Madden NFL 20 Review
With every new Madden comes a new set of upgrades and disappointments, but Madden NFL 20’s
balance is a bit more favorable than usual. Among the new features are a couple of key changes that underscore the difference between a typical player and a true NFL superstar in meaningful and exciting ways, making the moment-to-moment gameplay as strong as it’s been since the switch to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. On the other hand, it leaves Franchise mode without significant new features and microtransactions continue to be an issue with Madden Ultimate Team. So EA’s ongoing quest to satisfy the entire spectrum of casual, competitive, and sim fans is only partially successful, though more so than usual.As we approach the end of the current console generation developers are learning to fully harness the real power of each system, and it shows in Madden 20. The new lighting system creates a softer, more natural look to the players and fans. Add that to the improved fluidity of the on-field player movement, and Madden 20’s overall experience has taken a solid step forward that looks and plays even more like what we see on a TV broadcast.
Of course, it is easy to say that the Madden 20 looks and plays better because Madden does that to some degree almost every year, but in this case, it’s true in some very important areas that make it a worthy upgrade. The biggest one that changes virtually everything you do on the field for the better is a revision to how players are controlled. In Madden 19, there were some real issues with the running game, as the foot planting and movement felt awkward and disjointed at times. These issues really were prevalent when running between the tackles and trying to execute a quick cut to hit a small opening to run through. While I enjoyed the intuitiveness of that running system, there were many times that I felt frustrated with the result of my efforts.
A revision to player controls changes virtually everything you do on the field for the better.
In Madden 20, control of the player I am using feels precise and connected, and the execution from my controller to the field is much more unified. This level of precision allows me to spend less time worrying about what my runner is doing, and more on thinking two or three moves ahead, observing the flow of the offensive and defensive line interaction, or the pursuit of the secondary.
That said, there are still some animation and clipping issues that I saw pop up, like players arms descending through another player’s body, or players forcefully bouncing in the air after a simple tackle was made. And while I love the defensive line improvements in Madden 20, the secondary play offers some real head-scratching moments. At times during zone defense the safety would play too far back, wouldn’t follow his assignment, or simply act like he didn’t understand the play that was called. This kind of thing was all too common, and forced me to play man defense or a zone call that wasn’t correct for the offensive situation. So it’s true that the gameplay isn’t perfect, but the improvements in Madden 20 are tangible and trending the right direction.
balance is a bit more favorable than usual. Among the new features are a couple of key changes that underscore the difference between a typical player and a true NFL superstar in meaningful and exciting ways, making the moment-to-moment gameplay as strong as it’s been since the switch to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. On the other hand, it leaves Franchise mode without significant new features and microtransactions continue to be an issue with Madden Ultimate Team. So EA’s ongoing quest to satisfy the entire spectrum of casual, competitive, and sim fans is only partially successful, though more so than usual.As we approach the end of the current console generation developers are learning to fully harness the real power of each system, and it shows in Madden 20. The new lighting system creates a softer, more natural look to the players and fans. Add that to the improved fluidity of the on-field player movement, and Madden 20’s overall experience has taken a solid step forward that looks and plays even more like what we see on a TV broadcast.
Of course, it is easy to say that the Madden 20 looks and plays better because Madden does that to some degree almost every year, but in this case, it’s true in some very important areas that make it a worthy upgrade. The biggest one that changes virtually everything you do on the field for the better is a revision to how players are controlled. In Madden 19, there were some real issues with the running game, as the foot planting and movement felt awkward and disjointed at times. These issues really were prevalent when running between the tackles and trying to execute a quick cut to hit a small opening to run through. While I enjoyed the intuitiveness of that running system, there were many times that I felt frustrated with the result of my efforts.
A revision to player controls changes virtually everything you do on the field for the better.
In Madden 20, control of the player I am using feels precise and connected, and the execution from my controller to the field is much more unified. This level of precision allows me to spend less time worrying about what my runner is doing, and more on thinking two or three moves ahead, observing the flow of the offensive and defensive line interaction, or the pursuit of the secondary.
That said, there are still some animation and clipping issues that I saw pop up, like players arms descending through another player’s body, or players forcefully bouncing in the air after a simple tackle was made. And while I love the defensive line improvements in Madden 20, the secondary play offers some real head-scratching moments. At times during zone defense the safety would play too far back, wouldn’t follow his assignment, or simply act like he didn’t understand the play that was called. This kind of thing was all too common, and forced me to play man defense or a zone call that wasn’t correct for the offensive situation. So it’s true that the gameplay isn’t perfect, but the improvements in Madden 20 are tangible and trending the right direction.
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario