Review: Energized ‘Madden NFL 16’ Airs It Out, Hauls It In
Image: EA Sports
When they aren’t busy building a football rocket launcher for Rob Gronkowski, the developers at EA Sports presumably sit around thinking about what in the world to do with Madden.
Not that they have to do much. Some years are better than others, but even when Madden slips a little, it still sells in the millions. (More than 100 million copies have sold since the franchise’s 1988 debut.) That’s partly because the game has lots of fans. But it’s also because it’s the only football game in town: Thanks to a viselike grip on the NFL license, Madden hasn’t had any real competition for more than a decade. (RIP, beloved NFL 2K series.)
So each year EA has to find a way to sell you a football game that is pretty similar to, but just different enough from, the one you bought last year. Periodically, that means adding a new feature or two that fundamentally alter the way the game is played.
Madden NFL 16 is one of those Maddens. Significant changes to the passing game and one excellent new mode give this version its own identity, though it also buckles a bit under its own weight.
Postseason preamble
It starts with the end of the season. A hypothetical take on next year’s Super Bowl 50 kicks things off, serving as both a basic tutorial and cinematic highlight reel. You play as the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals — there is no option to switch sides — and are prompted to throw the ball to certain receivers as you attempt to stage a come-from-behind victory.
It’s presented with lots of dramatic flair, including montages and plenty of sideline yammering voiced by real players and coaches, and it’s over quickly.
That’s a shame, because it hints at something cooler. 2K Sports has been making magic with the vaunted My Career mode in the NBA 2K games for years now, and while Madden’s deep Franchise offering still has plenty going for it, it lacks character. The NFL is rife with drama; not a week goes by without someone saying something crazy or deflating a ball or saying something crazy about deflating a ball. Blow out this cinematic experience into a full-fledged “Be a Pro” mode and I’m in.
In the meantime, the brand-new Draft Champions is a fine way to pass the time. This punchy take on fantasy football gives gamers a 15-round draft to build the best team possible. Each round, you pick from one of three players; the two you don’t pick vanish. You have no idea who might come up next, turning each pick into a gut-wrenching decision. Do you take a solid quarterback like Matt Ryan to go with the two killer receivers you picked up in earlier rounds, or do you grab a less-sexy right tackle in the hopes that an Aaron Rodgers (or better yet, a ’93 Elway) shows up later?
You also have to weigh your team’s style of play. Draft Champions starts with a coach, each of whom prefers a specific offensive and defensive style. (Marvin Lewis, for example, specializes in “Long Pass” and “Man Defense.”) Players have styles, too; match a player with your coach’s style and your team will play more harmoniously. While it may be tempting to pick a superb wide receiver like an in-his-prime Joe Horn, if your team is oriented toward the run, you may opt to improve your offensive line instead.
It all happens pretty quickly — a draft takes just a few minutes — after which you play through a handful of increasingly difficult solo games or go head to head against other players online.
Either way, I love it. Draft Champions is my favorite Madden mode in ages, in part because it reminds me of the Arena mode in the online collectible card game Hearthstone. But it’s also a smart way to keep the playing field level. Most players familiarize themselves with just a playbook or two; since playbooks are tied to coaches, you never really know what plays you’ll have at your disposal. It’s a bit more of a straight-up skills challenge (which I tend to lose but still appreciate).
Passing time
The rest of Madden’s modes see minor enhancements. A front-end overhaul makes it a bit easier to sift through the options in Franchise mode. Scouting has also been streamlined, and new in-game goals (such as, get two first downs on this drive) add some organic challenge and easy XP opportunities.
Most of what you do in every mode funnels back to Madden’s flagship card-based Ultimate Team mode, which is just as addictive and annoying as ever. I want to like it, really I do, but getting good cards takes either (a) forever or (b) real-world money, which is a shame in a game that already costs you $60 out the door.
Image: EA Sports
No matter the mode, you’ll doubtlessly spend more time throwing the ball thanks to the new passing controls. An “aggressive” catch will see receivers contort their bodies to make spectacular grabs, a “possession” catch will have them play it safe, and a “run after catch” will make them quickly turn upfield. This last one is arguably the most useful, as it keeps receivers in stride and improves their ability to break tackles for a few extra yards. Defenders get similar tools to play the ball or the receiver, and quarterbacks can now toss the ball high or low to keep it out of their hands.
It takes some getting used to — the onscreen button prompts get a little busy — but the new system brings an engrossing, dynamic feel to playing offense. Watching a receiver wrestle the ball from a defender in midair during an aggressive catch is awesome, as is pressing the “run after catch” button and seeing your receiver smoothly glide into a sprint during a slant route. EA has seriously stepped up the animations for receivers and cornerbacks; you’ll see all kinds of cool tussles when you air it out, often unaware of who actually caught the ball until after the whistle blows.
The improved passing game can, however, lead to an abundance of ridiculous plays. Odell Beckham Jr. gained fame last season for his insane one-handed, leaping catch in a Sunday-night game against the Dallas Cowboys — one of the greatest catches ever. You’ll do that once a game with some 65-rated scrub if you hammer on the “aggressive” button enough.
More alarming are some uncharacteristic performance issues, particularly on the Xbox One. (It’s a bit more stable on the PS4). Madden NFL 16 looks great — the players and stadiums are dialed in, and the awkward, weirdly contorting animations from past games are even harder to spot — but excessive load times turn every menu into an impromptu screensaver. I’ve suffered through a few crashes trying to load Franchise saves, and as much as I love playing through Draft Champion tourneys, I loathe watching my progress ruined by random server disconnects.
But the thing is, I keep coming back. Between the brilliant Draft Champions and the smart new passing tools, Madden NFL 16 is a legitimately fun, challenging football game. Its lack of competition means it’s still your only real choice. But give credit to EA for stepping up its game anyway.
What’s hot: Great new passing controls; Draft Champions is a blast; looks amazing
What’s not: When it isn’t loading; performance issues; other modes are mostly unchanged
Ben Silverman plays too many video games. He’s right here on Twitter.
