Madden NFL 16 Reviews
Even with the few, and consequently minor, shortcomings in Madden NFL 16, it is by far the best football game in years. The new additions to the passing and receiving game alone are more than worth the purchase price. These new game mechanics, coupled with the new defensive additions and refinements, bring the game to a level of realism that has never before been reached by the Madden franchise. On top of all of that, Draft Champions looks to be one of the best new game modes added to a sports game in recent years.
Madden 16 is what the NFL wants to believe its league is: Clean, friendly, and inspirational. It's not.
Overall Madden 16 is takes the Madden franchise to the next level and I would highly recommend it to all football fans out there!
Madden NFL 16 has a bad rap for being nothing more than a yearly money grab. I understand why people say this, even though most years I disagree. This year however, I strongly disagree. There are enough changes in a variety of places that make this the best offering the series has had in several years and should satisfy new fans, yearly players and those who fall somewhere in between.
Madden 16 feels like EA has finally caught up to the current generation of gaming and can now start to improve the venerable football franchise by even greater strides. There's still some work to be done, but I feel like I'm playing Madden this year because it's fun, and not because I felt obligated as a football fan to have it. Compared to the hurricane of dark perceptions surrounding the National Football League, I'd much rather be playing this.
Every year people justify not purchasing Madden using the time tested line, "Well it is just a glorified roster update anyway…" Unfortunately for those poor jaded schmucks, no such excuse exists this season. EA Sports has went all out to deliver changes to the core gameplay mechanics, resulting in an authentic football experience, with unparalleled levels of depth and complexity.
Madden NFL 16 represents a logical step in the history of the franchise. Rather than restricting the experience to the die-hard few, why not make a game that satisfies both the latter group and the more casual fans? It may seem a little intimidating at first but this well-appointed simulator is amazingly flexible, and gives you the chance to play exactly the way you wish. The intro is poorly conceived, I believe, the loading times are still pretty ridiculous, and there are a few lingering gameplay issues (wacky occurrences can be prevalent) but aside from that, this is the best Madden entry we've seen in years.
Overall this years Madden make some improvements to what we know already works. MuT needs some work, again, but players quitting is kind of out of their hands. Normally I wouldn’t recommend upgrading from year to year but this year, you should spend the extra money and go for it.
It's tough for an annual sports franchise like Madden to spice things up from year to year, but Madden NFL 16 brings just the right amount of change to make things interesting. Nearly everything it adds works incredibly well, most noticeably in the passing game, while a few other things still need a bit of work. Ultimate Team continues to grow, Draft Champions is the coolest mode ever, and even just a quick game against a friend is still as fun and footbally as Madden has ever been. There's a lot to like on the gridiron this year, and I can only hope that this upward trend continues to grow.
All the intangibles, streaky in the clutch
More tactical, more rewarding and much more fun
If you have a passion for American football, there really is no better replication of the sport this well designed and executed.
It's always a bit hyperbolic to say "best Madden ever" before the community play-style has settled - but in terms of the gameplay mechanics, the franchise is at the most realistic point it's reached to date.
Madden NFL 16 definitely streamlines the American football experience on the PlayStation 4 with its enhanced gaming mechanics, especially with the new catches and accessible in-game goals. Controls work extremely well and the tweaked gameplay creates a new direction for the series, more so with the next-gen graphics that just boom out of your TV.
As I have reviewed every Madden game these last few years, I saw systems get more and more complex, making the game feel like it was out of my reach. Madden 16 feels like it is geared around simplicity. None of the systems from other Madden games were taken out, but the core of the game has been shifted toward simple mechanics interacting with other simple mechanics. This is a breath of fresh air to me. It makes Madden NFL 16 a fantastic place to start playing Madden, as well as being different enough to warrant a follow up buy after 15.
Madden NFL 16 boasts deep and engaging gameplay, a robust tutorial system, and an overall presentation that makes it the best that it's been in years.
The third iteration of the series on current-gen platforms, Madden NFL 16 continues its growth. There's not a myriad of changes this year, but what has been tweaked is noticeable and makes for a fantastic game of pigskin.
Madden NFL 16 is a great playing game on the field, and has adequate depth to the modes to keep you busy for a long time to come.
Madden NFL 16 regains its championship swagger in so many ways. The completely revamped Madden Ultimate Team, Connected Franchise, and the absolutely fun Draft Champions modes are definitely the highlight of this game, by far.
A few new gameplay mechanics and the Fantasy Draft mode might not seem like enough to make you part with your cash, but the subtle changes are enough to make every game feel like a new challenge. Every catch can be game changing, every defensive counter move pivotal. It's great that a simple tweak can shift the dynamic so much, and it's enough to make Madden NFL 16 a more authentic experience for long time players and newcomers alike.