-games. Unfortunately, I only found two even remotely interesting—wide receiver and lineman training. The wide receiver training was truly fun. Running routes and trying to get open is a lot more difficult than it seems and it’s something at which every Madden player should be better. Without a doubt, though, the most important mini game is the Lineman training. No, you’re not going to have to down virtual milkshakes to put on pounds, but you will gain new appreciation for how difficult being a lineman is. Unfortunately, the other mini games involved things like QB or RB training, which are more fun to do in practice games, or weightlifting and the 40-yard dash, two boring real life tasks made more so by silly and repetitive controls.

Apart from a few silly mini-games, the only other serious disappointment in this year’s Madden is the bonus materials. You see, this year some platforms come with the option of getting the “Hall of Fame Edition”—a load of bonus features that set you back an extra $10. Unfortunately, none of them are worth it—not even a little bit. They’re boring, a waste of space, and nothing that you couldn’t find free On Demand on the NFL Network. So why are they here? Does it mean more game? Absolutely not.

Even so, this is certainly the year to buy Madden, no matter when your last purchase was. The game is that much more fun to play, and well worth the money. Just avoid the useless Hall of Fame Edition, and you’ll be one happy geek.