I am a HARDCORE Madden fan and find this release OFFENSIVE
WHATS WRONG?
Gameflow: This new feature may speed up the speed of a game, but not the way you would think. Gameflow is really a team-specific "Ask Madden" feature that can be used from the field of play instead of going into the play calling menus - sure it saves a little time, but it take TONS away from the strategy involved in Madden. Part of my enjoyment with Madden is running a team's offense the way I see fit and living with the positive or negative consequences that result. Having plays called for me is just so amateur it is sick.
Speed Burst (Lack Of): I am not going to straight-up kill EA for the new dual-stick controls but it definately has taken away more control from the user and put it in the hands of AI (which is wildly inconsistent). How can you get rid of speed burst altogether?????? That is ridiculous to me - so the AI decides your speed, pace, etc when you are hitting a hole, pursuing a ball carrier on defense, etc: Sorry, but that take away A LOT of user interaction - if you run to fast and overpursue a tackle or hit a hole to slow and it closes on you when running, SO BE IT.
Franchise: Same EXACT thing as usual! Will they ever learn to work on the franchise and stop adding new game modes, gimmicks, etc - How dumb are these guys. MOST PEOPLE PLAY THE FRANCHISE A LOT!!!!!!! What every happened to ESPN and their inclusion into the series? How about some weekly magazine covers, fake espn website power ranking, etc - take a lesson off of 2K Sports with MLB or NBA (they dont have the espn partnership and they do it WAY better).
Presentation: With the new gameflow playcalling and new audible directional pad the screen has become cluttered with stuff that takes away from whats on the field. Besides that, graphics are better - slightly.
WHATS RIGHT?
It is still NFL football with new rosters so it has some exciting moments by default. It is fun running the bengals offense with TO and Ocho, seeing the Eagles with their fast WRs and new QB vs McNabb with the skins, but that is IT.
Defense is mind-blowingly bad. AI takes over most of the controls and because you have little control over your player that you are controlling (no speed burst, etc), it feels like you just sit there while the CPU marches down the field. The only thing I have noticed is a lot of sacks caused by coverage....defense literally SUCKS on the ALL PRO, default level.
Offense is good and running is way better - even though the AI decides your speed burst as you go. Passing the ball is not as easy as it was last year - slants get taken away now.
RECOMMENDATION: only buy this game if you have not bought the game since Madden 09.....Madden 10 is absolutely a better game than this, and to tell you the truth I would prefer to see a huge roster update in Madden 10 instead of EA ruining an already GREAT game and making it way to simple, arcade-like, and mindless so that everyone can enjoy the game.....well except for actual gamers or people who know football!
Thank you and good night. Suck it EA - I want my money back