Madden 2007

[kpholmes]

Been playing it for the past 4 hours on the 360.

Gotta say that I liked the NCAA interface a lot more. This seems to be very jumpy here and there...

 

As for gameplay... the new Superstar mode is awsome, where you are forced to be locked in as the player. I made an ROLB, did good on the IQ test, alright on the workouts and combine, and got drafted in the second round by the Falcons playing opposite of Brooking. The perspective is so much fun to play with.

 

Franchise mode is good, only problem I've had so far is I can't seem to find a way to change player positions...

 

Anyways, will keep everyone posted and give a full review after more time. How is everyone else fairing?

[Menudo]

Been playing it for the past 4 hours on the 360.

Gotta say that I liked the NCAA interface a lot more. This seems to be very jumpy here and there...

 

As for gameplay... the new Superstar mode is awsome, where you are forced to be locked in as the player. I made an ROLB, did good on the IQ test, alright on the workouts and combine, and got drafted in the second round by the Falcons playing opposite of Brooking. The perspective is so much fun to play with.

 

Franchise mode is good, only problem I've had so far is I can't seem to find a way to change player positions...

 

Anyways, will keep everyone posted and give a full review after more time. How is everyone else fairing?

 

 

Looking forward to hearing your review. I played through 3 season's of NCAA and got the draft classes saved. Now, it is time for Madden.

[untateve]

I only have time for one video game in my life. I never opened madden 2006. I like ncaa because I like college football better.

[Sox]

I'll probably pick it up when I drop the gf off this morning.

 

It's a good week to be on vacation.

[cliaz]

Everyone that has a PSII should get together and start a tourny with it (if you have internet hook up for the PSII).

 

Start a league a play a season.

[bigmike4969]

I plan on picking up the 360 version at lunchtime today. I have been reading good things about it. I understand there is a "fatigue glitch" (but according to EA it's only an issue with the player's fatigue status bar; it stays green the entire game, even if the player is tired) and there is supposed to be a patch for that soon.

 

KP I hear that you can't edit current rosters at all in the 360 version, I wonder if this holds true for your gripe about changing their positions as well.

Edited August 22, 2006 by bigmike4969

[Egret]

I ordered my copy online from Circuit City this weekend. The 360 version is $47 this week if anybody hasn't picked it up yet. I was going to stop by there today. If they have it in stock, I'll pick it up and return the other one once it arrives in the mail.

 

Time for the rebirth of the Lions in the franchise mode.

[georgemoe]

I have the wife getting it for me today at lunch. CC has it for $48 this week. Plus the Live Gold 12 month is discounted to $40 from $50.

 

I've never ever played this before and I'm looking forward to it. Anyone have tips on the best way to go about learning gameplay? SIm, challenges, training camp, etc. Is there a walkthrough available?

 

What would be really cool. Starting a huddle league but draft your players just like fantasy and then go head to head. I wonder if that could be done.

 

Oh, and don't forget to download your free Texas Hold'em. Starts tomorrow for 48 hours. After that it is 800 MS pts.

[TFB]

anyone know the difference between the 'normal' and 'hall of fame' editions?

[Egret]

anyone know the difference between the 'normal' and 'hall of fame' editions?

 

Hall of Fame is $70. It includes a John Madden retrospective DVD. :

[kpholmes]

 

I've never ever played this before and I'm looking forward to it. Anyone have tips on the best way to go about learning gameplay? SIm, challenges, training camp, etc. Is there a walkthrough available?

 

 

 

Use practice mode, a lot. Just pick plays for both sides of the ball and run them over and over until you get a good feel for one side, then switch to the other until you get a good feel on that side.

On 05 and 06 on the normal Xbox, you could put the plays on random so they would change each time, and I would literally spend afew hours a day doing it. I'm still not sure if you can randomize it in the 360.

The point is I can spank the number 1 CPU team on All-Madden (Hardest) with almost any team, with out even trying hard because I worked in practice mode so much.

 

Thats my advice for new players.

[budlitebrad]

I'm glad I don't have a 360 yet. No franchise fantasy draft.

[georgemoe]

Wife was able to snag a copy for me at lunch.

 

 

Use practice mode, a lot. Just pick plays for both sides of the ball and run them over and over until you get a good feel for one side, then switch to the other until you get a good feel on that side.

On 05 and 06 on the normal Xbox, you could put the plays on random so they would change each time, and I would literally spend afew hours a day doing it. I'm still not sure if you can randomize it in the 360.

The point is I can spank the number 1 CPU team on All-Madden (Hardest) with almost any team, with out even trying hard because I worked in practice mode so much.

 

Thats my advice for new players.

 

 

Thanks kph.

 

 

I'm glad I don't have a 360 yet. No franchise fantasy draft.

 

 

[kpholmes]

Hall of Fame is $70. It includes a John Madden retrospective DVD. :

 

 

Plus the making of Madden 2007, interviews with the music stars and ESPN 2's show "Madden Nation."

[Egret]

I ended up picking it up today. I'll just return the one I ordered online. I didn't play it much last year. I really didn't like the 360 version last year. I also hated the stupid passing cone. I don't have hours and hours to learn how to play this all over again. It's a fun game, but I'm sure I'd get smacked down trying to play online. Break out Madden '98 or before and I'd kill everyone.

 

There's a lot to do. I like to do hot routes and motion, so I'll need to relearn how to do that stuff.

[twiley]

I ended up picking it up today. I'll just return the one I ordered online. I didn't play it much last year. I really didn't like the 360 version last year. I also hated the stupid passing cone. I don't have hours and hours to learn how to play this all over again. It's a fun game, but I'm sure I'd get smacked down trying to play online. Break out Madden '98 or before and I'd kill everyone.

 

There's a lot to do. I like to do hot routes and motion, so I'll need to relearn how to do that stuff.

 

Just play me..I'll be the idiot throwing backward passes into the stands.

 

I picked it up at lunch and haven't played since 05 came out.

[Jo]

God I can't wait for work to end today...picked mine up at lunch.

 

Also if you're new, my suggestion is when you start playing the games, do it at the All-Madden level. At any lower level, you'll get used to doing things that just won't work when you step it up to this level and you'll have to essentially re-learn how to play. Sure you'll get killed at first, but with practice it gets better (I went through 7 seasons of my franchise last year without losing a game). Also, if you play online, many of the players are much, much, much better than even the highest setting of CPU AI.

 

Edit: I have a PS2 and would be up for playing online sometime once we all test this thing out

Edited August 22, 2006 by Jo

[kpholmes]

New Blocking Feature

This was pretty cool when I was playing just a quick game against the Chargers. I found it to be useful 1/4 times I tried it. And 2/4 times it just hurt me more. But its a fun new feature to play around with that I'm sure a lot of people will get good at. Its one of those things that will only work on certain plays that you practice a lot.

 

 

Superstar Mode

Well, I started the Superstar mode over because my Falcon Linebacker was the son of a HOF LB, so I started at like 92 overall, and there wasn't much of a challenge.

 

Once you select your parents, which also determine your position, you select appearance, name and other info like jersey number and handedness. Then you start with the same basic callender setup from last year's game. First hire an agent. You go through two interviews, which your answers will actually determine a lot. Things like "What can you bring to the team?" If you select "I can be a Team Leader," then that opens up an option for you later on once games start and the same for other options. Another one I found to be interesting is "What number will you wear in the pros" When I selected "The Jersey I wore in college" it gave me my inital number. When I selected "I don't care, whatever number works" it gave me a random number.

 

You then have 3 personal work outs to do. And I was terrible at all of them, only getting slightly better each time. The workouts consist of the 40, the bench press and a position based drill. Only one I was good at was the position drill.

 

You then go to the combine. I can't tell you much about this because I was so frustrated with the individual workouts, I simmed the combine.

 

The IQ test is 10 questions, but unlike last year you have 5 minutes to answer.

 

Then you do the draft, which is just saying "Start Event" Then a notice comming up saying you've been drafted by blank.

 

From here on, you do training camp and preseason games. Training camp is just like practice, but from your positions perspective. Now the inital view is straightforward from right behind your player. If you hold the right thumbstick you can move it a little though. Or if you press the B button it shifts the angle to still remain behind you, but focused on the ball. However you need to press B every time you want to shift it. (If you hit B before the snap, you will have a good angle at the QB, however if he throws the ball downfield you will still be looking at the QB unless you hit

 

Superstar mode is based on Influence Points. Which is the whole point of practicing. Each practice you have the oportunity to get 10 points. And you can keep going until you have them. (So once you max out, quit practice and move to the next)

Influencial points are used in games to boost attributes. At the start of each play, it will show you what play you're doing. And at the start of each drive, annoyingly usually seconds before the QB snaps it you have the option to apply influence points. You can apply them in different ways. If you said earlier in the interviews you could be a team leader, then you can select the Team Leader role, which lets you add the points to other player's attributes on the field. Or simply add them to yourself.

 

I was drafted by the Cardinals and just finished my first game against the Steelers. I'm pretty good at Blitzing and playing man on the TE isn't too hard, I can keep up ok. However I blow at zone defense. Thats really hard getting the angles just right to try and make the play. Also, when your player is not on the field the game speeds up and everything moves twice as fast. Because it was preseason they only played me the first half, then the second half I did a lot of special teams.

We won in overtime and I ended the game with 2 tackles and a forced fumble I got on the punt team. Not amazing... But Fast Willie is hard to chase down.

 

On that note, your players change of direction and run momentum are very real. If you're running full speed at the QB and he delays the handoff to the RB, and the RB shoots off past you, it is not an easy thing to stop running and turn yourself around. You can basically consider the play over for yourself.

 

As for the graphics and flashyness and stuff along those lines... I'm probably not the best to judge because I'm not playing on an HDTV right now. However the menus seem a big laggy and jerky and there are afew moments here and there where it hangs.

 

Overall though, I've had fun so far. Will probably try afew different positions in superstar mode, and start a franchise pretty soon.

 

More updates to come the next time I set the controller down...

[whitem0nkey]

Plus the making of Madden 2007, interviews with the music stars and ESPN 2's show "Madden Nation."

 

 

Hum, the guy at the gamestop told me they have great teams from the past. so that’s why i got it. Its fun playing with some off these classic teams, but they never have the player names only the numbers. An i remember one madden i played with the 85 bears, and Walter P. was white

 

 

so i googled this and it looks like the sales guy lied to me.

 

Featuring More than Three Hours of Bonus DVD Content

 

* The Road to Canton - From his days coaching the Oakland Raiders to his time as the greatest color analyst in sports, experience a career retrospective with Hall of Famer: John Madden.

* Madden Nation - A king is crowned and dreams are shattered when eight of the nation's greatest Madden NFL Football players battle it out for ultimate bragging rights. Revisit all eight episodes with the complete first season of the original ESPN program.

* The Making of Madden NFL 07 - ESPN's Trey Wingo takes you behind the scenes into the world of footballs top-selling video game with exclusive production insights and interviews.

* Exclusive Music Interviews - The hottest bands and artists sit down with EA SPORTS™ to reveal the inspiration behind their music and their passion for the game.

Edited August 22, 2006 by whitem0nkey

[kpholmes]

Fellow Huddlers...

After my previous post concerning the Superstar mode and sharing my plans to start a franchise... Things took a turn for the worse. Much worse.

For the past 3 hours I have done nothing but get frustrated at the new Madden on 360 due to its lack of features and just garbage franchise mode.

I for one have always enjoyed Madden because of its in depth franchise mode and characters. That isn't the case with the 360's version. Not only can you not edit players in any way, you also can't fantasy draft. There is no owner mode as well. The list of lacking qualities goes on and on... but player editing (numbers, positions, etc..) and the fantasy draft were a huge part of the game for me.

 

EA Sports decided to try another "We'll leave a lot out and hope our graphics make them forget" on us...

 

I just went to EB Games and traded my 360 version for the normall Xbox... so that makes things a little better... but needless to say I am very very dissappointed with EA Sports again...

[Venus]

The first thing my son said to me this morning was "when are we gatting the new Madden?" We got it, played it immediately, then I had to go to work and he was still playing it. He starts school tomorrow, so guess who's going to be playing it while he's gone? Then I go go to work and I pick him up and its all his.

[Menudo]

Played a little bit last night. Gameplay seems much improved from last year's 360 version. It does suck and I do feel screwed over a bit by the missing features, but, the gameplay seems similar to this year's NCAA Football. What upsets me is that I know that EA Sports could put out the perfect game (solid gameplay and all the features of the current GEN consoles), but, they won't because they want to have something to add in future years. It might be a business decision, but it ticks me off.

Edited August 23, 2006 by Menudo

[WaterMan]

Reggie Bush is the candied yams on this game.

[TRU SOLDJA 22]

Been playing it for the past 4 hours on the 360.

Gotta say that I liked the NCAA interface a lot more. This seems to be very jumpy here and there...

 

As for gameplay... the new Superstar mode is awsome, where you are forced to be locked in as the player. I made an ROLB, did good on the IQ test, alright on the workouts and combine, and got drafted in the second round by the Falcons playing opposite of Brooking. The perspective is so much fun to play with.

 

Franchise mode is good, only problem I've had so far is I can't seem to find a way to change player positions...

 

Anyways, will keep everyone posted and give a full review after more time. How is everyone else fairing?

 

 

 

Hey KP, in your superstar mode do you get to call the plays since your on defense? I created a running back and got drafted by the packers and Farve likes to throw ALOT!!!

 

As far as franchise mode, i saw the option for Fantasy draft. I got regular XboX though

 

 

Great Game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigmike4969]

Played a little bit last night. Gameplay seems much improved from last year's 360 version. It does suck and I do feel screwed over a bit by the missing features, but, the gameplay seems similar to this year's NCAA Football. What upsets me is that I know that EA Sports could put out the perfect game (solid gameplay and all the features of the current GEN consoles), but, they won't because they want to have something to add in future years. It might be a business decision, but it ticks me off.

 

 

+1.

 

Plus I don't like the fact that:

-there is no autosave

-there is no gang tackling

 

Thankfully I kept my original xbox, so I may rent that version and see if I like it that much more. I guess for me it comes down to quality versus quantity.

Edited August 23, 2006 by bigmike4969