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| From: Electronic Arts
Category: Video Games
List Price: $59.99
Buy New: $43.99
You Save: $16.00 (27%)
New (34) Used (8) from $43.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 256
Platform: Playstation 3
ESRB: Everyone
Media: Video Game
Edition: Standard
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Age: 5 - 20 years
Operating System: PlayStation 3
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 0.1 x 0.1 x 0
MPN: 15462
Model: 15782841
UPC: 014633154627
EAN: 0400009415599
ASIN: B0012N7BSI
Release Date: August 12, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Regressed October 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I played Madden '05 on the Playstation 2, so naturally when I heard '09 was coming out for my brand new PS3 I went and bought it right away. Big mistake. This game regresses from the fabulous balance of control and complexity presented in Madden '05. The controls are poor, the AI seems to cheat, rather than simply get better, the in game QB controls are awful, the camera controls offer LESS than the PS2 version and in general the play feels sticky and awkward.
The various game modes are different too. Rather than capitalize on successes, the designers decided to re-invent the wheel, as a square.
For example, in Franchise mode, rather than fixing the balance that the previous training schedule offered, they re-implemented it as "practice drills" which include a bunch of different very difficult to control set of kludgey camera angle or just plain lame drills (a bench press drill which involves hitting seemingly random controls on the controller, for example). It is in training, testing and simulation that the game really grinds to a halt. You cannot change the perspective to view things from a defensive perspective, you cannot have a pass play zoomout, you cannot even SEE down the field when playing on defense, let alone have a reasonable chance to actually try to cover run or pass plays (better hope the simulation engine thinks your player can do it on his own, and just not touch anything).
Finally, seemingly for no reason, most of the "Madden Moments" (essentially historical mini-scenarios) have no "restart game" button, to allow you to retry when you mess up. Therefore instead of being able to quickly try again (and learn from the experience) you have to sit through the remaining game clock while you get walked all over, or quit, wait for the game to quit after prompting you, then re-enter and wait for the game to load, and wait, and wait, and wait.
This was a big let down.
Maintains the fun, but fails to improve. October 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you liked previous Maddens, and are content to have more of the same, then Madden '09 will be a success. If you've never played a football game before, you'll like Madden.
However, if you're a Madden afficianado and wanted to see improvements and innovation...well, it's sorely lacking.
GRAPHICS
Considering this is on the most powerful console gaming platform out, the graphics are a huge let down. They're good, but not great - nothing impressive at all. I'm also sorely disappointed in the animations. While you're playing, just stop and watch the players run around. It's not even close to natural. It's terrible, actually - I find it reminiscient of an SNES game.
GAMEPLAY
For the most part, the gameplay is fairly good. There are some things that piss me off, though. I'm amazed how often I'll get a pick with a CB and then actually be tackled from behind as I run for the end zone. There's only a handful of guys in the whole NFL that are going to catch a CB from behind if he's gotten a 10 yard lead. In Madden, it happens routinely. Similar things will happen with my RBs or WRs - I'll get out into open space, but guys will catch me from behind. It's like the guys in pursuit get cheat speed or something. Very annoying and not realistic.
In general, the gameplay just doesn't feel "fluid" to me. The game feels too arcadey. I'm definietly not impressed.
COMMENTATORS
Hammond sounds canned and completely unnatural. Collinsworth, on the other hand, is fantastic. He genuinely sounds like he's there commentating live. The problem is, the things he actually says are as canned as tuna. He rarely names the player in question - in fact, they often won't even reference the team name. That's just unforgivable.
Collinsworth is a great voice talent in '09, but the script he was given to work with is disappointing. Hammond is just boring in general.
IMPROVEMENTS/INNOVATIONS
None really. The graphics were improved a bit, but are still well short of where they should be. None of the new features are really worth anything...they're little better than cheap gimmicks and are advertised as much more than they actually are. Madden IQ is a waste of time. The test is divided into four parts, but you can't choose to retake one individual section - for instance, you can't choose just to do the passing drills again. You have to retake the entire thing. Screw that. The "Rewind" thing that lets you re-try the last play is alright I guess - personally, I just disabled it and don't plan to use it again. It cheapens the competition.
I've also found the autosave feature difficult to work...or in other words, I haven't gotten it to work at all. I'm not sure if I should fault the game for this...it could just be user error. But so far, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the game to automatically load my profile each time I start the game, and to automatically save game results and stats. When I try to set autosave to on, it won't let me for some reason.
RESULT
Anyway, long story short...this game is more of the same. Nothing new or innovative, and nothing that's really going to impress you or make you say "wow." I really think EA's exclusive NFL contract is stifling creativity in the genre. They're not really even trying. This may be the last Madden game I buy. I love having that new update roster with updated stats...but sheesh, it ain't worth $60 anymore.
 What happened? October 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
What happened Madden?Make my review short,Madden is ok this year,with the basically the same minuses that are not addressed.I myself have bought Maddens since the Genesis/Super Nintendo days,and all I can say is,why is Madden hyped every year when NHL(07,08,09) has been the better overall game the last three years.
P.S. Its not even Xmas and the price of the game went down.I bought it this year,next year,needed improvement or I'll just stick with NCAA and NHL.
Madden Improves Some Issues but Worsens Others October 5, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I would like to first point out that, in general, the game has been improved over previous versions. There's no doubt about that. Not only is Madden gaming incredible in high definition, but the way the game analyzes and adjusts to you is simply amazing. Because the game's difficulty level automatically adjusts based on your gameplay, the game is constantly challenging. All of this makes the game worthwhile.
My biggest gripe, though, is that they have all but done away with the so-called "front office," where you can manage your team, tickets, and finances. And while I understand that the new graphics mean a ton of data to load, the amount of time you spend waiting for the game to laod quickly becomes annoying.
Overall, though, 2009's version of Madden is greatly improved over anything else ever released, and if ever you buy a copy of Madden, make it this one because it's simply unlike anything else you've ever played before in your entire life.
It's Still The Same Game - More EA Gimmicks September 29, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I wrote a review of Madden 08 on here last year so I'd thought I'd follow it up with a review of this years edition. Or should I say Madden 2000.9?
Now before you pass this off as a Madden-bashing review let me give you my qualifications. I bought every version of Madden from the Genesis all the way to Madden 05 on the PS2 (which I happen to believe is still the best version of Madden ever made) and then Madden 08 last year on the PS3. I have been a Madden fan since the first day I could get my hands on a three button Genesis controller and threw a pass to an open receiver in the window based passing back then.
So first lets start off with some nitpicking and EA's famous saying, "If it's in the game, it's in the game."
Here is what is not in the game:
*Once again, EA bought up the ESPN license a few years ago and they have yet to implement any ESPN presentation into the game like 2KSports did so well before EA got the exclusive license. The absence of any ESPN presentation in EA's flagship game certainly solidifies that EA's agreement with ESPN was an anti-competitive move.
*No on-field referees or chain gang on the sidelines. Two staples of football once again ommitted from the game. Sure they added unnecessary security guards and even more players and non-player personell on the sidelines, but the most important staples of the game are not there, even though they were there in versions prior to the current gen systems.
*Instant Replay challenges of sideline catches are still ridiculous. Every year whenever I challenge a sideline catch and a receiver has one foot clearly out, the call goes against me.
*Sideline animations - Yes there is a two feet in animation when you throw to a receiver near the sideline but if a WR's route takes him towards the sideline and you throw towards that receiver his animation more often than not will take him out of bounds and result in an incompletion. Unacceptable.
*Clock stopping on defensive penalties within 2 minutes of the half or 5 minutes at the end of game. I drove to my opponents 20 yard line with 20 seconds left, got an encroachment call on the defense, accepted the penalty and figuring the clock was stopped, I took my time selecting the next play, only to have the clock run out as I broke the huddle. Unless there is some new NFL rule regarding clock stoppage, this is a severe oversight.
*Stable playing surface. Where did EA get the playing surface model from? The old Veterans stadium? When viewing replays from the game, you can clearly see players feet sink below the playing surface on a dry gameday.
*NFL ice-capades. This is definitely still in the game, even with today's precision controllers. If you jump just a little with a DE pre-snap without encroaching, good luck getting him back even close to his original starting point. This is frustrating to say the least.
This so far might sound like petty griping but here is the thing, this Madden franchise has been around for 20 years now, it is the #1 selling football game and the only game on the market. These little details should have been long since addressed, yet they continue to resurface with every version of Madden.
EA is great at repackaging Madden every year with a new gimmick to make it look fresh. Anyone remember QB vision a few years ago? This year Madden IQ is the latest and greatest invention. What this IQ system does is evaluate your skill level and adjust the AI sliders accordingly to tailor the game for your set skill level. However this system completely replaces all the specific AI sliders that were available to players to adjust freely. There are some very general sliders that can still be adjusted but nothing like in years past.
I would be all for this IQ system if there was a way to turn it off and adjust multiple sliders to the specific way a player wants the game to run. Look, anyone who has played Madden for any extended amount of time knows exactly where they stand as far as skills in the game they don't need the game to tell them where they stand. Other human players will be sure to remind you of that.
What is the most irritating of this new system is you cannot adjust any sliders for an overcompensated AI. In the past I was able to tune down the AI QB accuracy and AI WR catching, especially when the AI's second string QB would complete 20 straight passes on me. The ability to adjust the sliders allowed for a more realistic simulation of the game.
Not anymore, unless you dumb down the generic sliders all the way, be prepared for the opposing AI QB to march down the field with Joe Montanaesque accuracy against every nickel and dime coverage you have in the playbook.
Now for the good:
The graphics are a nice improvement from last year. The stadium models are clean and the lighting effects are top notch. Though I think the player models seem a little more "stiff" from last year and it really often looks and feels like the players are running in mud compared to last year.
The branch animations have improved fairly well. Last year this feature was very impressive and this years crop of new animations improves on it. Well done!
The commentary is vastly improved. Gone is the radio announcer who I felt sounded like he was yelling into a tin can. And in his place is a new broadcast crew featuring Chris Collinsworth. As much as I despise Collinsworth on TV, he does an excellent job as color commentator in this years Madden.
The players models are properly proportioned for each postion.
There really is not a lot of good to report over last years version and that is unfortunately how little EA has went to inmprove the overall game experience. Madden 05 was the last year that EA truly innovated their game and brought a deeper experience to it's faithful fans. Is it any coincidence that was one the last years the 2K sports NFL game was around to push the EA team?
Next year, EA is going to have to show me something good in order for me to dole out any more money, paying for the same repackaged game. I've learned my lesson, 20 something years later....
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