PlayStation 3
Released in 2013 by EA Sports
Grade: A
This edition of Madden has an improved physics engine and well-balanced football logic, topping all previous entries in PS3 generation. The bugs are minor this year, affecting the presentation much more than the gameplay.
Where it falls in the series
It’s the eighth of 11 editions on PS3, and the series jumped to PS4 and Xbox One the same year.
It should be called Madden NFL 14. The confusing “25” in the title commemorates Madden’s 25th anniversary.
Praises and gripes
Madden 13 debuted the “Infinity engine” in ugly fashion, with flailing limbs and spastic animations. This edition fixes about 99 percent of those. It looks and feels great.
The action is fast and smooth. The controls are responsive. The tactical options are well organized. The turbo button is back after a few years off, and it’s nice to have again.
If there’s a major complaint to be made, it’s that the game favors offense. Quarterbacks make accurate passes, linemen block well, runners withstand contact, and receivers are smarter than ever. By contrast, defensive players occasionally slip up, making bad pursuits and playing robotic zone coverage. New “heat seeker” tackling and “ball hawk” controls help you out slightly when controlling a defensive player, but purists will want to tweak the sliders for a more realistic NFL simulation.
(Quick side note: I was surprised to see suggested sliders online that drastically change up the game’s logic, and then delighted to find that those sliders improved my experience substantially.)
Despite all that, the game has more fumbles than before, and CPU players still make slick interceptions consistently.
Also new to this edition are “precision” moves, giving star players a boost on jukes if you hold L2. It’s a tricky, subtle change, but expert gamers will make the most of it.
On defense, there’s now a “guess play” mechanic that’s handy a few times a game. It’s best used to stop the run in an obvious running situation.
The camera is set unusually far back, and it quickly zooms in when the QB gets rid of the ball. It’s like the game is made for a gigantic TV screen, and there’s no decent alternative.
There are some bugs, as always, but they mostly affect the presentation. You’ll chuckle when the refs make a chain measurement after an incomplete pass, and you’ll be annoyed by an unusual delay here and there.
In terms of gameplay, you might see offensive pass interference … by a lineman, so just pretend it was a holding call instead. The coach’s challenges are still inconsistent, and the wind gauge is still backwards. (The same glitch two years in a row? Come on, EA.)
The commentary from Jim Nantz and Phil Simms is much improved. One bad sound quirk is that you keep hearing the same songs through the stadium PA unless you turn it off completely, which means you won’t hear referee calls and the PA announcer.
The franchise mode is more intensive than before, with lots of team management between games. Even if you like spending time with these RPG elements, you’ll be annoyed by the slow, clunky menus.
Overall, this game excels with quality gameplay and few hiccups.