Madden NFL 2003

If I could only pick one sport to play as a professional career it would definitely be football. I love the game, I sit down every Sunday to watch my favorite team in hopes they come away victorious. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am not a huge sports fan, when it comes to most of them I shudder at the thought of watching it let alone playing it, football is the only exception. That is why every year I get overly excited about the upcoming pigskin games on my console. Each year I am given the chance to live out my dream on the virtual astro turf. It takes a lot to impress me in a football game and this year everyone is coming out fighting. Without further ado I bring you my thoughts on this year’s Madden franchise.

By now I am sure most of you have taken a look at my score and said WTF is he thinking?!? This is Madden 2003 the best football game ever created!! I don’t wanna read his stupid opinion because he is wrong! OK all of those still with me I wanna welcome the true gaming fans to a little world I call reality, a name does NOT make a good game. No I am not saying that Madden sucks because it is far from the truth, what I am saying is that this year’s incarnation gives me very little if any reason to shell out another 50 bucks when I already paid 50 for it last year. Details are coming and for those hardcores still with me enjoy the show.

First we start off with the game itself, Madden has always been known for it’s realism and depth. The franchise was the aspect that had everyone coming back again and again for more football action. Sure everything is still intact this year, the franchise offers 30 year seasons and drafting from NCAA Football 2003 but this is all standard and nothing has been added to spice it up! They did add a play creator which allows you to make custom play, the drawbacks are that it is very limited to what you can do. Also added this year is the overhyped mini-camp feature that allows you to hone your skills before playing the game itself. This mode is tedious and outright boring offering very little in advancing your skills with the game.

The next point of disappointment comes from the graphics. Year after year we are greeted with the exact same engine as last year! Madden has yet to vastly improve over their first PS2 engine. Another thing that agitates me about EA is the fact they only develop for one console, this game could look SOOO much better with XBox features such as bump mapping, laziness EA damn laziness! The one good thing Madden adds this year is less of having to hear Madden’s repetitive ass. His lines seem to have been toned down quite a bit, replacing them with the much better Al Michaels. The game seems almost like a one man show as you tend to disreguard whatever Madden says since most of it is a complete re-hash of last season. “Get those big old paws in there and knock it down!”

My next complaint, and this goes back to the realism statement made earlier, this game is way too easy. How many of you video football heads actually watch real football? I know I do, and seeing Rich Gannon drop an 80 yard pass while on the run just doesn’t happen every down on my TV screen each Sunday…does it yours? Didn’t think so, with that said you can imagine the ease of playing Madden, scores of 70-89 are no unheard of on a regular basis. I also wanna know what the hell is up with the running game, every year the Madden-ites start yelling “it ain’t the same the running game is improved!” Where and when did this happen because the running game in Madden even pales in comparison to NFL Fever’s.

Not everything about Madden makes me want to bitch, like I said the franchise is still as deep as ever. The graphics are solid, albeit the same as last year’s, and the game play is as smooth as ever. Madden does the same thing it does every year, make it’s fans happy. Adding a little here and even less here is enough for the Madden-ites, but I myself want something more. Call me greedy but for 50 dollars I don’t yesterday’s re-heated Chef Boyardee, I want a manly, freshly made steak with lots of potatoes. Perhaps they will re-work next year’s game to stay in competition. I doubt it unfortunately the Madden fans are easy to please, re-hash it again next year guys and keep raking in the dough! EA Sports…it stays the same.

Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.