Madden NFL 18 (PS4) REVIEW

Madden NFL 18

It’s that time of year where we see EA Sports release their latest versions of FIFA, NHL, and NFL, with Madden NFL 18 being one of the first of the repeaters gracing the shelves this year. EA Sports have promised us the most authentic and realistic experience from an NFL game, and I’m almost in agreement with them.

The first thing that stands out about Madden NFL 18 is just how close each match is to actually watching a game on TV, with little features such as the players rolling out onto the pitch, to the amazing realistic replays that are aided by some outstanding visuals to boot. What also impressed was just how accurate and fluid the commentary seemed to be, with the commentators responding to how well or how poor your various teams are performing. This is something we rarely see from a sports video game.

EA Sports have structured this year’s release in a number of layers. There are 3 play modes to select from: Arcade, Simulation and Competitive. Arcade features numerous big plays and slightly easier controls, whereas simulation tries to its very best to replicate an NFL game. Competitive is the PVP mode, where you can take your Ultimate Team online and play against players from across the globe. Alongside this, you can select your difficulty setting and then away you go. But it really isn’t that simple.

Arcade mode is the setting that is designed for those who are new to the series, however, I found myself on the receiving end of some big tackles and numerous interceptions that is down to both my piss poor gameplay and the fact that arcade mode is all about big passes and brutal defence. Although I found it extremely satisfying when I managed to score a big play, the loss of yards on every play and the scoreboard made it a heavy slog.

Simulation mode is little better, with numerous issues such as wind speed, crowd reactions and player goals to try and consider when trying to move the football up the field. It is here that Madden really does come into its own, with outstanding graphics and an atmosphere that some games in the genre seem to lack. Simulation mode made me feel like I was there on a Sunday, and so kept me playing, no matter what the score was.

Madden NFL 18 has numerous game modes available with returning favourites such as Franchise mode and Ultimate team. Both of these have been improved upon, with Franchise mode allowing you to take control of every aspect of your team from the draft to player management. You are also able to set goals for your manager, allowing them to earn EXP and gain attributes. Although guiding your team to the Super Bowl is extremely satisfying, this does come with a serious issue that EA Sports need to address.

Ultimate Team mode is very similar to FIFA’s variant and allows you to build a team with the players you want to see on the field. With very little knowledge of who is really the best (I have been out of the loop for a few seasons), I didn’t really play this much, but the structure seems to be one that will set the bar for future releases.

There are two ways to play each match during Franchise Mode, Ultimate Team and single player. You can either give up your whole day and play a full 60 minute match, with every snap, play and tackle down to your skill level or a 20 minute game, called EA Sim, that will only allow you to take control of your team during key moments.

This doesn’t work for a number of reasons. During EA Sim, your team could be ahead by two touchdowns. However, when the game is simulating to the next key moment, the opposing team might score a touchdown or a field goal, and there is no way you can stop this. This makes playing Franchise mode frustrating as you may miss out on hitting a goal because the AI refused to let you stop that one touchdown that broke your undefeated streak.

The same could be said for the full experience. After around forty minutes of playing the same game, I found myself making schoolboy errors and really struggling to find my groove. Sure, I managed to stop the opposing team at critical times, but by the third game in, both my concentration and love for this game was fading.

The biggest feature of this year’s release is the single-player story mode, Longshot, which follows the story of young hopeful Devin as he tries to manage his relationship with his father but also make it to the big leagues. Something similar has been done with both 2K NBA and WWE games with their ‘My Superstar’ modes, with FIFA also jumping on the band wagon last year.

Although the idea behind this is stunning, it fails to meet the mark as I found it was both far too short and a slog to really achieve anything worthwhile. Your actions both on and off the field affect what place you have in the draft and also which team picks you. You may be a saint off the field, but if you are still a bit rusty with the gameplay, then this will eventually impact where you will land. With that being said, Longshot is a true rags to riches story mode that I found oddly compelling, with Devin growing on me after each game.

Even though Madden NFL 18 is easily one of the best NFL games on the market, it seems to be tailored towards the veterans of the sport. If you’re a newcomer and just trying to figure out the many rules of the sport, then you will struggle to enjoy this game.

But for all its faults, I enjoyed playing this game in short bursts and trust me when I say there is nothing more satisfying than making it to the Super Bowl with a team you would never expect to make it that far. With stunning visuals, very few glitches and a massive amount of content right from the install, Madden 18 is probably one of the most finished games that I have come across in sometime.

Review copy purchased

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Madden NFL 18
Verdict
Although the game looks outstanding, the rigid game settings, slender ‘Longshot’ story mode and frustrating controls makes it a hard game to enjoy. Madden NFL 18 will appeal to the hardcore NFL fan, but newcomers to the series will struggle.
7