Madden NFL 07 (Xbox 360) Review
Posted by Joshua Richey on 09.08.2006
Still a year away...
Last year EA released the first ‘next-gen’ version of the ever so popular Madden series. X-box 360 owners were hoping for that next-gen experience; they had wanted themselves a taste of what the future of football games had in store. But what they got was a very ‘vanilla’ and ‘watered down’ taste. Sort of like what San Francisco 49er fans got when their franchise drafted Alex Smith. At its best, it was only slightly bad.
The visuals from last year’s game were pretty nice at times; but lacking were the features and modes that made the game so enjoyable in the first place. By ‘packing it in’ on the Franchise mode, Madden no longer had the replay factor that prior Madden games had. The only real positive that ‘next-gen’ Madden had – was the fact that it was the first year for the new game engine, and things were only going to get better. The game attempted to sever itself from the plethora of other versions of Madden, and it felt as though that EA was finally trying to deliver us something great, even if they did fail miserably.
A year has past. Madden 2006 is dead, and Madden 2007 is here. With a year under their belts, did EA fair any better in their second attempt at ‘next-gen’?
Graphics
Madden 2006’s graphics were not its downfall. Visually the game stood apart from anything that football gamers had ever seen. The stadiums and the environments looked great. Hell, even Dennis Green’s boiler belly looked extraordinary on ‘next-gen’. It was truly remarkable to see just how well the games developers were able to capture the ugliness of a Hines Ward and Peyton Manning.
So of course the games graphics didn’t take a step backwards from last year. Everything from the players cleats to that fat fan in section 42, seat 13, look better; or more ‘crisp’ as Jeff Garcia would say.
Gameplay
Madden didn’t stray to far from what we’ve all become accustomed to. Anyone that has ever played a previous version of Madden can pick up the 360 controller, and have a good understanding of what’s what within just a few minutes.
As for the bad: Well, on the offensive side of the ball, things seem unusually slow. Snap the ball from your center and your quarterback will damn near moonwalk his way throughout his 5 step drop. The awkward drop back motion itself will distract you from spotting your open receiver down field.
Another thing that really bothers me, just as it does every year, is the running game. There still doesn’t seem to have been enough emphasis put on running the football. The running game’s sole purpose should not be to set up the pass. EA addressed these problems on the current gen consoles, but failed to do so with the 360 version. Your running back is primarily used for screen passes or to pick-up oncoming blitzes; not necessarily to get positive yards or drain the clock.
Sound
If there is one area in which Madden really just falls flat on its face, it’s right here in the sound department. The commentary is awful. If I had to compare the sound in this game to an actual player, I’d probably have to say that it is Joey Harrington-esque. Oh yeah, that bad.
You no longer have John Madden and Al Michaels doing the play by play, which was at one time considered a pleasant alteration; but not anymore. They are once again replaced with a radio personality that is a ‘homer’ for the team that you play as. The guy is so damn irritating that it isn’t even amusing. I never thought I would long for the days in which John Madden himself would spurt out ignorant drivel such as: ‘Boom’, and all of his other ‘no shit Sherlock’s’.
This area of the game needs a complete overhaul for Madden 2008, because at this point my suggestion would be to turn down the volume on your television and put on some music. What kind of music? Any kind will suffice. Hell, John Tesh will get your blood pumping more than the sound in Madden 2007. Ohhh, snap!
Lasting Appeal
If you’re like me at all, you’re going to walk away from Madden 2007 feeling more than slightly disappointed. Yes there are improvements, but not enough to possibly justify picking yourself up a copy. My advice: rent it, and simply wait for next year.
Fun Factor
The only way that I could envision someone actually enjoying Madden 2007 for a long amount of time, is if they used it primarily for multi-player purpose’s.
The NFL Superstar mode that is supposed to allow you to see what it is like to be an NFL player is so bad that I’m not even going to cover it much in this review. It’s a mode that is littered with bugs and non-interesting B.S. Playing the mode for its complexity and realism is like watching Kevin Federline perform on stage for artistic value.
The 411
I never could have imagined the football genre to be in this much disarray. It wasn’t so long ago that NFL fans had their choice from Madden, NFL 2K, Blitz, and Gameday. Money ultimately led to the end of that, and now Madden is all that we have left.
There is good news and there is bad news for the future of football games. The bad news being that for at least the next year, gamers are without a football game that has much good worth. Once you’ve played through a half on a game, you’ll begin to get tired and disinterested. The good news is that EA is making progress. From 2006 to 2007 a lot of improvements had been made, but unfortunately not enough were made. There is a ‘back-to-school’ list of things that need to be redone for Madden 2008, and EA only has a year to do them.
As far as Madden 2007 goes, it’s merely a rental.
Graphics
9.0
Things look very polished, very nice, and very 'next-gen'.
Gameplay
7.5
Still not as good as NCAA Football's; doesn't feel as smooth as it could be.
Sound
6.0
Fire that damn play-by-play guy!
Lasting Appeal
7.5
A very average score for a very average game.
Fun Factor
8.0
I'm giving it an 8 only if you're playing with friends. The competition can make the game appear better than it actually is.
