Game Title: Madden NFL 2007
Platform(s) Played On: Xbox 360
Platform(s) Available: PS2, Gamecube, Xbox, Xbox 360, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS, PSP
ESRB Rating: E- Everyone
Stars (Out of 10): 8.0
One Word Summary: Same-old

       Full Review:
The new Madden is finally here! After last years disappointing Xbox 360 version, EA games needed to come back with a winner. They somewhat improved over last years version; the emphasis on 'somewhat.”

        First things first; This game is gorgeous. Everything from the jersey's flailing in the wind to the sweat dripping from Tony Dungy's forehead on a 4th and 1 attempt is rendered here in stunning realism. The player animations are significantly better than last year, and more players look like their real-life selves. In addition, the stadiums are equally convincing. They not only look great, but they emulate the NFL experience well. One can hear fans screaming, cheerleaders cheering, and the players hitting eachother as clearly as you would at the stadiums. The sounds of the players are particularly impressive; their trash talk can be heard over the stadium roar, and the some of the hits will make you cringe. In addition, there are also many TV plugins (ex: Pontiac Game Changing Performance, Degree All in Moment, etc.), replays, and other things that add to a 'TV ' like experience.

        Now, onto the stuff that matters, the gameplay. The game is, as expected, pretty fun. It is rough around the edges, and there is some slowdown when the replays pan in and out, but overall the gameplay is what one would expect. The game has all the features of last year's edition, but also a few new ones. The right thumbstick is now called the highlight stick. By pushing it in any direction, your player will do 'highlight reel” quality moves, a la Reggie Bush pre-draft USC videos. In addition to making the running game more fun, the highlight stick also adds a great deal of strategy to the running game. Yet, without good blocking, a highlight stick can only get you so far; now players can control their lead blockers. During the pre-snap period, players can switch to any blocker on the field (fullbacks, wide receivers, o-linemen, etc.). Gone are the days of the CPU missing a block, causing the player to lose yardage. Players can now switch to the fullback pre-snap, block that pesky linebacker, and quickly switch to their running back for huge yardage. These two new features add a great deal of strategy and fun to the running game.

        There is also a new kicking meter, which is controlled by the control stick. Its works well.

        This game has all the features of last years Madden, with a few additions. The franchise mode is back,as expected, but is still a shadow of its former self. There is no sense of immersion as the other versions. No newspapers or e-mails, no Tony Bruno radio show, and no owner mode. Yet now you can opt to play one of your franchise mode games against an online opponent. This is a very good idea on paper, but it takes a great deal of work to find someone who also wants to play one of his franchise mode games online, and has a team that you can play, and wants to play that week. The online mode is virtually unchanged. It has all the standard online features (invites, lobbies, etc.) that one would expect from any EA sports game.

        EA finally added the NFL superstar mode to this version. In this mode, you take a rookie player through his career, from being drafted to hopefully making the Hall of Fame. There is a meter that shows how far along your player is to becoming one of the greatest ever. By racking up big numbers, forming relationships with your teammates, and dealing with the media, you help turn your rookie player into the Hall of Famer you knew he would one day be. There is also a 'role” system, which gives your player one of many onfield roles, including team leader or rookie. These roles allow you upgrade your players by playing great. If, for example, you get two picks in a game, one for a touchdown, your Influence rating will go up. Conversly, if you miss some open-field tackles, or get run over, your Influnce rating will, unsurprisingly, go down. This is a very addictive system that will keep you playing with your superstar for weeks.

        Sadly, the superstar mode doesn't run as smoothly as the other modes. You only control your superstar on the field. This means that, if your superstar is a linebacker, you are going to be watching your teams offensive drives. They are sped up a little, but controlling only half the action feels very disingenuous.

        Once you create your superstar, you go through the training mode. Notice I said 'training mode.” This is not the mini camp that everyone loved in the Xbox, Ps2, and Gamecube Maddens. Instead of tackling, running, and throwing drills, not to mention the fun field goal kicking practice, we get 100 yard dash, bench press, and one positions specific mini game. These games are very unpolished, they are also not that entertaining. They feel like a last minute tack on.

        Still, many features, like the fantasy draft, are mysteriously missing. This does not make sense, as every other version of Madden 2007 (on all the other systems ) has this feature, among many others. So Xbox 360 gamers not only have to pay $10 extra, they also get an insincere rerun of last years show.

       EA does know its fans, and has done us all a huge final favor: This game is almost completely devoid of John Madden. Yup, his annoying comments have been purged. The only time you will have to hear his abrasive voice is when you 'Ask Madden” what play to use. The commentary is done by an unknown person, and is generally good.

Unless you have to have the superstar mode, I would steer clear of this game. Its sad that the Madden franchise has been reduced to a yearly rehash. This is due to the fact EA bought the NFL license. Since there is no other company making an NFL game, there is no impetus for EA to improve its series beyond a roster change.