With pre-season NFL coming to a close it is time to start polygonal football, Madden style. Football fans around the gaming world have plenty of reason to rejoice, both NCAA and Madden 2007 have made their way onto the Xbox 360, and it is a much better experience this time than the last go around EA had with the white box. EA’s Madden NFL 07 comes to the table with a long history and an even longer line of franchise fans. The first outing of Madden on the next-generation systems left a lot to be desired and this time EA got it better, not perfect but better. This is the time for Madden gamers to be happy they own a Xbox 360.
First we need to tackle the modes that are available in Madden 2007. There is the ever-popular dynasty mode, the exhibition mode, online play, and the amazing new superstar mode. The first three modes don’t really need to be explained besides the fact that they are what EA says they are, which is the same thing that any Madden player has done many times over before with no new amazing features. Still they make the game feel more complete and who could complain about any mode really? What I want to tell you about is the superstar mode. In this game mode you start from the very beginning (and I mean the beginning, we are talking DNA here people) and mold your player into a hall of famer, literally. After choosing parents, picking skin tone and hair color you are off to the combine to prove your worth in the NFL. Madden not only allows you to train, but you use the points you have earned to spruce up your player or get drafted to a team. The tricky part here is that you can only choose one position for your superstar, no wishy washy business for the player. My advice is to go for what you love doing the most, if you’re a runner choose RB or WR, if you like the passing game go for QB, even being a LB is more fun than I ever imagined.
Each unique position has its own custom camera angle for the gamer to experience, and this really adds to the realism of the mode (although I wouldn’t advise the QB cam to anyone over 60). Remember you are the WR or RB and not the coach, so picking plays is never up to you, if you’re not in the play being called you better get used to sitting on the sideline and cheering your team on. The other thing that is new in Madden 07 is the “Madden Gamer Level” that the game keeps track of throughout your stint with it. Everything from how many yards you got in a dynasty game, to the score of an online battle with Joe Schmo from Kansas is recorded and points are given to your username based on what was achieved. This is not only a way to show your mad skills to your buddies but also the ticket to achievements, so think of it as a cool scoreboard system, nothing else. Before I go onto controls there is something that is different in this Madden, one word, running. The entire gameplay of Madden 2007 is focused around running; passing is still there for third-downs but running is where the game wants you to focus. Whether it is the highlight stick or learning a new juke, if you can’t run your cant win. Adding to the running game is a new feature that allows you to take control of a LB or blocker before the play and not control the run but control the block. As you make big blocks the computer controlled RB will make jukes and get speed boosts, miss a block and it’s all over.
As far as controls go Madden 2007 is leaps and bounds over its predecessor, but only a small jump over the more recent NCAA 2007. The game definitely plays much more like a NFL title with pro football players, not NCAA with a new shiny cover. The basic controls are all there and besides a few new features there is nothing that will spin your head around like a top, the best saying applies here, if something isn’t broken don’t fix it. The Xbox 360 controller handles Madden just fine and the layout of the buttons works well too, you can of course tweak the control scheme if you wish. There are nice shiny new playbooks to look at as well as some cool new menu features that will give this title that new game feel to veterans of the series. You can divide your play choices by formation, type, or Madden; I advise against the last option. The controls are the same ones that gamers have been accustomed to with all EA football titles, if you have played them before you will feel right at home with this one.
