Madden 2008 (PSP) Review
Posted by Andrew Mellick on 09.20.2007
More crazy Madden hijinks from the wacky guys at EA. Can this rag tag upstart company bring football action that's worth playing to the portable world? Read on to find out!
Madden 2007 PSP
It’s that time of year again, a time to separate the wheat from the chaff, the men from the boys, the pussies from the cocks! Yes, it is football season and really what is another football season without another rendition of EA’s flagship brand, Madden Football?
Ever since EA bought the rights to the NFL they have effectively created a monopoly on what was becoming a pretty heated race. The initial concern was that a monopoly would equal a lackluster product from EA. While its still to early to tell if that will be the case, each new incarnation of the series sheds a little more light on that theory. So what does 2008 tell us about a good many gamer’s greatest fear? Read on to find out.
Graphics
Graphically this is a good-looking game. It’s sharp and crisp, especially for a PSP game. The colors are very vibrant as EA used every pixel possible to make that little screen pop. As this was my first foray into portable pigskin action, I was curious to see how such a wide array of action, such as a football field, would fit on a small screen without feeling cluttered. I’m happy to report EA was able to transition it beautifully. The layout feels natural and scrolling from side to side while under center gives the field that wide open feel you’d expect.
Once the ball is snapped, the action is fast paced and smooth. I didn’t detect any slow down or choppiness. No small feat considering all that movements. Powerful hits jar ball carriers, as running backs muscle through tackles. Receivers stride effortlessly down field as D-backs match step for step in effort to grab the ever-elusive prize; the pigskin. It all works together seamlessly to create a working football environment in a portable package.
My only gripe with the graphics is the ability to see them. Yes unfortunately this game falls prey to the dreaded camera angle issues. Now, don’t get too excited. It really isn’t that bad. You’ll notice it the most on the snap. When the QB takes the ball and goes into his drop step, the camera doesn’t keep up, temporarily losing the QB on the bottom. It’s a persisting annoyance that can be costly if you’re facing a strong defensive line. Reason being, that sometimes the D line can catch up to the QB about as quick as the camera, resulting in an unsuspecting sack. Despite these little hiccups the game still looks stunning.
Gameplay
As always Madden comes loaded with options. You have the usual fare of picking your favorite team and taking them through mini camp, preseason, the regular season, and hopefully the playoffs and beyond. These staples are always fun and promise to take hours away from your friends and family. New to the game this year is the superstar challenge, where gamers can take control of a team at a critical juncture in history and see if they can lead on to victory. It’s a fun feature and it is set up in tiers of difficulty so it too can draw you in and keep you glued to your couch.
A new take on a classic, Franchise mode has been revamped. Now you can select your team and coach, from there you can take part in a fantasy draft where the league is up for grabs. Once you have your new team created its up to you to get them to the top. No more complaining, this mode really puts you in the driver’s seat. It’s a great concept and with the advent of fantasy football it is amazingly addictive and fun.
Madden isn’t perfect and while plenty of new tweaks and features have been added, I can’t help but wonder how useful some of these really are. Also, all these options do come at a cost, as you will spend a decent amount of time boning up on your NFL facts in the load screens. Still, I do give Madden credit for creativity and bringing a fun experience to the portable world.
Sound
Sound wise this game holds its one. Madden and Michaels are back to helm the announcing duties. I don’t care what anyone says, Madden is the most entertaining announcer in football. He is one of the most insightful as well. That’s what is always so great about these games. It’s one of the few where you can actually play through 4-5 games without having to turn the sound down due to stupidity.
All the sounds of the game are there in realistic clarity. Players slam into one another, audibles are yelled out above a roaring crowd. Grunts and groans of struggle are heard as a pile of players battle one another down the field. It is exactly what you’d expect but that’s a good thing here. Spot on sound effects really aid in bringing a game to life and Madden does so nicely.
Outside of the game players are treated to the usual soundtrack of various unknown to semi famous artists plying their craft. It’s a well-rounded soundtrack albeit a bit cumbersome. I don’t think it would bankrupt EA to shell out a few bucks for a couple marquee songs. Never the less, the sound track is enough to keep you occupied while you’re perfecting your team.
Lasting Appeal
Madden provides a decent amount of online action. Playing against others is always fun so it’s nice to see they put some effort into this. You can also link up to a buddy as well and Ad Hoc it. One of the most fun aspects of Madden is humiliating your friends so its good to see this little character builder didn’t fall by the wayside in the portable version.
As far as the actual game goes, there is enough to keep you busy here for quite a while. The game is fun and Easy to jump into and the various modes keep the game fresh and fun. While the load times can be a bit cumbersome, there is enough here to make those waits worth it.
For a portable title, I was quite impressed with the shear amount of game options. I was even more impressed that the majority of these are actually fun. Sure you’re not going to want to play through preseason every time. But things like the Superstar challenge add a new level of addictiveness.
Fun Factor
Yes this title isn’t perfect but it is fun and in the end isn’t that what video games are all about? Ok, that was cheesy but this game does offer a lot of options. But the most refreshing thing is these options are fun! I didn’t find myself muddling through some drill just to unlock another mundane option. No this game offers you fun.
The load times however are annoying and the camera angles can seriously be hampering. I’d also recommend not sitting too long on that soundtrack or you’ll probably put your PSP in the blender. Nevertheless, all these shortcomings are far outshined by the games triumphs.
The 411
Look if you haven’t liked Madden games in the past, this isn’t going to be the one to win you over. But if you’re a Madden lover or if you’ve become a bit annoyed by the games lack of creativity, this may be the title the recaptures your heart…or free time anyway.
Despite its load times and camera angles and emo inducing soundtrack Madden 2007 takes many steps in the right direction providing hope to those who love the series. Maybe a monopoly isn’t such a bad thing after all.
Graphics
9.0
The graphics are crisp and sharp with no slow down
Gameplay
8.5
Plenty of options and customizations here to make for a fun football experience
Sound
7.5
Good sound effects and announcing but the soundtrack gets repetitive
Lasting Appeal
8.5
There is plenty here to suck out many hours of your life.
Fun Factor
8.5
This is a fun and reasonably creative football experience and it translates well to the PSP
