Regardless of my better judgement, I downloaded the Madden 12 demo, just to see where things got with the series. My opinions on the game seems to remain the same from last year. Weird AI calls (Punting on 3rd and 4?!) and logic problem still pervade the game, but the biggest sin is that the presentation is still just so uneven. For every filler shot they have (Hey! It’s the coach! Let’s watch the coach yell while the clock runs down!), it looks amazing, but there’s always SOMETHING weird going on. 5 fans in the background standing next to each other look like clones and are moving at the exact same time, for instance. During the team intros, you’ve got guys carrying team flags and banners, which is a really awesome touch, up until the cloth physics on the flags go batshit crazy and you’ve got a 30 foot flag stretched out and flapping wildly.

The controls still feel sharp on the run, but if I were to have one major complaint against the game’s control scheme, it would be this: Please, please, please PLEASE just pick a kicking method. This year’s PAT/Punt/kickoff mechanic was different than last year’s, which was different than the year prior, which was different than the year prior. Any one of those methods would be fine – just pick one.Out of all the things that need revised, that’s not it. No one cares about HOW they kick, so long as the ball goes in the air.

Madden will always sell. They don’t even have to try. EA puts in enough new stuff to make the series grow JUST ENOUGH to warrant that next purchase from the football fan. Me? Yeah, I’ll pass this time around. Maybe next year.

Be Sociable, Share!