PlayStation 3
Released in 2008 by EA Sports
Grade: B
With better graphics and more balanced gameplay than Madden 08, this is the first PS3-era Madden that I could see myself playing seriously, despite a plethora of nagging issues.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the third of 11 Maddens on PS3.
Praises and gripes
The players and field have a nicer look this year. There are tons of new animations, some more lifelike than others.
The control is very touchy and players seem light on their feet. Once you adjust, the action feels more lifelike than before.
EA wisely dumped their cutscene-happy presentation, getting you from play to play without unneeded delays.
On the downside, this game retains some questionable mechanics. The 4-box playcall screen requires you to move a cursor over your selection. Pre-snap calls are less logical than in the PS2/Xbox days. You need to diligently hold R1 on contact to avoid fumbles.
This year’s crop of new features is even more mindboggling than the last. “Rewind” lets you turn back time and try a play again, so any self-respecting gamer will turn that off. The new camera pulls way back on pass plays, making me lean in even if I’m sitting close to the TV. There’s no other camera choice, but there is “action cam,” which zooms in theatrically when you break free for a long run. You can take a “Madden test” and the game will evaluate your skill and adjust four difficulty sliders for you. The sliders are nice to have (enough control of the difficulty without being confusing), but the CPU still makes horrible coaching decisions.
The replay challenges are atrocious, making wrong calls all the time. Not even the real NFL refs mess up this much.
But under all those complaints, there’s a playable game of football on this disc. It’s got a familiar fluidity and intuitiveness, and it’s deep with football tactics.