Madden 24 review: EA’s NFL franchise has become the iPhone

If you happen to’re maintaining a tally of the most recent iPhone launch, you’ve change into accustomed to a sure cadence each summer time: an announcement of a brand new mannequin that appears type of just like the one you have already got, however with some notable quality-of-life fixes which will or might not be splurge-worthy. You could have some complaints about your eventual buy, as it’s possible you’ll encounter a bug or two alongside the best way, however you’ll be content material with the minor upgrades. You’d in all probability favor these adjustments to be greater and industry-changing like they had been years in the past, however what you’ve gotten now’s a web optimistic, and that’s good too.

If you happen to had been maintaining a tally of the most recent Madden launch this 12 months, chances are high, you’ve skilled one thing comparable. This viewpoint might initially come off as cynical, however a few of Madden NFL 24’s adjustments are small but notable. Did these variations persuade you to place down your copy of Madden NFL 23 in favor of 24? That each one relies upon.

Picture: EA Tiburon/Digital Arts

Madden NFL 24’s gameplay is strong, full of a bevy of small adjustments to its mechanics and play-calling. While you load up the sport for the primary time, you’re greeted with completely different passing choices to cater to your stage of experience. The presence of NFL-branded Subsequent Gen Stats has been scaled again, however the characteristic does pop up that will help you determine your normal offensive and defensive methods at halftime. There’s additionally the long-running Coach Strategies characteristic, which helps you select your offensive and defensive methods between each play. Stacking each could make the play-calling really feel like a hat on a hat, however it additionally encourages you to seek out the proper steadiness between the 2.

If you happen to’re new to the collection, this may increasingly all appear a bit daunting, although I think about the variety of first-time Madden gamers is minuscule compared to the franchise’s hardcore viewers, particularly since Digital Arts has had an exclusive licensing deal with the NFL since 2004. However that very same complexity might be excellent for novice Madden NFL followers: A lot of Madden NFL 24 is absolutely adjustable. If you happen to take the time to experiment with all the numerous dials and meters, it’s possible you’ll stumble in your best Madden setup.

The inspiration for this flexibility dates again to Madden NFL 22: You possibly can both choose the better, high-octane Simulation possibility, or the meticulous Aggressive mode. FieldSense, the revamped gameplay system launched final 12 months, additionally makes a return right here. With its skill-based passing, you possibly can throw excessive and low passes utilizing the left shoulder buttons together with the acquainted contact and bullet passes featured in nearly each Madden recreation. Getting the ball to an open receiver turns into that rather more nerve-wracking, but in addition that rather more gratifying once you full the proper move.

Picture: EA Tiburon/Digital Arts

The physics in Madden NFL 24 are clean, besides in some uncommon cases. On one event, I went for a dive close to the objective line with a operating again. The animation was true to life and uninterrupted. The one downside was that my participant gained zero yards due to a close-by defender. Like in most years, videos of glitches have already gone viral on X, the web site previously referred to as Twitter — a lot in order that that is turning into as a lot of a practice because the Madden video games themselves.

The profession mode previously referred to as Face of the Franchise is now extra stripped down, paying homage to earlier years’ profession modes. As a substitute of a storyline the place your created participant is a veteran on the lookout for his breakout season à la Madden NFL 23, they’re as soon as once more leaving faculty and coming into the NFL draft à la Madden NFL 22.

If you happen to loved final season’s profession mode, you is perhaps disenchanted, however placing the main target again on the faculty soccer world could possibly be an indication of one thing greater for the way forward for soccer video video games, particularly since EA Sports activities is planning to launch its first college football game since 2013 subsequent summer time. The return of the beloved franchise along side Madden’s backpedaling could possibly be a really aggressive trace that there will probably be integration between the 2 video games subsequent 12 months, very similar to the best way that many iPhone updates set the stage for extra integration inside Apple’s personal ecosystem of gadgets, equipment, and software program.

Picture: EA Tiburon/Digital Arts

And so, Digital Arts iterates, and churns out yet one more Madden, a top quality product that, like every new iPhone, is often higher, however solely barely crucial after final 12 months’s. It really works, and there are extra options, and lots of of them will make it simpler to play nuanced soccer — however the largest improvements occur incrementally. Is the leap from one 12 months to the subsequent nice sufficient to make the annual buy worthwhile? Not essentially, until you prioritize having essentially the most up-to-date rosters. You may moderately maintain off on shopping for a Madden recreation till EA Sports activities provides so many new options to future variations that your subsequent buy turns into a no brainer.

However this season’s Madden is also somebody’s first, and the rationale they change into a die-hard fan of the franchise. A few of my most cherished reminiscences are of enjoying an previous copy of Madden NFL 04 with mates, sifting by franchise mode and drafting customized rosters with out even enjoying a recreation till the daybreak. Each soccer fan has their favourite recreation, and can inform you that every 12 months’s entry has flaws. Madden NFL 24 has flaws, as properly, however it gives extra customization than ever, even when it’s simply barely extra. I can’t wait to dive into Madden NFL 28.

Madden NFL 24 was launched on Aug. 15 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Sequence X. The sport was reviewed on Xbox Sequence X utilizing a obtain code offered by Digital Arts. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These don’t affect editorial content material, although Vox Media might earn commissions for merchandise bought through affiliate hyperlinks. You could find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.