Madden NFL 07 - PS3 - Review

Since the beginning of time (game time) the world has been able to count on one thing every August: the Madden series will return. Its first true next-gen debut came on the Xbox 360 less than one year after the console's launch. The base content was pretty close to the old-gen consoles, but the graphics – now there was something to get excited about. Players detail was more pronounced, more thought out, and for the most part achieved the jaw-dropping effects we were looking for.

Having only two extra months to produce another next-gen version, it wasn't all that shocking to learn that the PlayStation 3 version of Madden 07 is a port of the 360 edition. This will be the first time most PlayStation fans experience the game in this form. If you've been waiting for the next evolution in sports game graphics, hang on tight – Madden 07 is going to take you on the ride of your life.

 

Super Stardom

As you may already know, Madden 07 reinvents the Superstar mode by letting the player become an individual and integral part of the team. On defense you'll control all players as usual. But on offense you are one piece of the puzzle – a quarterback, for example. Since you're no longer the guy in charge of every aspect, offensive plays are selected by the AI. Inevitably, this leads to some interesting challenges where you're expected to take charge in a difficult scenario. It can also lead to some frustrating moments where you'll wish you could have altered the play selection.

The player's position is determined by the stats of his parents: IQ, career, likes and dislikes, etc. It's randomized, but you can keep shuffling the stats until you get a couple that sounds appealing. If you accept two parents but aren't happy with the player who's born, you can go back and re-try as many times as you like. I ended up with a quarterback twice and figured I might as well continue. It is my favorite position.

Playing as a quarterback – and only a quarterback – takes a few minutes to get used to. The camera angles tend to be different, and since you can't change anything until the ball has been received, you're locked into your own specific area.

 

Every play rewards or deducts points from the quarterback. A successful pass that leads to a touchdown is going to be met with a lot of points. On the other hand, if you get sacked before the pass is completed, you're going to lose several points. Incomplete passes, whether tackled or not, are also prone to point deductions. Making headway can get you a couple of extra points. You won't be rewarded or penalized for successful passes that don't gain any yards.

In between games, interviews (silly Q&As that can boost your fan appeal), and other events, players will have to train their athlete and practice in simulated scenarios. Training games are generally simple and don't take long to complete. Weightlifting has you push both analog sticks up at the same time. Push up until the weight bar reaches the green area, then drop into the blue area and repeat.

Practice games allow you to set up a scenario from both sides. Pick both the offensive and defensive plays, and then execute then them repeatedly until you've come up with the right strategy. Dealing with a repeated scenario is a lot different from dealing with these plays in an actual game, but it's still helpful in predicting what could happen next.

 

Exclusivity: SIXAXIS

We've all heard about the Nintendo Wii version of Madden 07, the one that puts you in the game by using the console's motion technology to pass the ball. That's what the developers planned to do with that version from the beginning.

On PS3 the developers had planned to continue with the series as usual. Then Sony dropped the SIXAXIS bomb at E3, announcing that their controller could sense motion, too.

The results for SIXAXIS are nothing like what's described for the Wii remote. Players can block or jump the snap, among a couple other things, by pushing the controller in various directions. While this is a nice concept, it doesn't work that well. When I'm focused on making a pass in a close game, the last thing I want to do is to tilt the controller to trigger an additional move. I'd rather just press a button. I might feel differently if this aspect was more intuitive, but it isn't quite there yet.

New to Madden 07 – but not exclusive to this version – is the Lead Blocking control. Players can switch to a blocker and let the AI take over the rest of the play. As the lead blocker, your goal is to run ahead and stop your opponents from getting to the ball. Hold on fiercely, or attempt to shift the opponent to another side to slow him down should he manage to break away from your block.

The rest of the PS3's controls feel very strong and powerful, but not next-gen. Madden 07 does not play so differently on PlayStation 3 that it makes the PS2 version obsolete. Rather, it enhances the game through visual and presentation upgrades that make the experience more immersive.

 

Player detail is where Madden 07's graphics are most prevalent. The kinds of minute details that have been intricately woven into each player were unheard of in the last generation. Every face, under every helmet, looks like it belongs to a real human. Uniform detail shows textured cloth that shifts with each player's movement. Height and weight are also taken into account, with the larger players having layers of fat that stretches their uniform. Muscles are yet another area the graphics focus on, leaving few things for gamers to complain about. The skin textures, wrinkles, and modelling around the mouth, nose, and eyes – no other sports game comes close to delivering this level of realism.

Animations are fluid, varied, and blend together without any awkward or unrealistic transitions. Players collide realistically, slamming into each other with a crumble or ricochet effect, depending on how hard they hit. Bodies stay visible the whole time. Their arms and legs buckle appropriately as the rest of their bodies fall into tackles.

Presentation, Almost Defenestration

Madden 07's one major flaw isn't so much of a downfall as it is a hurdle the series has yet to overcome. PS3 and Xbox 360 are tremendously powerful machines. They are not, however, infallible to developer inexperience. Studios are new to these machines and have yet to figure out how to get the most of the visuals without consequence.

Before the game starts, and in between random plays, Madden 07 will have a slight pause in between actions. The game is fine once you gain control of your team. As it jumps from a low camera angle to a sky view, and as it moves from the players to the scoreboard, the game has a hard time keeping up. It's a slight freeze, lasting only a second or two at a time. But when you see how gorgeous the graphics are – how realistic and defined each player is – you're going to be surprised and disappointed when the game falters.

 

Is this enough to pass on Madden 07 for PlayStation 3? Not if you want the most visually stunning version available. The game looks just as good on 360, and includes the same presentation issues. But most gamers have one next-gen console or the other, not both. I would assume that if you've purchased a PS3 that graphics are high on your priority list, and from an athlete perspective, Madden 07 does not disappoint.

Review Scoring Details for Madden NFL 07

Gameplay: 8.2
Top-tier Madden action that, if the transitions weren’t so jerky, would have made this the best sports game of the year. The controls, both old and new, are smoother than you could imagine. The game is very responsive. Players react instantly and with much realism – if you fail it’s because you didn’t complete the move properly.

Graphics: 9.0
Positively gorgeous. Madden 07 might be the only football game for PlayStation 3, but it’s also the best-looking of any sports game. Hiccups aside, you will be blown away.

Sound: 8.5
Great commentary that almost seems more repetitive in this edition. Musically the game is the same, filling the listener’s ears with the sweet sounds of growing punk rock bands. Several rap tracks are also available.

Difficulty: Medium
Challenging, realistic, and very hard-hitting. The Truck Stick is more accurately used in this version, but it doesn’t make the game any easier.

Concept: 7.9
The Xbox 360 version with new and not really necessary SIXAXIS controls.

Multiplayer: 8.0
Fun, but the jerky shifts do not create the most seamless multiplayer experience.

Overall: 8.2
A game you’re going to love and be disappointed with. Spending $500 to $600 on a new console is hard to swallow when you pop in the next-gen game you’ve been salivating for most and it turns out to be anything less than perfection. Madden 07 is an amazing, jaw-dropping game. But there are times when it feels like work-in-progress. I suppose that’s how the Madden series has always been and will always be. New consoles will continue to be made, forcing the developers to work fast and try to keep up with a constantly evolving technology. Taking that into consideration, EA has achieved a lot. But I don’t think that will make the sight of a hiccup any less painful to those who were seeking the full value of their PlayStation 3.