Madden 12 review

Strong, but uneven, Madden keeps chugging along

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Tackling animations superb

  • +

    Dented helmets and dirty unis

  • +

    Online communities

Cons

  • -

    Worst. Commentary. Ever.

  • -

    Unrealistic Superstar mode

  • -

    No hope for newbies

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Mike Vick’s had a rough game, and it shows. A paint-scarred helmet and a grass-stained uniform bear th🌊e scars of an afternoon being abused by the Packers’ defense at Lambeau Field. Between the half-dozen sacks and countless other knockdowns, the Philly QB looks weary as he steps to the line. Despite the beating he and the Eagles have taken, they’ve dished it out pretty well too and trail by four points with a few ticks left on the clock. The call is for a pass out of a shotgun formation, hoping to open up the field for Vick to make one last dash for the goal line.

As the ball is snapped, it’s apparent that – at least for a moment – the strategy worked. The linebackers back off and the d-backs follow their receiver targets, opening up a small but clear patch of green; Vick takes off running at full speed. A quarter-second later, Packers corner Sam Shields reverses direction and chases his prey. The quarterback sprints for the goal line and jumps in the air; Shields meets him and the two collide in a spectacularly violent collision that leജaves both men pointed in drastically different directions than they were moments ago. When it’s all over, the referee raises his arms and the game is done. On this afternoon, at least, the Eagles have won.

Madden 12 is full of moments like these, in many ways because of a clear direction to please its core constituents. Casual fans will love the updated tackling animations, streamlined play-calling, and the visuals showing the wear and tear players receive throughout the game. Deeper-searchers will appreciate significant additions to the offline franchise mode and the updated single-player Superstar. Online-heavy users finally get to manage their own communities within the game itself, with walled-off settings, stats, and player management free from the constraints of the otherwise-unchanged online franchise. Newcomers will… not understand anything, especially with no tutorial in sight for such a complicated game. EA clearly isn’𓆏t worried about first-timers this go-round.

More than ever, the on-field experience depends on the flip of a switch. Playing 🐎the game on default settings, we tear it up like the ’84 49ers, moving the ball at will on the ground or in the air. The updated tackling engine produces some great moments of violence, as mid-air collisions and direction-reversing gang tackles made us happily wince on a regular basis. Turn up the difficulty one notch to All-Pro, though, and most of those hits happen in our backfield. The updated blocking mechanics heavily favor the defense, and games featuring a dozen combined sacks and scads of interceptions are normal. Even the best offensive lines seem to struggle, and a slow-footed QB 🎀is a recipe for disaster. Of course, skilled Madden players will overcome the obstacles and learn the nuances of the game, assuming they are willing and able to spend the time to do so.