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Platform
Xbox
Genre
Sports
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Developer
EA Sports
ESRB
E (Everyone)
Released
Q3 2002
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- Eliminated "treadmill effect"
from running game
- Crammed full of features and extras that series has become
famous for
- Challenging CPU artificial intelligence
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- Kicking game still difficult to
master
- Play-by-play and commentary should be better than it actually
is with the addition of Al Michaels teamed with John Madden
- No online support by EA for Xbox Live
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Review: Madden NFL 2003 (Playstation 2)
Review: Madden NFL 2003 (PC)
Review: Madden NFL 2003 (Gamecube)
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Madden
NFL 2003
Score: 8.8 / 10
Odds are when you think of great football
video games, one comes immediately to mind: Electronic Arts’ Madden
series, now entering its 13th year. Despite some uneven showings with
the 32 and 64-bit Madden renditions, the 128-bit PS2, Xbox, and GameCube
generation has seen the series make a spectacular return to its glory
days of the Genesis Madden games. Last year’s Madden 2002 was very solid
with a few minor problems. This year, especially on the Xbox (with NFL
2K3 and NFL Fever 2003 also available for the Microsoft system) the
Madden franchise is facing its toughest competition in years for the top
gridiron game crown. But EA has done it again with Madden 2003 (Xbox)
which is getting only better with age.
When EA claims “if it’s in the game, it’s in the game” they ain’t
kidding, football fanatics. Madden 2003 has the return of the Madden
cards and the 30 season franchise mode. There’s also the two-minute
drill that serves as a training mode. Again you can import graduating
players from EA’s NCAA Football into Madden’s
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realistic is a game that actually encompasses the preseason games and
evaluation process that franchises use to build a team each year? Very
realistic. Madden has outdone the competition again for the 2003
football video game season. Nobody can come close to outdoing Madden in
the sheer volume and quality of the extras and features it provides.
Passing in the game stays the same as last year with pressure-sensitive
throwing controls that either toss a lob pass or a howitzer at the
intended receiver depending on how light or heavy you tap the
corresponding controller button. It takes a little getting used to if
you haven’t played Madden 2002 in a while or at all, but with a little
practice it comes naturally and depicts the truest representation of an
actual pro football passing attack.
The biggest improvement on the offensive side of the ball is in the
running game. Gone is the “treadmill effect” that plagued last year’s
Madden, where if you called a running play and a back got trapped behind
the offensive line, he practically ran in place or appeared to be on a
treadmill until finally mercifully getting tackled. This year EA stole
some innovation from both the NFL 2K and NFL Fever series by allowing
the back to attempt to squeeze through any slight opening in the
offensive line instead of staying in a “running man” stance. Coupled
with its passing features, Madden 2003 can boast of having the best
offensive video game football scheme for the 2003 line of titles.
On defense, Madden is relatively stable, although it’s shakier than the
hard-to-top offensive schematics. Against you, the CPU artificial
intelligence is at its best on defense. You must develop a balanced and
efficient offense if you want any chance of winning against the virtual
defense. It’s tough, but not impossible to score against once you put in
plenty of practice and game time. When you are playing defense either
against the CPU or another human opponent, the CPU-assisted defense is
the smartest available in any football video game, helping out whenever
possible in tackling or covering the opposition. Another nice defensive
feature is that you can shift both the defensive line and linebackers to
give you a better shot at either the quarterback or running back at the
snap of the ball.
Really the only negative aspect of Madden’s defense is the tackling.
Either against the CPU or a human opponent, too many times a player
seemingly caught in the clutches of one of your defenders finds a
inconceivable way to shake your defender off and gain additional
yardage. Just when you think you got ‘em, they slip through your grip.
It is Madden’s second-most frustrating characteristic right behind the
kicking game.
Whether punting or on field goal attempts, the kicking game is still a
trying experience. Unless you spend tons of time in the practice mode,
the kicking power meter is extremely hard to master. Its difficult to
the point that you almost are discouraged from attempting to kick field
goals (and instead going for the yardage on fourth down) or punt (to the
CPU punt returner who usually winds up bringing back the kick to your
last line of scrimmage). Also, when you are in position to return a
punt, even the best punt returners in the league can have a difficult
time gaining even one yard on a return most times. The CPU or
human-controlled punt coverage team almost always is right in your face
tackling you as soon as you field the punt.
Graphically Madden 2003 has its strong and weak points. The player
animations are as great as last year. When your Madden players are in
animated motion they are exceptionally realistic. But once players take
their helmets off, Madden’s visuals sink. The player’s facial features
are nowhere near the amazing quality in NFL 2K3. And the cheerleaders
that pop up at halftime are gruesome in appearance, not anywhere close
to the voluptuous beauties they are in real life. But those minor
criticisms aside, you might actually think you bought a ticket and are
sitting up in the stands yourself when you get a glimpse of the highly
detailed stadiums, although the crowds that fill up each stadium are
pretty flat and phony looking. It’s not quite as polished visually as
either NFL 2K3 or NFL Fever 2003, but Madden more than makes up for it
in other areas or the game.
Where Madden 2003 really isn’t anything special is the sound department.
One of the highlights of Madden 2003’s auditory elements is the sound of
hard tackles, which again is bone-crushingly impressive. The crowds can
be pumped up or quieted by pressing down the left trigger, which is
cool, but the crowd can at times sound almost as if it is trapped in a
tin can and doesn’t sound authentic at all when this effect happens.
You would assume that with all the experience in the broadcast booth,
the play-by-play tandem of John Madden and his Monday Night Football
partner Al Michaels should provide better audio work than they actually
do. Many times the commentary of Madden and the play-by-play of Michaels
is too generic and not specific enough to make you believe they are
really commenting on the action that is occurring between the two teams
on the field. On one play during a game I was involved in, Michaels was
talking about how the play lost yardage and that I would have to punt
while at the very same time my running back laid the ball down on the
carpet and the fumble had yet to be recovered. Sega Sports’ NFL 2K
series announcers Terry McGovern as "Dan Stevens" and Jay Styne as
"Peter O'Keefe" do a much better job than Madden and Michaels, and they
are fictional!
And finally, EA decided at this point not to support Xbox Live online
gaming with Madden 2003, instead opting to provide functionality to
Sony’s PS2 online service. I personally see that as a big mistake,
because both NFL Fever 2003 and NFL 2K3 will be online on November 15
when Microsoft officially launches Xbox Live. If online compatibility
becomes an important feature to a big segment of Xbox gamers and Xbox
Live becomes a big hit, then EA is risking losing sales to its
competitors.
For the second year in a row, the Madden franchise proves it’s worthy of
the praise from critics and fans alike. This is the complete package for
realistic simulation football video game players that also spend their
time managing a fantasy football league team. With NFL 2K3 giving it
strong competition, Madden 2003 isn’t the unanimously best Xbox football
game on the virtual field. But you sure won’t be disappointed if you
choose Madden 2003 over Sega’s equally excellent pro football title,
especially if extensively tooling around with the game’s unbelievable
amount of extras and features is a big draw for you.
- Lee Cieniawa
lcieniawa@armchairempire.com
(September 15, 2002) |
