PlayStation 3
Released in 2015 by EA Sports
Grade: A
Madden 16 is another slight refinement in the series, playing nice and smooth without some of the bugs from last year’s game. The fast, smooth gameplay is friendly to offense, especially a crisp passing attack, but it’s more balanced as a video game than previous versions.
Where it falls in the series
It’s number 10 of 11 Madden games on PS3. For the most part, each game gets slightly better. Go with Madden 16 or Madden 17 if you’re looking for the best of the PS3 run.
Praises and gripes
The gameplay had been solid for a few years by this point. The action strikes a balance between intuitive and lifelike. There are many controls, but they feel natural, and beginners will be fine with the basics. The playbooks offer plenty of depth, and many different strategies play out well on the field.
In past years, I tinkered with the sliders a lot to arrive at realistic gameplay. This year, the game plays more fair on default settings, although it definitely favors precise passing. Most starting QBs are very accurate, and most receivers catch everything thrown at them. It’s not realistic, but the game doesn’t feel out of whack because defenses play smart and tough on the higher difficulties. And if you want a pure NFL simulation, you can still go to the sliders.
Bugs are always an issue with Madden, and luckily this version avoids disaster. Most of the “bugs” are really just sloppy presentation. You might see a player get injured, then watch him do a canned celebration, then watch him writhing in pain again. Penalties and coach’s challenges seem to take too long to process before the action restarts. The main gameplay-affecting bug is one where you keep getting a clipping penalty on kick returns, which you can fix in the sliders.
And as usual, the graphics look nice and polished, with consistent animations, well-textured players, realistic grass, bustling stadiums, and cool lighting effects. The sound has its quirks, but ultimately offers an NFL atmosphere.
All that said, I still can’t pull out the A+ for this or any other Madden game on PS3. It’s tiny things, like your quarterback dropping back too slow on a screen play with lineman closing in. It’s your safety not quite turning quickly enough to break up a long pass. The realistic animations limit your ability with the controller. The earlier generation (particularly Madden 2005) may have less sophisticated football, but is more playable and fun.