Review: 'Madden NFL 17' runs hard, plays it safe
Every year, the developers at EA Tiburon have to invent reasons for you to plunk down cash on a new Madden game. Occasionally, they strike gold — last year’s Draft Champions mode was pretty awesome — but often they just hit the weight room, buff up and hope a myriad of small changes will be enough to convince die-hards that they should buy in yet again.
Madden 17 is that kind of Madden. It lacks a signature new mode or stunning, game-changing enhancement, instead offering a slew of tweaks that, when added up, lead to a better overall game but not one that’s dramatically different.
Despite its incredible complexity and depth, Madden 17 is surprisingly kind to new players, as well as those who haven’t memorized every NFL team’s gameplay strategy. The Skills Trainer is the best yet, walking you through zone coverages, the theory behind different passing plays and much more. I’d never call Madden user-friendly, per se, but it’s getting a little less impenetrable.
Having recently attended to both the passing game (Madden 16) and the defense (Madden 15), EA focuses on the run game this year. Pressing either trigger button leads to different movesets; the “speed” trigger lets you pull off risky jukes, spins and hurdles, while the “precision” trigger lets you play it safe, but slow. A little pop-up mini-game helps you break tackles or drag defenders a few extra yards.
When you’re controlling an elite back, this feels huge. If you’re bowling over linemen as Doug Martin or juking past linebackers as Jamaal Charles, the run game feels explosive and fun. Though it gets a little fussy — arrows and icons clutter up the screen a bit — the added control, coupled with gaps that correspond with better blockers, improve the ground game substantially.
The rest of the on-field action sees marginal tweaks. Defenders are much smarter when running zone sets this year, actually hitting their spots and covering receivers and runners appropriately. The kicking game has also been reworked, bailing on the analog sticks and instead rewinding the clock back to the old three-click system favored by golf games. It’s fine, though it feels a little like EA is spinning their wheels here.
The same goes for kick blocking. It seems like a big focus during training; time it right and you’ll block kick after kick. But once you get into a real game, blocked kicks are just as uncommon as they’ve always been (which is probably for the best). Special teams don’t really feel much different.
The same can be said for the admittedly excellent Draft Champions and card-based Ultimate Team modes. Both are great fun, but lack substantial new features. The engrossing Franchise mode, however, enjoys plenty of upgrades.
Franchise’s biggest (and arguably best) new feature is “Play the Moments.” Instead of slogging through every regular season game or going entirely hands-off by simulating them, you can opt to let a game run and then hop in to take over key possessions. It cuts each game down to about 20 minutes, and while you’ll occasionally find yourself at the mercy of an unfavorable sim, it lets you play the fun, crucial bits and skip every mundane, 4th and 8 punt. I dig it.
Franchise mode gets other fixes, too, including a revamped interface that makes it much easier to figure out what particular business issues (contract negotiations, scouting, etc.) need your attention at any given moment. The game does a great job of gently signposting you through what can be, if you dig deeper, a dauntingly complex feature. Other welcome additions include practice squads and the ability to edit every player on your roster.
A few issues still need some love, though. Upgrading is handled on a player-by-player basis and can take forever; I’d much rather bulk upgrade my scrubs and focus on developing specific key players or star rookies. Franchise mode could also learn a thing or two from NBA 2K in how to add some character and drama to the proceedings. You can choose to play as an Owner, Coach or Player, but Madden is years behind in helping you bond with your role. Though Franchise mode is great with numbers, it desperately needs a shot of charisma.
It all looks and sounds good, however. While less recognizable than Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, the new commentary crew of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis is just worlds better, offering keener insight and more variety. Madden 17 is pretty as usual, and if you can look past some awkward animations from time to time, really captures the incidentals that breathe life into the players. The downside to those looks? Brutal load times. There’s a lot going on under the hood in Madden, so I get that there’s a lot of info to parse for each matchup, but the loads are frustrating and excessive.
So is there enough newness here to warrant a purchase? If Franchise mode is your bag, then yes, you’ll want the new model. The upgraded run mechanics and countless small improvements certainly keep it a step ahead of Madden 16. But those looking for a game-changing, highlight-reel play should hold off. EA has moved the needle again, but not the final score.
What’s Hot: More fun to run; Play the Moment; better commentary
What’s Not: Rough load times; no new modes; refined but lacking newness
Platform reviewed: PS4
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Ben Silverman hopes the Raiders stay in Oakland for a while and make the playoffs this year. Wishful thinking, probably. He’s right here on Twitter.
