It’s a mark of how problematic Madden 12 turned out to be that EA Sports has chosen to hit the reset button now, so close to the end of the current console generation. This is when sports games are supposed to be in full flower, not just taking root. But when it comes to Madden, EA Sports is ready to start anew.
For fans of the series, that’s good news. Madden 12’s franchise mode in particular had really been starting to show its age, and the engine was broken to the point that the defensive backs were actually programmed to cheat and magnetize to the receivers. By comparison, Madden 13 is a huge improvement. But hitting the reset button does have its downside — namely, the same lack of polish that has dogged the series for years now.
The real fun begins when the physics engine tries to untangle this pile.We’ll start with the graphics engine. After years of complaints, EA Sports has finally begun moving away from canned animations in favor of true physics, and the results are generally very good. Players will actually track the ball with their eyes before making a catch now, as opposed to reaching over their shoulder and making a blind grab. They also feel like they have much more weight now, particularly the halfback, which helps the experience feel more like a sports sim and less like a videogame.
The new engine’s seams are often apparent, though. When players are extracting themselves from a pile-up, they tend to trip all over one another, or simply flop back to the ground like dead fish. Some of the collisions can be pretty strange, too, as when a light receiver hits a heavier safety and caroms off him like a pinball. The engine isn’t a work-in-progress exactly, but it can still use plenty of refinements.
The new engine helps multiplayer feel morelike a battle of wits than a string of money plays.The same can be said for the commentary. Again, it’s a huge step up from Madden 12’s, which was apocalyptically bad. New commentators effective (just like in real life), and they quickly blend into the background with a minimum of noticeable errors. Bland-but-effective can take you only so far, though: they add little to the ongoing narrative of the game (or a season), and at times, they’ll babble on about how a losing team can still get back into a game even as time runs out on a massive blowout.
Basically, a lot of big ideas are at work in Madden 13, but they don’t feel entirely fleshed out. Connected Careers is supposed to unite superstar and franchise mode under one umbrella, but practically speaking, the two are still very much separate, with their own strengths and weaknesses. On the “player” side of the divide, the lack of coaching feedback means there’s little sense in being part of a team, making it feel like a hobbled franchise mode. Playing as a coach is better, as it gives you control over the whole team, but labels like “motivator” and “strategist” aren’t clearly explained. In real life, a coach like Jim Harbaugh can turn a team around in a year. In Madden, coaches seem to affect only roster decisions, not what happens on the field.
New announcers Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are boring but effective.Despite these issues, Connected Careers still has its share of improvements. Its most endearing new feature is the Twitter feed, which adds 140 characters of color to the fake headlines without resorting to the ponderous fake write-ups featured in other sports games. Also, player progression has finally been fixed, with a well-designed experience system based on performance, making it possible to progress at your own pace by upgrading stats and purchasing traits. Completing weekly and yearly goals adds a welcome bit of added challenge.
Playing offline, though, there’s just something missing. Maybe it’s the fact that the A.I. is too easy to abuse; or that the Vikings didn’t move up from “D” prestige even after winning the Super Bowl, while the news headlines talked about how they were “struggling.” At any rate, those who prefer to play Madden online will get more out of the game than those who don’t. Connected Careers in particular is at its best online, allowing players and coaches to mix under one dynasty, with fake Twitter feeds and everything else. Overall, Madden 13 remains quite raw. The engine shows a great deal of promise, and Connected Careers features a lot of interesting ideas, but there’s no question that this is a rebuilding year. The best news is that EA finally seems to be on the right track. Give it another year, and Madden may at last be a true contender.
Player movement feels heavier and more realistic thanks to a new physics engine.
PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts • DEVELOPER: Tiburon • ESRB: Everyone • MULTIPLAYER: 32 on Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Highly skilled • COST: $60 • RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2012
+ Hugely upgraded Connected Careers mode features many clever touches, including fake Twitter accounts.
+ Overhauled graphics engine feels heavier and more realistic.
– Overall lack of polish (e.g., commentary that’s still error-prone, goofy graphics glitches, lack of depth).
? Will Madden 13 be the foundation for successful next-gen football?
