Madden NFL 19

Oh, Madden, my Madden. Every year we receive Madden codes for review, and every year there is something a little bit different about the offense/defense side of the ball. Last year, we played a more balanced Madden game that not only brought the game into a new light in terms of bringing down the bar for difficulty but also opened the door for new players to really compete against hardcore players. That was something that didn’t make too many Madden fans happy, but it did bring the game back to less skill and more fun. Ultimately, whenever you’re making games, the first thought it should be about having fun. I think that is lost on some gamers these days, which is a shame because you should always look to having fun in a game.

Soapbox speech aside, Madden 18 also did something that no other Madden game had done before, it had accurately depicted a team’s level of strength and made the lower teams struggle a bit more due to, well, the team frankly being sucky. As a Browns fan, I can wholeheartedly tell you that Madden NFL 18 was the most realistic the Browns have ever been in a Madden game — they were awful. While my frustration of not winning in August playing Madden might have felt like an unfair slight, ultimately the actual Browns team went 0-16 during the actual 2017-18 season, which all but confirmed the accuracy of Madden NFL 18. Madden knew, and that meant the world to me when it came to authenticity.

Anyway, Madden 19 isn’t too far off from its predecessor. It’s challenging in its gameplay design, something carried over from last year. It also does bring a spark of hope with the Browns’ season, but not too much of one where we’re taking down Tom Brady’s New England team. I can’t keep Tyrod Taylor healthy for whatever reason, which is damaging the journey just a bit. Regardless, the game is showing the Browns are improving, but not yet winning the Super Bowl, which is where I believe all Browns fans’ current state of mind lies at the moment. Okay, enough about my Browns hopes/dreams, let’s talk about the nitty gritty of this year’s Madden NFL game and dig right into the gameplay design that makes this year stand out quite well.

A few things right from the get-go stand out about Madden 19: Improved visuals, better contact, and the easier control scheme that is certainly going to drive hardcore fans of the series batty. The latter of the group is probably the most interesting and impressive upgrade from Madden 18. So, let’s start this sucker with Real Player Motion.

Real Player Motion was the best addition to this year’s game. Hands-down the best addition. On the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, you’re going to get the most out of your players with the least amount of chance taken. You will be in true control of your own fate when you’re on the field, regardless of which side of the ball that might be on.

Starting with the offense, because I know that’s everyone’s bread and butter when it comes to a Madden game, the way the offense previously flowed on the field has always been a point of contention with me. The game in the past always seemed to stick the player in a set motion, meaning you couldn’t break away from it once it started. Games like NBA 2K were notorious for this for the majority of the series, as was Madden. You would do something like spin or try to juke a player in a run and the whole process just felt like you were stuck in a preset motion. It was awkward, awful, and there wasn’t an answer for it — in either series. Madden found ways to help that out, but NBA 2K stuck with it until players demanded more. Anyway, thankfully, someone at EA Tiburon decided to spend probably a bit more money and time trying to break away from that pattern. That’s where Real Player Motion comes in and it works well.

Real Player Motion works like this. If you’re running your WR down the field, you can cut and accelerate a helluva lot easier than in past years. I know my biggest gripe with past Madden games is the ridged stiffness to the controls and how the player would react. This year’s Madden improves upon that and basically eliminates that control problem. If you’re looking to cut, accelerate, move to get the best possible position to catch a ball, the game allows for that to happen. It’s completely dependent on player timing and control movement. It’s turning on a dime on field, which provides so much freedom and allows for skill to set in to succeed in the game. It also feels natural and right when you’re trying to immerse yourself in the football game. Having the ability to cut hard and break away from a receiver is something that can truly happen in a real game, so if EA Tiburon wanted to emulate that with Madden 19, then they have succeeded.

The defensive side of the ball works the same way. You have full control of your defenders, though they have carried over the instituted timing system and button system from last year to break away from the O-line. If you’re not interested in the front line on the defense, then the controls still work perfectly for the backfield. You have complete control over your players, just like you would with your wide receiver, and have the ability to cut and break towards the ball to make defensive stops. The RPM does an equally good job with controls on the defensive side of the ball, as it does with the offensive side. Madden has not always contained the best balance in this area, but it’s perfect with Madden 19. I’ve really enjoyed both sides of the ball this year.

Now, how do the controls feel with this new system intact? Loads better. It feels like you’re controlling the player and that you have a chance on every play, depending on your player skills and such. The controls are easy to pick up on and to use as if they took no effort whatsoever. I found myself hitting holes as a running back, catching impossible passes as a WR, and breaking through O-lines to tackle the hell out of Ben Roethlisberger over and over and over again until I felt like I should probably stop in case he wants to retire mid-game. In all seriousness, the controls never felt like they gave me control of the players on the field like they do with Madden 19. I know that sounds like conjecture, but it feels that good when you’re playing the game. You don’t feel like you’re fighting the controls at all. I can appreciate that quite a bit. Ultimately, what you’re going to get in this year’s Madden title is built on the backbone of RPM, and it doesn’t disappoint whatsoever.

Shifting gears just slightly, let’s talk modes. Here is a breakdown of this year’s modes:

Franchise — There’s quite a bit happening here, and it’s the place where RPM really comes to light. In addition, you can pick your offensive/defensive schemes and start building your players towards those schemes. I think the Browns’ scheme was just to win a game, and that didn’t take long. The mode also brings in the upgrade/point system, as it had in the past, and puts more decisions in the coach’s hands than in previous versions. It feels like a complete package where you control the fate of your team in every aspect possible. It’s bulky but has beautiful information architecture put into it. Bravo to EA Tiburon for bringing a complete package that feels worthwhile.

Madden Ultimate Team — I still don’t get this at all. I know this is a popular thing with sports games, including Sony’s MLB series, but I just can’t get into it. I do appreciate the effort and complication that MUT brings to the world, and I know there are some hardcore MUT players out there, but it just feels empty to me personally. I do like some changes that have been made to it with upgrades and challenges, though. I appreciate the structure, but it’s not my cup of tea. People who dig this will love it, though. This is a major component to this year’s release and it won’t disappoint to those who love and respect it.

Longshot — I’m so happy they brought this back to continue the story of Devin and Colt. It’s essentially CW quality storytelling with Longshot, and less campy this year, which isn’t a bad thing at all. The CW has done quite well for itself for the past decade. Anyway, the drama and the genuine characters that deliver heartfelt storylines, with what feels like real stakes at hand, make Longshot just as endearing as last year’s introduction. The inclusion of Rob Schneider is both shocking and welcomed. He did a helluva surprising job as the Cowboys GM. Anyway, there is a lot more branched off storylines that the player can find themselves in, which makes Longshot more valuable this year. It’s not quite the quality of a BioWare Knights of the Old Republic, but it’s impressive for a football game.

Overall, like I’ve been stating for the last few iterations of Madden, EA Tiburon has focused on quality over content and the above modes bring some solid gaming experience, while taking chances and improving some areas that have been very much ignored over the years. The gameplay is good and you’ll be impressed.

On the visual side of the tracks, the game has been beautified with great textures that are far more detailed than two years ago on the PlayStation 4. You get skin sweat, uniforms damaged by the field, and great stadium environments led by obnoxious fans that don’t look like cardboard cutouts. The voices, the movements of the players, and even the weather has dramatically improved from last year’s game. The contact is included with the visuals, as it seems a bit more spot-on than usual. You will still get cuts in the animation and breaks through players when they’re interacting after the play is over, but when the ball is in play, the visuals will shine. EA Tiburon did a good job with upgrading things visually, though, they seemed to spend more time on gameplay improvements. I’m okay with the latter, but appreciate the former.

As for the audio, they needed more dialogue from the commentators. By game four of the Browns season, the dialogue started to repeat itself pretty obviously. It’s certainly not a game breaker, but it’s obvious. Give those writers overtime pay (or raises) and get more dialogue in that game!

All in all, I really enjoyed my time with Madden 19. The addition of Real Player Motion to the package improved Madden 19 dramatically. The controls felt great because of it and the gameplay felt tightly woven, which translated to one fun experience playing football in a video game.