Madden NFL 22 Reviews
As a whole, Madden 22 takes several solid steps in the right direction with very few stumbles backward. The straddling of console generations and lack of certain updates at launch make the game feel like it's only halfway to its full potential, but it still makes for an enjoyable entry for new players and current fans.
Madden 22 has begun to address some major issues, and while it hasn’t fixed or updated everything, the dynamic on-field abilities and improved game modes make the future look a little brighter for the franchise.
If you have Madden NFL 21, the changes here might not be enough for you to consider parting with your hard-earned cash for Madden NFL 22. It is undoubtedly a better game than last year’s version, so if you’re an ardent fan you’ll probably do so anyway. Gameday atmosphere successfully adds to the ambience from one match to the next, while the new momentum system adds a nice tug-of-war element as players fight for helpful perks. It’s just a shame that outside of Franchise mode there are few developments worthy of note, while Face of the Franchise seriously needs some work. Also, I want a proper story mode back again, EA. I miss Longshot.
Madden NFL 22 is meant to deliver a simulated and engaging experience to fans of football. Its animations are great, and you’ll likely only gravitate to one mode that you prefer over the others, but it all acts as a way for fans to connect, and sometimes a rare glitch won’t impact that. There’s a lot of demand for some growth of the series, and this game has a long way to go, it seems, but seeing my dad pick up a gaming controller for the first time in years and can’t be overlooked.
Madden 22 looks like a sort of transition edition: it winks at the next-gen but doesn't fully exploit its potential, adds interesting new features but doesn't fully rectify some old flaws. The gameplay is still very good, but we are partially disappointed by the lack of the quality leap we were expecting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Madden 22 is not a huge step forward in a series that needs to shift gears to return to its former glory. There is no shortage of interesting ideas, too bad that there are quite a few gameplay issues and that some game modes (Face to the Franchise, for example) are way too boring and uninteresting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Madden 22 is a step in the right direction for the franchise. It gives everyone something to get excited about. However, they are a tad far away from being considered back to the heights of Madden in the late 00's early 10's. With time, Madden 22 could be considered the best in the past six years, but in its current state it can't be considered much better than 21. Promises only go so far, it's time to get on the field and execute the playbook.
Let’s be realistic. For an annual sports franchise, it’s not necessarily practical to expect huge evolution year on year. It’s also fair to say that at a minimum, players should expect EA to deliver incremental quality of life improvements and make an effort to hone their overall experience of the game for the better. Whilst there is only so far the needle can be pushed year on year, the launch of a new Madden on next-gen systems presented EA with an opportunity to really raise the bar. That’s why it’s particularly disappointing that Madden 22 only offers stagnant content and, sadly, creative disinterest.
Madden NFL 22 makes the same mistakes the franchise has had in recent years and its successes are not enough to reverse the score against.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Madden NFL 22 has brought even more realism with the ability to manage the coaching staff, a great option for those who follow every detail of their favorite franchise, and GameDay Momentum, very welcome additions after last year's "copy and paste". However, the game continues with the sameness of the other game modes, which had little or no change, and does not open the doors, at least in a more inviting way, to beginners or more casual players.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Madden NFL 22 disappoints on several levels whether it is for its gameplay which offers virtually no change since last year or even in its visual aspect which is not worthy of the new generation. Not to mention that the Face of the Franchise mode offers no real interest in low impact dialogue and poor quality cutscenes. If you already have last year's edition, this edition is clearly not necessary!
Review in French | Read full review
I always find a message within the selection of the Madden cover athlete, and in the picks of Tom Brady (arguably the greatest quarterback of all time) and Patrick Mahomes (arguably the most naturally gifted QB of all time), the message felt like a dual nod to Madden's age and enduring legacy as well as the promise of a bright future. However, even with the new stuff, I can't shake the sense of sameness in the experience of Madden NFL 22. The love of football keeps me playing, but there were no moments that made me think, "OK, we are in the next generation." That holds the series back while other games have passed it by. It looks like another year where "the leap" will have to wait - if it ever comes at all.
Madden NFL 22 takes a small and unimpressive first step into the Xbox Series X and PS5 generation, with even its better new ideas hobbled by poor execution.
There's some mild improvement on last year's game but the Madden franchise still feels lost, with too little depth and too many bugs.
Madden NFL 22 is an upgrade from the last few entries in the series. The new momentum mechanic, addition of Quality/Performance Modes, and some changes to Franchise genuinely make it feel like a step forward. However, the game fails to skirt around some of the same issues that’s held it down for years. A poorly executed Face of the Franchise, and an Ultimate Team mode that’s pretty much more of the same stop the game from being the endzone celebration that it could be.
Madden NFL 22 features a revamped franchise mode, minor gameplay improvements and a successful story mode, but the NFL simulation is still growing stale.
I really wanted to like Madden NFL 22. After a hiatus from the franchise, however, I find myself facing the very same issues that made me stop playing the game in the first place after trying out this year’s iteration. These include a lack of significant changes to the gameplay as well as a host of game-breaking bugs and glitches. All in all, Madden NFL 22 probably isn’t as bad as some of the game’s more vociferous critics make it out to be. But “not as bad” isn’t exactly something to aspire to when you’re the only football game in town — or for any game for that matter. As a longtime player since the 16-bit days, seeing Madden stuck in neutral once again is a heartbreaker. Here’s hoping things get better as no one would like to see Madden make a comeback more than longtime fans such as myself.
Madden NFL 22 has some good parts to it, mainly the usual suspects, but falls flat with Face of the Franchise. I know Face of the Franchise is a key part of Madden's success and what fans look forward to as a main piece of the Madden pie each year, but honestly, it has so many glitches in it that at times it is unplayable. Could these be fixed, and this year's title saved? Most definitely, but as it stands at launch, the game has issues that need rectifying.
Madden 22 makes strides in several areas, but lack of polish, numerous bugs, and mostly reloaded content put it behind the sticks.