XBox Solution

When the Xbox 360 shipped last November so did Madden NFL 06. While it was a new game, it had some issues. Knowing that EA decided to make a whole new version and the fact it was the freshman year, I based my assessment of the game on the fact they were going in a new direction. Looking back I don’t regret the comments or the score and would stand behind it all over again.

Every fan knows that EA is going to be judged harder now that they are the only official NFL game around. We also know that on the second year of any system EA typically manages to adjust and surpass fans’ expectations. So in football terms, at the end of Madden 06 they were on the 45 yard line, 4th down and needed a big gain for the 1st down. Did they manage to get the yards or did EA pull out their trick play book and score a touch down? Read on and find out in our full review of Madden NFL 07 for the Xbox 360.

This year they went with the same look and feel of the freshmen edition last year. They tweaked the game to make it more solid and less like a beginner’s version. Throw in the fact you can sign Hall of Fame greats to your franchise team and import the players ready for the pros from NCAA, it seems almost like the Madden we all wished for. New this year is the Superstar mode, Lead blocking controls and the training camp. All of the new options work great and maybe that is the problem. They loaded this version with almost everything fans wanted but left out some things that will make even newcomers a bit confused. The lack of a play book editor hurts the game for the die-hard fans. If you read my NCAA 07 review, it seems the collision detection and lack of the A.I. picking up the blocks carry over in this year’s Madden. I will say it’s not as bad as it was in NCAA 07 but the pattern begins to show up.

Overall it is not what we expected from the second year effort. There is no way I can deny that fact. I could go on and give it one compliment and then one complaint and it would be a little boring. Now that I got my point out of the way, let’s move on with the rest of the game overall. The kicking game has been adjusted to match the same one found in NCAA 07. Of course it’s been tweaked to match NFL rules and it will take a little time to get used to. Another new addition is the Madden level system. This gives you points based on everything you do in all modes. For most fans the real appeal will be the Franchise, Superstar and Online modes. The Superstar mode is interesting but requires a lot of time in the training camps and mini-games. Once again, they went with the radio broadcast approach and while I would have liked to see them use the ESPN rights to their full potential, it works fine. Die-hard fans will need to play the game a few hours to get the right mindset to enjoy the game for what it offers and this is an important fact.

Despite the few problems areas and lack of a play book editor, Madden NFL 07 shows a lot of great improvements. The overall look and feel is solid. The Franchise mode is fun and you can choose to play against the A.I., simulate it or even play against someone online. The mini-games or training camp mode also work great for those who need help in a certain area of the game. It’s especially good for learning how to use the new lead blocker controls and understanding them. Comparing the 06 version to this one, the changes are in the right direction. One issue that needs to be worked on is being disconnected from the EA server. If you play for more than an hour or two in one session, you may get the message that you have lost connection. Thankfully you can save your progress and then reload the game disc.

Learning all the controls will depend on the player really. Someone new to the game will need a good 30-45 minutes to get everything down. A more experience player will get everything down in about ten minutes. Regardless of your level of experience, everyone should take time in the mini-games to learn the full controls to save some time. The controls make good use of the Xbox 360 controller. It may be harder to learn where everything is on the menus than actually learning the controls.

The online mode looks the same as last year’s and like NCAA 07 you can play ranked or unranked games. Play a friend in the “play-it-now” mode and it is pretty easy to learn. Of course once again you cannot play ranked games with anyone on your friends list. I am not going to rant about this, but it would be nice to be able to play with a friend and have it count towards your record. The one thing that has me completely baffled is that there is finally a way to challenge plays offline but not online. Also there is no way to review a replay online. This should be and hopefully will be addressed in the next version. I never encountered lag or conditions that made playing online a pain. I noticed at times kicking seems easier offline but that may just be my own thoughts. Overall, the online game play is solid and well designed, but it would be nice to watch replays or have the chance to challenge a call.

More work went into enhancing the graphics this year and the results are great. The Quarterbacks no longer look “egg white” or “glassy” under their eyes. Players look realistic and well modeled and move very realistically. The amount of details like shadowing of the sun and even changes from daylight to night is fantastic. Now if only we had referees on the field during the game instead of just when calling a penalty. That would make the game very realistic looking. I also wonder where the chain gang is on the side lines. It just seems that these were totally forgotten about.

Looking at Madden 06 and then 07 graphically, the series is going in the right direction. I would love to have to plow or avoid a ref while playing and think it would make it seem more realistic. Each stadium looks great and the uniforms look fine, although the chance to wear throw back uniforms would be great. Similar to last year’s version however, there is a quirky issue with the camera zooming in and out just before the play begin. I understand this is so you can see players moving that are out of sight, but there must be a better way to do this so it doesn’t seem as obtrusive.

Madden NFL 07 Xbox 360 Screenshots

The radio broadcast works well but needs some new life or spark added. It tends to be easily ignored and while the rest of the audio effects are done well, this is the most important part. Perhaps a mix of radio and the ESPN crew at half time or sidelines reports would make the audio more interesting. It is a bit stale and needs a little work. The hits, snapping of the ball and pads hitting all sound very realistic. I also like the way they kept “Ask Madden” low key and not as important just like last year.

Madden NFL 07 has a ton of new features and improvements to make it worth playing. Add in all the modes and the franchise and it offers a lot. The new addition of training a player is a nice touch and the mini-games throw in some needed options. It is set up for beginners and the die-hard fans. The die-hard fan may complain at first, but then find something to enjoy and overlook the changes they need to make next year.

Overall Score: 8.0/10 [not an average]

There is no sugar coating it: Madden 07 is not the Madden die-hard fans expected. However, it shows big changes overall from last year’s version and for that I give the team credit. Perhaps the play book editor and throw back uniforms will show up in the marketplace. In any case, looking back at both versions to hit the Xbox 360, Madden 07 looks the best and has more achievements that make sense. Here is hoping the third year will be the break out Madden we want as fans!

• EA Sports
• Madden NfL 07 Official Website
• Madden NFL 07 Cheats via Video Game Strategies
• Madden NFL 07 Xbox 360 Screenshots

Review by XBS Head Writer Rich Reed

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