Sports video games are often derided for being too similar from one release to the next — an unfair and inaccurate perception.
But there is always a legitimate question of how different an annualized game can be in such limited development cycles, especially a game that attempts to replicate a real-life sport.
"Madden NFL 17" is proof that, when the development team has stability and clear direction, big improvements in fact can be achieved.
The Madden series has struggled since 2005, having produced good but not great games while its growth stunted due to "vision" changes by leadership every couple of years. In turn, Madden's sales declined while its place in culture ceded way to "NBA 2K."
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Every game of "Madden 17, at least in the early days around release, will provide something the player has never seen or heard out of a football video game. EA Sports deserves credit for the best post-release support in all of sports gaming when it comes to Madden. There's good reason to think it will actually improve in the weeks and months ahead.
One way is the commentary. The new broadcast team of Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis have noteworthy chemistry, and the audio flows naturally. Typically when commentators are changed in a video game, which is somewhat of a rarity these days, the audio library is fairly thin for the first year or two. That's not the case with "Madden 17." Gaudin and Davis are on top of all situations, delivering relevant information, breaking down what's working and what isn't, and even providing some entertaining banter.
Just as impressive is the plan for new commentary from the duo to be added throughout the NFL season. Gaudin and Davis will be in studio recording new lines regularly, and those updates have already started. The first came out a few days ago, with the pair discussing the first week of the preseason. It's innovative and ambitious, and the development team at Tiburon has absolutely delivered. It'll be exciting to see how it grows as everyone involved gets even more comfortable with the process.
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A couple more examples of commentary just added to Madden NFL 17 pic.twitter.com/wCV70w2nPC
— Bryan Wiedey (@pastapadre) August 20, 2016
The other evolution for Madden comes with special teams, an area of the game that has always been ignored. Kicks are now challenging — even extra points aren't gimmes — and both punts and kicks can be blocked. Madden has gone from being largely predictable to keeping the user engaged through every single play.
New ballcarrier moves have made skilled players extremely explosive in the open field. Even those a little less agile can weave their way through defenders on occasion and break a play. This has surprisingly proven true for the CPU, as well, which has always struggled to perform competently, especially in the run game. CPU runners can make users who aren't sure tacklers look foolish when teammates aren't around to assist. In general, the CPU is far more competitive and provides a better challenge than in the past.
The "Aggressive Catch" mechanic introduced last year was necessary, but many felt it was too overpowered. The success rate has been scaled back somewhat this year, but receivers with "Spectacular Catch" abilities can still pull them in — more often than not, it won't happen in double or triple coverage, though.
Defensive AI also has been improved significantly, with counters that hopefully will hold up over the long haul. Things to keep an eye on out of gameplay are the rate of fumbles and the number of dropped passes. It's difficult to assess whether they're happening too frequently or have just stood out in the early hours of playing.
The presentation comes across as much more natural. There's more of an emphasis on coaches and perspectives like the Pylon Cam have been added. When the game cuts to the camera angle in the right situation, it looks fantastic. Too often, though, it goes to the Pylon Cam only to show the legs of players.
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While Madden still doesn't have a compelling Career/Story Mode, the Franchise Mode is among the best in the genre ... and undeniably remains the best (and really only) complete Online Franchise experience. On the surface, the new additions don't sound huge. But when they're combined, they really enhance the journey of playing through multiple seasons.
The new in-game ticker is excellent, showing scores and stats from around the league in "real time" (based on day/time of the games). Practice squads have proven beneficial. The change to game-planning involves preparation that actually can pay off in the games, and Big Moments bring the critical decisions that have to be made front and center. There have been a decent amount of "major" injuries, but probably too few short-term injuries from games that are actively played. More injuries seem to happen out of the sim engine.
The team-building Madden Ultimate Team continues to offer more and more content. It might have actually reached a concerning level of that, as the scope of the mode has to be terribly intimidating to anybody unfamiliar with it. There are new Solo Challenges — lengthy load times feel more troublesome because of how brief they can be — along with a revamped Chemistry system. The popular Draft Champions returns after being introduced last year, as well.
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"Madden NFL 17" mostly avoids gimmicks in favor of addressing long-running areas of deficiency in the series. The developers stuck with the progress they made in recent years — aspects hardcore football fans appreciate like penalties and accuracy mattering for quarterbacks — while adding an element of unpredictability that makes the game feel much more like the actual sport.
It has taken the franchise a while to reach a point of stability and growth. Now, instead of just fixing mistakes of the past, Madden can move forward with creativity.
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"Madden NFL 17" was reviewed on the Xbox One. It is also available for PlayStation 4. The game can still be purchased by Amazon Prime members for 20 percent off.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the Press Row Podcast and be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.