May 8, 2008 - Our previous coverage of Madden NFL 09 has been based off of press releases, producer interviews and gameplay footage viewed on a small computer screen. Needless to say that's not exactly the best representation of the Madden 09 experience. Just recently EA Sports held their Season Opener event in Vancouver where they showed off their entire stable of '09 sports titles, including the above-mentioned headliner. We've now seen the gameplay and new features on a massive HD plasma screen with the sound cranked up and can say with confidence that Madden 09 is indeed a step beyond what we've seen from previous years.
First, let's start with the visuals. Last year's game looked good. Madden 09 looks better. We were shown side-by-side in-game screen comparisons from Madden 08 to 09 and the difference was clear. Player models look much more realistic and there's also a nice little depth of field effect presented from the standard gameplay camera angle that makes everything look that much cooler and sleeker. It's a small addition but it really emphasizes the on-the-field action more than in years prior. Obviously we aren't just basing our critiques on screenshots, the devs from Tiburon fired up a snowy game at Lambeau Field (something everyone should get used to given the fact that Brett Favre is the cover guy) and played right in front of us.
Speaking of snow, that's also something that the team has worked on over the off-season. Footprints are now in, as are flash bulbs from the crowd at exciting moments of the game, though those obviously aren't unique to snowy tundras. I was a bit disappointed to learn that the snow won't deform in any way when players are brought to the ground – the idea of doing a snow angel touchdown celebration was completely squashed – but the fact that footprints refill as the snow continues to fall will have to suffice. There's also a cool blue hue that is added on to snow-filled games to accentuate the feeling of actually being in the cold. It may sound a little funny but it actually looks really cool in-game.
The Virtual Trainer was seen in motion for the first time as well as the new BackTrack and Rewind replay features that we've talked about previously. The Virtual Trainer, something that every Madden fanboy was undoubtedly skeptical of when the news of its inclusion was first announced, features a cool holographic overlay that replaces the standard Madden visuals. Your players are glowing green and the opposition is glowing red, but none of the traditional uniforms or player models can be seen. The field is coated in black with hologram goal posts. The whole look of the Trainer lives up to the "Virtual" part of its name.
In the Virtual Trainer you'll find several challenges to complete for passing, rushing, pass defense and rush defense. It's designed in a way that is conducive to learning the intricacies of Madden. Meaning that if you're doing a rushing drill, you'll be presented with a stream of defenders and certain button prompts will flash on the screen when it's time for you to make your juke move. When you first pop in the game you'll instantly be warped into the Virtual Trainer so the game can get a sense for your pigskin prowess. After you're done with a round of drills and challenges the game will assign you a "Madden IQ" which translates into the "My Skill" difficulty level that can be chosen from the standard selection of Pro, All-Madden, etc… if you so desire. The idea is to meld the gameplay around different player's skill levels. Obviously we'll need to spend some significant time with Madden before we can say if it's successful in its goal, but the idea is there.
Two of the new features that we were shown were the BackTrack and Rewind replay systems. First of all, you'll no longer need to exit to the pause menu to check out your replays. They'll now be available from the play calling screen and the same goes for substitutions and Madden's stellar tips for gameplay. Where BackTrack comes into the picture is after the play.
Football analysis is something I've wanted to see in football games for years. Not just standard commentary but actual analysis of things players can do better at certain times. Luckily EA Sports plucked Cris Collinsworth from his usual TV duties to do exactly that. Now after a play that saw you take a sack with a wide receiver breaking away from a strong safety on the left side of the field you'll know about it. Collinsworth will make use of the Telestrator to show you the path you should've taken and, from the few plays that we were shown, should also make accurate observations as to what was going on in the play and what you could've done for a better outcome.
Rewind is tied to BackTrack but offers up its own benefits that will either be loved by football gurus or hated by them. Essentially Rewind is Madden's version of golf's mulligan. After a play you have a brief window of time to hit the X button (square on PS3) at which time you'll be shown a replay, given insights and telestration and then you'll be able to retry the previous play. Don't worry, you can turn the feature off, limit the number of times it can be used and don't have to worry about it in the online game space as it simply isn't available. Another new feature tied to replays is the ability to upload video highlights and screenshots to social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
Madden Moments are another new addition to this year's game and while it may not be a focal point, it is something that fans will appreciate. Basically the feature is just a collection of great games that ended in a loss from each team's season from last year and it's up to you to change history. You'll see things like the playoff loss for Indy or the Super Bowl for the Patriots. It's small, but it's a cool addition.
Last but not least on the chopping block is the newfound interaction between NFL Head Coach, Madden and the all-new Fantasy Football product that will be on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network in time for the start of the season. The Fantasy Football download will be available for 1200 Microsoft Points (or $15 on PSN) with live stat tracking available for an additional 400 MP ($5). While drafting your fantasy squad isn't possible online just yet, you and your friends can sit in your living room, pick your squads the same as you've done in the past and then upload them to EA's online fantasy website. There are video clips that will play after picking the top 60 or so players with stat summaries from the previous season to let you know what you can expect in the coming year. You can also load that team into Madden and use it as a standard fantasy draft squad.
NFL Head Coach works its way into the Madden equation by offering up a play creation tool, something that Madden fans have been clamoring for in years past. Save the plays and Madden will automatically load them into the game and feed them into any team's playbook, parsing them out from the rest of the more traditional formations. Some might complain that EA's teasing users with the promise of a play creator in a separate product. While that is true, you can get the best of both worlds by picking up the Madden Collector's Edition which includes NFL Head Coach as well as Madden '94 from the Genesis.
Madden NFL 09 looks better than last year and it has new features that will please some of the fans out there. There's still no Owner Mode, Online Leagues don't allow for CPU opponents or a draft or three-team trades,
and the core gameplay still has the same Madden feel but there's no doubt that Tiburon is making strides in the right direction. We're saving our true critiques until we play the game for ourselves, but even in its early stage of development Madden 09 showed promise.
sourceAlthough, this article is written for the PS3, I still have reason to believe there isn't too much of a difference bewteen it and the 360 ... that said, the one thing that scares me the most is the text in red in the last paragraph.
I guess I am surprised and not all at the same time. Time will tell though, once we officially get our hands on the game.
