Madden NFL 21 Review: No More Sweating The Rookies

[Nergal]

 

 

Another year, another chance for EA to nail the perfect ratio of fun and complex realism for its popular american football franchise. Madden NFL 21 doesn't reinvent the wheel in any significant way, but it does include a handful of small tweaks that go a long way toward making the game more inclusive for new players. Tweaks to the AI, animations and control mechanics make the gameplay notably more consistent than it has been in past years. On the other hand, the game engine is really starting to show its age in terms of graphical fidelity and framerate.

The often overlooked Tutorial has gradually been improving each year, while remaining under the radar since most seasoned players don't bother taking a look at this mode. Madden 21's tutorial is the best it has been in years due to its comprehensive and entertaining walk through of all necessary information about the game of football. New players will get a crash course on the real-world game and will learn by playing through various scenarios until they understand each concept. This is clearly built for those who are new to Madden and new to football in general.

Once players finish their education, they can jump right into the action. Exhibition mode is the same tried and true formula with a few added tweaks. Offensive players can now enjoy adjusted evasive moves, which are bound to the right stick. Jukes and spins are now easier to pull off with proper timing, while on the defensive side, Rush Moves make this essential half of the sport less boring than usual. In past games, there was a feeling of powerlessness during defense as AI controlled team mates would do all of the work. This time around, playing defense feels pretty good and isn't such a drag. Depending on the difficulty settings, the game feels much less like it's playing itself, and there's an overall improved sense of control on both sides of the ball.

 

[Mizz]

I am not liking this game so far.