Wives and girlfriends have entered a dark time period with the release of the new “Madden.” Husbands and boyfriends everywhere will disappear for hours, days, weeks and months as they try to get their respective video teams to a video Super Bowl.
Jason Zingale of Bullz-Eye.com reviewed “Madden NFL 09,” the latest edition in the popular video game series.
Designed with the idea that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, “Madden 09” plays almost exactly the same as its predecessor. There are some minor changes, though, that really make a difference in the long run. For starters, the graphics are unbelievable. Now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, “they were pretty darn impressive last year, too,” but once you realize just how drastic the difference is (from the crisper environments to the more believable weather effects), you’ll never be able to play a game of “Madden 08” again without noticing that your players don’t get muddy in the rain, or that they don’t leave footprints when running through the snow.
That’s not all, either. You can now call bluff plays on the line of scrimmage, audibles are no longer spelled out for your opponent with hand signals, and celebrations (like dunks over the goal post or mimicking Chad Johnson’s riverdance) can be initiated by running into lighted areas of the endzone. It all makes the experience that much more realistic, and though the increased difficulty had me grumbling through my first couple of games, I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is “Madden” after all, and if Electronic Arts made it that easy to adapt to the new dynamics of gameplay each year, it wouldn’t be the most successful sports franchise in video game history. Happy Birthday “Madden,” and here’s to another great 20 years.
