Madden NFL 24 Review | Attack of the Fanboy

Yearly the group gathers to see if there are any enhancements to the long-running Madden franchise. It looks like the collection has been in a hunch for the previous ten entries, and whereas they haven’t essentially been “dangerous” per se, they didn’t comprise the magic that the Madden franchise was recognized for again within the day. I’ve had excessive hopes for Madden 24 as EA promised an array of recent options, much more so than earlier than, and as I performed by means of every Mode, the texture of the sport was nearly sufficient for me to develop into the Madden fan I was.

EA guarantees modifications to the brand new Madden sport yearly, as they need to, and you may inform the developer tried its hardest with the most recent options and know-how carried out into the gameplay of Madden 24. With a rebuilt skeleton system, by means of the brand new Sapien Expertise, it delivers a few of the most sensible animations I’ve ever seen in a Madden sport. That mentioned, animations and realism are solely a part of what could make Madden an immersive expertise; it additionally must nail it in each mode accessible within the sport. 

Mini-games and Celebrity Mode are again, Franchise Mode will get a revamp, and MUT will get a pleasant touchup so as to add extra freedom and leniency for gamers. However, with regards to a brand new Madden, together with another sport entry, it must be sufficient to justify paying full worth for a brand new sport. In my view, I don’t suppose the brand new options and additions are sufficient for me to say, “I want Madden 24 over Madden 23.” For veterans of the collection, paying the total worth for the most recent entry boils all the way down to if you happen to missed the options it added again, and the enhancements to Franchise Mode are what you’ve been craving.

Total Subject Expertise – AI and Animations

Though not crucial a part of a Madden sport — particularly contemplating Madden 12 was the final improbable addition with mediocre animations — it nonetheless must be mentioned: the on-field expertise in Madden 24 is the most effective it has ever been. NFL followers may have no hassle discovering comparisons in-game to what they’ve seen in actual life within the professional league.

Once you boot up a sport of Madden 24, you’ll be able to inform that new enhancements have been made to the AI and animations. That is particularly noticeable with regards to offensive blocking. Linemen take full benefit of the brand new blocking system, permitting them to create bigger holes for runners by means of chip blocking, double teaming, and pushing the road ahead for that further inch towards the primary down. Madden 23 made the participant really feel like they have been continuously doing flawed within the working sport, however that is not the case in Madden 24 because the revamped blocking methods permit your teammates to work more durable for you, thus resulting in breakaway runs and a rewarding expertise.

EA promised that Zone Protection in Madden 24 was an unlimited enchancment over its predecessor, nevertheless it’s arduous to not disagree. I observed that the sport likes to favor the secondary protection whenever you’re taking part in on offense, then decrease the secondary ability degree when your staff is on protection. I perceive the sport needs you to enhance your Madden abilities, but when EA goes to state that “Zone Protection performs extra authentically,” then it is best to make it that method for the participant on each side of the ball.

One other focus the sport goals to enhance is all types of tackling, together with wrap tackles, scoop tackles, you identify it. That is the place Madden 24 shines probably the most in its gameplay and makes it really feel extra like a next-gen Madden sport. The tackles are fingers down probably the most sensible out of all the franchise, and this stems from EA scanning real-life NFL gamers to get probably the most correct fluid actions in franchise historical past. Scanning NFL gamers for tackles isn’t the tip; EA additionally used the brand new Sapien Skeleton to scan the viewers, referees, and coaches, making a extra sensible strategy within the stadium. You could hand it to the builders for his or her dedication to the franchise on this regard.

Fan Favourite Modes – Tuned for Extra Participant Freedom

Sufficient with the beautiful animations of Madden 24; let’s get into the brand new and enhanced options for the most recent entry. A group favourite is again, Mini-Video games in Coaching Mode, permitting gamers to enhance their gamers in Franchise mode through the pre-season, together with it being added to the weekly schedule all through the common season. Whereas that is nice and enjoyable in its personal proper, a few of the Mini-games are too “arcade-like” and shine a destructive gentle on the sensible nature that these Madden video games intention to emulate, taking away from the immersive expertise. Nonetheless, it’s good to have one other method to enhance your gamers and purchase rewards as a result of who doesn’t like that?

Extra enhancements have been made to Franchise Mode, together with overhauls to trades, commerce tuning, an extra 12 months of draft picks, and commissioner instruments. All of those enhancements to the fan-favorite Mode add freedom to the sandbox, which is emphasised in each on-line and solo play, permitting it to cater to all gamers. Madden 23 tended to strip away choices for the participant, however now, gamers have far more entry to regulate their league to their liking, making it really feel extra such as you’re a normal supervisor or a coach. I discovered this extremely refreshing and felt that Franchise Mode is extra addicting than ever due to these enhancements. It’s a pleasant trace that EA is lastly on the right track for this explicit Mode.

Talking of shifting in the appropriate path, Madden 24 has added Celebrity again to the sport, a mode that may very well be the defining purpose for some gamers to buy the sport. There’s nothing higher than creating your participant, taking him by means of the Mix, elevating him by means of the league to stardom, and turning into a Corridor of Famer. I at all times questioned why this Mode was taken out of earlier entries, contemplating it gives a few of the deepest participant development in comparison with different sports activities titles. Celebrity Mode is the most effective addition to Madden 24, and any fan might lose hours upon hours taking part in it.

Madden Final Group – Similar Really feel, Extra Content material

Madden Final Group, one which collection veterans will doubtless spend probably the most time in, is trying to have its most vital content material drop all through the sport’s lifespan. With EA promising to deliver seven seasons to MUT, gamers get the chance to be extra concerned than ever. Exterior of an extended listing of seasons, Madden Final Group considerably improves navigating the menu, provides new reside occasion programming, and consists of the highly-requested crossplay characteristic for buddies to play on completely different consoles.

The one concern that Madden Final Group had in earlier entries is that it wanted to be extra newcomer pleasant. That’s not the case, as Madden 24 brings an entire new tutorial system for individuals who aren’t very acquainted with the mode, permitting for the very best quantity of accessibility but. This tutorial system is so in-depth that it’ll educate all the things from fundamentals to the extra superior methods the mode entails. Newcomers aren’t the one ones who will get pleasure from this coaching system, as there can even be tutorials for veterans alike as MUT will educate gamers “new mechanics” all through the NFL season. 

Efficiency Points

Madden 24 bumped into some key points that should be addressed. For some purpose, navigating by means of the menus in MUT and Franchise Mode was painfully gradual, which prompted me to lose my endurance and exit the sport solely. It is senseless why easy navigation between tabs needs to be inflicting stutter hundreds. The sport wants a patch to repair this gradual velocity concern, however outdoors of that, the sport ran fairly properly on the sector, with occasional glitches and body fee drops. Throughout early entry, the servers went down proper off the bat, making me fear that EA isn’t solely ready for the variety of gamers it’s bringing on, however what else is new?

The Verdict

Gamers will discover a variety of enjoyable in Madden 24 primarily attributable to improved options, enhanced animations for a greater subject expertise, and the return of modes that EA ought to have by no means eliminated within the first place. Regardless, the latest Madden doesn’t really feel like a necessity. Regardless of all of the positives and added-on fancy options, I can’t advocate paying full worth for Madden 24, because it doesn’t really feel completely different sufficient when evaluating final 12 months’s version. However if you happen to’re a die-hard veteran craving a Madden that promotes extra participant company, EA has fine-tuned the soccer emulation to make it a greater expertise.

– This text was up to date on August 18th, 2023

About The Creator

Christian has been a author of Assault of the Fanboy for a few 12 months and has coated Shadows of Rose, Witcher 3, Wild Hearts, Redfall, and Remnant 2; his favourite style is Survival Horror. He has a enterprise diploma however felt the necessity to take his love for video video games to the gaming group. Exterior of writing, you’ll find him listening to all kinds of podcasts, particularly At all times Sunny Podcast and Morbid True Crime.