A closer look at why madden 360 sucks

[gloves off]

I moved to Turkey last year so I’m a little behind on the times. I just received my 360 2 weeks ago, and now I’ve am finally able to judge the next generation madden for myself. Now while this years madden is far from perfect on the 360, the good (in my opinion) outweighs the bad. I’ve been doing a lot of reading on other boards, as well as our home VG, and all of the complaints on madden seem to be centered around the extras that are missing and the change of the controls. While I am highly disappointed in no practice mode, no challenges, camera angles, mini camps....ect. I am overjoyed by x's and o's aspect of the game. No longer can the high pass be used as a crutch for weaker players, no longer can you come out and bomb the ball down field with a pump fake, no longer can you come out in quarters defense and defend my I form big. No longer can you match a linebacker with a receiver and not be exposed. I mean now even good catching running backs are a factor and a mismatch that the defense has to deal with. If after the bump Steve Smith has a step on the corner, there is no miracle make up speed, his azz is burnt. The defensive A.I. seems to be improved. I attempted to do comeback routes all the way up the field against man coverage, the cornerback adjusted and went from batting it down, to picking it off. Now I have yet to play a game online, but I will most likely start this weekend. But for those of you who have a lot of games under your belts, I would like to ask what are the major exploits of the A.I. in this version. (if any) This thread is not meant for a flame war, I’m an old head that stop posting due to the bull!!@3 that overran the boards over the last year and a half or so. But from where this new generation madden seems to be headed, I think that people will once again come to VG and discuss strategy. I would just like honest answers as to what you may have noticed bad about this years game, besides the extras.

[alectra82]

Your title of your thread is misleading. If you want to talk about how good the game is, wouldnt your title match the content? All I am saying is when the cover of the paper say Bush Bombs Russia D-3, Then the article in section D-3 says we reached a peace agreement, WTF???

[FeaRxRaiDeR]

hmm ya im starting to like madden on 360...at 1st i thought it sucked....then i start 2 get the hang of it...getting user picks...manual catching the ball myself... this game is good if u dont mind the lack on features that are on the xbox vers. but this is the next gen of madden so u better start to like it...sure i do miss the hot routes and defense player makers...but im sure that will be in madden 07 in 3 months...cant wait...i havnt really found anything i totally dislike on madden on 360. no high pass bs...no cheese...lol even tho i had a great rec on the reg. xbox madden ( like 107-30). i try 2 play a game of that today...and i was like hmmm kinda boring...the graphics and everything r just kinda lame after playing 360...and if any 1 plays bf...that is crazy also...and ya ur topic heading is kinda messed up...u say why 360 sucks..then luv it...but it but...i think u want others 2 say why they think it sux..BUT IT DOESNT..HAHA later hommies

[moostache2]

Reason #1 - sub-par, almost comically bad animations when players are pursuing the ball carrier down the sidelines. EA lifted the animations for this directly from the NFL 2K series right down to the "I-have-a-stick-in-my-***" board straight up and down running style. I realize this is not exactly a gameplay issue, but it sure does a wonderful job of slapping you in the face and screaming "VIDEO GAME" instead of allowing the player greater suspension of disbelief and emmersion in the gameplay....

Reason #2 - complete lack of defensive playmaker ability on individual assignments. "Next-gen" should NEVER have gone backwards in such a critical feature set. Having the ability to change any defenders assignment brings a level of unpredictability to calling defenses and really contributes a great deal to strategy and to disguising defenses when playing online. Being able to manually concoct zone blitzes to combat the players who instantly recognize a stock defense at the snap is an invaluable tool. For that to be missing from the game was far more egregious than many, many other missing features from Madden 2006 on current-gen systems.

Reason #3 - Locked camera angle and no options. Again, I liked the graphics and I liked the closer camera angle, but if I zoom out to check formation and assignments pre-snap, why oh why does the camera have to lock on the wide angle shot? Why no option to have either other camera options or a user defined camera angle? Again, this is "next-gen" stuff I expect as a given in these types of games. They have a more powerful; graphics machine than ever before for Madden and they can't figure out a way to make gameplay look as good as the replays??? The default replay camera is better than the default gameplay camera and that is just criminal.

I could keep going, but those three things alone have greatly reduced my enjoyment of the 360's Madden. If GameStop wasn't trying to rape me by offering only $10 in store credit for it, I would have traded it in already.

Other issues/annoyances:
- poorly integrated passing hot routes
- poorly executed fumbles (way too many happen)
- No MINI-CAMP??? No Practice Mode??? This, coupled with the other things above make the game infinitely less than the current-gen versions.

[gloves off]

Yes, the title is misleading, but i do thank you guys for the feedback tho. Since ive been playing the game more, there are a few areas that i have noticed need improvment.


1. The play action combined with a pump fake is way too effective. I think that players should bite hard on a playaction when either the run has been established or it seems to be an obvious running situation.....2nd and 1. But I dont think that means that my cornerback should take a full two steps toward the line of scrimage while the WR streaks by him wide open.

2. Depending on what angle a pass is throwed at the reciever, sometimes the defender that is guarding the reciever just runs in stride with him, without attempting to make a play on the ball. Now this can be looked upon as a good or bad thing, because it will force the user to attemt to do things on his on. Now the downside to this is, if I have champ bailey one on one with a reciever there is no way that champ shouldn't attempt a play on the ball.

3. THE LAG ON XBOX LIVE. This is horrible for a paid service to say the least. I havent played one game, in which just to complete kickoff, i could go to the bathroom and come back, just in time to make a play on the ball.

I havent run accross any other issues so far, but it has got me to thinking if maybe the only reason we are not aware of a lot of glitches/A.I. Flaws that are in the game, is due to the fact that the masses dont play the 360....... But I will take these short commings over the high pass, i know if your running or passing on every play, any day of the week.

[FeaRxRaiDeR]

yup ok we get it...madden 06 is missing the defense playmakers, along with mini camp and all that other stuff....lol but all this im sure will be in the madden 07 in 3months