Madden 22 - Justin Fields
Credit: EAI've been writing Madden reviews for well over 10 years, and honestly, they had become a bit stale. I never hate the game as much as some of the folks who have built their entire social media presence based on their distaste for the series, but I'm also not blind.
Madden has become stagnant and downright regressive in some ways.
That is what prompted me to start the #FIXMADDENFRANCHISE. The franchise mode, which is still the foundational piece for the series, had fallen so far behind, what was once fun about the game was becoming less cool. That regression magnified some of the unrealistic on-field issues that we used to look past.
With EA committing to franchise mode just ahead of the launch of Madden 21 and keeping their word through post-launch updates and making an even bigger investment in the mode, I'm approaching Madden 22 with renewed optimism.
With that rather lengthy, but necessary introduction out of the way, let's talk about the good, the bad and the bottom line with Madden 22.
For this review, and all the ones I’m planning to do moving forward, I’ll designate whether each positive or negative in the game is a major, moderate or minor one.
The Good
M-Factors - MAJOR
No major sports video game franchise has successfully incorporated home-field advantage in a game. Madden 22 has taken major steps toward doing this with M-Factors. The “M” stands for momentum, and they are arguably the best inclusion in this year’s game.
M-Factors are like X-Factors for entire teams while playing at home, and each team has unique ones based on their location and franchise.
For example, the Chicago Bears’ M-Factor is called “Bear Down.” It makes the away team’s kicking meter move faster than normal to simulate the swirling winds in the Windy City. While I’d like to see a little more variety, or perhaps even the ability to customize your M-Factor according to the roster, this is still an excellent addition overall.
Dynamic Gameday - MAJOR
As it pertains to in-game presentation, from an excitement and immersion standpoint, Madden 22 does a good job of making you feel the magnitude of a given moment.
The momentum meter, which also is what triggers your team’s M-Factor, serves as a game-long heartbeat for the current contest. When things aren’t swung in your favor, there are on-screen effects that make you feel the anxiousness of the moment [a wobbly screen and scrambled play art], it is all a nice touch.
There’s also enhanced audio related to fan noise that also augments the scoring and major defensive moments.
Fewer Random Result Animation Results - MAJOR
The 2-man animations have become a major negative point in Madden gameplay. They aren’t completely gone from Madden 22, but there are fewer instances of them especially in 50/50 balls.
The deep passes into single-coverage no longer feel like as much of a crap shoot, and more like a battle of positioning and timing. This leads to more satisfying results in these situations and in the passing game overall.
Fewer Unnatural Tackle and Collision Elements - MODERATE
One of the biggest immersion breakers in recent Madden games has been the lack of appropriate tackling animations. We’d see collisions happen that were rather unexplained and would generate a weird on-field sequence that left you asking “what was that?”
As long as the gameplay leans on animations over physics, those instances won’t ever go away entirely. However, developers have worked to limit the amount of unnatural tackling and collision animations.
There are more multiple-player animations that make the action smoother and easier on the eye.
Vastly Improved QB A.I. - MAJOR
From a gameplay standpoint, this one is pretty big.
CPU-controlled quarterbacks are infinitely smarter than they have ever been. Rather than sitting in the pocket as helpless targets for any pass rusher that gets penetration, they will now move and get rid of the ball in earnest when they are under pressure.
It’s not impossible to get a sack, but it’s not nearly as simple as it has been–especially on All-Pro difficulty or higher.
The quarterbacks play a lot more like themselves as it pertains to pocket tendencies, which gives you the feeling of playing against different offensive leaders.
Improved Franchise Mode - MAJOR
It feels good to see layers added to franchise mode. Teams now have offensive and defensive coordinators with skill trees. The coordinators’ abilities can be felt across the roster, and there is now more relevancy to the weekly preparation portion of the experience.
You have to choose whether to rest players or to allow them to go all-out in practice. The chance to add more XP is there while the risk of having a player injury is the downside. These are the kinds of decisions players want to make in franchise mode.
The weekly goals and such for players and teams continue to provide some sub-plots and challenges, but they aren’t intrusive into the overall experience.
The cutscenes with press conferences are a nice start when it comes to adding an organic narrative to your franchise experience. Tying them into weekly goals was smart as it keeps them from becoming sequences players simply button through.
While there are some things I don’t care for in franchise mode and still some glaring omissions, we see some real growth in franchise for the first time in more than a decade.
Superstar KO is a Blast With Real NFL Teams - MODERATE
I’ll be honest, Superstar KO was my second least-favorite way to play Madden 21. I came into this year’s game expecting it to be more of the same, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Being able to play the mode with real NFL teams added something to the experience. It is a much better way to entice players to try Ultimate Team, if they haven’t already, and it was nice to play the KO style under those parameters.
The Bad
Visually, Madden Still Hasn’t Taken a Next-Gen Leap - MAJOR
One of the major reasons gamers buy next-gen consoles is to see titles brought to life in a way that was impossible on the previous generation of systems. The barometer for this unofficial–but relevant–metric is usually visuals.
Madden 22 isn’t an ugly game, but compared to titles like NBA 2K21 and others that went all-in on next-gen visuals, it doesn’t have the wow factor. The visuals in Madden 22 on next-gen don’t create a big enough gap between the Gen-4 platform.
I feel like we’re still waiting on the sort of visual leap that will make us say, “wow, this looks so much better than the PS4 and Xbox One X versions.”
Franchise Mode is Still Not What it Needs to Be - MAJOR
Yes, I included the improvements in franchise mode as a part of my “good” section, and I called it a “MAJOR”positive. I meant that, but it doesn’t mean the mode is where it needs to be overall.
Scouting will be a big addition, but it isn’t scheduled to be active until September, which doesn’t do much for users who buy the game on Day 1.
Also, the franchise-mode-specific presentation is still lacking. There is no worthwhile halftime show, weekly wrap-up show and still nothing that makes the free-agent period or the NFL Draft feel like special events.
Lastly, there is still no create-a-team option or expansion. All of these things or something comparable are available in other sports video games. Because franchise mode is such an important aspect of the Madden experience, it hurts even more to have those features omitted for another year.
We will have some post-launch updates to Madden franchise down the road. Hopefully some of that stuff will be addressed. As it is, Madden franchise mode still has some undeniable holes.
Some Legacy Gameplay Issues Still Kill Immersion - MODERATE
The O-Line still has moments with bafflingly low awareness. This can leave you scratching your head if you dare replay one of the sequences.
It seems a little less spotty than it was during the playtest, but still too frequent for my tastes. Likewise, receivers still run sideline routes with no respect for the out-of-bounds line.
I’m beginning to believe this is an issue we’re just going to have to live with forever. It’s not game-breaking, but man is it annoying.
Deep Zone Play is Virtually Non-Existent - MAJOR
The biggest gameplay issue is the play of defensive backs set to patrol deep zones. Quite simply, if you’re trying to play Cover-2, and you’re expecting to control the middle linebacker, because you think you’ve got safety help over the top, you’re probably going to get toasted.
Oftentimes, the safety is sort of ambling in the direction he’s supposed to cover, but not reacting with enough urgency to become a part of the play. This one is game-breaking, thus I’m pretty sure it’ll get patched.
Next-Gen Stats Still Isn't Making Much of an Impact- MINOR
I’ve heard and been told Next-Gen Stats are playing a role in the way players move on the virtual field in Madden, but if that’s the case, EA could do a better job explaining and demonstrating the impact of this tech.
To the user, it looks like a presentation element that generates data that doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the play it is referencing. Instead, it shows some seemingly arbitrary total on the screen that is often hard to believe considering the player referenced.
I could be wrong, as there may be a deeper meaning and driver behind the scenes, but in Year 2 of the implementation of this tech, I’m not seeing a positive impact on user experience.
The Yard Still Isn't Grabbing My Attention - MINOR
No matter how much I try to enjoy The Yard, the mode is still missing some of the elements that worked for similar concepts like NFL Street and Blitz. It almost feels like it is fighting for an identity.
Rather than feeling like a fun arcade experience, it feels more like a broken version of the core game packed with planned exploits and glitches. Full disclosure: even if this was something that hit the mark entirely, it probably wouldn’t be a mode I played extensively.
That’s why this one is marked as “minor,” and you should understand: a non-simulation sports feature has to be REALLY good for me to plug it into my regular rotation.
Face of the Franchise is Uninspiring - MODERATE
EA does about as good of a job with Face of the Franchise: United We Rise as you can expect considering this is a concept that needs a refresh.
I’m not a person who believes the mode should simply go back to Superstar Mode. However, I do believe creating a story that functions like a season of Hard Knocks would be more interesting. Every year, a different team is picked, and you’re tasked with doing different challenges in the hopes of making the season a successful one. The presentation, both audio and visual would be important, but that’s a single-player story experience that fans would enjoy.
It’s a far more intriguing concept than another college-to-pro story, which are beginning to feel redundant.
There Are No New X-Factors or Superstar Abilities - MINOR
I wasn’t always a fan of the X-Factor concept, but it has grown on me. Therefore, I was hoping to see some new X-Factors added, as I still believe there are some elements in the sport that aren’t represented with the current run of X-Factors.
Edge defender, pass-protection from running backs are both pretty important aspects of the game that don’t have a special attached.
MUT Hasn’t Changed Much - VERY MINOR
If you weren’t a fan of Madden Ultimate Team before Madden 22, chances are, you probably aren’t going to pick up the mode based on this year’s game.
That’s not to say MUT has taken a step backward. To the contrary, there are some improvements, such as: mid-game adjustments [which are a major part of the franchise mode additions] and on-card statistics, which is something that is present in MLB The Show’s awesome card-collecting mode Diamond Dynasty.
Unfortunately, neither of those additions do anything to recruit non-MUT players to the mode. This isn’t a major drawback as gamers who aren’t into the mode probably aren’t going to take this as much of an issue, and hardcore MUT players seem mostly satisfied with the feature.
Still, you’d like to see every mode attempting to grow in a noticeable way, though that isn’t always possible.
The Bottom Line
Madden 22 is a significantly better game than Madden 21. The gameplay is smoother, franchise mode has more layers and MUT will remain a powerhouse. However, while each of the three areas deliver on one had, they each have a drawback. Also, modes like Face of the Franchise and The Yard fail to deliver in a way that moves the needle. The good outweighs the bad overall, and you’ll likely enjoy Madden if you’re a fan of the series. Still, it feels like we’re one year shy of delivering the kind of complete Madden release that really breaks new ground for the series.
- Platform: EA provided a PS5 code for review
- Developer: EA
- Publisher: EA
- Released: August 17
- Price: $59.99 for the standard edition, $79.99 for digital, $99.99 for MVP edition
- Review Score: 7.75 out of 10
Hình ảnh Ethan Miller/Getty
Tuần lễ Xếp hạng của Madden NFL đã khởi động hôm thứ Hai với nhóm người nhận rộng và Davante Adams của Las Vegas Raiders dẫn đầu với điểm 99 nói chung.
Los Angeles Rams WideOut Cooper Kupp, người đã dẫn đầu NFL với 1.947 sân nhận vào năm 2021, đứng thứ hai trong số các rộng với lớp 98.
Tyalet Hill, người nhận rộng rãi của Miami Dolphins, một người toàn diện ba lần, người đã tạo ra Pro Bowl trong mỗi sáu mùa NFL của anh ấy, đứng thứ ba với lớp 97.
Dưới đây là một cái nhìn vào toàn bộ top 10 cùng với một số ghi chú khác.
Xếp hạng người chơi Madden NFL 23: Top 10 rộng
1. Davante Adams [Las Vegas Raiders]: 99
2. Cooper Kupp [Los Angeles Rams]: 98
3. Tyalet Hill [Miami Dolphins]: 97
4. DeAndre Hopkins [Hồng y Arizona]: 96
5. Stefon Diggs [Buffalo Bills]: 95
6. Justin Jefferson [Minnesota Vikings]: 93
7. Mike Evans [Tampa Bay Buccaneers]: 92
T8. Terry McLaurin [chỉ huy Washington]: 91
T8. Keenan Allen [Bộ sạc Los Angeles]: 91
10. Amari Cooper [Cleveland Browns]: 90
Lịch trình tuần còn lại
Thứ ba, ngày 19 tháng 7: Edge-Rushers
Thứ Tư, ngày 20 tháng 7: Chạy trở lại
Thứ Năm, ngày 21 tháng 7: Lớp lin lin và phòng thủ phòng thủ và phòng thủ
Thứ Sáu, ngày 22 tháng 7: Quarterbacks, 99 Club, NFL Team Xếp hạng
Top 10 ghi chú nhận rộng
Adams là người nhận rộng rãi Raiders đầu tiên kiếm được 99 điểm tổng thể kể từ Randy Moss trong Madden 06.
Đó là một vinh dự rất xứng đáng cho Ex-Green Bay Packer, người đã được giao dịch vào tháng 3 và ký một hợp đồng trị giá năm năm trị giá 141,25 triệu đô la với đội mới của anh ấy.
Adams đã đăng 123 lần bắt trong 1.553 yard và 11 lần chạm bóng mùa trước, sau đó là màn trình diễn 115/1.374/18 vào năm 2020.
Cựu ngôi sao của bang Fresno, người đang đoàn tụ với cựu tiền vệ đại học Derek Carr ở Las Vegas, là một Pro Bowler năm lần và All-Pro hai lần.
Kupp, người bắt đầu mùa giải trước với xếp hạng 86, là một lựa chọn rõ ràng để tiến lên hàng ngũ sau khi giúp dẫn Rams đến một chiến thắng Super Bowl. 145 lần bắt bóng của cựu chiến binh NFL năm năm và 16 lần chạm bóng nhận được cũng dẫn đến bóng đá. Anh ấy đã thành lập một mối quan hệ năm đầu tiên tuyệt vời với Matt Stafford mới của Rams, và một bản encore trong vùng lân cận số năm 2021 của anh ấy không nằm ngoài câu hỏi.
Hill hiện là một con cá heo sau khi các thủ lĩnh thành phố Kansas giao dịch cho anh ta lý do này. Anh ấy sẽ tìm cách tái tạo thành công của mình ở Miami dưới tiền vệ Tua Tagovailoa và huấn luyện viên trưởng mới Mike McDaniel. Tốc độ của Hill, đã cho phép anh ta dẫn đầu NFL theo sân mỗi lần chạm hai lần, sẽ giúp đỡ vấn đề.
Người nhận rộng rãi của Hồng y Arizona, DeAndre Hopkins đứng thứ tư trong danh sách mặc dù chiến dịch năm 2021 đã rút ngắn, giữ anh ta tới 10 trận.
Thật dễ dàng để biết lý do tại sao cựu ngôi sao Clemson, người đồng lãnh đạo với Hill nhờ một cuộc bầu cử tổng thể 98 tổng thể, vẫn xếp hạng cao có trung bình 108 lần bắt, 1.381 yard và chín lần chạm bóng từ năm 2017 đến 2020.
Hill, Hopkins và Stefon Diggs của Buffalo Bills là những người chơi duy nhất hoàn thành top năm trong Xếp hạng Presleg của Madden NFL 2022 và 2023.
Diggs đã trượt một chút từ 97 [tổng thể thứ ba] xuống còn 95 [thứ năm] trong năm nay, nhưng anh ấy vẫn bước vào một mùa giải lớn năm 2021 đã chứng kiến anh ấy sau 103 lần bắt bóng trong 1.225 yard và 10 lần chạm bóng cho các nhà vô địch AFC East. 127 lần tiếp khách của ông và 1.535 yard đã dẫn đầu NFL vào năm 2020.
Justin Jefferson của Minnesota Vikings có thể là người hắt hủi lớn nhất ngoài năm top. Jefferson đã dẫn đầu NFL trong việc nhận sân kể từ năm 2020 [3.016 yard], và anh ấy đã tạo ra Pro Bowl trong mỗi hai mùa của mình.
Mike Evans của Tampa Bay Buccaneers tiếp tục là một trong những nhà sản xuất phù hợp nhất của trò chơi. Anh ấy đã tích lũy được 1.000 yard trở lên trong tất cả tám mùa NFL của mình, và đó là chuỗi dài nhất hiện tại trong số tất cả những người bắt bóng [Kansas City chặt chẽ Travis Kelce đứng thứ hai với sáu năm liên tiếp].
Các chỉ huy của Washington đã thưởng cho Terry McLaurin với một khoản gia hạn ba năm trị giá 71 triệu đô la, và nó rất xứng đáng sau khi nhà nước Buckeye cũ đã đăng mùa giải 1.000 yard thứ hai của anh ấy [77/1.053/5].
Anh ta gắn liền với Keenan Allen của Los Angeles Chargeers cho tổng thể thứ tám trong số các rộng rãi vào lúc này. Allen hiện có bốn mùa với ít nhất 100 lần bắt và 1.100 yard dưới vành đai của mình sau chiến dịch 106/1.138/6.
Anh ấy đã phát triển mạnh mẽ với Justin Herbert ở vị trí tiền vệ và Brandon Staley tại Huấn luyện viên trưởng, và Allen có thể thấy mình leo lên bảng xếp hạng khi mùa giải tiếp diễn.
Nằm trong top 10 là Amari Cooper của Cleveland Browns, người đã được giao dịch từ Dallas Cowboys này. Cooper đã đăng năm mùa 1.000 yard trong bảy chiến dịch NFL của mình, nhưng anh ấy sẽ ra khỏi một năm xuống với chỉ 68 lần bắt trong 865 yard vào năm 2021.
Tuy nhiên, anh ta đã tìm thấy khu vực kết thúc tám lần và chắc chắn có khả năng trở lại lớn khi rộng số 1 mới của Browns.